# Sign Regulations in Penns Grove Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Penns Grove Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/penns-grove-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30578722#30578722)

## At a glance

Penns Grove Borough, New Jersey regulates 26 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Business Signs in the COS District zoning district are capped at 5 ft above finished grade tall and 15 sq ft, with a 10 feet minimum from curb to forwardmost part of sign setback (Sec. §450-58A(3)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts, Business Districts | 9 | Not above ceiling of ground floor or 12 feet above curb, whichever is less | 24 sq ft (on one side of sign) | — |
| COS District | 5 | 15 feet above curb | 15 sq ft | — |
| H-C/I District | 4 | 14 ft | 8 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 12 ft | 24 sq ft | — |

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

### Residential Districts, Business Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Official Traffic Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §450-57A(1) |
| Professional Accessory Use or Name Sign | — | 2 sq ft (on one side of sign) | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §450-57A(2) |
| Identification Sign (Schools, Churches, Hospitals, Similar Institutions) | — | 24 sq ft (on one side of sign) | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §450-57A(3) |
| Identification Sign (Clubs, Lodges, Estates, Similar Uses) | — | 12 sq ft (on one side of sign) | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §450-57A(3) |
| Directional or Information Sign (Public or Semipublic) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per property (or one per frontage if two or more street frontages) | Off-premises | — | §450-57B |
| Freestanding Ground Sign | 5 ft | — | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §450-57C(1) |
| Parallel Sign | Not above ceiling of ground floor or 12 feet above curb, whichever is less | — | — | — | — | On wall/building face | — | §450-57C(2) |
| Projecting Sign | Not above ceiling of ground floor or 12 feet above curb, whichever is less | — | — | — | — | On wall/building face | — | §450-57C(2) |

### COS District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All signs permitted in Residential and Business Districts | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §450-58A(1), §450-58B |
| Parallel Business Sign | 15 feet above curb | 1 sq ft per foot of building frontage | — | — | — | On building face (may include inside and outside windows; for window signs, max 2 sq ft for 'open' or hours) | — | §450-58A(2)(a)-(e) |
| Projecting Business Sign | 15 feet above curb | 8 sq ft (total for all projecting signs) | — | — | — | On building face (projecting) | — | §450-58A(2)(b)-(d) |
| Freestanding Business Sign | 5 ft above finished grade | 15 sq ft | — | 10 feet minimum from curb to forwardmost part of sign | One per property per street frontage | On premises, 10 feet minimum from curb | — | §450-58A(3) |
| Off-Premises Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per property per street frontage | Off-premises (see Residential/Business Districts for details) | — | §450-58B |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Patriotic Flag | — | 20 sq ft per flag | — | — | Max 5 per building (business district) | Not lower than 8 feet above sidewalk | — | §450-51A |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Residential Districts) | 6 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per lot/frontage | On premises | — | §450-60A(1)(a), (2), (4) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Business, COS, H-C/I Districts) | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | One per lot/frontage | On premises | — | §450-60A(1)(b), (2), (4) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Planned Development) | 12 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | One per frontage if development fronts on more than one street | On premises | — | §450-60A(3) |
| Temporary Sign (Charitable or Religious Event) | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | On building (flat) or freestanding | — | §450-60B |
| Temporary Political Sign (Residential Zones) | Height limitation for residential zone | 16 sq ft; max dimension 4 ft on any side | 4 ft | — | — | On premises | — | §450-60C |
| Temporary Political Sign (All Other Zones) | See max per zone | See max per zone | — | — | — | On premises | — | §450-60C |
| Relocation Information Sign | Same as standards for the zone | Same as standards for the zone | — | — | 1 per location (2 total) | At both present and future business locations | — | §450-60D |

## Prohibited signs in Penns Grove Borough

- Flashing signs, nonstationary signs, neon signs exceeding two square feet in area, handwritten signs, portable signs not permanently affixed to either the ground or to a building and festoon lighting (except as provided) shall not be permitted in any district.
- Freestanding roof signs shall not be permitted in any district, except as provided, and may not extend more than four feet above the roofline of a one-story building.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained within a distance of 10 feet from the intersection of any street lines or the intersection of a street line and the edge of a private accessway, and 25 feet in the H-C/I District, unless the location of the sign is situated at least eight feet above the level of the street center line.
- No signs shall overhang any walkway or public right-of-way, except as provided.
- Any sign which is allowed to become dilapidated shall be removed by the Borough at the expense of the owner or lessee of the property on which it is located.
- No other signs (besides those erected by a duly constituted governmental body) shall be permitted within street lines, except this provision is waived for parallel signs where no front yard setback is required.
- No portion of any freestanding sign shall be located closer to any lot line than half the required yard for the district, except for COS and H-C/I Districts. If this cannot be met, freestanding signs are prohibited.
- Any vehicle to which a sign is affixed such that carrying the sign is the vehicle’s primary purpose shall be considered a freestanding sign and subject to related provisions.
- Abandoned signs (those unused for one year) including all hangers, brackets, or superstructures must be removed.
- Advertising signs, devices, or markings may not be erected on or overhang a Borough right-of-way.
- Advertising signs which revolve, move, flash, or give the illusion of movement are prohibited within 25 feet of the curbline.
- Temporary signs or banners not permitted by the chapter are prohibited.
- Temporary signs shall not be located so as to obstruct traffic in any way, and such signs shall not be located in any landscaped traffic island.
- All signs must be professionally designed, constructed of durable materials, and kept in good condition and repair.

## Signs exempt from permit in Penns Grove Borough

- Flags patriotic in nature and limited to federal, state and local government flags are exempted from the provisions, subject to limits (max five per building in business districts, area not to exceed 20 square feet per flag, and displayed no lower than eight feet from the bottommost portion to the sidewalk).
- Signs erected by a duly constituted governmental body, including traffic signs and similar regulatory notices, shall be allowed within street lines.
- There shall be no fees imposed or approvals required for the erection of any temporary sign which satisfies the requirements of the temporary sign section.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs require the issuance of a sign permit from the Zoning Office before erection or replacement, except for patriotic signs as described.
- A building permit is also required from the Construction Code Official for any sign permanently affixed to the ground, the building facade, or inside/outside of windows.
- All nonconforming signs must be registered with the Zoning Office.
- Any sign for which a permit is issued is approved for appearance and condition as well as dimension. Any change that may affect the original appearance must be approved by the Zoning Officer.
- In the context of land development, the Borough Planning Board may require the installation of specified directional, regulatory or advisory signs as a condition of land development approval.
- There is no explicit requirement for a master sign plan or sign plan submission mentioned in the provided ordinance text.

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

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