# Sign Regulations in Manchester Township, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Manchester Township, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/manchester-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/13193939#13193939)

## At a glance

Manchester Township, New Jersey regulates 26 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the Industrial and Office-Professional (LI, OR-LI and O-P) Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 30 sq ft, with a At least 1/2 required setback or front yard depth, 15 ft from property line, not within 50 ft of intersection setback (Sec. §245-27D(1)(b)). Most commercial signs in Manchester Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rural Agricultural (RA) Zone, Residential (R-40, R-15, R-14, R-10, and R-10A) Zones | 7 | — | 36 sq ft per side | — |
| Business (B-1) Zones | 4 | — | 60 sq ft | — |
| Highway Development (HD-3, HD-3A and HD-10) | 3 | — | 100 sq ft | — |
| Industrial and Office-Professional (LI, OR-LI and O-P) Zones | 4 | 6 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 60 sq ft max = 18 ft, >60 sq ft = 22 ft | 75 sq in | — |

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

### Rural Agricultural (RA) Zone, Residential (R-40, R-15, R-14, R-10, and R-10A) Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Decorative Sign (Name/Address) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On house or property | — | §245-27A(1), §245-27A(2) |
| Official Government Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On public or institution property | — | §245-27A(3), §245-27E(12)(a) |
| Event/Institution Sign (House of Worship, School, Hospital, Park, Utility, etc.) | — | 36 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On site of event or institution | — | §245-27A(4) |
| Farm Identification Sign | — | 10 sq ft per side | — | — | 2 | On farm property | — | §245-27A(5) |
| Home Occupation/Professional Office Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On residence | — | §245-27A(6) |
| Development Advertising/Identification Sign | — | 36 sq ft each | — | — | 2 | On development site | — | §245-27A(7) |
| Permanent Subdivision/PRC/Multifamily ID Sign | — | Case-by-case | — | — | — | On subdivision/development, uniform locations to extent possible | — | §245-27A(8), §179-24 |

### Industrial and Office-Professional (LI, OR-LI and O-P) Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 60 sq ft | — | — | See General Regulations | On building, within signable area, per §245-27E(15)(b) | — | §245-27D(1)(a) |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — | At least 1/2 required setback or front yard depth, 15 ft from property line, not within 50 ft of intersection | See General Regulations | On property, must meet setback requirements | — | §245-27D(1)(b) |
| Traffic Control Sign | — | — | — | — | Regulated by approval agency | Interior roads/parking, as regulated by approval agency in site plan | — | §245-27D(2) |
| Temporary Sign (For Lease/Sale/Construction) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Within property lines | — | §245-27D(3) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | 3 ft (ground mounted) | 75 sq in | — | — | 1 per occupancy | On building or ground | — | §245-27E(12)(b) |
| Warning Sign | 3 ft (ground) | 3 sq ft | — | — | 2 | Wall or ground | — | §245-27E(12)(h) |
| Private Sale/Event Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 4 (business) / 1 (residential) | Only on premises where sale/event occurs or other private property with consent | — | §245-27E(12)(d) |
| Temporary Political Sign (Nonresidential Property) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | Nonresidential districts | — | §245-27E(12)(n) |
| Temporary Political Sign (Residential Property) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Residential districts | — | §245-27E(12)(n) |
| On-site Informational Sign | 7 ft above grade | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Wall, window, or ground | — | §245-27E(12)(k) |
| Window Sign (Business Use) | — | 20% of window area per window; aggregate not to exceed 15% of all windows containing a sign, but at least 20 sq ft permitted regardless | — | — | — | Window abutting a public street or parking facility | — | §245-27E(12)(i) |
| Ground Sign (General Regulations - Various Lot Sizes) | 60 sq ft max = 18 ft, >60 sq ft = 22 ft | See below | — | ≥1/2 principal building setback (see details) | 1-4 depending on acreage | At least 1/2 principal building front setback | — | §245-27E(15)(a) |

## Prohibited signs in Manchester Township

- No sign with any lighting or control mechanism which may cause radio or television interference shall be permitted nor shall any sign cause any glare off the premises.
- Flashing, blinking or intermittent variations in the illumination of a sign shall not be permitted.
- No sign shall overhang a public right-of-way or passageway used by the public, nor extend more than 24 inches from the face of any building.
- No sign not erected for the purpose of protecting the public health and safety shall simulate any official, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by a federal, state, county or local government, public utility or public agency.
- No commercial or other billboards shall be permitted in any zone.
- Pennants, flags, posters, pinwheels and other attention-attracting forms of advertising shall not be permitted.
- All roof signs are prohibited.
- No animated or moving signs shall be permitted except for the required movement of time and temperature displays.
- Signs advertising permitted yard sales shall not be posted on telephone poles, other public utility structures or within any required sight triangle.

## Signs exempt from permit in Manchester Township

- Governmental signs erected or authorized by a governmental unit are exempt from the requirement of obtaining a sign construction permit.
- Nameplate signs, limited to no more than one wall or ground sign per occupancy, not more than 75 square inches in area, nonilluminated or externally illuminated, and, if a ground sign, not more than three feet in height, are exempt from sign construction permits.
- Flags and emblems of a government or of a political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization are exempt from sign construction permits.
- Private sale and event signs, not more than six square feet in area, located on the site or with owner’s consent, clearly marked for removal responsibility, and meeting time limits, are exempt.
- Traffic signs and signals installed or authorized by the Township, county, or state for directing or regulating traffic are exempt.
- Public transportation signs indicating stops when installed or authorized by the Township or appropriate authority are exempt.
- Vacated property signs, one per property, affixed or in window, not exceeding six square feet, displayed no longer than 60 days after vacating, are exempt.
- Warning signs with limitations of quantity (max. 2), size (max. three square feet), illumination (nonilluminated), and height (if ground sign, max. three feet) are exempt.
- Nonilluminated window signs for business uses abutting a public roadway or parking facility, subject to area limitations, are exempt.
- Special event signs, up to three per business at a time, nonilluminated, and within specified timeframes, are exempt.
- On-site informational signs up to two square feet and not more than seven feet in height, with certain content restrictions, are exempt.
- Signs on machines, such as vending machines and gasoline pumps, not exceeding three square feet per machine, are exempt.
- Interior signs not within 18 inches of a window visible from a public street or parking facility are exempt.
- Political signs, subject to area, marking, and timing restrictions, are exempt.
- Special sales signs associated with designated sale days and within allowed timeframes are exempt.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs shall require a permit, except those that are exempted.
- Signs that do not conform in all respects to the details and design standards for the particular type require municipal agency approval.
- All signs requested as part of an application for site plan, subdivision, or conditional use approval before the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment require municipal agency approval.
- A shopping center, industrial park or office park shall submit a program for signs (sign plan) to the approval agency as part of its submission for preliminary site plan approval. The program must visually represent the sign designs, locations, and other specifications.
- Signs displayed within a shopping center, industrial park, or office park must comply with an approved program for signs.

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

---

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