# Sign Regulations in Morristown Town, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Morristown Town, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/morristown-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/34247256#34247256)

## At a glance

Morristown Town, New Jersey regulates 17 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Sandwich Board)s in the MX-2, TC, H zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall, 8 sq ft per side; max width 2 ft; max height 4 ft, and 2 ft wide (Sec. §30-434.8). Most commercial signs in Morristown Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R, MF-1, MF-2, MF-3 | 9 | — | 40 sq ft | — |
| MX-1 | 5 | 10 ft | 40 sq ft per street front; 15% of ground floor façade | — |
| MX-2, TC, H | 7 | 10 ft | 40 sq ft per street front; 15% of ground floor façade | — |
| TC-Morristown Green Overlay, TC-Transit Overlay, TC-Headquarters Plaza Overlay | 1 | 4 ft | 8 sq ft per side; max width 2 ft; max height 4 ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | 1' x 1.5' (small sign); 18 x 24 in (see licensing provisions) | — |

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

### R, MF-1, MF-2, MF-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Sign (Nameplate) | — | 1 sq ft per sign | — | — | One per family housed | At the residence | — | §30-433.5f.1(c) |
| Residential Sign (Practitioner Announcement) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | One per premises | At the premises | — | §30-433.5f.1(d) |
| Residential Sign (House of worship, charitable, nonprofit organization) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | On the premises | — | §30-433.5f.1(e) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 5 sq ft | — | 8 ft from adjacent property line | One per street frontage | At least eight feet from adjacent property line, on the property advertised | — | §30-434.1 |
| Temporary Political Event Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Any district, no safety hazard | — | §30-434.7 |
| Construction Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | Principal entrance of the property, within property lines | — | §30-434.6 |
| Temporary, New Occupancy, Special Event Sign/Banner (Nonprofit) | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §30-434.2 |
| Public Sign (Policing, parking, traffic, or parking purpose) | — | 18 in x 24 in (for license purposes per §6-6.7), or 1' x 1.5' for small policing/parking/traffic per §30-436.1h | — | — | — | As directed by Town/state authority | — | §7-41.7, §16-5.6, §30-436.1h, §6-6.7 |

### MX-1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 10 ft | — | — | 4 ft from property line | No more than one sign per 75 ft of street frontage | No part within 4 feet of property line or within corner clearance | — | §30-433.4; §30-433.5a |
| Wall Sign | See placement restrictions | 40 sq ft per street front; 15% of ground floor façade | — | — | No more than one sign per 75 ft of street frontage | Solid wall spaces between heads and sills of windows on street/front (1st story/street level unless identifying single-occupant or building name) | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.2, §30-433.5b |
| Window Sign | — | No more than 25% of window area may be covered | — | — | — | On windows | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.5c.1 |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On awnings | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.5d |
| Residential Sign | — | As per R zone: Nameplate 1 sq ft, Practitioner 1 sq ft, House of worship/nonprofit 12 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.5f |

### MX-2, TC, H

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 10 ft | — | — | 4 ft from property line | No more than one sign per 75 ft of street frontage | No part within 4 feet of property line or within corner clearance | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.5a |
| Wall Sign | See placement restrictions | 40 sq ft per street front; 15% of ground floor façade | — | — | No more than one sign per 75 ft of street frontage | Solid wall spaces between heads and sills of windows on street/front (1st story/street level unless identifying single-occupant or building name) | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.2, §30-433.5b |
| Window Sign | — | No more than 25% of window area may be covered | — | — | — | On windows | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.5c.1 |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On awnings | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.5d |
| Projecting Sign | Cannot extend above the roofline. Bottom of sign at least 8 feet above grade. | — | — | — | — | On building, not projecting over property line | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.5e |
| Freestanding Sign (Sandwich Board) | 4 ft | 8 sq ft per side; max width 2 ft; max height 4 ft | 2 ft | — | One per business | On sidewalk directly in front of establishment; within 2 feet of a structure or immovable object; not blocking at least 10 ft of sidewalk | — | §30-434.8 |
| Residential Sign | — | As per R zone: Nameplate 1 sq ft, Practitioner 1 sq ft, House of worship/nonprofit 12 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §30-433.4, §30-433.5f |

## Prohibited signs in Morristown Town

- All signs, unless explicitly permitted elsewhere, are prohibited.
- Banners, except as a temporary sign, are prohibited.
- Billboards are prohibited.
- Illuminated signs in which a device causes flashing, spelling or movement of all or part of the sign are prohibited.
- Projecting signs on all properties facing the Morristown Green are prohibited.
- Pylon signs are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Off-site signs are prohibited.
- Signs which compete for attention with or may be mistaken for a traffic sign or signal are prohibited.
- Signs which are a menace to public safety or which obstruct the views of any street, intersection or crosswalk are prohibited.
- Temporary advertising signs affixed to the window of a door, but not including information signs such as 'Push' and 'Pull' and hours of operation, are prohibited.
- Signs placed on sidewalks or public rights-of-way, unless permanently affixed to the ground after receipt of a sign permit therefor, are prohibited.
- Signs placed above or below another sign or attached to another sign, with the exception of directory signs, are prohibited.
- Signs erected or suspended across a street or alley, unless otherwise authorized by the municipality, are prohibited.
- Signs used for or converted into a fence or wall or a shed or building are prohibited.
- No signs on any property abutting or visible from a residential district shall be lighted or remain lighted between 12:00 midnight and 7:00 a.m., except for establishments open to the public later than 12:00 midnight.
- No ground signs shall be erected on any sidewalk area or within the first 15 feet from the curbline upon or over any tract or lot of land opposite or facing the Green.
- It is unlawful to use a vehicle or trailer as the structure to which a sign is attached or placed.
- No sign shall be erected, painted, affixed, located or maintained on any taxicab parked on a regular basis on residential property except to designate the name, address, phone, the word 'taxi' and serial number.
- No revolving, rotating or moving signs are permitted.
- No signs shall project beyond any property line into public rights-of-way.
- No projecting sign shall extend above the roofline of the structure to which it is affixed.
- Temporary signs shall not be illuminated.
- No sign erected before the effective date of the chapter shall be rebuilt, replaced or relocated without conforming to the provisions of this article.
- No sign shall be erected, constructed and maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, window, door or opening used as a means of egress or for firefighting purposes, or so as to prevent free passage from one part of a roof to another.
- No sign shall be attached to a fire escape or so placed as to interfere with any opening used for ventilation.
- No sign permit shall be issued without written permission of the owner of the property.
- No matter shall be painted or posted on a sign or structure that is licentious, vulgar, obscene, or depicts the commission of any crime.
- No sign shall be secured with wood strips or light gauge wire.
- All signs must be located on the property which houses the business or use they advertise. Temporary real estate signs must be located on the property advertised for sale or lease.

## Signs exempt from permit in Morristown Town

- Small signs permitted by law not exceeding one foot by 1.5 feet may be erected for policing or parking purposes.
- Nothing restricts or prohibits erection, construction, or maintenance of signs for the purposes of policing, directing, or controlling traffic or parking when legally authorized by the state, county, or Town, or departments thereof.
- Signs or markers for use in policing, directing or controlling of traffic or parking when legally authorized are exempt.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Every applicant for a new license or for a transfer from place to place must place a sign on the premises before public notice, with proof of posting filed with the Governing Body by affidavit at the time of the hearing on the application.
- Permit required prior to erection for real estate, construction, temporary, new occupancy, special event, political event, and freestanding signs.
- For freestanding signs: business owners must submit a nonresidential zoning permit application including details and a sample/image of the sign and its location; new permit required for each new sign and after change in ownership.
- No grandfathering is permitted for freestanding signs; all must comply with current regulations at time of permit issuance.

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

---

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