# Sign Regulations in East Newark Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** East Newark Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/east-newark-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/36265794#36265794)

## At a glance

East Newark Borough, New Jersey regulates 16 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Nonresidential Zones zoning district are capped at 18 ft or height of principal building, whichever is greater; bottom at least 3 ft above ground tall and 25 sq ft per side, with a At least 1 ft from side or rear property line; cannot overhang front property line. setback (Sec. § 28-1.11(b)[1]-[5]). Most commercial signs in East Newark Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | — | No more than 25% of window area | — |
| Residential Zones | 1 | — | 9 sq ft per side | — |
| Nonresidential Zones | 5 | 18 ft or height of principal building, whichever is greater; bottom at least 3 ft above ground | 25 sq ft per side | — |
| R-1, R-2, R-3, Public Zones | 4 | — | 25 sq ft per side | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Sign | — | 4 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On dwelling | — | § 28-1.6(a) |
| Residential Nameplate Sign | — | 4 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Situated within property lines | — | § 28-1.6(b) |
| Temporary Window Sign (Commercial) | — | No more than 25% of window area | — | — | — | Inside window of commercial establishment | — | § 28-1.6(c); § 28-1.8(f) |
| No Trespassing/Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 28-1.6(d) |
| Temporary Political Sign | — | 18 sq ft per side | — | — | — | — | — | § 28-1.6(e) |
| Temporary Charitable, Religious, or Educational Sign | — | 18 sq ft per side | — | — | — | — | — | § 28-1.6(f); § 28-1.5(b) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Residential Zones) | — | 9 sq ft per side | — | At least 10 ft from property line unless attached to building. | 1 per 100 ft of lot frontage or fraction thereof | — | — | § 28-1.6(g)[1],[3] |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Nonresidential Zones) | — | 25 sq ft per side | — | At least 10 ft from property line unless attached to building. | 1 per 100 ft of lot frontage or fraction thereof | — | — | § 28-1.6(g)[2],[3] |

### Nonresidential Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Nonresidential Zones) | — | 25 sq ft per side | — | At least 10 ft from property line unless attached to building. | 1 per 100 ft of lot frontage or fraction thereof | — | — | § 28-1.6(g)[2],[3] |
| Attached Sign (One Street Front, Wall Sign) | 5 ft (vertical dimension max) | 25 sq ft or 10% of front facade area, whichever is greater | — | — | — | Front of building | — | § 28-1.11(a)[1] |
| Attached Sign (Corner Lot or Multiple Entrances, Wall Sign) | 5 ft (vertical dimension max) | 10% of wall area of front and side/rear walls | — | — | — | Front, side, or rear of building | — | § 28-1.11(a)[2] |
| Projecting Sign (Attached Sign Projection >8") | 5 ft (vertical dimension max) | — | — | — | — | On building, projecting more than 8 inches | — | § 28-1.11(a)[3],[4] |
| Freestanding Sign | 18 ft or height of principal building, whichever is greater; bottom at least 3 ft above ground | 25 sq ft per side | — | At least 1 ft from side or rear property line; cannot overhang front property line. | 1 per business per street frontage | On premises, one per business per street frontage | — | § 28-1.11(b)[1]-[5] |

### R-1, R-2, R-3, Public Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign (Church, Public Building, Playground, etc.) | — | 25 sq ft per side | — | At least 10 ft from any property line | 1 per permitted use | — | — | § 28-1.10(a) |
| Club Sign (Where Permitted) | — | 9 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 | Attached | — | § 28-1.10(b) |
| Apartment Building Sign | — | 10% of wall area facing street(s) | — | — | — | Attached on wall(s) facing street(s) | — | § 28-1.10(c) |
| Office Professional Building Sign | — | 5% of wall area of front facade | — | — | 1 per building | Attached to side facing street | — | § 28-1.10(d) |

## Prohibited signs in East Newark Borough

- Any sign not expressly permitted by these regulations shall be prohibited.
- Exterior signs using moving parts, except clocks and temperature gauges, are prohibited.
- Signs which direct attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than on the premises upon which the sign is located are prohibited.
- Rotating, moving, flashing or glittering signs are prohibited.
- Temporary real estate signs on lots in a proposed subdivision prior to final approval of the plat are prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected, used or maintained which simulates official, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by governmental entities or utilities concerned with public health or safety.
- No sign other than official traffic control devices or street signs shall be erected within, or encroach upon, the right-of-way lines of any street unless specifically authorized by ordinance.
- No neon sign or similar illuminated advertisement shall be of such color or located so as to diminish or detract from the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety or warning device.
- Signs advertising a single advertisement message using a series of two or more signs placed in a line parallel to the roadway or in similar fashion, part of which message is contained on each sign, are specifically prohibited.
- No sign shall have flashing lights or exposed high intensity illumination.
- No sign may obstruct any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide light or ingress and egress to or from any building or structure, except that 25% of any window (excluding those serving a fire escape) may be occupied by a sign or signs.
- No sign may be placed in such a position to cause danger to traffic by obscuring visibility.
- No sign shall contain profane language or language or pictures which are sexually explicit or of a sexually oriented nature.
- No portion of any sign shall be located within or suspended over a public right-of-way or pedestrian walkway except for projecting signs as permitted by this chapter.
- No existing sign shall be enlarged, rebuilt, structurally altered or relocated except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and until a construction permit has been issued.
- Failure to keep signs in good repair for a period of 12 consecutive calendar months constitutes abandonment, and such sign may not be replaced or reused and must be removed.
- All signs shall be set back or elevated sufficiently to allow a clear, unobstructed line of sight from points of ingress or egress for at least 400 feet along all abutting streets and highways.
- Lighting shall not require flashing or intermittent illumination; lighting that requires change in color, intensity or hue is prohibited; lighting shall not interfere with, detract from, or diminish traffic signals or safety/warning devices.

## Signs exempt from permit in East Newark Borough

- Professional signs indicating the name and profession of the occupant of a dwelling not exceeding four square feet on any one side.
- Residential nameplate signs situated within property lines and not exceeding four square feet on any one side.
- Temporary signs inside windows of commercial establishments not covering more than 25% of the window area.
- Signs forbidding trespassing, hunting, fishing or trapping as authorized by Fish and Game Laws.
- Temporary signs indicating a political preference or political cause not exceeding 18 square feet in area on any one side.
- Temporary charitable, religious or educational signs not exceeding 18 square feet on any one side.
- Temporary real estate 'for sale,' 'for rent' and 'sold' signs within specified size and placement limits.
- Temporary signs for charitable, religious or educational purposes are exempt from sign permit fees.
- Signs for which a fee is already required to obtain a construction permit are exempt from sign permit fees.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs shall require a sign permit unless exempted from the sign permit requirements under subsection 28-1.6.
- Applicants must submit as part of the permit application a sketch showing the size, location, text and owner of the sign.
- Each site plan application shall include a sign plan showing specific design, location, size, construction and illumination.
- If the applicant is unable to provide all required sign details in the site plan application, approval may be conditioned upon receipt of such details prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy and shall be subject to the Borough Sign Ordinance.

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

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