New Providence residents can buy a $60 permit for curbside leaf vacuuming for the fall season, with a purchase deadline of Thursday, Nov. 12.

The Borough began selling permits Monday, Sept. 14, posting the details in a notice on its website. The permit lets homeowners rake leaves to the curb for Borough crews to vacuum. Without one, leaves left loose at the curb won't be picked up by vacuum.

Residents on four streets don't need a Borough permit at all. Springfield Avenue, South Street, Passaic Street and Mountain Avenue are Union County roads, and the Union County Public Works Department handles leaf vacuuming on those routes separately. The county's schedule had not been posted as of Sept. 14 but will appear on newprov.us when available.

There is one exception: corner-lot homeowners on those county roads who want leaves vacuumed from a Borough street side should still buy a permit and specify which Borough street the leaves will be placed on.

Three ways to get a permit

Residents can purchase online at newprov.us and print the permit immediately. They can also mail or bring a completed application with payment to the Borough Clerk's Office at 360 Elkwood Ave. A third option is to call 908-665-1400, ext. 0, and pay by credit card over the phone. Phone orders will be mailed.

What goes in the pile

Only leaves from a resident's own property belong in curbside piles, the Borough said. Sticks, rocks and other debris clog the vacuum equipment and should be kept out.

Landscaper rules

Landscapers who blow leaves to the curb must follow the pickup schedule for that street and pay for a permit. Landscapers are responsible for disposing of any leaves they collect themselves and may not dump at the Borough Department of Public Works yard.

Other leaf pickup options

Residents who skip the vacuum permit still have two free alternatives. Leaves placed in cans, open containers or paper bags go out with regular Monday curbside collection, which runs every Monday through Dec. 7. Items must be at the curb by 5 a.m. Residents can also hire a landscaper to haul leaves away privately.

The $60 price is up from $55 in 2016, according to a Renna Media community newsletter from that year. The same four county roads were carved out then, too.

No permits will be sold after Nov. 12.