# Sign Regulations in Northvale Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Northvale Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/northvale-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12516819#12516819)

## At a glance

Northvale Borough, New Jersey regulates 19 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding or Pylon Sign (Gas Stations/Public Garages)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 10-25 feet tall and 30 square feet per side, with a 20 ft from right-of-way; 10 ft from side lot line setback (Sec. § 200-29.H(1)(a)). Most commercial signs in Northvale Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential A and B Districts | 4 | — | 72 square inches | — |
| Business and industrial districts | 5 | 6 feet | 25% of total window area nor 10% of any door window, and within wall sign area limits | — |
| Shopping center developments | 3 | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 10-25 feet | 30 square feet per side | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Residential A and B Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 72 square inches | — | — | — | Situated within the property lines | — | § 200-28.A(1) |
| Temporary or Ground Sign (Subdivision) | — | 25 square feet each | — | 25 ft from any street or side lot line | No more than two per subdivision | Within subdivision property lines | — | § 200-28.A(2) |
| Wall or Ground Sign (Nonprofit Use) | — | 20 square feet | — | — | One per property | On premises of place of worship, school, library, museum, art gallery, parish house, etc. | — | § 200-28.A(3) |
| Sale or Rent Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | One per property | Erected only on the property line of the property to be sold or rented | — | § 200-28.A(4) |

### Business and industrial districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 6 feet | — | 6 feet | 20 feet from edge of right-of-way, 10 feet from side lot line | One per street frontage | Per street frontage | — | § 200-28.B(1)(a), (1) |
| Wall Sign | 2 feet | 24 square feet | — | — | One per establishment per street frontage | Per establishment per street frontage | — | § 200-28.B(1)(b), (1) |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of total window area nor 10% of any door window, and within wall sign area limits | — | — | No more than three total signs of all types per applicant | In a window or door window | — | § 200-28.B(1)(c), (1) |
| Customary Warning, Trespassing, and Posted Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 200-28.B(4) |
| Digital Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 200-28.B(5) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign (Off-premises) | — | 5 square feet | — | — | Max two per real estate development | Off premises to direct to public, semipublic facilities, or real estate developments | — | § 200-29.A |
| Ground Sign (Premises with No Street Frontage) | — | 16 square feet | — | — | — | Off premises at driveway entrances/exits | — | § 200-29.B |
| Driveway/Warning Wall or Ground Sign (Public Uses) | — | 1 square foot | — | — | — | On grounds of libraries, schools, churches, other public buildings or uses | — | § 200-29.D |
| Wall or Ground Sign (Public/Non-profit Uses) | — | 20 square feet | — | — | One per property | On premises of specified public uses, as listed | — | § 200-29.G |
| Freestanding or Pylon Sign (Gas Stations/Public Garages) | 10-25 feet | 30 square feet per side | — | 20 ft from right-of-way; 10 ft from side lot line | One per station or garage | At least 20 ft from right-of-way, 10 ft from side lot line | — | § 200-29.H(1)(a) |
| Portable Sign (Gas Stations/Public Garages) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per property | Inside property line | — | § 200-29.H(1)(b) |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | Same area constraints as Wall Sign | — | — | One awning/canopy per establishment | Above sidewalks; must be at least 10 ft above sidewalk | — | § 200-29.I |

## Prohibited signs in Northvale Borough

- No person, persons or corporations shall be permitted to place signs, placards or advertisements of any description along, over or across the public highways or streets in the Borough of Northvale or on the trees or telephone, telegraph or electric light poles on said streets, except for official traffic control devices or signs erected under authority of the Mayor and Council.
- No person shall erect, alter, relocate or maintain any sign within the Borough without first obtaining a sign permit from the Construction Official unless exempted.
- No sign shall be erected or exhibited except for the purpose of advertising a business or other use being conducted on the same property, except as otherwise provided.
- No advertising sign shall be permitted on or within any traveled right-of-way or any sidewalk.
- Any sign of which all or part is in motion by any means, including fluttering, rotating or moving devices set in motion by wind or atmosphere, is prohibited.
- Any sign displaying flashing or intermittent light or lights of changing intensity is prohibited. No neon or similarly illuminated signs shall be of red, yellow or green color or located in such a fashion as to diminish or detract from any traffic signal or safety or warning device.
- Any illuminated tubing or strings of lights outside rooflines, doors, windows or wall edges of any building are prohibited, except for holiday decorations during December and January.
- Any sign that uses the words “stop” or “danger” or otherwise implies the need to stop or caution or the existence of danger, likely to be confused with a sign displayed by a public authority, is prohibited.
- No banner-type sign is permitted except for public event or holiday notices approved by the governing body.
- All pylon or freestanding signs are prohibited.
- High or turnpike-height signs are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Northvale Borough

- Official traffic control devices, street name signs, or other signs erected under the authority of the Mayor and Council are exempt.
- Borough facilities/properties are exempt from the prohibited sign section.
- No application, fee, or permit is required for: nameplate signs (up to 72 square inches) in residential districts; sale or rent signs (up to 4 square feet) on the property to be sold or rented in residential districts; customary warning, trespassing and posted signs.
- Memorial tablets or signs, names of buildings, and date of erection when cut into masonry or constructed of bronze/other noncombustible materials are exempt from permit.
- Traffic or other municipal signals or legal notices, railroad crossing signals or danger signs, and temporary emergency signs by government or utility employees are exempt from permit.
- Names on mailboxes are exempt from permit.
- Signs used on property warning the public against hunting or trespassing are exempt from permit.
- Temporary signs advocating or advertising any candidate for public office are exempt from permit.
- Wall or ground signs (not exceeding one square foot) for driveway entrance, exit, or warning purposes on the grounds of libraries, schools, churches or other public buildings or uses are exempt from application/fee for a permit.
- Wall or ground sign not exceeding 20 square feet on the premises of places of worship, school buildings, public libraries, museums, art galleries, parish houses, government buildings, public or private schools, or community/recreational buildings or grounds are exempt from application/fee for a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permit applications must be made by the owner of the premises or person responsible for the sign's erection. The application form requires location, position, and compliance info.
- Special permit from the Planning Board is required for certain off-premises ground signs when a permitted use is located on premises without public street frontage.
- The Planning Board may impose conditions related to location, size, type, color, lighting, and design for special permit signs.
- Appeals or requests for variances from decisions of the Construction Official are handled by the Planning Board, following established procedures in other municipal chapters and New Jersey law.
- No reference is made to a Master Sign Plan or similar across all 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 4 zoning districts in Northvale Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Northvale+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-northvale-borough

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