# Sign Regulations in River Edge Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** River Edge Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/river-edge-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/11324065#11324065)

## At a glance

River Edge Borough, New Jersey regulates 17 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Wall Sign (frontage ≤ 12 ft)s in the C-1 Commercial Zoning District, C-2 Commercial Zoning District zoning district are capped at 10 ft tall and 10% of front building square footage (Sec. §416-53B, §416-53C(7), §416-53C(8)). Most commercial signs in River Edge Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Industrial, Office or Professional Buildings | 1 | — | 20 sq ft on main facade (30 sq ft total combined if corner lot, with no one sign over 20 sq ft); second sign up to 50% of principal sign. | — |
| C-1 Commercial Zoning District, C-2 Commercial Zoning District | 4 | 10 ft | 20 sq ft | — |
| Shopping Center | 4 | — | As per §416-53C(1)-(3): 16 sq ft (painted board), 18 sq ft (illuminated box), 20 sq ft (individual letters) | — |
| R-1 Residential Zoning District, R-2 Residential Zoning District, R-3 Residential Zoning District, PRD-1 Residential Zoning District | 7 | — | 100 sq in | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | 50 sq ft | — |

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

### C-1 Commercial Zoning District, C-2 Commercial Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (frontage ≤ 12 ft) | 10 ft | 10% of front building square footage | — | — | 1 per establishment; 2 if on corner lot | Wall surface of principal frontage or facade. | — | §416-53B, §416-53C(7), §416-53C(8) |
| Wall Sign (frontage > 12 ft) - Painted/Applied on Boards | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment; 2 if on corner lot | Wall surface of principal frontage or facade. | — | §416-53C(1) |
| Wall Sign (frontage > 12 ft) - Illuminated Box Sign | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment; 2 if on corner lot | Wall surface. | — | §416-53C(2) |
| Wall Sign (frontage > 12 ft) - Individual Letters Applied | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment; 2 if on corner lot | Wall surface. | — | §416-53C(3) |

### Shopping Center

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Shopping Center Main Sign (Single Main Sign) | — | 35 sq ft | — | — | 1 main sign per shopping center | Facade or wall with principal street frontage. | — | §416-54B(1) |
| Shopping Center Identifying Sign (Single Main Sign Option) | — | As per §416-53C(1)-(3): 16 sq ft (painted board), 18 sq ft (illuminated box), 20 sq ft (individual letters) | — | — | 1 identifying sign per business | On wall/facade surface adjoining each establishment. | — | §416-54B(2) |
| Shopping Center Main Sign (Individual Signs per Establishment) | — | 16/18/20 sq ft as per material type for each sign (see above). | — | — | 1 main sign per establishment | Over each establishment, with principal street frontage. | — | §416-54B(3) |
| Shopping Center Secondary Identifying Sign (Rear/Secondary Entrance) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | At rear or secondary entrance of establishment. | — | §416-54C |

### R-1 Residential Zoning District, R-2 Residential Zoning District, R-3 Residential Zoning District, PRD-1 Residential Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Nameplate | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per residence | Freestanding or attached; at/near entrance or on property. | — | §416-56A(1) |
| Temporary Sign (for sale/lease) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property | On property being advertised. | — | §416-56B(1) |
| Temporary Sign (construction/development) | — | 12 sq ft (total for all such signs per lot) | — | — | — | At principal entrance during construction. Within street line and lot lines. | — | §416-56B(2) |
| Temporary Sign (civic, charitable, religious event) | — | 12 sq ft (total for all such signs per lot) | — | — | — | On property where event takes place. | — | §416-56B(3) |
| Special Sign (public convenience/directional) | — | 100 sq in | — | — | 1 of each type | — | — | §416-56B(4) |
| Bulletin Board/Sign (for church, school, library, club or other public/quasi-public use) | — | 8 sq ft | 4 ft | — | — | On property of institution. | — | §416-56A(2) |
| Multi-family Building Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per multi-family building | On building. | — | §416-58C |

## Prohibited signs in River Edge Borough

- Billboards are prohibited.
- Flashing signs or moving signs, including any sign or device on which the artificial light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color, at all times when in use, are prohibited.
- Neon, flashing and strobe-light signs are prohibited.
- Signs which compete for attention with, or may be mistaken for, a traffic signal are prohibited.
- Signs on marquees, awnings, canopies or roofs are prohibited.
- Ground signs, freestanding signs, except as specifically permitted, are prohibited.
- Signs with more than two faces are prohibited.
- Street clocks and tower clocks are prohibited.
- The display of pennants and bunting is prohibited, except for grand openings when they may be displayed for 30 days.
- Signs, logograms and pictures painted or affixed to windows, buildings, walls and roofs are prohibited, except upon approval of the Zoning Officer.
- No signs, other than those required by ordinance, statute, or governmental regulation, may be permitted on a radio receiving or transmitting tower, telecommunication antennas, chimney, television aerial, smokestack or any other projection above a roof.
- Signs may not project into a required yard or beyond the lot or street line except as permitted.
- Signs may not be placed, inscribed, or supported upon the roof or upon any structure which extends above the roof of any building, except such directional devices as may be required by federal or state aeronautical authorities.
- All nonconforming signs requiring repair of 50% or more according to the judgment of the Construction Official shall be removed.
- No sign shall extend more than eight inches beyond the face of a building or fascia to which it is attached, and it shall have a minimum ground clearance of eight feet.
- No part of any business sign shall project above the top or beyond the end of the wall surface upon which it is placed.
- A maximum of four colors are permitted on any sign; black and white are included as colors.
- Every sign shall have its top designed to prevent the roosting, nesting or standing of any bird or animal; the use of spikes, screens or such devices is not accepted.
- No signs shall be affixed to curbside trees, telephone poles or street signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in River Edge Borough

- A professional nameplate with an area of not more than one square foot freestanding or otherwise with the name of the principal occupant or the street number or name of a private dwelling is permitted in all districts.
- A sign or bulletin board with an area of not more than eight square feet, maximum length four feet, illuminated or not, for church, school, library, club or other public or quasi-public building or use is permitted in all districts.
- Nonilluminated temporary signs, freestanding or otherwise, are permitted in all districts, subject to specific limitations (e.g., size, duration, removal after completion of construction, etc.).
- Permit is not required for signs described in §§ 416-56A, 416-56B, 416-58B, and 416-58C.
- Temporary signs for events are permitted for a period of seven (7) days preceding the event and twenty-four (24) hours afterwards without Planning Board approval.
- Posting of signs as required for pesticide spraying and shopping cart notices is permitted as required by code.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- An applicant or agent occupying a single- or multiple-tenanted industrial, office, professional office, retail or commercial building may apply to the Planning Board for a comprehensive sign design (master sign plan/variance), which, upon approval, may allow variance to maximum sign area regulations.
- Application for comprehensive sign design must be filed with the Construction Official prior to any construction and must include scaled elevation drawings, proposed signs delineated, color photographs, and agency authorization of all tenants in multi-tenant buildings.
- The Planning Board will review, approve or disapprove any variance related to comprehensive sign design.
- In review of a site plan application, the approving authority may approve or deny a sign permit in accordance with the Borough of River Edge Site Plan Review Ordinance.
- For temporary banners, a detailed sketch including colors and dimensions must be submitted to the Building Department for approval and permit prior to installation.
- Existing nonconforming signs become subject to the present sign ordinance upon change of use or occupancy, with exceptions for nonconforming signs as outlined.

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

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