Updated March 24
RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, SCHOOLS AND OTHER GATHERING SPOTS
All non-essential retail businesses are ordered closed. Essential businesses are limited to the following:
- Restaurants, cafeterias, dining establishments, and food courts (limited to offering only delivery and/or take-out services)
- Grocery stores, farmer’s markets and farms
- Pharmacies
- Medical supply stores
- Retail functions of gas stations
- Convenience stores
- Ancillary stores within healthcare facilities
- Hardware and home improvement stores
- Retail functions of banks and other financial institutions
- Retail functions of laundromats and dry-cleaning services
- Stores that principally sell supplies for children under 5 years old
- Pet stores
- Liquor stores
- Car dealerships, but only to provide auto maintenance and repair services, and auto mechanics
- Retail functions of printing and office supply shops
- Retail functions of mail and delivery stores.
- Mobile phone retail and repair shops.
- Bicycle shops, but only to provide service and repair.
- Livestock feed stores.
- Nurseries and garden centers.
- Farming equipment stores.
Any essential retail business whose brick-and-mortar premises remain open to the public shall abide by social distancing practices to the extent practicable while providing essential services. These include all reasonable efforts to keep customers six feet apart and frequent use of sanitizing products on common surfaces.
GENERAL
- All residents are ordered to remain home unless they are
- Obtaining goods or services from essential retail businesses.
- Obtaining takeout food or beverages.
- Seeking medical attention, essential social services, or assistance from law enforcement or emergency services.
- Visiting family.
- Reporting to, or performing, their job.
- Walking, running, operating a wheelchair, or engaging in outdoor activities with immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners while following best social distancing practices with other individuals, including staying 6 feet apart.
- Leaving the home for an educational, religious, or political reason.
- Leaving because of a reasonable fear for his or her health or safety.
- Leaving at the direction of law enforcement or other government agency.
When in public, you must practice social distancing and stay 6 feet apart whenever possible, excluding immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners.
All gatherings, including parties, celebrations, or other social events, are prohibited.
MOTOR VEHICLE REGULATIONS
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) will give automatic two-month extensions to any residents who need to renew their driver’s licenses, vehicle registration or vehicle inspection by May 31. This is meant to reduce the number of individuals visiting the MVC. The motor vehicle commission encourages customers who are eligible to conduct online transactions, including license renewals, vehicle registrations and change of address, to do so by visiting https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/.
- No renter or homeowner can be evicted until further notice.
- Foreclosures for properties with FHA (Federal Housing Administration) mortgages are on hold until at least May 18, 2020. More information
- Individuals with mortgages through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks are eligible to apply for a delay in payments with no late fees or negative credit reporting. More information
- The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced relief measures for owners of multifamily properties if they agree to suspend evictions. More information
ROADS, TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING
- The State of New Jersey strongly discourages residents from making non-essential trips between 8 p.m. – 5 a.m.
- Parking regulations are suspended in Princeton.
- There is a moratorium on all non-essential municipal construction and roadwork that either requires road closures or the disruption of water, sewer or electric services. This includes the Linden and Spruce Street road project.
- FreeB Service has been suspended through March 27
MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND SERVICES
- The municipal offices are closed through March 27.
- Municipal court is suspended through March 27.
- All scheduled public meetings held by Princeton’s boards, committees and commissions, including meetings of the Princeton Planning Board and the Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment, are canceled through April 5.
- All meetings of the Princeton Mayor and Council are canceled through April 5, except for such special or emergency meetings as may be needed in the interim for the purpose of approving the payment of bills and claims.
- All municipally-sponsored events are canceled through April 30.
- All private events held on municipal property and all events requiring municipal permits are canceled through April 30, including events for which permits have already been issued.
PARKS AND RECREATION
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Campgrounds, visitor centers, nature centers, restrooms and similar facilities at state parks, forests, recreation areas, Wildlife Management Areas and historic sites are closed until further notice. Open spaces at state parks and Wildlife Management Areas will remain open for passive recreation.
- Playgrounds and sandboxes are closed. Parks remain open.
- Use of municipal fields and facilities by organized sport groups is suspended through April 30, 2020.
RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER GATHERING SPOTS
- All gyms and movie theaters are closed.
- Bars and restaurants will be permitted to serve take-out and delivery services only.
- Supermarkets and pharmacies will be open.
- All Pre-K, K-12 schools, colleges and universities are on virtual instruction.
- All barbershops, nail salons, hair salons, tanning salons, and spas are closed.
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All public and private social clubs are closed
GENERAL
We encourage everyone to stay home if at all possible, and to employ the following social distancing techniques when going out:
- Keep at least six feet between yourself and another person in all public places.
- Avoid close contact, including handshakes and hugging.
- Limit in-person meetings.
- Prevention measures are similar to those utilized against the common cold and flu. Those measures include frequent hand washing and avoiding touching one’s face with unwashed hands.
- The CDC does not recommend the use of surgical masks by people who are well. Those who are ill should consult a healthcare provider about using a surgical mask to reduce the spread of their illness.
