# Sign Regulations in Plainfield, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Plainfield, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/plainfield
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/34617517#34617517)

## At a glance

Plainfield, New Jersey regulates 14 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Real Estate Sign (Residential Use)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall and 6 sq ft, with a Min. 5 ft from all property lines. setback (Sec. §17:9-51D.2). Most commercial signs in Plainfield 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 | 12 | 6 ft if not wall mounted; if wall mounted, up to building height. | 50 sq ft (aggregate for all banners, pennants, bunting) | — |
| Residential zoning districts | 3 | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — |
| Nonresidential zone districts | 11 | Cannot project above top or ends of wall surface. Not on parapet if would project above roof elevation. | 50 sq ft aggregate | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Cannot project above top or beyond ends of wall surface; cannot be placed on a parapet or such that the sign would project above the elevation of the roof behind the device. | — | — | — | — | On building wall, parallel to the wall face. | — | §17:9-51C.6, §17:9-51C.7, §17:9-51C.8, §17:9-51C.11, §17:9-51C.12, §17:9-51F |
| Blade Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Vertically oriented, projects from facade, generally perpendicular. | — | §17:9-51B (definitions), §17:9-51G.3 |
| Temporary Sign - Banner/Pennant/Bunting | — | 50 sq ft (aggregate for all banners, pennants, bunting) | — | — | — | Must be attached to a permanent structure. | — | §17:9-51E.1 |
| Project Sign (Temporary) | 6 ft if not wall mounted; if wall mounted, up to building height. | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On project site only. | — | §17:9-51E.2 |
| Contractor Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft | — | 10' from all property lines. | — | — | — | §17:9-51E.3 |
| Window Sign | — | Up to 25% of window area (general cap per sign area rules); For real estate window signs, up to 20 sq ft may be used if setback for other sign is not available. | — | — | — | Affixed or applied to inside or outside of a window, or within 18 inches of window. | — | §17:9-51C.7, §17:9-51C.13, §17:9-51D.3 |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential Use) | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | Min. 5 ft from all property lines. | 1 per property; 2 on a corner lot | — | — | §17:9-51D.2 |
| Real Estate Sign (Nonresidential Use) | — | 20 sq ft | — | 10' from all property lines for freestanding or wall mounted signs. | 1 per property; 2 on corner lots | Must pertain to property on which located; not permitted in sight triangle or right-of-way. | — | §17:9-51D.2 |

### Residential zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential Use) | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | 5' from all property lines | 1 per lot; 2 on corner lot | On property for sale/lease. | — | §17:9-51D.2 |
| Political Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Private property; public right-of-way outside sight triangle (must be removed within 2 weeks of event). | — | §17:9-51D.8 |
| Contractor Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft | — | 10' from all property lines | — | On property with active construction permit. | — | §17:9-51E.3 |

### Nonresidential zone districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Cannot project above top or ends of wall surface. Not on parapet if would project above roof elevation. | — | — | — | 1 per primary façade; 1 additional for side/parking façade; 1 more for corner with 2 street exposures | Parallel to wall face; 1 extra sign is permitted for a side/rear façade fronting on parking lot or secondary street if compliant. | — | §17:9-51C.11, .12, .6 |
| Freestanding Sign | Not more than five feet above ground level for illuminated freestanding signs. | — | — | — | — | On property of the business. | — | §17:9-51C.10.b |
| Real Estate Sign (Nonresidential Use) | — | 20 sq ft | — | 10' from all property lines for wall or freestanding signs | 1 per property; 2 on corner lots | On property for sale/lease; wall, freestanding, or window (if required setback not available). | — | §17:9-51D.2 |
| Blade Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Projecting from facade, perpendicular to wall. | — | §17:9-51B (definition), §17:9-51G.3 |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area (general); 20 sq ft (real estate window sign when needed for setback) | — | — | — | Inside or outside of window, or within 18 inches of window. | — | §17:9-51C.13, §17:9-51D.3 |
| Digital Display Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per site | On property in nonresidential zones. | — | §17:9-51C.10.h |
| Temporary Sign - Banner/Pennant/Bunting | — | 50 sq ft aggregate | — | — | — | Must be attached to a permanent structure. | — | §17:9-51E.1 |
| Contractor Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft | — | 10' from all property lines | — | On property with current construction permit. | — | §17:9-51E.3 |

## Prohibited signs in Plainfield

- Any sign not expressly permitted by this section is prohibited.
- Signs attached to trees, telephone poles, public benches, streetlights, or placed on any public property or in the public right-of-way unrelated to politics or issues.
- Any sign for advertising purposes that mimics or is substantially similar to a public purpose sign.
- Upper-story blade signs.
- Flood awning signs.
- Signs placed within designated sight triangles and signs which directly obstruct driver's lines-of-sight.
- Banners that stretch across a public right-of-way between telephone poles, trees or other structures.
- Pylon signs, roof signs and billboard signs, except those that are preexisting and permitted.
- Any sign that, in the professional judgment of the Zoning Officer, presents an immediate danger to the public health, safety or welfare.
- Signs that advertise or identify a use which has ceased operation.
- Any nonconforming sign, as defined herein.
- Abandoned signs.
- Vehicle signs.
- Signs containing obscene, pornographic or lewd messages.
- Signs that obstruct a fire escape, door, window or other required accessway.
- Signs that are not accessory to a principal use on a property.
- Air-inflatable signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Plainfield

- Ordinary maintenance, servicing, repainting, cleaning, altering, or changing the information of an existing permitted sign for a legal occupant, provided the size, area, height, location and/or structure are not changed.
- Nonilluminated freestanding real estate signs for residential uses under six square feet in area and four feet in height, and subject to placement and removal requirements.
- Freestanding or wall-mounted real estate signs for nonresidential uses up to 20 square feet, subject to placement, quantity, and setback requirements.
- A window sign of up to 20 square feet may be used if the required setback does not exist, with all real estate sign requirements applied.
- Credit or charge card signs within window areas for commercial uses, or signs indicating membership in professional or trade organizations, provided such signs do not exceed one square foot.
- Signs not exceeding one square foot attached to gasoline pumps, provided that their sole purpose is to communicate fuel prices.
- Signs painted on or affixed to operating, registered, licensed commercial motorized vehicles.
- Signs accessory to licenses and permits issued by the City Clerk, including, but not limited to, garage sales, auctions, and banners.
- Traffic, parking, directional, informational and street identification signs, as approved by any City, county, state or federal agency, installed in any public right-of-way.
- Any political sign, except that temporary signs relating to a campaign, candidate, issue, referenda, or any particular vote, election or event which are located in a public right-of-way outside of required sight triangles shall be removed within two (2) weeks after the date of the political event, vote, referendum, election or other object of the temporary sign. Any such political sign may be located on private property without time restriction.
- Sidewalk signs.
- Where a commercial tenant vacates a building or shopping center where its occupancy was noticed on a permitted directory or other sign, and a new tenant occupies the vacated space, the sign may be changed to provide notice of the new tenant, providing the sign is not otherwise changed, upon the issuance of a CO.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Property owners are required to obtain a development permit for all signs unless the sign is exempt.
- A property owner shall file an application with the Zoning Officer for the issuance of a development permit to install, alter, modify, or expand any sign except exempt signs or as permitted in §17:9-51C9.
- A property owner may be required to also submit a construction permit or other permits for the erection or modification of a sign, which shall only be issued subsequent to the issuance of a development permit.
- If the Zoning Officer determines a proposed sign does not conform to the requirements, the Officer shall deny the application and instruct the applicant that land use board approval would be required.
- When an application for development must be filed with a land use board, the application must include all signs installed or proposed to be installed as part of a consolidated sign plan for the property prior to the issuance of any sign permits.
- A master or consolidated sign plan is required when more than one sign is to be installed as part of a development requiring land use board approval.

## Full detail

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

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