# Sign Regulations in Linden, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Linden, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/linden
- **Data last verified:** 2026-04-27
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/34729217#34729217)

## At a glance

Linden, New Jersey regulates 27 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Directory Sign (Lot < 5 acres)s in the C-1A (Commercial), LI-B (Light Industrial) zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall, 80 sq ft per side, and 5 ft wide, with a Not closer than 1 ft to any property line setback (Sec. §31-25.9(b)(1)-(2)). Most commercial signs in Linden require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | — | 16 sq ft per side | — |
| Residential Districts (R-1a, R-1b, R-2a, R-2b, O.P.T., R-3) | 7 | — | 10 sq ft per side | — |
| Business District (C-1, C-2, ROC) | 5 | 18 ft or height of principal building, whichever is greater | 50 sq ft per side, plus formula | — |
| C-1A (Commercial), LI-B (Light Industrial) | 6 | 35 ft | 150 sq ft per side | — |
| Industrial Districts (L-I, L-1A, H-I) | 5 | 35 ft above ground | 120 sq ft | — |
| Special Improvement District (SID) | 1 | — | — | — |
| C-1B Commercial District | 3 | 20 ft | 75 sq ft per side | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Residential Districts (R-1a, R-1b, R-2a, R-2b, O.P.T., R-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary 'For Sale/Lease/Construction' Sign | — | 4 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 | Within property lines of lot to which it relates | — | §31-25.7(a) |
| Sign for Church/Public Building/Playground/Permitted Use | — | 10 sq ft per side | — | No closer than 10 feet to any property line | 1 | — | — | §31-25.7(b) |
| Club Sign (Attached) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Attached | — | §31-25.7(c) |
| Clinic/Nursing Home Freestanding Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 | Freestanding | — | §31-25.7(d) |
| Clinic/Nursing Home Attached Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 | Attached | — | §31-25.7(d) |
| Apartment Building Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached | — | §31-25.7(e) |
| Office Professional Purpose Building Wall Sign (O.P.T. District) | — | — | — | — | 1 | Attached to side facing street | — | §31-25.7(f) |

### C-1A (Commercial), LI-B (Light Industrial)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Single Street Facing) | — | 30 sq ft or 10% of front (or use) facade, whichever is greater; vertical max 4 ft | — | — | — | Front facade or use portion facing public or private street | — | §31-25.9(a)(1) |
| Wall Sign (Corner Lot/Multiple Entrances) | — | — | — | — | — | Front, side, or rear wall | — | §31-25.9(a)(2) |
| Projecting Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Projecting from building | — | §31-25.9(a)(3)-(4) |
| Directory Sign (Lot < 5 acres) | 25 ft | 80 sq ft per side | 5 ft | Not closer than 1 ft to any property line | 1 per street frontage | On each street frontage | — | §31-25.9(b)(1)-(2) |
| Directory Sign (Lot ≥ 5 acres) | 35 ft | 150 sq ft per side | 5 ft | Not closer than 1 ft to any property line | 1 per street frontage | On each street frontage | — | §31-25.9(b)(1)-(2) |
| Directional Sign (Multi-tenant Development) | — | — | — | — | — | Within multi-tenant development | — | §31-25.9(c) |

### Industrial Districts (L-I, L-1A, H-I)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Single Street Facing) | — | 30 sq ft or 10% of front of building, whichever is greater; vertical max 4 ft | — | — | — | Front of building | — | §31-25.10(a) & §31-25.8(a) |
| Wall Sign (Corner Lot/Multiple Entrances) | — | Max 10% of wall area; vertical max 4 ft | — | — | — | Front, side, or rear of building | — | §31-25.10(a) & §31-25.8(a) |
| Freestanding Sign | 18 ft or height of building, whichever is greater | 50 sq ft per side, plus formula | — | At least 20 ft from curb line and any side or rear property line | — | — | — | §31-25.10(b) |
| Monument Sign | 18 ft or height of building, whichever is greater | 50 sq ft per side, plus formula | — | At least 20 ft from curb line and any side or rear property line | — | — | — | §31-25.10(b) |
| Billboard | 35 ft above ground | 120 sq ft | 12 ft | 15 ft from property line, structure, or street r-o-w | — | Only as principal use of lot | — | §31-25.10(c)(1)-(12) |

## Prohibited signs in Linden

- No sign shall be erected or altered without first obtaining a permit except for signs exempted by the ordinance.
- No sign shall be erected, used or maintained which in any way simulates official, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by the State of New Jersey, county, municipality, public utility, or agency concerned with public health or safety.
- No neon sign or similar illuminated advertisement shall be of such color or located in such a fashion as to diminish or detract in any way from the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety or warning device.
- Advertisements using a series of two or more signs placed in a line parallel to the highway or in similar fashion all carrying a single advertisement message, part of which is contained on each sign, are specifically prohibited.
- No sign shall have flashing lights or exposed high intensity illumination.
- No sign may obstruct any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide light or ingress and egress to or from any building or structure, except for up to 25% of any window that may be occupied by a sign.
- No sign may be placed in such a position to cause a danger to traffic by obscuring visibility.
- Billboards are not permitted in residential zones.
- Signs tacked, pasted, painted or otherwise attached to poles, posts, trees, fences, sidewalks or curbs are prohibited, except for traffic control signs.
- Exterior signs using moving parts are prohibited except clocks and temperature gauges.
- No sign other than official traffic control devices or street signs shall be erected within or encroach upon the right-of-way lines of any street unless specifically authorized by ordinance or regulation.
- Rotating, moving, flashing or glittering signs are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Linden

- Professional signs indicating the name and profession of the occupant of a dwelling, not exceeding two square feet on any one side.
- Residential name plate signs within property lines and not exceeding seventy-two inches on any one side.
- Temporary signs inside windows of commercial establishments not covering more than 25% of the window area.
- Signs forbidding trespassing, hunting, fishing or trapping as authorized by Fish and Game Laws.
- Temporary signs indicating a political preference or cause, not exceeding twelve square feet on any one side; such signs cannot be posted or attached to telephone/utility poles or private property without owner's express permission.
- Temporary charitable signs not exceeding sixteen square feet on any one side.
- Temporary real estate 'for sale' and 'sold' signs: within residential districts not to exceed four square feet per side, unlighted, and with a maximum of one sign per 100 feet of lot frontage; within nonresidential districts not to exceed sixteen square feet per side; no such sign closer than 10 feet to a property line unless attached to a building.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit is required to erect or alter any sign unless the sign falls within listed exemptions.
- Signs in the Special Improvement District require written approval of the City of Linden District Management Corporation or its designee, which may promulgate rules regarding size, style, design, colors, composition, configuration and placement.
- Where traffic control signs are deemed necessary by the Planning Board, the proper Engineer shall be informed for consideration.
- Billboards require compliance with additional regulations and must be approved by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and receive a license for an off-premises billboard sign.
- The owner of any sign must submit to the City a certificate of insurance with coverage at least $10,000, and $20,000 for liability and $5,000 for property damage.

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

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