# Sign Regulations in Raritan Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Raritan Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/raritan-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/13793873#13793873)

## At a glance

Raritan Borough, New Jersey regulates 36 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (B-1, B-3, B-4, B-5, P-2)s in the B-1 Business District, B-2 Business District, B-3 Business District, B-4 Business District, B-5 Business District, P-1 Office District, P-2 Office District zoning district are capped at 16 ft (to top); min height to bottom edge: 8 ft tall, 16 sq ft, and 6 ft (horizontal and vertical both) wide, with a At least 1 ft from front property line, 4 ft (nonres abutment) or 10 ft (res abutment) side setbacks setback (Sec. §207-98A(4)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | — | 12 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts | 4 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| B-1 Business District, B-2 Business District, B-3 Business District, B-4 Business District, B-5 Business District, P-1 Office District, P-2 Office District | 17 | 30 ft | 150 sq ft on any one side | — |
| OMR District | 4 | 16 ft or height of sill of 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft or top of building face for single-story) | 20 sq ft | — |
| OM-2 District | 4 | 16 ft or height of sill of 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft or top of building face for single-story) | 30 sq ft | — |
| OM-3 District | 4 | 25 ft to uppermost portion | 50 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### B-1 Business District, B-2 Business District, B-3 Business District, B-4 Business District, B-5 Business District, P-1 Office District, P-2 Office District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (B-1) | 20 ft or height of the sill of any 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft or top of building face for single-story) | 10 sq ft | 10 ft or 75% of width of building frontage (occupied by use) | — | 1 per business use | Wall at main public entrance or centered along street frontage | — | §207-98A(2) |
| Wall Sign (B-2) | 20 ft or height of the sill of any 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft or top of building face for single-story) | 50 sq ft | 30 ft or 75% of building frontage (occupied by use) | — | 1 per business use | Wall at main public entrance or centered along street frontage | — | §207-98A(2) |
| Wall Sign (B-3, B-4, B-5, P-1, P-2) | 20 ft or height of the sill of any 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft or top of building face for single-story) | 20 sq ft | 15 ft or 75% of building frontage (occupied by use) | — | 1 per business use | Wall at main public entrance or centered along street frontage | — | §207-98A(2) |
| Secondary Wall-Mounted Sign (Corner/Rear, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, B-5, P-1, P-2) | 16 ft or height of sill of 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft for single-story) | 5 sq ft | 5 ft | — | 1 per eligible side/rear | Side/rear facade on corner lots or public entrance fronting parking lot | — | §207-98A(3) |
| Freestanding Sign (B-1, B-3, B-4, B-5, P-2) | 16 ft (to top); min height to bottom edge: 8 ft | 16 sq ft | 6 ft (horizontal and vertical both) | At least 1 ft from front property line, 4 ft (nonres abutment) or 10 ft (res abutment) side setbacks | 1 | Front yard, at least 1 ft from front property line; min 4 ft setback from side property abutting nonresidential, 10 ft from side property abutting residential | — | §207-98A(4) |
| Freestanding Sign (B-2, P-1) | 16 ft (to top); min height to bottom edge: 8 ft | 36 sq ft | 6 ft (horizontal and vertical both) | 1 ft front, 10 ft (nonres abut), 15 ft (res abut) | 1 | Front yard, at least 1 ft from front property line; min 10 ft from side property abutting nonresidential, 15 ft from side property abutting residential | — | §207-98A(4) |
| Projecting Sign | 16 ft or height of sill of 2nd-story window, whichever is less; 14 ft for single-story | 8 sq ft per face | 3.5 ft (horizontal), 6 ft (vertical), thickness max 9 inches. | — | 1 per business use | Attached perpendicular to wall, may project over sidewalk but not public right-of-way beyond sidewalk. | — | §207-98A(9) |
| Gas Station Freestanding/Pylon Sign | 10 to 20 ft (min 10 ft, max 20 ft) above ground | 35 sq ft per face | — | Within property line, min 10 ft above ground | 1 | Within property line | — | §207-98B(2) |

### OMR District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Signs specified in §207-96D (Permit Not Required Signs) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §207-99A(1) |
| Wall Sign (OMR) | 16 ft or height of sill of 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft or top of building face for single-story) | 20 sq ft | 15 ft or 25% width of building frontage (occupied by use) | — | 1 per ground-floor business use | Wall at main public entrance or centered along street frontage | — | §207-99A(2) |
| Secondary Wall-Mounted Sign (OMR) | 16 ft or height of sill of 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft for single-story) | 4 sq ft | 4 ft | — | 1 per eligible side | Side facade on corner lot or public entrance fronting parking lot | — | §207-99A(3) |
| Freestanding Sign (OMR) | 15 ft max from ground | 16 sq ft | — | 10 ft setback | 1 | Not within 10 ft of street, highway or residential district | — | §207-99A(4) |

### OM-2 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Signs specified in §207-96D (Permit Not Required Signs) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §207-99B(1) |
| Wall Sign (OM-2) | 16 ft or height of sill of 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft or top of building face for single-story) | 30 sq ft | 30 ft or 25% width of building frontage (occupied by use) | — | 1 per ground-floor business use | Wall at main public entrance or centered along street frontage | — | §207-99B(2) |
| Secondary Wall-Mounted Sign (OM-2) | 16 ft or height of sill of 2nd-story window, whichever is less (14 ft for single-story) | 4 sq ft | 4 ft | — | 1 per eligible side | Side facade on corner lot or public entrance fronting parking lot | — | §207-99B(3) |
| Freestanding Sign (OM-2) | 15 ft max from ground | 16 sq ft | — | 15 ft setback | 1 | Not within 15 ft of street, highway or residential district | — | §207-99B(4) |

## Prohibited signs in Raritan Borough

- No sign shall contain blinking, flashing, flickering, tracer, or sequential lighting. All signs shall remain stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times.
- No illuminated sign shall be of such a color or located in such a manner as to be confused with, or to diminish or detract in any way from, the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar official safety warning or device.
- Signs shall not be placed or erected in a way that obstructs a fire escape, door, window or other required accessway.
- No signs, illustrations, or symbols shall be placed to interfere with the opening of an existing door of any building or to obstruct any window opening, except for window signs as regulated.
- No sign shall be placed to interfere with the use of any fire escape or to create a hazard to pedestrians.
- No portion of any sign shall be located within or suspended over a pedestrian walk within a ten-foot clearance.
- Signs utilizing inert ionized-gas sign lighting, commonly called 'neon,' when the neon tube is visible, including window surrounds and similar inert gas illumination, with or without a distinct message, are prohibited.
- Signs in the public right-of-way unrelated to the public health, safety and welfare are prohibited.
- Any sign for advertising purposes that mimics or is substantially similar to a public purpose sign is prohibited.
- Signs with lights or illumination which flash, move, rotate, scintillate, blink, flicker, vary in intensity, vary in color, or use intermittent electrical pulsation are prohibited.
- Signs within designated sight triangles and signs which directly obstruct drivers' lines of sight are prohibited.
- Nonpublic banners which stretch across a public right-of-way between telephone poles, trees, or other structures are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Reader board signs are prohibited.
- Any sign that, in the opinion of the Planning Board officer, presents an immediate danger to the public health, safety or welfare is prohibited.
- Signs with visible moving, revolving or rotating parts or visible mechanical movement of any description or other apparent visible movement are prohibited.
- Signs that advertise or identify a use which has ceased operation are prohibited.
- The continuous parking or storage of a motor vehicle or other mobile unit displaying an advertising message is prohibited.
- Any flag not specifically identifying a local, state or federal government agency is prohibited.
- Any sign containing obscene, pornographic or lewd messages is prohibited.
- Signs that are not accessory to a principal use on a property are prohibited.
- Signs for a commercial purpose painted on a wall are prohibited.
- Signs within 100 feet of the property line of any historical site or monument are prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed by any person within any public right-of-way within the Borough, unless authorized or as exempted for government or construction use.
- No sign shall be placed on any property owned by the Borough, County, or State without proper authorization.

## Signs exempt from permit in Raritan Borough

- Any temporary real estate sign, not illuminated and not exceeding 12 square feet, does not require a permit.
- Any incidental sign advertising the sale of farm products grown or produced on the premises, not exceeding 12 square feet and located at least 100 feet from the nearest intersection and five feet from the nearest property line, and not illuminated, does not require a permit.
- Any temporary construction site sign erected on the site during the period of construction to announce the name of the owner, developer, contractor, architect, landscape architect or engineer (not illuminated) does not require a permit.
- Temporary signs of mechanics, painters and other artisans, erected only on the property where such work is being performed, not exceeding 12 square feet and removed promptly upon completion of the work, do not require a permit.
- Signs incident to the legal process of law and necessary to public welfare do not require a permit.
- Customary warning, trespassing and posted signs or signs indicating the private nature of a driveway or property, not exceeding three square feet, do not require a permit.
- Directional or informational signs of a public or semipublic nature, not exceeding eight square feet in area, limited to stating or calling attention to hospitals, community centers, schools, places of worship, civic bodies, public interest events, soil conservation and similar projects (subject to other specific limitations), do not require a permit.
- Temporary window advertising signs for ground-level retail and personal service business uses are exempt from zoning permit requirements, subject to area, duration, content, and maintenance restrictions.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- An application must be made to the Zoning Officer for a zoning permit to erect, alter, modify, or expand any sign, except for exempt signs.
- A construction permit and any other required permits for erection or modification of a sign may only be issued after the zoning permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer.
- If the Zoning Officer determines that a proposed sign does not conform to the ordinance requirements, Planning Board approval of an application for development is required.
- On properties involved in a site plan review application, all signs must be approved by the Board with jurisdiction as part of the site plan application, prior to issuance of sign permits.
- A lighting plan, showing outdoor sign illumination and other exterior lighting, must be submitted in sufficient detail to allow determination of effects on adjacent properties, traffic safety, and sky glow, and is subject to approval by the Zoning Officer or board of jurisdiction.
- If the Zoning Officer or other official determines a sign must be removed following the cessation of a business use, the property owner may appeal the determination to the Planning Board.
- On application for permits, plans must be submitted showing area, size, character, method of illumination, exact location, proposed fastening (for projecting signs), vertical and horizontal distance clearances, and any additional info required by the Zoning Officer.

## 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 6 zoning districts in Raritan Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Raritan+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-raritan-borough

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