# Sign Regulations in Englishtown Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Englishtown Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/englishtown-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/42148160#42148160)

## At a glance

Englishtown Borough, New Jersey regulates 22 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the Commercial zones zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall, 3 ft wide x 4 ft high, and 3 feet wide, with a Max 6 inches from face of building; must maintain minimum sidewalk clearance of 4 feet setback (Sec. §620-23I(4)). Most commercial signs in Englishtown 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 | 13 | — | 72 square inches per side, not to exceed 2 sides | — |
| Commercial zones | 4 | 4 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| Residential zones | 5 | 8 ft (from ground to top of sign) | 32 sq ft | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | — | 2 square feet per side, not to exceed 2 sides | — | — | — | For the convenience of the general public, e.g., parking/loading zones, must not include advertising messages except business/personal names | — | §620-23E(1) |
| Traffic Sign (Temporary or Permanent) | — | — | — | — | — | As designated by governmental authorities | — | §620-23E(2) |
| Public Transportation Stop Sign | — | — | — | — | — | At bus stops or as installed by authorized agency | — | §620-23E(3) |
| Historical Tablet/Cornerstone/Memorial Plaque/Emblem | — | — | — | — | — | As authorized by government | — | §620-23E(4) |
| Warning/No Hunting/No Trespassing Sign | — | 1 square foot per side | — | — | — | — | — | §620-23E(5) |
| Name/Street Number Plate (House, Apartment, Mailbox) | — | 72 square inches per side, not to exceed 2 sides | — | — | — | On house, apartment or mailbox | — | §620-23E(7) |
| Integrated Sign on Vending/Product Dispensing Machine | — | 2 square feet advertising area | — | — | — | On vending machine/gasoline pump or similar product-dispensing machine | — | §620-23E(10) |
| Real Estate Sign (For Sale/Rental/Lease) | — | 6 square feet per sign, not to exceed 2 sides | — | Minimum: 1/2 distance between building line and lot line | — | On property being advertised; not closer to property line than 1/2 distance between building line and lot line | — | §620-23E(11) |

### Commercial zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | One per building or per use; each street frontage eligible | On building facades, one per building/use; allowed per street frontage | — | §620-23I(2), §620-23F(13), §620-23H(1), H(2), H(3) |
| Freestanding Business Sign | Cannot exceed permitted building height limit under zoning | 75 square feet | — | Min 25 ft from street line and 50 ft from intersection of street lines | One per principal building; additional signs allowed on separate frontages | On ground, in front yard; cannot be closer than 25 feet to any street line, or 50 feet to intersection of two street lines | — | §620-23I(3), §620-23H(1), H(2), H(3) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 feet | 3 ft wide x 4 ft high | 3 feet | Max 6 inches from face of building; must maintain minimum sidewalk clearance of 4 feet | One per business | Directly in front of business; sidewalk must be 4 ft+ wide; must maintain 4 ft clear walk; max 6 inches from building face | — | §620-23I(4) |
| Temporary Window Sign (Commercial Storefronts) | — | Up to 20% of glazed area per window | — | — | — | Mounted inside window of commercial/business occupancy | — | §620-23H(10) |

### Residential zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Informational/Bulletin Board (Institutional Use) | — | 10 sq ft per side, max 2 sides | — | Minimum 15 feet from any lot line | — | On property of institution (church, hospital, nursing home, private school, service org) | — | §620-23J(1) |
| Professional Notice Sign (Freestanding or Wall-Mounted) | 4 ft | 1 sq ft per side, max 2 sides | — | Minimum 15 ft from sidewalk or road surface (if no sidewalk) | — | In front of residential unit also containing the resident's professional office | — | §620-23J(2) |
| Temporary Fundraising Event Sign | 8 ft (from ground to top of sign) | 32 sq ft | — | No closer than 1/2 distance between building line and lot line | — | On premises of charitable or religious organization | — | §620-23J(3) |
| Construction Development Sign (Temporary Freestanding Real Estate Sign) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per development | On premises of residential or commercial development under construction | — | §620-23J(4) |
| Rental/Sales Office Identification Sign (During Construction) | — | 12 sq ft per side, max 2 sides | — | — | One per office | At rental or sales office of residential development under construction | — | §620-23J(5) |

## Prohibited signs in Englishtown Borough

- No sign shall be erected anywhere within the Borough except in accordance with the requirements and regulations of this chapter.
- Signs related to activities off the premises are prohibited.
- All signs shall be located so as not to interfere with traffic safety or visibility.
- No illuminated sign shall be of such color or located in such a fashion as to diminish or detract in any way from the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety or warning device.
- Moving or revolving signs and signs using waving, blinking, flashing, vibrating, flickering, tracer or sequential lights.
- Signs using reflective materials which sparkles or glitters.
- Signs which violate the provisions of N.J.S.A. 2C:34-3 et seq.
- Signs using words such as 'stop,' 'look' or 'danger' which, in the judgment of the Police Chief, constitute a traffic hazard or otherwise interfere with the free flow of traffic.
- Signs causing interference with radio, television, or communication equipment transmissions or reception.
- Signs which obstruct doors, fire escapes, windows, walkways and/or stairways.
- Signs or banners spanning public streets unless specifically authorized on a temporary basis by resolution of the governing body for the purpose of advertising or promoting a public event or Borough-sponsored function.
- Signs placed on trees, fences, or utility poles.
- Sequential advertising signs carrying a single advertising message, a part of which is contained in each sign.
- Roof signs.
- Billboards.
- Wall signs attached to a building which extend or project more than 12 inches from the face of the building or which exceed two feet in height or the width of the building to which the signs are affixed. Lettering within the sign area of a wall sign shall not exceed 60% of the total area of the sign.
- Signs advertising a product or service not sold on the premises.
- Any sign not expressly permitted by this chapter.
- Signs affixed or attached to the facade of a building which are perpendicular to the front facade of the building.

## Signs exempt from permit in Englishtown Borough

- Directional signs identifying parking areas and loading zones not exceeding two square feet per side (no advertising message).
- Traffic signs, temporary and permanent, erected by governmental authorities.
- Public transportation stop signs installed by the Borough or a public transportation agency.
- Historical tablets, cornerstones, memorial plaques, and emblems installed or authorized by government agencies.
- 'Warning,' 'no hunting,' and 'no trespassing' signs not exceeding one square foot in surface area.
- Flags or emblems of religious, educational, governmental institutions and organizations, flown from supports on the buildings or ground being occupied by the organization.
- Name and street number plates identifying a house, apartment, or mailbox not exceeding 72 square inches per side and not exceeding two sides.
- Lawn signs identifying residents not exceeding one square foot per side and not exceeding two sides.
- Signs posted by governmental agencies.
- Signs integral to vending machines, gasoline pumps, or other product-dispensing machines not exceeding two square feet of advertising area.
- Real estate signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of the property upon which the sign is located, not exceeding six square feet per side, not illuminated, and not closer to the property line than half the distance between the building and the lot line; post signs not permitted.
- Holiday artwork, window decorations, and seasonal greetings.
- Restaurant menus and daily-special blackboards.
- The Borough of Englishtown, its municipal departments and subdivisions, including the Board of Fire Commissioners of Fire District No. 1 Englishtown Borough, are exempt from all provisions of the sign regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Each site plan application shall include a sign plan showing the specific design, location, size, construction and illumination.
- Colors and lettering styles must conform with the Master Plan and must be submitted to the Sign Review Committee.
- Sign types not listed as allowed without permit or prohibited are reviewed by the Zoning Officer or Sign Review Committee.
- Applicants for sign permits must submit a written application to the Sign Review Committee, which will recommend approval or disapproval to the Zoning Officer.
- If a sign permit is denied, the applicant may submit a request for a design waiver to the Unified Planning/Zoning Board within 20 days of denial.
- The Unified Planning/Zoning Board may grant waivers from strict application of the sign regulations where undue hardship or exceptional difficulties exist, and such waivers will not harm the public good or impair the intent of the regulations.

## Full detail

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

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