# Sign Regulations in Ocean Township, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Ocean Township, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/ocean-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/35333154#35333154)

## At a glance

Ocean Township, New Jersey regulates 28 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Mall, shopping center, strip center)s in the Commercial/Industrial District, C-1, C-2 zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 80 sq ft, with a 15 ft from street right-of-way; 50 ft from residential district setback (Sec. §299-7A(2), (2)(a)[1,2,3]). Most commercial signs in Ocean Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial/Industrial District, C-1, C-2 | 15 | 30 ft | 160 sq ft per wall (but not more than 5% of wall) | — |
| Residential zones, FO, PV, R-2, R-1A, BC, WD, Waterfront Development District (WD) | 9 | — | 72 sq in per side | — |
| Industrial districts (I-1, I-2), I-1, I-2 | 1 | — | 10% of area of front facade (total), not more than 25% of total area in front yard | — |
| Cannabis Use Overlay Zone No. 1, Cannabis Use Overlay Zone No. 2 | 1 | — | 20 sq ft per side | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 2 sq ft | — |

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

### Commercial/Industrial District, C-1, C-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Mall, shopping center, strip center) | 30 ft | 80 sq ft | — | 15 ft from street right-of-way; 50 ft from residential district | 1 per lot | On-site; 15 ft setback from ROW; 50 ft from any residential district | — | §299-7A(2), (2)(a)[1,2,3] |
| Freestanding Sign (Single building <=10,000 sq ft) | 30 ft | 20 sq ft | — | 15 ft from street right-of-way; 50 ft from residential district | 1 per lot | On-site; 15 ft setback from ROW; 50 ft from any residential district | — | §299-7A(2)(a)[2][b] |
| Freestanding Sign (Single building >10,000 sq ft) | 30 ft | 40 sq ft | — | 15 ft from street right-of-way; 50 ft from residential district | 1 per lot | On-site; 15 ft setback from ROW; 50 ft from any residential district | — | §299-7A(2)(a)[2][c] |
| Wall Sign (Multiple Businesses Per Building) | — | 32 sq ft per business (but not more than 5% of wall) | — | — | Max 2 per business per building (each on a different wall) | Building wall | — | §299-7A(4)(b) |
| Wall Sign (Single Business Per Building) | — | 160 sq ft per wall (but not more than 5% of wall) | — | — | Max 3 per wall, max 4 per building | Building wall | — | §299-7A(4)(c) |
| Sandwich Board / A-frame Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side (2 ft x 3 ft) | — | — | 1 per business | On or adjacent to the business location | — | §299-7A(6)(a)-(b) |
| Area Identification Sign | — | 16 sq ft (all area identification signs combined) | — | — | — | Wall or other structure | — | §299-7A(5)(a)-(b) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | May not exceed property lines; see additional for specifics. | — | Attached to buildings | — | §299-7A(11) |

### Residential zones, FO, PV, R-2, R-1A, BC, WD, Waterfront Development District (WD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Nameplate | — | 72 sq in per side | — | — | 1 per lot | Within property lines | — | §410-77A(1) |
| Farm/Nursery Activity Sign | — | 10 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per street adjoined | On each street adjoined | — | §410-77A(2) |
| Temporary Real Estate/Construction Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | Within property lines | — | §410-77A(3) |
| Institutional or Recreational Use Identification Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | 10 ft from street or property line | 1 per street adjoined | On each street adjoined, min 10 ft from property line | — | §410-77A(4) |
| Home Occupation/ Home Professional Office Sign | — | 2 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 | — | — | §410-77A(5) |
| Business/Commercial Use Sign (in FO, PV, R-2 districts) | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | 10 ft from lot or street line for freestanding | 1 | Freestanding (at least 10 ft from lot or street line) or building-mounted | — | §410-77E(1) |
| Industrial Use Sign (in FO) | — | 20 sq ft per side | — | 20 ft from any lot or street line | 1 | At least 20 ft from any lot line or street line | — | §410-77F(1) |
| Waterfront Development District - Wall Signs Aggregate | — | Aggregate: ≤20% of front or rear of building | — | — | — | Front or rear building wall | — | §410-77C(2) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Signs, Parking Lot Markers, Entrance/Exit Signs (Nonadvertsing) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §410-76 |
| Exempt Signs (Governmental/Warning/Art/Seasonal) | — | — | — | — | — | Various | — | §299-7B(9)(a) |

## Prohibited signs in Ocean Township

- 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, by any county or municipality or by any public utility or similar agency concerned with the protection of the public health or safety.
- No portion of any sign shall be located within or suspended over a public right-of-way or pedestrian walkway, except as provided for by this chapter.
- No neon sign or similar illuminated advertisement shall be of such color or located in such 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 a 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.
- No sign may obstruct any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide light or ingress or egress to or from any building or structure, except that 25% of any window may be occupied by a sign or signs, provided that the sign does not unreasonably obstruct light and visibility.
- Signs visible from the street using the word 'stop' or 'danger' or any other word, phrase, symbol, or character with the intent of simulating a public safety warning or traffic signal are prohibited.
- Roof signs on buildings, structures and vehicles are prohibited.
- Except where specifically permitted, signs advertising a product or service not sold on the premises, signs advertising or directing attention to another premises and any other signs unrelated to the premises on which the sign is erected are prohibited.
- Signs placed in trees, fences, utility poles or light poles, signs attached to other signs and signs placed upon motor vehicles which are continuously or repeatedly parked in a conspicuous location to serve as a sign are prohibited, but signs directing traffic or identifying locations within a lot or parcel on light poles and utility poles erected therein are not prohibited.
- Signs on vacant property advertising a proposed use without Township Committee approval are prohibited.
- Signs other than officially authorized signs tacked, pasted, painted or otherwise attached to poles, posts, trees, fences, sidewalks or curbs are prohibited.
- No sign other than traffic control devices or street signs shall be erected within or encroach upon the right-of-way of any street unless specifically authorized by other ordinances or regulations of the Township.
- Rotating or moving signs are prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected, installed or created except in accordance with a duly issued and valid sign construction permit from the Building Inspector.
- No sign permit shall be issued for a sign unless such sign is consistent with the requirements of this chapter in every respect.
- No signs shall be erected in the public right-of-way except in accordance with this chapter.
- All signs shall comply with applicable provisions of the building code and the electrical code of the Township.
- Except for banners, flags, and temporary signs, all signs shall be constructed of permanent materials and shall be permanently attached to the ground, a building, or another structure by direct attachment to a rigid wall, frame or structure.
- All signs shall be maintained in good structural condition, in compliance with all building and electrical codes and in conformance with this chapter at all times.
- It is a violation to install, create, erect or maintain any sign in a way that is inconsistent with any plan or permit governing such sign or the zone lot on which the sign is located.
- It is a violation to install, create, erect or maintain any sign requiring a permit without such permit.
- It is a violation to fail to remove any sign that is installed, created, erected or maintained in violation of this chapter, or for which the sign permit has lapsed.
- It is a violation to continue such violation, with each day of continued violation considered a separate offense.

## Signs exempt from permit in Ocean Township

- Directional signs for the convenience of the general public to identify parking areas, loading zones, entrances, exits, and similar signs not exceeding four square feet in area (limited to wall or freestanding signs) are exempt from permit requirements.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and dates of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other incombustible materials not exceeding six square feet are exempt from permit requirements.
- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state or local law, regulation or ordinance is exempt from regulation under this chapter.
- Any sign inside a building not attached to a window or door that is not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the lot line of the zone or parcel on which such sign is located is exempt from regulation.
- Works of art that do not include a commercial message are exempt from regulation.
- Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message are exempt from regulation.
- Any public notice or sign of an event sponsored by the Township of Ocean or the Ocean Township Board of Education is exempt from regulation.
- Any governmental location sign of a state, federal, county or local governmental entity, provided a permit application is submitted to the Township for review, is exempt.
- Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, any permanent sign that had been lawfully erected pursuant to a permit granted by the Township prior to the effective date of this section may remain in place and shall not be deemed to violate this chapter (grandfather clause).
- Temporary signs in connection with special events are exempt from certain requirements (e.g. window obstruction).
- Exemptions in §410-75: Limitations on signs do not apply to any sign or directional device erected by federal, state, county or Township government or agency thereof, nor to any 'no trespassing' sign erected in accordance with New Jersey statutes.
- Limitations on sign areas do not apply to parking lot markers, directional signs and entrance and exit signs two square feet in area and without advertising, if number and location approved by Planning Board.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No permit shall be issued for an individual sign requiring a permit in a commercial and/or industrial zoning district, where more than one business or industry will be located, unless and until a master signage plan for the zone lot on which the sign will be erected has been submitted to the Building Inspector and approved as conforming.
- For any commercial or industrial zoned lot on which the owner proposes to erect one or more signs requiring a permit, a master signage plan must be submitted showing plot plan, locations, total sign area/calculations, indication of all signs, etc.
- A master signage plan must limit the number of freestanding signs to a total of one for all lots with multiple uses or multiple users and provide for shared or common usage.
- A master signage plan is required to be included in any development plan, site plan, planned unit development plan, or other official plan required by the Township and may be processed simultaneously with such other plan.
- After approval of a master signage plan, no sign may be erected, placed, painted or maintained except in conformance with such plan; master plan is enforceable as any provision of the chapter.
- If any new or amended master signage plan is filed for a property on which existing signs are located, it must include a schedule for bringing all non-conforming signs into conformance with the plan and ordinance within one year.
- Amendments to a master signage plan may be made by filing a new plan that conforms to all chapter requirements.

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

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