# Sign Regulations in Palmyra Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Palmyra Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/palmyra-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30584527#30584527)

## At a glance

Palmyra Borough, New Jersey regulates 13 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the TC Town Center Commercial District, NC Neighborhood Commercial District, HC Highway Commercial District, OC Office Commercial District, I Industrial District, P Public and Institutional District zoning district are capped at 20 ft (25 ft for gas stations) tall and 40 sq ft (50-150' frontage), 50 sq ft (151-200'), 80 sq ft (201-300'), 100 sq ft (301-400'), 120 sq ft (401'+), with a bottom of sign min 8 ft above grade or 50 ft from side street/driveway. setback (Sec. §158-86(C)). Most commercial signs in Palmyra Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | See specific use: yard sale 3'x4', political 20 sq ft, real estate 4 sq ft/side | — |
| R-1 Residential District, R-2 Residential District | 5 | — | 3 sq ft | — |
| TC Town Center Commercial District, NC Neighborhood Commercial District, HC Highway Commercial District, OC Office Commercial District, I Industrial District, P Public and Institutional District | 8 | 25 ft (bottom at least 10 ft above ground) | 120 sq ft per side | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | See specific use: yard sale 3'x4', political 20 sq ft, real estate 4 sq ft/side | — | 15 feet from edge of street paving and 10 feet from all property lines. | Real estate: 1. Yard/Garage: 1. | Setback 15 feet from edge of street paving, 10 feet from all property lines. Real estate: must be on advertised lot, 1 sign only. Yard/garge sale: on property where sale is held. | — | §158-78(H); §158-79; §129-9 |
| Functional Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On site, e.g. parking lot, entrance/exit. | — | §158-80(D) |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed to awning/canopy, must comply with building/awning permit rules | — | §158-80(E) |

### R-1 Residential District, R-2 Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | See General | — | See General | — | See General | — | §158-85(A) |
| Sign Not Requiring Permit | — | See General | — | See General | — | See General | — | §158-85(B) |
| Alarm/Security Company Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On property | — | §158-85(C) |
| Professional Sign (Single-face) | — | 1.5 sq ft | — | 5 feet from property lines | 1 | May be attached or freestanding at least 5 feet from property lines | — | §158-85(D) |
| Professional Sign (Double-face) | — | 3 sq ft | — | 5 feet from property lines | 1 | May be attached or freestanding at least 5 feet from property lines | — | §158-85(D) |

### TC Town Center Commercial District, NC Neighborhood Commercial District, HC Highway Commercial District, OC Office Commercial District, I Industrial District, P Public and Institutional District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | See General | — | See General | — | See General | — | §158-86(A) |
| Sign Not Requiring Permit | — | See General | — | See General | — | See General | — | §158-86(B) |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft (25 ft for gas stations) | 40 sq ft (50-150' frontage), 50 sq ft (151-200'), 80 sq ft (201-300'), 100 sq ft (301-400'), 120 sq ft (401'+) | — | 15 ft from property line. At driveways: bottom of sign min 8 ft above grade or 50 ft from side street/driveway. | 1 per business premises per street frontage | Minimum 15 ft from property line; not in line of sight for motorists | — | §158-86(C) |
| Freestanding Sign (Gas Station) | 25 ft (bottom at least 10 ft above ground) | 40 sq ft per side | — | 15 ft from property line; bottom of sign min 10 ft above ground | 1 per station | Min 15 ft from property line | — | §158-86(C)(9)(a) |
| Temporary Sign (Gas Station Special Advertising) | — | 20 sq ft per side | — | 10 ft from property line | 1 per street frontage | Inside property line along street front; min 10 ft from property line | — | §158-86(C)(9)(b) |
| Wall Sign | — | 120 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On/attached to principal facade | — | §158-86(D) |
| Window Sign | — | No more than 10% of ground floor window area or 100 sq ft, whichever is less | — | — | Max 3 per business premises | On first floor windows; inside the store window | — | §158-86(E) |
| Menu Sign (Drive-Through Restaurant) | 8 ft | 5 ft x 7 ft (35 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per establishment | Not visible from any roadway, on drive-through | — | §158-86(F) |

## Prohibited signs in Palmyra Borough

- Signs located on roofs are prohibited.
- No sign shall contain flashers, animated or moving parts or light intensity, reflectors, mechanical movements or contrivances of any kind. No intermittent, flashing signs or animated, moving signs shall be permitted.
- No statues, sculpted or molded figures used for promotional or advertising purposes are permitted.
- Billboards, outdoor portable or mobile advertising signs and off-premises advertising signs are not permitted.
- Sign(s) that advertise a product that is not the principal use of the subject property.
- Mobile signs.
- Banner signs except for official Borough banner signs.
- Sign(s) on an accessory building.
- Sign(s) attached or suspended on any street furniture, including courtesy benches, trash cans, trees, fences, utility poles, railway or road bridges, bridge supports or abutments, retaining walls, or water towers unless approved by Borough Council.
- Televised advertising in a window.
- Signs that obstruct a window or door opening used as a means of egress, interfere with an opening required for legal ventilation, or are attached to or obstruct any standpipe, fire escape or fire hydrant.
- Signs that obstruct the view of vehicle operators or pedestrians entering a public roadway from any parking area, service drive, public driveway, alley or other thoroughfare.
- Inflatable signs.
- Mural signs: signs painted on a building wall, sidewalk or curb.
- Pennants, streamers or balloons.
- Signs on regularly parked or located vehicles in such a way as to be used or considered as a sign.
- Temporary signs of artisans, painters, mechanics.
- Single-family residential construction signs.
- No sign of any description shall be installed, erected, constructed or maintained in such a manner as to block the exit from any fire escape, window or door, nor shall any sign be attached in any manner to a fire escape, nor shall any sign block access to the roof.
- No sign shall be permitted in the sight triangle.
- No sign shall be erected that would, by its location, color, shape, message or nature, confuse or obstruct the view of traffic signs or traffic signals by motorists or pedestrians.
- No sign other than official traffic control devices or street signs shall be erected within or encroach upon the right-of-way lines of any street unless specifically authorized by other ordinances or regulations of local, county, state and federal agencies.
- Signs hanging by chains, etc., are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- No sign shall create any sky glow.

## Signs exempt from permit in Palmyra Borough

- Temporary signage erected in conformance with this article for real estate signs for residential properties.
- Temporary signage erected in conformance with this article for political signs.
- Signs incident to the legal process of law, such as building permits, quarantines, condemnations, legal notices and the like.
- One nameplate for home office/home occupations displaying the name of the occupant and/or the name of the home occupation, not larger than one square foot in area, not illuminated, attached flat to the residence or visible through a window, or freestanding and set back at least 15 feet from any street right-of-way.
- Customary warning and/or trespassing signs and signs indicating the private nature of a driveway or property, not exceeding three square feet, not illuminated, and maintained in proper condition.
- Signs of public or semipublic nature (not exceeding 20 square feet in area and subject to conditions), stating or calling attention to: the name/location of a town, village, hospital, community center, school, church, synagogue, or other place of worship; the name and place of meeting of an official or civic body; or an event of public interest (such as public elections, meetings, fairs, community activities), provided such signs are removed within one week after the event.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- There shall be consistent sign design throughout a particular project or site, including style of lettering, font, color, construction material, size, and illumination.
- Site plan review is required for all new or altered freestanding signs in commercial and industrial districts. The Planning Board evaluates the sign for appearances, aesthetics, orientation, area impact, and obstruction of vision affecting safety.
- Any sign that does not conform at the time of passage of the code and requires replacement or rebuilding must be brought into conformity and will require a permit at that time.
- No person, firm or corporation shall erect any pole, sign or other obstruction on any of the streets or highways in the Borough until first submitting to the Borough Clerk a plan showing the location and obtaining a permit for the erection.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Palmyra Borough, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Palmyra+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-palmyra-borough

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