# Sign Regulations in Allendale Borough, New Jersey

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Allendale Borough, New Jersey, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Allendale Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/allendale-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31307898#31307898)

## At a glance

Allendale Borough, New Jersey regulates 22 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Institutional Use)s in the Residential zones zoning district are capped at 10 ft max height for sign/support tall and 24 sq ft per side (schools/churches), 12 sq ft per side (other), with a At least 15 ft from all lot lines setback (Sec. § 270-20H(2)). Most commercial signs in Allendale Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 2 ft | 36 sq ft | — |
| Residential zones | 5 | 10 ft max height for sign/support | 24 sq ft per side (schools/churches), 12 sq ft per side (other) | — |
| AU Zone | 2 | 10 ft | As per institution type: 24 sq ft (church/school) per side or 12 sq ft other per side | — |
| BU Zone | 2 | 10 ft | As per institution type: 24 sq ft (church/school) per side or 12 sq ft other per side | — |
| Business Zones (C, D, E and OR Zones) | 4 | 10 ft (including structure) | 12 sq ft per side | — |
| C District | 3 | 10 ft (inc structure) | 12 sq ft per side | — |
| D District | 3 | 10 ft (inc structure) | 12 sq ft per side | — |
| E District | 3 | 10 ft (inc structure) | 12 sq ft per side | — |
| OR District | 3 | 10 ft (inc structure) | 12 sq ft per side | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Any Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Must refer only to premises on which they are displayed and only within the lot lines | — | § 270-20B, § 270-20C, § 270-20I |
| Garage Sale Sign (On-Premises) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On-premises only | — | § 134-5(A)(1), (B), (C); § 270-20G(1)(f) |
| Garage Sale Sign (Off-Premises) | — | 3 sq ft each | — | — | 2 | Municipal right-of-way, not private property, not on prohibited structures | — | § 134-5(A)(2); § 270-20G(1)(f) |
| Temporary Sign (Real Estate For Sale) | — | 6 sq ft | — | 15 ft from curbline | 1 | On-premises only | — | § 270-20G(1)(a), (2) |
| Temporary Sign (Real Estate Open House On-Premises) | — | — | — | — | 1 | On-premises only | — | § 270-20G(1)(b) |
| Temporary Sign (Real Estate Open House Directional) | — | — | — | — | 2 | At no more than 2 intersections | — | § 270-20G(1)(b) |
| Temporary Sign (Subdivision, 5+ Homes) | — | 36 sq ft | — | — | 1 | One lot of the subdivision | — | § 270-20G(1)(c), (2) |
| Window Sign | 2 ft | No more than 2 ft height or more than 20% of total window/door area | — | — | — | Inside of window or glass door | — | § 270-20K |

### Residential zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 2 | On premises of residence | — | § 270-20D(1), § 270-20I(2) |
| Wall Sign (Institutional Use) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises of institution in residential zone | — | § 270-20D(2), § 270-20I(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional Use) | 10 ft max height for sign/support | 24 sq ft per side (schools/churches), 12 sq ft per side (other) | — | At least 15 ft from all lot lines | 1 | On same lot as institution | — | § 270-20H(2) |
| Occupational/Farm Produce Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | § 270-20D(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional Use in AU/BU Zone) | 10 ft | As per institution type (24 sq ft side for churches/schools; 12 sq ft other) | — | — | 1 | On development lot; AU/BU Zone only | — | § 270-20H(2)(e) |

### Business Zones (C, D, E and OR Zones)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Main Exterior) | — | 2 sq ft per foot of building frontage | — | — | 1 main sign per tenant/occupant; 2 for dual-frontage buildings | Building facade | — | § 270-20E(1)(a)-(b), § 270-20I(1), § 270-20C |
| Wall Sign (Supplemental, Parking Front) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Facing the paved parking area | — | § 270-20E(1)(a), § 270-20I(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Business) | 10 ft (including structure) | 12 sq ft per side | — | At least 3 feet from any public right-of-way | 1 per building | Accessory to business; per building, in lot lines | — | § 270-20H(1)(a)-(d), § 270-20I(1) |
| Internal Window Sign | 2 ft | No more than 2 ft in height or 20% of window/door area | — | — | — | Inside window/glass door | — | § 270-20E(2), § 270-20K |

## Prohibited signs in Allendale Borough

- It is unlawful to post or affix any sign, advertisement, notice, poster, paper, device, or other matter or material of any kind to any public utility pole, shade tree, lamppost, curbstone, sidewalk, or upon any public structure or building, except as may be authorized or required by law.
- No sign shall have mechanically operated moving parts.
- No sign shall consist of pennants, banners, ribbons, baubles, spinners, or similar movable or moving components.
- No sign shall have more than four colors, including black and white.
- No sign shall state or indicate that the property is sold or rented.
- No sign shall be mounted on or supported otherwise than by a building structure or by the ground.
- No sign shall be mounted on a roof, other than the front facade of mansard roofs, nor project above the roof of any building.
- No sign shall be made of the paste-up type, installed externally.
- Searchlights are not permitted.
- All signs shall refer only to the premises on which they are displayed and shall be displayed only within the lot lines of the property to which they refer.
- Any sign configuration or type not covered by the code is prohibited.
- No sign shall be illuminated by lighting of intermittent or varying intensity or color or by neon or similar illumination.
- Illumination of all signs shall be arranged so that no direct glare is visible outside the boundaries of the lot on which the sign is erected and no traffic hazard is created.
- No sign shall be backlighted or constructed of any material which permits the passage of light or allows light to be seen through the material so as to illuminate the exterior surface of the sign.
- Window signs, temporary or otherwise, shall not be greater than two feet in height or cover more than 20% of the window/door area, and no such sign is allowed above the first floor or on the exterior surface.
- Garage sale signs may not be posted on telephone poles, street signs, trees, or fences.
- During construction, alteration, or renovation of a building or driveway or during property landscaping in any zone, temporary signs advertising the names of contractors, subcontractors, or professionals are not permitted.
- If any sign has been erected unsafely or has deteriorated to be unsightly or a hazard to the general public, it must be repaired or removed to the satisfaction of the Construction Code Official within seven days of notice or it is a violation.
- Signs not in compliance with regulations on real estate open house signs may be removed by the Zoning Official or their designee.

## Signs exempt from permit in Allendale Borough

- Repainting, cleaning or other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or a sign structure, unless a structural change is made, does not require a permit.
- The provisions and regulations of this chapter do not apply to a memorial sign or tablet, or a sign indicating the name of a building or the date of its erection when cut into masonry or constructed of bronze or other incombustible material.
- The provisions and regulations of this chapter do not apply to signs for public convenience and welfare erected by or on behalf of the United States of America, the State of New Jersey, the County of Bergen and the Borough of Allendale, traffic controls in private ways and parking lots, legal notices, railroad crossing signs or other signs as required by law.
- Outdoor umbrellas located in the outdoor cafe are exempt from the Sign Ordinance.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign (unless otherwise specifically provided), window signs, and signs erected on residential premises in compliance with requirements shall be erected without first having obtained a permit from the Construction Code Official, with an application to include required details and a sketch for review.
- Permits are always required for certain residential and temporary signs as specified (e.g., temporary subdivision sale signs, AU and BU zone wall/freestanding signs).
- Permits are not required for repainting, cleaning, or normal maintenance or repair unless there is a structural change, nor for real estate open house signs or garage sale signs.
- Permit applications require detailed information and drawings as set forth in § 270-20B.
- Municipal, county, or state authorities or institutions are exempt from the permit fee requirement, but still must obtain a permit when required.
- A fee is required for temporary real estate for sale or subdivision signs and temporary signs under certain subsections.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 9 zoning districts in Allendale Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Allendale+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-allendale-borough

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