# Sign Regulations in Kearny Town, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Kearny Town, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/kearny-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/36005729#36005729)

## At a glance

Kearny Town, New Jersey regulates 19 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, Business District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4) zoning district are capped at 16 ft tall and 30 sq ft per side, with a 5 ft from property line (or 20 ft for complexes with sign up to 100 sq ft) setback (Sec. § 38-6.8.k.7, § 38-6.8.g.3). Most commercial signs in Kearny Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District | 4 | 6 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| Planned Residential Developments | 1 | 6 ft | 16 sq ft per side | — |
| C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, Business District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4) | 11 | 16 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | — | — |

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

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate/Construction Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | On land being sold, or building under construction | — | § 38-6.8.a |
| Ground Sign (Institutional Use) | 6 ft | 16 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Street frontage of school, college, church, hospital or similar use, including Planned Residential Developments | — | § 38-6.8.b.1 |
| Wall Sign (Institutional Use) | — | 24 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 | Front building facade of institutional structure | — | § 38-6.8.b.2 |
| Directional Sign (Parking Area) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Parking area entrance or exit | — | § 38-6.8.b.3 |

### C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, Business District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 2.5 ft or 20% of wall height (whichever is less) | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment per wall (plus 1 extra for corner properties) | Each building wall facing a street | — | § 38-6.8.k.4, § 38-6.8.k.3(a),(b) |
| Awning Sign | Lettering max 8 in on the vertical flap | — | — | — | — | Affixed to building wall | — | § 38-6.8.k.9 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | At right angles to building wall; minimum 9 ft above sidewalk; max projection 4.5 ft | — | § 38-6.8.f, § 38-6.8.k.3(c) |
| Ground Sign | 16 ft | 30 sq ft per side | — | 5 ft from property line (or 20 ft for complexes with sign up to 100 sq ft) | 1 per lot (1 per frontage for corners; complexes with 5+ uses: 1 sign max 100 sq ft per site) | On ground within property boundaries | — | § 38-6.8.k.7, § 38-6.8.g.3 |
| Portable Sign | 4 ft | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | On public sidewalk adjacent to business, within 3 ft of property line | — | § 38-6.8.k.6 |
| Temporary Banner | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | — | Business District, displayed temporarily | — | § 38-6.8.k.5(a) |
| Neon Channel/Reverse Neon Channel Letters | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | Max 2 pieces per establishment | Building wall, as part of sign area allowance | — | § 38-6.8.k.3(d),(e) |
| Individually Formed Letters | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment per wall (plus 1 extra for corner properties) | Building wall | — | § 38-6.8.k.3(f) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign on Public Property | — | — | — | — | — | Public property or right-of-way | — | § 4-15.a, c |
| Flashing/Animated/Confusing Signs | — | — | — | — | — | Within 100 ft of street right-of-way | — | § 38-6.8.i |
| Roof Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Roof | — | § 38-6.8.g.2 |

## Prohibited signs in Kearny Town

- No sign, handbill, or similar device may be painted, marked, written on, posted or otherwise affixed to public property or within public rights-of-way (except as otherwise authorized in Chapter 38 or elsewhere in the Town Code).
- Except for signs authorized by a governmental agency, no freestanding permanent or temporary sign shall encroach upon any public right-of-way or any public property.
- No sign, billboard, or advertising device shall cover any part of a window, obstruct any exit, or be fastened in any manner to any part of a fire escape.
- No sign shall be affixed upon a building or structure in any manner which disfigures, damages or conceals any window opening, door, or significant architectural feature or detail.
- The use of chain as a support for signs attached to or erected upon buildings or structures is prohibited.
- Roof signs are not permitted in any district.
- Lighting that requires flashing or intermittent illumination or change in color, intensity, or hue is prohibited for signs.
- Any advertising or commercially used sign or device located within 100 feet of the right-of-way of any street with lights which move, flash, blink, fluctuate, animate, or rotate, or which is similar in color and arrangement to any traffic control device or emergency vehicle light, is prohibited as a public nuisance.
- No sign in any district shall be backlighted; only indirect shielded lighting allowed.
- No sign shall be lighted with flashing lights.
- No internally illuminated projecting signs are allowed.
- No vinyl or back-lit awnings are permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Kearny Town

- The prohibition on signs on public property does not apply to the Town of Kearny or any municipal or governmental official acting in the exercise of governmental duties.
- Signs giving public service information such as time, date, temperature, or weather intermittently with low-intensity lights which are not similar to traffic control or emergency lights are not prohibited.
- Any sign already erected and attached to any building as of the effective date of the ordinance is exempt from the flashing/animated light prohibitions.
- Temporary banners in the Business District to advertise a grand opening, sale, business anniversary or other celebratory milestones may be displayed for up to 30 days within any nine-month period without a permit, provided size does not exceed 15 square feet.
- Coroplast or paper signs may be displayed temporarily for up to seven days without a permit, not to exceed five square feet or 5% of total windowpane footage, whichever is greater.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Each site plan application must include a sign plan showing the specific design, location, size, construction, and illumination.
- If sign details cannot be provided at the time of site plan application, approval may be conditioned on receipt of such information prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy and is subject to the Town Sign Ordinance.
- Permit applications for any sign, billboard, advertising device, banner, canopy or marquee requires two sets of drawings showing construction and supports, and a plot plan or diagram showing proposed location; two sets of color to-scale sketches and other documentation may be required for specific sign types.
- Applications for signs in C-1, C-2, C-3, and C-4 Districts must include a scaled drawing of the proposed sign, supporting frame, construction, size of letters, details, illumination, and a scaled drawing or photo of the building showing sign location; two sets required.
- Permit applications for wall signs, neon signs, individually formed letters, window lettering, ground signs, and awnings generally must be accompanied by two copies of color to-scale sketches with locations and letter sizes indicated.
- Applications for projecting signs require two copies of color to-scale sketches with the location of the sign on the building and letter sizes.
- Canopy, marquee, and temporary banner applications involving an encroachment over public property require prior approval from the Mayor and Council.
- Installation of awnings requires a zoning permit, construction permit, and two to-scale sketches; permission from the Kearny Governing Body is needed for encroachment into town property.
- Application for portable signs displayed on sidewalks must include an indemnification agreement protecting the Town from liability arising from the sign.

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

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