# Sign Regulations in Collingswood Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Collingswood Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/collingswood-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/10015271#10015271)

## At a glance

Collingswood Borough, New Jersey regulates 23 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Projecting Sign or Icon Signs in the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district are capped at 15 ft or bottom of second floor windowsill, whichever is lower tall and 6 sq ft, with a Minimum 4 ft from street curbline setback (Sec. §141-101C(2)(b)[4], §141-101D(11)). Most commercial signs in Collingswood Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Central Business District (CBD) | 9 | 36 inches (base max 15 inches) | 72 in x 18 in | — |
| Professional Office District (POD) | 10 | 15 ft or bottom of second floor windowsill, whichever is lower | 72 in x 18 in | — |
| Highway Business District (HBD), Highway Industrial District (HID) | 9 | 20 ft | 50% of wall or freestanding sign area | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts (SF-D1, SF-D2, SF-D3, MFD) | 4 | 6 ft | 10 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 5 ft | 24 in x 36 in per sign, max two per frontage | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Central Business District (CBD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 15 ft or bottom of second floor windowsill, whichever is lower | 24 sq ft | — | — | Up to 2 nonexempt signs per property; 3 for properties on multiple streets; no more than 2 on any single frontage | On host building facade, on architectural sign band if provided | — | §141-101C(2)(b)[1] |
| Awning Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One per storefront | Painted or sewn onto awnings | — | §141-101C(2)(b)[3], §141-101D(10) |
| Projecting Sign or Icon Sign | 15 ft or bottom of second floor windowsill, whichever is lower | 6 sq ft | — | Minimum 4 ft from street curbline | One per tax parcel (two if on corner lot) | Perpendicular to building, not projecting at angle except at a corner | — | §141-101C(2)(b)[4], §141-101D(11) |
| Freestanding Sign | 36 inches (base max 15 inches) | — | — | — | One per lot | Adjacent exterior to business, sidewalk/alcove | — | §141-101C(2)(b)[8], §141-101D(15) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3 ft | — | 2 ft | — | One per tax lot | Curbside sidewalk or entrance alcove, adjacent to business | — | §141-101C(2)(b)[6], §141-101D(13) |
| Decorative Flag | Top no more than 12 ft above sidewalk/ground | 15 sq ft | 3 ft | — | One per business | Flagpole on exterior; bottom of flag at least 7 ft above sidewalk/ground | — | §141-101C(2)(b)[5], §141-101D(12) |
| Multiple Occupant/Tenant Sign | 6 ft (except projecting signs) | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per tax parcel | Flush-mounted wall, projecting, or freestanding | — | §141-101C(2)(b)[2], §141-101D(9) |
| Temporary Banner Sign | — | 72 in x 18 in | 72 in (6 ft) | — | One per tax lot at a time | Hung on exterior of business premises | — | §141-101C(2)(b)[7], §141-101D(14) |

### Professional Office District (POD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 15 ft or bottom of second floor windowsill, whichever is lower | 24 sq ft | — | — | One nonexempt sign per business | On host building | — | §141-101C(3)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign | 5 ft | 12 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way or front curb line, and 10 ft from side yard line | One nonexempt sign per business | Curbside or entrance alcove near business | — | §141-101C(3)(c) |
| Multiple Occupant/Tenant Sign | 6 ft (not projecting signs) | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per tax parcel | Flush wall, projecting, or freestanding | — | §141-101C(3)(d), §141-101D(9) |
| Awning Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One per storefront | Painted/sewn to awning | — | §141-101C(3)(e), §141-101D(10) |
| Projecting Sign or Icon Sign | 15 ft or bottom of second floor windowsill, whichever is lower | 6 sq ft | — | At least 4 ft from street curbline | One per tax parcel (two if on corner lot) | Perpendicular to building | — | §141-101C(3)(f), §141-101D(11) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3 ft | — | 2 ft | — | One per tax lot | Curbside or entrance alcove | — | §141-101C(3)(h), §141-101D(13) |
| Decorative Flag | 12 ft above sidewalk/ground (top of flag) | 15 sq ft | 3 ft | — | One per business | Mounted to exterior | — | §141-101C(3)(g), §141-101D(12) |
| Temporary Banner Sign | — | 72 in x 18 in | 72 in (6 ft) | — | One per tax lot at a time | Hung on exterior | — | §141-101C(3)(i), §141-101D(14) |

### Highway Business District (HBD), Highway Industrial District (HID)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 15 ft or bottom of second floor windowsill, whichever is lower | 40 sq ft | — | — | Up to 2 signs/business; 3 allowed for multistreet properties; no more than 2 per frontage | On host building | — | §141-101C(4)(a)[2] |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way or front curb; 10 ft from side yard | Up to 2 signs/business; 3 for multistreet; 1 additional for rear parking frontage | Curbside/entrance alcove; must meet general setback: 10 ft from right-of-way or front curb and 10 ft from side yard | — | §141-101C(4)(a)[3] |
| Window Sign (Permanent) | — | — | — | — | Counted toward sign total | First floor window | — | §141-101C(4)(a)[1] |
| Multiple Occupant/Tenant Sign | 6 ft (not projecting) | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per tax parcel | Flush wall, projecting, or freestanding | — | §141-101C(4)(a)[4], §141-101D(9) |
| Awning Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One per storefront | Awning, painted or sewn | — | §141-101C(4)(a)[5], §141-101D(10) |
| Projecting Sign or Icon Sign | 15 ft or bottom of second floor windowsill, whichever is lower | 6 sq ft | — | At least 4 ft from street curbline | One per tax parcel (two if corner) | Perpendicular to building | — | §141-101C(4)(a)[6], §141-101D(11) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3 ft | — | 2 ft | — | One per tax lot | Curbside or entrance alcove | — | §141-101C(4)(a)[7], §141-101D(13) |
| Digital Display (Wall or Freestanding) | — | 50% of wall or freestanding sign area | — | — | See wall/freestanding signs | Permitted only as Wall Sign or Freestanding sign; HBD/HID only | — | §141-101D(16) |

## Prohibited signs in Collingswood Borough

- It is unlawful to erect, alter, maintain, use, reletter, move or otherwise have a sign without first obtaining a sign permit, unless the sign is expressly exempted.
- It is unlawful to mount, hang, attach, erect, alter, maintain, use, reletter, move or otherwise have a sign protruding from, perpendicular to, or otherwise mounted to the outside wall/doorway of any structure without prior approval on the installation method.
- No sign is permitted if it reduces or impairs pedestrian or vehicular traffic safety or the visual or architectural integrity of its building or streetscape.
- No sign may exhibit excessive chipped or peeling paint or lettering, damaged or broken lettering or signboard, illegible material due to fading or obliteration, or dirty/torn/broken/damaged awning, canopy, projecting sign, or support structure.
- Signs, lights and similar devices that imitate official traffic, warning, or governmental signs or may be confused as such are prohibited.
- Signs located in any manner/place which constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic, block visibility, or obscure any traffic sign, signal, or device are prohibited.
- Signs or lights reflecting or emitting a glaring light which could impair driver vision, reflected signs, and light-projected signs are prohibited.
- Signs placed, reflected or cast on any curb, sidewalk, utility pole or structure, chimney, post, tree, rock, natural feature, fence, gate, abutment, retaining wall, embankment, hydrant, bridge, another sign, or other surface on, over or across any public right-of-way or property are prohibited.
- Signs obstructing means of entrance or exit, light or air from any room or building, or located so as to provide less than seven feet clearance over a pedestrian walkway or head of an entry door are prohibited.
- Signs placed above a structure's roofline or on an angled section of a roof are prohibited, except projecting and icon signs.
- Changeable copy signs are prohibited except as explicitly permitted.
- Portable or movable signs are prohibited, except sandwich board signs as permitted.
- Moving signs, sequentially placed signs, or devices that move by flickering, rotating, spinning, or atmospheric/mechanical/electrical means are prohibited.
- Floodlights, spotlights, and directed lights as part of sign illumination that are not hooded or shielded are prohibited if the light source is visible from a public right-of-way or adjacent property.
- Signs containing or utilizing a beacon, spot, search, or stroboscopic light or reflector visible from any public right-of-way or adjacent property are prohibited, except as authorized by public agents.
- Consecutively strung lights on nonresidential properties forming letters or numbers or blinking/flashing/tracking are prohibited, except existing time/temperature signs.
- Except as permitted in Highway Business and Highway Industrial districts, internally illuminated signs (light box or backlit) or illuminated signs with nonopaque material are prohibited.
- Billboards and other off-premises signs are prohibited, except for community bulletin boards on public property and otherwise as permitted.
- Automobiles, trailers, or vehicles bearing signs/advertisements parked/stationary for more than 24 hours or not customarily used by the advertised business or its employees are prohibited as signs.
- Signs advertising/promoting a specific individual, product, brand, or off-premises business/service/corporation are prohibited, except temporary advertising and permanent interior advertising signs.
- In the CBD, POD, HBD, HID district or home professional office, signs with LED light strips or continuous series of lights to outline windows, signs, or building features are prohibited.
- Any sign displaying flashing or intermittent lights, rotating beams, or lights of changing degrees of intensity or color are prohibited, except signs indicating time or temperature.

## Signs exempt from permit in Collingswood Borough

- Official flags and signs are exempt from a sign permit requirement.
- Holiday and seasonal decorations, displays, and lights containing no advertising matter for a period not to exceed 45 days are exempt.
- Residential occupant name and address signs identifying a house, apartment, or mailbox not exceeding one square foot are exempt.
- Warning, no trespassing, private parking, and traffic directional signs on private property not exceeding two square feet are exempt.
- Traffic circulation and directional signs on private property not exceeding two square feet are exempt.
- Temporary business identification signs which meet ordinance conditions (§ 141-101D(1)) are exempt.
- Door signs meeting ordinance conditions (§ 141-101D(2)) are exempt.
- Temporary advertising signs and permanent interior advertising signs meeting ordinance conditions (§ 141-101D(3)) are exempt.
- Community event announcements meeting ordinance conditions (§ 141-101D(5)) are exempt.
- Real estate signs meeting ordinance conditions (§ 141-101D(6)) are exempt.
- Construction signs meeting ordinance conditions (§ 141-101D(7)) are exempt.
- Political signs meeting ordinance conditions (§ 141-101D(8)) are exempt.
- Temporary signs for garage and yard sales conforming to Chapter 173, Garage Sales, are exempt.
- Historical identification signs are exempt from a permit but must receive a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit application must include a site plan indicating the location of the proposed signage; one application must list all existing and proposed nonexempted signs on a tax lot.
- If the sign permit application is part of a site plan, subdivision, or variance application, the sign review procedures are incorporated into standard development review procedures.
- A sign permit application must include a scale drawing of the proposed sign, logo, lettering, specifications for typeface, colors, position on building, methods of attachment, sign size calculations, materials, lighting, and coloring.
- A sign permit application for an illuminated sign must include all lighting information, including intensity (lumens), manufacturer's data sheet, mounting information, and lumens plan (unless exempted for certain low-wattage external signs).
- The sign plan (for illuminated signs) must indicate lighting intensity from the devices shining onto the sign and property/neighbors, as part of the sign plan submission.
- Each sign shall be reviewed under general sign design guidelines and applicable zoning-district and specific sign standards (which includes consideration of type, size, appearance, materials, placement, color, lettering, lighting).
- If a sign requires design waivers or a variance, the Zoning Officer refers it to the Planning Board for approval.
- A professionally drawn scale sign plan, showing the building’s façade, architectural features, and the proposed sign’s location, color, texture, lettering style, mounting techniques, etc., is identified in the definitions and may be required as part of the application.

## 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 5 zoning districts in Collingswood Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Collingswood+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-collingswood-borough

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