# Sign Regulations in Florence Township, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Florence Township, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/florence-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/10059554#10059554)

## At a glance

Florence Township, New Jersey regulates 31 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Historic District zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 3 sq ft, with a Building must be at least 5 ft from street/curb. setback (Sec. § 91-296.2.E). Most commercial signs in Florence Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | Must not exceed base of second floor window sill in structures of two or more stories; or base of roof or 25 feet (whichever is lower) in one-story structure or structure without windows | 35 sq ft | — |
| Historic District | 10 | 48 inches (per side) | 24 sq ft | — |
| Shopping Center | 4 | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Service Station | 3 | Shall not exceed building height | 30 sq ft | — |
| Fire Station and Emergency Squad Buildings | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Any Sign (Obstructing Traffic Vision) | — | — | — | — | — | Prohibited if obstructing driving vision, traffic signals, sight triangles, traffic direction and identification signs. | — | § 91-125.A |
| General Sign (Over 4 sq ft) | — | Over 4 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 91-125.B |
| Attached Sign | Must not exceed base of second floor window sill in structures of two or more stories; or base of roof or 25 feet (whichever is lower) in one-story structure or structure without windows | — | — | — | — | Parallel to the wall | — | § 91-127, § 91-129 |
| Freestanding Sign - General | Maximum 15 feet, but no higher than base of roof of the building it relates to | — | — | Minimum side lot: equal to minimum side yard for principal building. Minimum: 1 ft from street right-of-way; not in any sight triangle. | — | Front yard only; not in sight triangle | — | § 91-128, § 91-129, § 91-131.A |
| General Sign | — | Maximum any dimension: 10 feet | — | — | — | — | — | § 91-135 |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential) | — | 8 sq ft | — | 5 feet from all street and property lines (if not attached). | No more than one sign per street frontage | On lot being advertised; set back at least 5 ft from all street and property lines if freestanding. | — | § 91-134 |
| Real Estate Sign (Commercial/Industrial) | — | 35 sq ft | — | 5 feet from all street and property lines (if not attached). | No more than one sign per street frontage | On lot being advertised; set back at least 5 ft from all street and property lines if freestanding. | — | § 91-134 |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per construction site | Construction site | — | § 91-136 |

### Historic District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall-mounted or Painted Sign (General Storefront) | No part of a sign higher than 18 ft; shall not extend above the base of the second floor windowsill, parapet, eave, or building facade. | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business facade with public access; corner buildings may have 1 per street frontage | Facade of building | — | § 91-273(A, B, C, F, G), § 91-296.2.A, § 91-296.2G, § 91-296.2F(5) |
| Wall-mounted Sign - Side or Rear Entrance | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per side/rear public entrance | Side or rear entrance open to the public | — | § 91-296.2.A(5) |
| Wall-mounted Building Directory Sign | — | 3 sq ft total (each tenant up to 1 sq ft max) | — | — | 1 building directory sign per entrance | Next to entrance | — | § 91-296.2.A(6) |
| Projecting Sign | Top edge must not exceed height of wall (one-story) or sill/bottom of second-story window (multi-story). Lower edge minimum 10 ft from ground. | 6 sq ft | 5 ft | — | 1 per business | Perpendicular to building wall | — | § 91-296.2.B, § 91-296.2G |
| Painted Window or Door Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per window and 1 per door | On window or door | — | § 91-296.2.C |
| Awning Sign | — | 10 sq ft (when acting as main business sign) | — | — | 1 per business | On awning for ground floor uses only | — | § 91-296.2.D |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 3 sq ft | — | Building must be at least 5 ft from street/curb. | 1 per building | Outside of 100 feet from water, proximity to main entrance, not to interfere with pedestrian/vehicular traffic | — | § 91-296.2.E |
| Directional Sign (Rear Parking Lot) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1 per rear parking lot | Rear facade (wall-mounted or freestanding) | — | § 91-296.2F(3) |

### Shopping Center

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center Identification) | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — | Minimum 50 ft from property line | 1 per applicable road frontage (minimum 200 ft unbroken frontage per sign) | Along each arterial or collector road the tract abuts, with at least 200 ft frontage | — | § 91-235.B |
| Suspended Sign (Shopping Center Walkway) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use (on shared walkway) | Suspended perpendicular from roof over common walkway | — | § 91-235.B(1) |
| Attached Sign (Individual Use) | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use | Flat to the front of the building | — | § 91-235.A |
| Attached Sign (Rear/Side Entrance) | — | Half the area of the corresponding front sign | — | — | 1 per rear/side entrance | Attached flat to rear or side entrance | — | § 91-235.A |

## Prohibited signs in Florence Township

- No billboards shall be erected.
- No signs of any type shall be permitted to obstruct driving vision, traffic signals, sight triangles, traffic direction and identification signs.
- Signs using mechanical and/or electrical devices to revolve, flash or display movement or the illusion of movement are prohibited.
- No sign shall be permitted with beacon or flashing illumination.
- All lights shall be either shielded or shall have a translucent fixture to reduce off-side effects.
- Signs and sign structures of all types shall be located to allow an unobstructed line of sight for at least 300 feet from the stop line of any intersection of two streets or the intersection of a driveway and a street and at least 100 feet from the intersection of two driveways within a parking or loading area.
- Signs shall be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition and not allowed to become dilapidated.
- Most buildings are designed with a definite panel or framed zone for the sign mounting. This should be used with the sign taking a complementary shape.
- Signs on buildings should not obliterate or obscure the architecture of the building.
- Obsolete signage from defunct activities should be removed unless it is an integral part of the building's original architecture.
- The usage of self-illuminated signs shall be restricted, as such signs are less appropriate to the basic architectural and historical character of Florence's Historic District.
- Signs shall be installed so as to be flush with the exterior wall of the historic site.
- A sign or structure which directs attention to a business, commodity, service, activity or entertainment not conducted or principally sold or offered upon the premises on which the sign is located is prohibited.
- Signs attached to a portion of the roof are prohibited.
- Signs employing flashing, rotating or blinking lights are prohibited.
- Revolving signs, streamers, pennants or whirling devices are prohibited.
- Neon signs are prohibited.
- Internally illuminated signs are prohibited.
- No freestanding sign shall be situated in a sight triangle.
- No freestanding signs are permitted within 100 feet of the water.
- Sign maintenance: Signs must not be allowed to become dilapidated.
- Sign lighting must be shielded to avoid glare and spillage onto adjacent properties; light spillage of more than 0.2 footcandle onto adjacent properties is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Florence Township

- A building permit is not required for signs of four square feet or less in area.
- Real estate signs temporarily advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises, provided they comply with specific size and location restrictions, and are removed within 15 days after the completion of the matter advertised.
- Sign number designations; postal boxes; family names on residences; on-site traffic directional and parking signs; signs posting property as 'private property,' 'no hunting' or similar purposes; and 'danger' signs around utility and other danger areas are permitted but are not to be considered in calculating the sign area.
- Maintenance of traffic control, street regulation, and handicapped parking signs is exempt from permit requirements when installed per the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and related ordinances.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Site plan review shall be required for all new or altered freestanding signs.
- Any substantial structural alteration of an existing sign constitutes a new sign and requires compliance with current standards and, for freestanding signs, site plan review.
- In the case of a subdivision causing a freestanding sign to become nonconforming, a bulk variance for the sign shall be required.
- Appropriate isolux curve illumination data must be provided at application for a site plan or permit for lighting and must be submitted to the Historic Preservation Committee for review.
- The Commission will review sign applications consistent with Article XIX standards and additional review criteria.
- Within the Historic District, maintenance of a sign requires the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness.
- Owners of pre-existing signs in the Historic District must obtain a certificate of appropriateness within two years of the effective date of the section or lose the right to continue sign maintenance.

## 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 Florence Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Florence+Township+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-florence-township

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