# Sign Regulations in Lambertville, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lambertville, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/lambertville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/35940435#35940435)

## At a glance

Lambertville, New Jersey regulates 19 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the CBD Central Business District zoning district are capped at 6 feet tall and 12 square feet (Sec. § Z-515.5A).

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (R-C, R-L, R-1, R-2, R-3), Residential District | 4 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| CBD Central Business District | 8 | 6 feet | 16 square feet | — |
| C-2, Service Commercial District (C-2), C-3, General Commercial District (C-3), O Office District (O), C-2 District | 8 | 12 feet | 40 square feet | — |
| P&R Parks and Recreation District (P&R) | 4 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| Waterfront Development (Planned Waterfront Commercial Development) | 1 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 6 feet (Residential Districts) | 30 square feet or 50% of canopy fascia, whichever less | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### CBD Central Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 feet | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | § Z-515.5A |
| Facade Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Facing each street frontage | — | § Z-515.5B |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Facing each street frontage | — | § Z-515.5B |
| Changeable Copy Sign (Institutional, Entertainment Establishments & Fuel Stations) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | § Z-515.5C |
| Directory Sign | — | — | — | — | 1-2 | Attached to facade at main entrance, rear entrance, or stair access to upper floors; one additional at driveway entrance for lots >1 acre | — | § Z-515.5D |
| Menu Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 | Facade | — | § Z-515.5E |
| Awning Signs | — | — | — | — | — | On awning (lower vertical fringe or lower 1/3 of curved awnings) | — | § Z-515.5F; § Z-515.3C |
| Time and Temperature Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | § Z-515.5H; § Z-515.3I |

### C-2, Service Commercial District (C-2), C-3, General Commercial District (C-3), O Office District (O), C-2 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 12 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | 1 per qualifying street frontage | One per street frontage with direct vehicular access and min 100 feet lot frontage | — | § Z-515.6A |
| Facade Sign | — | 20 square feet; tenants in retail centers: 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage (per store for retail centers) | Facing each street frontage with direct vehicular access | — | § Z-515.6B |
| Canopy Sign | — | 30 square feet or max 50% of canopy fascia area, whichever less | — | — | Up to 2 per canopy | One sign each on opposite ends of canopy fascia | — | § Z-515.6C; § Z-515.3D |
| Changeable Copy Signs (Institutional Use) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § Z-515.6D |
| Directional Sign | — | 3 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | § Z-515.6E |
| Directory Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 | At main entrance | — | § Z-515.6F |
| Menu Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 | Facade | — | § Z-515.6G |
| Time and Temperature Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | § Z-515.6I; § Z-515.3I |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 feet (Residential Districts) | — | — | 10 feet from curbline or 5 feet from sidewalk, whichever is greater | — | Front yard only; min setback 10 feet from curb line or 5 feet from public sidewalk, whichever is more | — | § Z-515.3A |
| Facade Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Not to extend more than 12 inches from attachment surface; on lower slope of mansard or flat to roof (if on pent/mansard roof) | — | § Z-515.3B |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Lower fringe of awning | — | § Z-515.3C |
| Canopy Sign | — | 30 square feet or 50% of canopy fascia, whichever less | — | — | Max 2 | Canopy fascia (only for gas stations and similar uses) | — | § Z-515.3D |
| Changeable Copy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Permanently affixed; only commercial advertising for live performances or motor fuel prices | — | § Z-515.3E |
| Directional Sign | 2.5 feet (if freestanding) | 3 square feet | — | — | — | Freestanding allowed at streetline (if vision not blocked) | — | § Z-515.3F |
| Directory Sign | 5 feet (if freestanding) | 8 square feet (general); 5 feet high for freestanding | — | — | — | Within site or at main entrance | — | § Z-515.3G |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | May extend over right-of-way | — | § Z-515.3H |

## Prohibited signs in Lambertville

- Freestanding signs, except for directional signs, are not permitted outside the front yard.
- No freestanding sign shall be erected closer to the curb line or edge of paving than 10 feet, or five feet from a public sidewalk, whichever is more, except as otherwise provided.
- A freestanding sign shall not be used in conjunction with a canopy sign.
- No facade sign shall extend more than 12 inches from the surface upon which it is attached.
- Projecting signs must not be lower than nine feet above a street, sidewalk, or pedestrian way.
- Directional signs shall not contain any commercial message.
- Designers should avoid signs that obscure or ignore a building's architecture.
- Signs should not alter the way a building functions or block light into a building.
- Internally illuminated signs are discouraged except on buildings of the present era.
- Changeable copy signs may not be located in any residential zoning district, except institutional uses.
- Freestanding signs in residential districts may not exceed six feet in height.
- Awning signs must be permitted in lieu of facade signs and must comply with size limitations for facade signage.
- No more than one canopy sign is allowed per canopy fascia, and no more than two per canopy.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lambertville

- Directional signs are allowed if they do not exceed three square feet in area and do not obscure the vision of motorists.
- Directory signs are allowed provided they do not exceed eight square feet in area or five feet in height (freestanding).
- Changeable copy signs are permitted for commercial uses only for advertising live performances and motor fuel prices.
- Time and temperature signs are permitted in any district where commercial uses are permitted, not exceeding 20% of the allowable sign area and may be in addition to other signage.
- Institutional uses in residential, commercial, and park/recreation districts may have certain sign types as specified.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Placement and design of signs shall follow design standards unless specifically waived by the Planning Board.
- Consideration will be given to other sign materials or modern signage materials for older buildings provided design guideline purposes are maintained.
- Design guidelines and standards must be followed unless a specific waiver is granted.

## 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 6 zoning districts in Lambertville — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Lambertville+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-lambertville

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