# Sign Regulations in Clinton Town, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Clinton Town, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/clinton-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/44782639#44782639)

## At a glance

Clinton Town, New Jersey regulates 23 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the C-1 Commercial Zone District, C-2 Commercial Zone District zoning district are capped at 5 ft tall and 5 ft wide, with a 5 ft from r-o-w/property line, 5 ft from building, 50 ft from street intersection setback (Sec. 88-64D(6)). Most commercial signs in Clinton Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 10 in | 96 sq ft (banner, max 24 ft x 4 ft); must be at least 45 ft long with ropes (includes rope to ends). | — |
| Residential Districts | 2 | 4 ft (including uprights/braces) | 20 sq ft | — |
| C-1 Commercial Zone District, C-2 Commercial Zone District | 8 | 5 ft | 72 sq in | — |
| C-3 Commercial Zone District | 8 | 10 in | 72 sq in | — |
| C-4 Commercial Zone District | 8 | 10 in | 72 sq in | — |
| I Industrial District | 4 | 6 ft | 100 sq ft or 10% of gross wall area, whichever is greater | — |
| OB-1 Office Building District | 5 | 6 ft | 72 sq in | — |
| OB-2 Office Building District | 5 | 4 ft | 72 sq in | — |
| OB-3 Office Building District, OB-4 Office Building District | 4 | 15 ft | 100 sq ft or 10% of gross wall area (including window/doors), whichever is less | — |
| Motor Vehicle Service Stations | 2 | 15 ft | 30 sq ft per side | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### C-1 Commercial Zone District, C-2 Commercial Zone District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 72 sq in | — | — | One per public access | At each public access to establishment | — | 88-64D(1)(a) |
| Directory Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per public access | At each public access to establishment (multiple tenants) | — | 88-64D(1)(b) |
| Wall Sign | 3 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | No limit, but max 3 zone sign types total | Building wall facing street or with public access | — | 88-64D(2) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | No limit, but max 3 zone sign types total | Downward flap and other awning portions, if facing street or public access | — | 88-64D(3) |
| Projecting Sign | 3 ft | — | — | — | One per tenant | Wall facing street or public access (per tenant) | — | 88-64D(4) |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Windows/doors facing street or public access, on same story as business | — | 88-64D(5) |
| Ground Sign | 5 ft | — | 5 ft | 5 ft from r-o-w/property line, 5 ft from building, 50 ft from street intersection | One per lot with required frontage | Lots w/ minimum 50 ft frontage | — | 88-64D(6) |
| Standing Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq ft (3 ft high x 2 ft wide) | 2 ft | — | One per tenant | On sidewalk at business, C-1 only | — | 88-64N(5) |

### C-3 Commercial Zone District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 72 sq in | — | — | One per public access | At each public access | — | 88-64E(1)(a) |
| Directory Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per public access | At each public access | — | 88-64E(1)(b) |
| Wall Sign | 4 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | Wall facing street or public access | — | 88-64E(2) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Awnings facing street or public access | — | 88-64E(3) |
| Projecting Sign | 3 ft | — | — | — | One per tenant | One per tenant, wall facing street or public access | — | 88-64E(4) |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On doors/windows facing street or public access, on same story as business | — | 88-64E(5) |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft | — | 6 ft | 10 ft from r-o-w/property line; 50 ft from intersection | One per lot | Lots w/ min 150 ft street frontage | — | 88-64E(6) |
| Neon/LED Open Sign | 10 in | 10 in x 24 in | 24 in | — | One per public access | First-story window/door | — | 88-64L |

### C-4 Commercial Zone District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 72 sq in | — | — | One per public access | At each public access | — | 88-64F(1)(a) |
| Directory Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per public access | At each public access | — | 88-64F(1)(b) |
| Wall Sign | 4 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | Wall facing street or public access | — | 88-64F(2) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Awnings facing street or public access | — | 88-64F(3) |
| Projecting Sign | 3 ft | — | — | — | One per tenant | One per tenant, wall facing street or public access | — | 88-64F(4) |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On doors/windows facing street or public access, on same story as business | — | 88-64F(5) |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft | — | 6 ft | 10 ft from r-o-w/property line; 50 ft from intersection | One per lot | Lots w/ min 150 ft street frontage | — | 88-64F(6) |
| Neon/LED Open Sign | 10 in | 10 in x 24 in | 24 in | — | One per public access | First-story window/door | — | 88-64L |

## Prohibited signs in Clinton Town

- Moving or rotating signs, including streamers, pennants and similar displays are prohibited in all zone districts.
- Signs with letters moving or rotating on an electronically controlled screen or similar device are prohibited in all zone districts.
- Flashing signs are prohibited in all zone districts.
- Intermittent signs are prohibited in all zone districts.
- Portable signs are prohibited in all zone districts.
- Billboards are prohibited in all zone districts.
- Digital signs, other than LED 'Open' signs, are prohibited in all zone districts.
- Snipe signs are prohibited in all zone districts.
- Signs in the public right-of-way, other than traffic control or warning signs, are prohibited unless specifically permitted by the Mayor and Council for a public purpose and meeting all requirements.
- Internal illumination of signs is prohibited. All signs shall be lit from an exterior source.
- Neon and LED tube lighting is prohibited for signs, except for 'Open' signs as regulated in the ordinance.
- No sign shall be lit by means of flashing or intermittent illumination.
- Lights used for the illumination of any sign shall not project light above the highest elevation of the wall of the building to which the sign is affixed.
- Lights used for the illumination of any sign (except for ground signs) shall be directed downward.
- Any illuminated tubing or strings of lights outlining signs, rooflines, doors, windows or wall edges of any building, except holiday decorations, are prohibited.
- All sign illumination shall be shut off by 11:00 p.m., unless the business is open, in which case the illumination shall be shut off within 0.5 hour of the closing of the business.
- No sign shall be placed so as to interfere with or be mistaken for a traffic light or similar safety device or interfere with traffic visibility.
- No sign shall be erected or located on any public right-of-way unless specifically permitted by the Council for a public purpose and meeting constitutional requirements.
- No sign shall be erected on or attached to the roof of a building.

## Signs exempt from permit in Clinton Town

- Statutory signs are exempt from the regulations.
- Traffic control device signs are exempt from the regulations.
- Any sign directed or oriented toward the inside of a stadium or ball field is exempt from the regulations.
- Any sign not visible from a public street, sidewalk, or right-of-way is exempt (except if visible from an abutting residential use).
- Temporary signs or devices expressing noncommercial messages that are reactive to a local happening or expressing a view on a controversial issue and displayed on traditional public forums, provided they don't block or interfere with traffic, are exempt.
- Temporary safety, traffic, directional and warning signs approved by the governing body or required by the NJ Department of Transportation are exempt from permits.
- Temporary emergency signs and warning signs erected by governmental or public utility employees in official work are exempt from permits.
- Noncommercial on-site directional signs are exempt from permits.
- Signs used to warn the public against hunting or trespassing are exempt from permits.
- Historic markers are exempt from permits.
- Election signs are exempt from permits.
- Free expression signs are exempt from permits.
- Off-site temporary directional open house signs are exempt from permits.
- Real estate signs (as permitted in the ordinance) are exempt from permits.
- Construction signs (as permitted in the ordinance) are exempt from permits.
- Garage sale signs (as permitted in the ordinance) are exempt from permits.
- Signs in or over the public right-of-way as specifically permitted by the ordinance are exempt from permits.
- Municipal property welcome/sponsorship signs created under the Welcome to Clinton Sign Sponsorship Program are exempt from zoning regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Except for signs exempted by Subsection R, no sign may be erected or displayed unless a permit has first been obtained from the Zoning Officer.
- Application for permanent and temporary sign permits requires submission of an application including property information, proposed sign graphics and location, and other data to the Zoning Officer.
- Window sign permits may cover all window sign area for both temporary and permanent signs for a tenant, up to the maximum permitted.
- Sign applications must be reviewed and approved/denied by the Zoning Officer within 10 days; failure to act means approval for a temporary sign, or denial for a permanent sign (appealable to the Land Use Board).
- Applicants aggrieved by decisions regarding sign permits may appeal to the Land Use Board as per the Municipal Land Use Law.
- For the Welcome to Clinton Sign Sponsorship Program, applications are reviewed by the Historic Commission and Town Council, and approved via resolution. The Town may enter into contracts with sponsors.
- Permits for standing signs (for C-1 Zone businesses) require the applicant to indemnify the Town and name the Town as an additional insured in the licensee's policy.
- A site plan sketch or map must be included with most sign permit applications to determine compliance.

## 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 10 zoning districts in Clinton Town — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Clinton+Town+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-clinton-town

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/clinton-town