# Sign Regulations in Cliffside Park Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cliffside Park Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/cliffside-park-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/35164062#35164062)

## At a glance

Cliffside Park Borough, New Jersey regulates 21 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Filling Stations)s in the Commercial Zone zoning district are capped at 18 ft tall and 32 sq ft, with a 10 ft from any property line setback (Sec. § 18-8.4.m). Most commercial signs in Cliffside Park Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 14 | 12 inches (letter height) | 32 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Zone | 1 | 18 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Business District | 6 | 24 inches (vertical dimension limit); not above first story or 14 ft, whichever is less | 75% of main entrance facade wall sign | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises; for occupant | — | § 18-8.4.a |
| Government Sign | — | — | — | — | — | As erected by Borough, County, State, or Federal Government | — | § 18-8.4.b |
| Church/School/Library Exterior Bulletin-Board | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Exterior bulletin-board on premises | — | § 18-8.4.c |
| No Trespassing/Private Parking/Exit/Entrance Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 18-8.4.d |
| For Sale/For Rent/For Lease Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | § 18-8.4.i |
| Temporary Opening/Closing/Under New Management Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | Window | — | § 18-8.4.j |
| Garage Sale Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On applicant's premises | — | § 4-21.6 |
| Tattoo Shop Sign | 12 inches (letter height) | — | — | — | — | Exterior of tattoo shop | — | § 3-16.13 |

### Commercial Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Filling Stations) | 18 ft | 32 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any property line | 1 | On premises of a filling station | — | § 18-8.4.m |

### Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning/Canopy | Maximum: 14 ft from ground to uppermost portion; single story buildings: 12 ft max | — | — | — | — | Ground level awnings/canopies on any facade; canvas/cloth awnings on upper levels | — | § 18-8.6 |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | 60% of the area of the awning/canopy (excluding end elevations) | — | — | — | On the portion of the awning/canopy parallel to street line; first story only | — | § 18-8.9 |
| Wall Sign (Main Entrance Facade) | 24 inches (vertical dimension limit); not above first story or 14 ft, whichever is less | 10% of first-floor area of facade | 75% of facade width | — | — | On building wall with main entrance or any wall with street frontage | — | § 18-8.7 |
| Wall Sign (Other Facades) | — | 75% of main entrance facade wall sign | — | — | — | Wall having street frontage | — | § 18-8.7.f |
| Wall Sign (Parking Area Entrance, not between building and street line) | 2 ft (vertical dimension) | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | At building entrance from on-site parking area, not between building and street line | — | § 18-8.7.g |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of window area (each) | — | — | Max 2 per business use | First-story windows on facades with street frontage | — | § 18-8.8 |

## Prohibited signs in Cliffside Park Borough

- No sign shall be erected, displayed, replaced or structurally altered except as provided by these regulations, and unless a Sign Permit has been issued by the Building Department.
- No sign shall be located in any street right-of-way.
- No sign or advertising device shall be erected, used or maintained which in any way simulates official directional or warning signs erected or maintained by a governmental agency for the protection of the public health and safety.
- No sign or advertising device shall be erected or maintained in such a manner as to obstruct or interfere with the free and clear vision on any street or driveway.
- No illuminated sign or lighting device shall be placed or directed in manner that would permit the light beams and illumination to be directed or beamed onto a public street, sidewalk or adjoining properties so as to cause glare or reflection that might constitute a traffic hazard or public nuisance.
- Any moving sign or device designed to attract attention, including fluttering or rotating devices, such as but not limited to pennants, flags, propellers, discs, etc., are prohibited.
- Any sign or device with flashing or intermittent lights of changing degrees of intensity is prohibited.
- Any strings of lights or illuminated tubing outlining property lines, open sales areas, wall edges, roof lines, doors or windows of a building are prohibited.
- All portable signs, including but not limited to any sidewalk display free standing and any sign displayed on a vehicle when such vehicle is used for the purpose of such display, are prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected or attached to the roof of a building.
- No commercial building on Anderson and/or Palisade Avenue shall be monochromatically painted in any color excepting white, black or washing and sealing of the original brick façade. All other colors are prohibited without approval from the sign committee.
- Redundant signs naming the type of business more than once shall not be permitted on the storefront, excepting the original name of the type of business in the main “header” sign.
- No person shall post, stick, stamp, paint or otherwise fix, or cause the same to be done by any person, any sign or advertisement to any portion of any public way, public place, lamp post, utility pole, tree, public structure, or public system fixture, except as required or authorized by law.
- No sign is allowed on an antenna or tower.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cliffside Park Borough

- No sign permit is required for the following signs permitted in any zone where the appurtenant use is allowed: one identification sign stating the name and address of the occupant, not exceeding two (2) square feet.
- Any sign erected by the Borough, County, State or Federal Government is exempt.
- Church, school, or library exterior bulletin-board, not exceeding ten (10) square feet, is exempt.
- Any 'No Trespassing', 'Private Parking', 'Exit', or 'Entrance' signs, not exceeding two (2) square feet for each sign, are exempt.
- Informational or directional signs or historical markers authorized or erected by a public agency are exempt.
- Display of the National, State, County or Borough flag is exempt.
- Any flag, badge or insignia customarily displayed by any governmental agency, civic, fraternal, religious, or similar organization is exempt.
- Temporary displays or lighting as a customary part of holiday decorations are exempt.
- One temporary 'For Sale', 'For Rent', or 'For Lease' sign not exceeding four (4) square feet is exempt.
- Temporary political signs displayed during election campaigns are exempt.
- A temporary construction sign not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet is exempt.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A Sign Permit issued by the Building Department is generally required before any sign is erected, displayed, replaced, or structurally altered, except where expressly exempted.
- Applicants seeking a waiver from sign standards may petition the Mayor and Council (or its designee) and must submit a drawing of the proposed sign (nonprofessional acceptable if to scale), along with address, property owner authorization, and proposed ordinance section for waiver.
- If a waiver request is denied, the applicant can appear before the Zoning Board of Adjustment to obtain a variance authorizing the proposed sign.
- No new sign permit shall be issued until all existing or previous signs on the premises that are required to be removed have been removed.
- A sign permit becomes void if not put into effect or work commenced within one year of issuance.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Cliffside Park Borough, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Cliffside+Park+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-cliffside-park-borough

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