# Sign Regulations in Mountain Lakes Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Mountain Lakes Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/mountain-lakes-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/8630929#8630929)

## At a glance

Mountain Lakes Borough, New Jersey regulates 23 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Bulletin Boards in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft above finished grade tall and 18 sq ft, with a ≥ 10 ft from street or any lot line setback (Sec. §245-17C(7)). Most commercial signs in Mountain Lakes Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 6 ft above finished grade | 40 sq ft (if <10% of wall area) | — |
| Residential zones | 6 | 6 ft above finished grade | 50 sq in | — |
| Business zones | 7 | 12 ft, or not exceeding lowest roofline (whichever is less); minimum 8 ft above grade | 20 sq ft | — |
| Business Zone A | 1 | 3 ft above lowest roof line or 12 ft, whichever is less | 30 sq ft (aggregate for all signs), but cannot exceed 10% of overall surface of street wall | — |
| Business Zone B | 1 | 18 ft above finished grade | 40 sq ft (aggregate for all signs) | — |
| Office and Light Industrial Zones (OL-1, OL-2) | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations - All Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §245-17C(1)(a)-(d) |
| Construction Sign | 6 ft above finished grade | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §245-17C(6) |
| Bulletin Board | 6 ft above finished grade | 18 sq ft | — | ≥ 10 ft from street or any lot line | 1 per community facility | On-site of the community facility/institution; no closer than 10 ft to any street line or lot line. | — | §245-17C(7) |
| Wall Sign (Including Permanent Window Signs) | — | 40 sq ft (if <10% of wall area) | — | — | — | On wall facing street. | — | §245-17C(8) |
| Temporary Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Window; visible outdoors. | — | §245-17C(8) |
| Real Estate Sign - Nonresidential Zones | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | On premises, for sale/lease/rent. | — | §245-17C(9) |
| Real Estate Sign - Residential Zones | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | On premises, for sale/lease/rent. | — | §245-17C(9) |
| Political, Religious, or Protected Statement Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §245-17C(10) |

### Residential zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal Identification Sign Plate | — | 50 sq in | — | — | 1 | On wall of building | — | §245-17D(1)(b) |
| Property Identification Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | Max 2 | — | — | §245-17D(1)(c) |
| Home Occupation Identification Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit | — | — | §245-17D(1)(d) |
| Bulletin Board (Community Facility or Institution) | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | 1 per community facility/institution | On-site, community facility or institution | — | §245-17D(1)(e) |
| Contractor's Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per contractor | On premises where contractor is working | — | §245-17D(1)(f) |
| Freestanding Sign - Residential zones | 6 ft above finished grade | — | — | No sign except property identification signs shall be located closer than 10 ft to any front lot line or any residence lot line. | — | — | — | §245-17D(1)(h) |

### Business zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Sign (Wall, Freestanding, Projecting) | — | — | — | — | Any combination of 2 (wall, freestanding, projecting sign) | On premises | — | §245-17D(2)(a)[1]-[2], [5] |
| Freestanding Sign (Business zones) | — | — | — | ≥ 10 ft from front lot line | 1 per establishment | — | — | §245-17D(2)(a)[3], [7] |
| Projecting Sign | 12 ft, or not exceeding lowest roofline (whichever is less); minimum 8 ft above grade | — | — | — | — | Wall; exterior | — | §245-17D(2)(a)[4] |
| Directory Sign (Business Center) | — | — | — | — | 1 per establishment | Part of aggregate sign allowance; freestanding directory sign counts as the one freestanding sign for establishment. | — | §245-17D(2)(a)[7] |
| Identification Sign (Secondary Entrance) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per side/rear entrance | Next to, over, or on side/rear entrance for store with direct access from side/rear. | — | §245-17D(2)(a)[8] |
| Real Estate Sign (Business Zone) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Wall or Freestanding | — | §245-17D(2)(a)[1] |
| Construction Sign (Business Zone) | 6 ft above finished grade | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Wall or Freestanding | — | §245-17D(2)(a)[1], §245-17C(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Mountain Lakes Borough

- No sign shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, relocated or used without first obtaining a sign permit, except for certain identification signs in residential zones as specified.
- Signs shall be limited to indicate products, services, uses or occupants of the premises on which they are located.
- No sign shall be located at or near any street, intersection or driveway so as to create a traffic hazard by obstructing vision.
- No sign shall be located, constructed or lighted so as to interfere with or obstruct the view of any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.
- No red, green or yellow sign shall be located where it might be confused with a traffic signal.
- No sign or sign structure shall be erected in such a manner that any portion thereof will interfere with the free use of any fire escape, exit or standpipe, or will obstruct or block or cover any window except window signs.
- After a use, advertised by a sign, has been abandoned or terminated, the owner of the premises shall be responsible for the immediate removal of such sign.
- No moving signs, wind signs, roof signs, banners, oscillating, rotating, flashing or other intermittent-type signs.
- No general advertising signs are permitted.
- No part of any sign shall be constructed of reflective material or have moving parts (applies to construction signs).
- No construction sign shall be illuminated.

## Signs exempt from permit in Mountain Lakes Borough

- Identification signs in residential zones as permitted in Subsection D(1)(b) and (c) do not require a sign permit.
- Applications from the Board of Education or local government bodies are exempt from the sign permit fee.
- Temporary wall, window, or freestanding signs may be displayed for not more than 30 days in any two-month period, subject to temporary sign permit.
- Political, religious or other signs conveying statements protected by the Constitution are permitted (subject to size and other regulations).
- Temporary signs may be placed in windows in addition to otherwise permitted signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Applications for a sign permit must include a scale drawing showing the sign's design and relation to the building and its location on the premises.
- Site plan review (by the Planning Board) is required for signs in Office and Light Industrial Zones OL-1 and OL-2 in accordance with the site plan provisions of the land use ordinances.
- No mention is made of master sign plans, but sign drawings and site relation are required with each sign permit application (except certain exemptions).
- The Zoning Officer reviews and may approve sign applications for most zones; Planning Board review is specifically required for OL-1 and OL-2 zones.

## 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 Mountain Lakes Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Mountain+Lakes+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-mountain-lakes-borough

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