# Sign Regulations in Hopewell Township, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Hopewell Township, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/hopewell-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/34423060#34423060)

## At a glance

Hopewell Township, New Jersey regulates 20 sign types across 2 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (2 Lane, <30 mph)s in the HCB Zone, A-B Zone zoning district are capped at 10 ft tall and 6 sq ft, with a 10 ft from right-of-way if area < 25 sq ft; 15 ft if 25 sq ft or more setback (Sec. §220-76F(1)-(3), (9); §220-76G; §220-76J). Most commercial signs in Hopewell Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (2 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HCB Zone, A-B Zone | 8 | 14 ft | 35 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | — | 6 sq ft (general); 8 sq ft (HCB Zone) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### HCB Zone, A-B Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (2 Lane, <30 mph) | 10 ft | 6 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way if area < 25 sq ft; 15 ft if 25 sq ft or more | 1 per use (may have both freestanding and wall/projecting, but only one may be 6 sq ft or more) | Fronting on 2-lane roads with speed limit less than 30 mph | — | §220-76F(1)-(3), (9); §220-76G; §220-76J |
| Freestanding Sign (2 Lane, 30-44 mph) | 12 ft | 29 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way if area < 25 sq ft; 15 ft if 25 sq ft or more | 1 per use (see above) | Fronting on 2-lane roads with speed limit 30-44 mph | — | §220-76F(1)-(3), (9); §220-76G; §220-76J |
| Freestanding Sign (2 Lane, >45 mph) | 14 ft | 35 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way if area < 25 sq ft; 15 ft if 25 sq ft or more | 1 per use (see above) | Fronting on 2-lane roads with speed limit over 45 mph | — | §220-76F(1)-(3), (9); §220-76G; §220-76J |
| Wall Sign | — | Up to 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use; plus rear/side unlighted sign(s); plus office-entry sign(s) if direct entrance | Affixed face parallel and ≤15 inches from the wall; one per use (see additional for multiples) | — | §220-76F(7); §220-76G |
| Projecting Sign | No higher than sill of 2nd floor windows, and not to exceed 4 ft above tops of lower windows/eaves (whichever is less) | 30 sq ft | — | 8 ft clearance above sidewalk; 14 ft above vehicle area | See separation requirement (50 ft to next projecting sign) and shopping center clause. | May project perpendicular to wall or diagonally from corners. Min 8 ft clearance above sidewalk; 14 ft above vehicle area | — | §220-76F(8); §220-76J |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center) | — | — | — | — | 1 per arterial or collector road frontage | 1 along each arterial or collector road abutting the tract | — | §220-76H |
| Wall/Projecting Sign (Shopping Center Common Walkway Use) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use served by walkway | For uses served by a common walkway in a shopping center. | — | §220-76H(1)-(2) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq ft (per side) | — | — | — | On premises of business/activity advertised | — | §220-76I |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Exempt Sign (Name, Numbers, Date) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Any location | — | §220-76A(1) |
| Exempt Warning/No Trespassing Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Any location | — | §220-76A(2) |
| Exempt Flag/Insignia | — | — | — | — | — | Any location | — | §220-76A(3) |
| Exempt Architectural Feature | — | — | — | — | — | Part of building | — | §220-76A(5) |
| Exempt Traffic/Parking Direction Sign (Private) | — | — | — | — | — | On private property | — | §220-76A(6) |
| Identification Sign (Public Facility) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | At public/quasi-public facility | — | §220-76B(2) |
| Real Estate For Sale Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On property that is for sale | — | §220-76B(5) |
| On-site Sale / Nameplate / Professional / Home Occupation Sign | — | 6 sq ft (general); 8 sq ft (HCB Zone) | — | At least 10 ft from any street sign; must comply with built district side yard requirements | 1 per 200 ft (or part) of frontage | At least 10 ft from any street sign; must comply with side yard requirements | — | §220-76C |

## Prohibited signs in Hopewell Township

- Off-site signs, other than municipal, county, or state traffic or direction signs, which advertise or publicize an activity, business, product, or service not conducted on the premises, except in the case of yard sales as specified in § 220-27.
- Signs which are located in a public right-of-way or approved sight easement.
- Signs lit with flashing or intermittent light or which are in any way animated or are so lit or reflectorized that they interfere with or may be mistaken for a traffic signal.
- Signs which purport to be or are an imitation of or resemble an official traffic sign or signal, or which bear the words "STOP," "GO SLOW," "CAUTION," "DANGER," "WARNING," or similar words other than those contained in the name of the business.
- Signs which are located on a water tower, storage tank, utility pole, or similar structures.
- Signs which are placed above the roof peak of a building or structure or on a flat roof.
- Signs using mechanical or electrical devices to revolve, flash, or display movement or the illusion of movement.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hopewell Township

- Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, or name of occupants or date of construction.
- Warning signs and signs posting property such as "private property," "no hunting," "no trespassing," or similar signs which do not exceed two square feet in area.
- Flags and insignias of any government except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- Legal notices, information or directional signs erected by governmental bodies.
- Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights or displays.
- Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property but bearing no advertising matter.
- All signs and signals owned and operated by the Township of Hopewell, the County of Cumberland, the State of New Jersey, or the United States of America, not exceeding four square feet in area.
- Identification signs for public or quasi-public facilities, such as schools, churches, hospitals, or libraries, not exceeding four square feet in area.
- Memorial or historical markers or tablets not exceeding four square feet in area.
- Traffic or directional signs when approved by the Township Engineer, not exceeding four square feet in area.
- Customary real estate for sale signs not exceeding four square feet.
- Temporary signs of a civic, political, or religious nature to be erected or placed by nonprofit organizations and which meet the standards of this section shall not be required to obtain a zoning permit and shall be removed within 10 days following the conclusion of the event.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs to be erected, constructed, or placed within the Township shall require issuance of a sign permit, unless otherwise exempted.
- Applications for sign permits must include information such as applicant and installer identity, sign location, scaled drawings, materials, and (if applicable) property owner approval.
- In the HCB and A-B Zones, signs that require site plan approval must conform to all applicable sign design standards.
- In shopping centers, all signs must conform to each other and the architectural scheme of the complex and must be included in the site plan for the site.

## Full detail

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

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