# Sign Regulations in Irvington Township, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Irvington Township, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/irvington-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30410266#30410266)

## At a glance

Irvington Township, New Jersey regulates 26 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Identification Sign (Single-Family Residential)s in the Residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-5) zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall and 4 sq ft, with a 10 ft from property line setback (Sec. § 650-31G(1)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential zones | 3 | — | 22 in x 26 in (3.97 sq ft) | — |
| Residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-5) | 11 | 8 ft | 35 sq ft | — |
| Business districts (B-1, B-2, and O-1) | 6 | 25 ft | 250 sq ft per sign; total 500 sq ft for all | — |
| Manufacturing districts (M-1, M-2, and M-3) | 2 | 25 ft | 250 sq ft per sign; 500 sq ft aggregate for all such signs on property | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | 4 ft in one dimension; 8 ft height for certain temporary political signs | 100 sq ft | — |

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

### Residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Facade Identification Sign (Single-Family Residential) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On house | — | § 650-31G(1) |
| Freestanding Identification Sign (Single-Family Residential) | 4 ft | 4 sq ft | — | 10 ft from property line | 1 | Front yard | — | § 650-31G(1) |
| Facade Identification Sign (Professional, Nonconforming, or Conditional Use) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On principal building | — | § 650-31G(2) |
| Freestanding Identification Sign (Professional, Nonconforming, or Conditional Use) | 4 ft | 2 sq ft | — | 10 ft from property line | 1 | Yard | — | § 650-31G(2) |
| Freestanding or Changeable Sign (Institutional Use) | 6 ft | 35 sq ft | — | Not less than 10 feet from property line | One per major street | On each major street bordering the property | — | § 650-31G(3) |
| Freestanding Entrance Sign (Multibuilding Development Entrance) | 8 ft | 25 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per development entrance | At each entrance to the development | — | § 650-31G(4)(a) |
| Freestanding Rental or Sales Office Sign (Multibuilding Development) | 5 ft | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Rental or sales office | — | § 650-31G(4)(b) |
| Temporary Real Estate Unit For Lease or Sale Sign (Development) | 5 ft | 15 sq ft | — | Min 10 ft from property line | 1 per 300 ft of street frontage | On property, directs to housing or land under construction | — | § 650-31G(4)(c) |

### Business districts (B-1, B-2, and O-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Facade Advertising Sign (Front Wall) | Top height not higher than 20 ft from ground level or roofline, whichever is less | 150 sq ft (unless wall area >1,500 sq ft, then increase 1 sq ft for each 200 sq ft up to max 300 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per business frontage | Attached to front of building | — | § 650-31H(1)(a)-(d), (f)-(g) |
| Facade Advertising Sign (Rear Wall) | — | — | — | — | 1 per proper wall | Rear wall | — | § 650-31H(1)(b) |
| Facade Advertising Sign (Side Wall) | — | — | — | — | 1 per proper wall | Side wall | — | § 650-31H(1)(c) |
| Freestanding or Changeable Sign (General Business, not Shopping Center) | 20 ft max or not projecting above roofline | 75 sq ft max (or 1 sq ft/5 ft frontage) | — | 15 ft from front lot line | No more than one per 300 ft of street frontage | Front yard | — | § 650-31H(2) |
| Freestanding or Changeable Sign (Shopping Center or Office Plaza) | 25 ft | 250 sq ft per sign; total 500 sq ft for all | — | 10 ft from front lot line | 1 per main driveway entrance | Main driveway entrance | — | § 650-31H(3) |
| Awning Sign (Business Use) | — | — | — | — | Not specified | On building; not to project over public right-of-way; not to exceed property lines | — | § 650-31H(4), § 513-10 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Small Announcement or Professional Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | — | Any district | — | § 513-14 |
| Announcement/Bulletin Board (Public/Institutional use) | — | 12 sq ft | — | 12 ft from street lines if freestanding | — | For church, school, community center, public/institutional building | — | § 513-14 |
| Temporary Sign (General) | 4 ft in one dimension; 8 ft height for certain temporary political signs | 100 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 513-11, § 650-31C(10)-(14) |
| Directional Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | As necessary | As necessary | — | § 650-31C(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Irvington Township

- No person may place any sign, poster, placard, billboard, graphic display, freestanding sign or device that advertises cigarettes or alcohol within 500 feet of a school, park, church or community center.
- No sign, brace or guy wire shall be attached to any fire escape or fire escape support.
- No table, sign, brace or guy wire shall obstruct access to a fire escape or other means of egress from a building, such as an exit corridor, exit hallway or exit doorway.
- No sign shall cover up a window, doorway or other opening providing light, ventilation or exit facilities required by building codes.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to maintain a sandwich board, merchandise table, merchandise or equipment on the public sidewalk or in any entryway.
- No sign overhanging the roadway area shall be maintained unless specific approval of the Municipal Council is first obtained.
- No sign shall be erected, used or maintained which in any way simulates or is similar to official, traffic, directional, or warning signs erected or maintained by governmental agencies.
- No portion of any sign shall be located within or suspended over a public right-of-way, street, pedestrian walkway, or public sidewalk, except official Township functions, unless specifically authorized by ordinance.
- No sign (except for official signs) shall be of such color, shape, or lettering, or placed in such a position as to diminish or detract in any way from the effectiveness or obscure visibility of any traffic signal or safety device.
- No sign may be placed to cause a danger to traffic by obscuring visibility.
- No portion of a sign shall be attached to any fire escape or fire escape support; no portion closer than two feet from edges of a fire escape platform; no sign, brace, or guy wire shall obstruct access to a fire escape or other means of egress.
- No sign may be animated except clocks, weather information, or banners used as special event signs.
- No sign visible from the street may use the word "stop" or "danger" or any word, phrase, symbol or character simulating a public safety warning or traffic signal.
- No sign may have advertising matter of an illegal, indecent, or obscene nature.
- No sign, other than officially authorized signs, may be placed, painted or attached to standpipes, trees, fences, utility poles, sidewalks, curbs, other signs or motor vehicles serving as a sign.
- No sign shall advertise a proposed use for a property without having been issued a zoning permit from the Township.
- No sign shall cause glare or have a direct source of light not shielded from the street or any adjacent residential property.
- No sign shall be on a balloon.
- No sign shall be a sequential series of signs in a line parallel to the highway, all carrying a single advertisement message.
- No sign shall be a flashing sign or have exposed high-intensity illumination or exposed neon tubes or reflective/neon tubes encased in transparent material.
- No sign shall be a roof sign on buildings, structures, parapets, or vehicles (with exclusion for licensed and registered taxicabs).
- No sign may be an outdoor display structure or a billboard.
- Abandoned signs shall be removed by the tenant, property owner, or agent.
- No sign, poster, banner, flyer or sign may be placed on any sidewalk, hydrant, lamppost, tree, utility pole, telephone pole, fence, vacant structure, mailbox, traffic control box, or public property in any public street or place, except authorized directional or bus signs.
- It is unlawful for any person to erect, structurally alter or relocate any sign without first obtaining a permit and making payment of the required fee.
- No sign not specifically permitted by applicable Ordinance is allowed.
- No person shall, without a written permit from the Division of Public Property, attach any sign or device to a public tree or its guard/stake.
- No signs for advertising or directing customers are to be posted on any place other than the premises of the applicant.
- Any sign not maintained in good repair, excessively weathered, faded, with excessive peeling, cracking or nonoperative/broken electrical signs must be repaired or removed.
- No more than 33 1/3% of the square footage of any single window/display area shall be devoted to signs or temporary advertising material attached to windows or exposed to public view (except during repairs/alterations).

## Signs exempt from permit in Irvington Township

- Any sign erected by the federal, state, county, or Township government or agency.
- Nonilluminated facade identification signs on any building, provided such signs do not exceed two square feet in area.
- Decals not exceeding one square foot in area.
- Permanent painted or neon letters with no background and not exceeding 25% of any window of a commercial establishment.
- Nonilluminated temporary signs inside windows of commercial establishments covering not more than 25% of any window and not unreasonably obstructing light or visibility.
- Directional signs not exceeding three square feet in area.
- Nonilluminated signs denoting the architect, engineer or contractor completing work under construction not exceeding 12 square feet in area, removed within seven days after certificate of occupancy.
- Memorial signs (historical tablets, cornerstones, memorial plaques, building name, erection date, emblems not exceeding six square feet and constructed of durable material).
- Nonilluminated signs forbidding trespassing, hunting, fishing or trapping as authorized by law, not exceeding two square feet in area.
- One nonilluminated, temporary sign per lot, indicating a political preference, election or event, or advertising public function/fundraiser for charitable/religious organizations (up to 12 square feet, 8 feet height, 60 days before event, removed after event).
- One nonilluminated, temporary sign per lot, advertising a garage/yard sale on the premises (not to exceed four square feet, include sale dates, removed within 24 hours after sale, max 10 sale days/year).
- One nonilluminated, temporary sign per 25 feet of road frontage, advertising sale or rental of premises on which situated (not exceeding 24 square feet, includes owner/agent contact, removed within 7 days after fulfilled).
- One nonilluminated, temporary sign per lot on a sold premises (not exceeding four square feet, may say 'sold', name, address, contact, removed within 14 days after sale).
- One nonilluminated, temporary sign per 25 feet of road frontage, announcing an 'open house' for sale premises, only day of open house, max one per week, not exceeding four square feet.
- Temporary and permanent traffic signs/signals installed by Township, county, or state for directing/regulating traffic.
- Signs indicating public transportation stops when installed by Township or public transportation utility.
- Flags or emblems of religious, educational, civic, or governmental organizations flown from supports on their building/grounds, and US or state flags flown per law.
- For single-family residential buildings, one lawn sign identifying residents, not exceeding two square feet, nonilluminated except by lamppost integral light (no advertising).
- Gasoline price signs not exceeding one square foot per nozzle, mounted on pump or canopy support.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Applications for permits to erect a sign must be accompanied by plans showing sign area, dimensions, square footage, printing, symbols, materials, method of illumination, location, method of fastening, distance from ground/property lines, and the name/address of applicant, property owner, and installer.
- No permit for an awning shall be issued unless the proposed awning is reviewed and approved by the Zoning Official and Construction Code Official.
- Awnings and signage for franchise businesses must be reviewed and approved by the Construction Code Office before selection.
- Any additional signage, posters, advertisements on storefront windows and outside walls must be presented to the Construction Code Official for review and approval.
- The Construction Code Official shall not issue any permit unless all requirements have been satisfied or the Municipal Council has approved by resolution.
- Permits may require written consent of the landowner or person in control of the premises.
- Building Inspector will only issue permits for signs in compliance with the article and where applicable, in accordance with approvals granted by the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/irvington-township