# Sign Regulations in Riverside Township, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Riverside Township, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/riverside-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/15638231#15638231)

## At a glance

Riverside Township, New Jersey regulates 38 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Construction Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 48 inches above ground tall, 12 sq ft (3 ft high x 4 ft wide), and 4 ft wide, with a 5 linear feet from all property lines setback (Sec. §255-157F(2)). Most commercial signs in Riverside Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 20 | 48 inches above ground | Menu size + 30% | — |
| Public districts, Quasi-public districts | 4 | 4 ft (ground to bottom) | One sign up to 16 sq ft; if two signs, combined area up to 32 sq ft | — |
| Residential districts | 3 | 6 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Commercial districts | 12 | 4 ft (measured from grade to bottom) | Total two non-exempt building signs not to exceed 50 sq ft | — |
| Industrial districts | 2 | — | — | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | 36 inches above ground | 6 sq ft | — | Set back 5 linear feet from all property lines | One per street frontage | Set back 5 ft from all property lines. One per street frontage. | — | §255-157F(1) |
| Construction Sign | 48 inches above ground | 12 sq ft (3 ft high x 4 ft wide) | 4 ft | 5 linear feet from all property lines | One per lot | On the lot to which it relates, not in sight triangle, set back 5 ft from property lines. | — | §255-157F(2) |
| Contractor Sign | 3 ft above ground | 3 sq ft | — | 5 linear feet from all property lines | One per contractor | On premises where contractor is working, not in sight triangle, 5 ft from property lines. | — | §255-157F(3) |
| Political/Personal Opinion Sign | — | 9 sq ft | — | 5 linear feet from all property lines | — | Not on trees or utility poles; set back 5 ft from property line. | — | §255-157F(6) |
| Directional/Informational Window Sign | 6 inches | 6 inches high, max 4 signs | — | — | No more than four | Windows | — | §255-157F(11)(c) |
| Developer Sign (On-site Temporary) | 4 ft above grade (to bottom of sign) | 16 sq ft | — | 5 feet behind street line | One per project | Must be shown on approved final site/subdivision plan. 5 ft behind street line, out of sight triangles. | — | §255-157I(2) |
| Developer Sign (Off-premises) | 4 ft (ground to bottom) | 16 sq ft (3+ lane road); 4 sq ft (2 or fewer lane road) | — | 5 feet behind street line | — | Must be outside of sight triangles and 5 ft behind street line. Requires approvals. | — | §255-157I(3) |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | Limited to necessary number | As required for safe navigation, outside sight triangles | — | §255-157J |

### Public districts, Quasi-public districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Community Event Sign | 4 ft (ground to bottom) | 6 sq ft (2 ft x 3 ft) | 3 ft | 5 feet from any street/property line | — | Set back 5 ft from any street or property line | — | §255-157K(1)-(5) |
| House of Worship Signs (Freestanding) | 4 ft (ground to bottom of sign) | One sign up to 16 sq ft; if two signs, combined area up to 32 sq ft | — | 5 linear feet from property line | Two max (one identification, one changeable copy) per property | On property, at least 5 ft from property line | — | §255-157K(6) |
| House of Worship Signs (Wall Sign) | — | If only one sign, up to 16 sq ft. If two signs, combined 32 sq ft. | — | — | Two max (one identification, one changeable copy) per property | On property, on building | — | §255-157K(6) |
| Public Utility Sign | — | — | — | — | — | As required for public safety/location | — | §255-157K(7) |

### Commercial districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | Total two non-exempt building signs not to exceed 50 sq ft | — | — | Up to two non-exempt building signs (wall/marquee/projecting/suspended combined) | Building lintel (horizontal across top of storefront), between top line of first-floor doors/windows and bottom line of second floor/roof/cornice. | — | §255-157M(1)-(2), H(8)-(12), H(13)(e)[16] |
| Marquee Sign | — | Total two non-exempt building signs not to exceed 50 sq ft | — | — | Included in two building sign maximum | On building as defined for wall/marquee signs | — | §255-157M(1)-(2), H(10), H(13)(e)[16] |
| Projecting Sign | — | 4 sq ft (per public entrance) | — | — | 1 per storefront/business service with public entrance | Over sidewalk/min 7 ft above grade | — | §255-157M(3) |
| Suspended Sign | — | 4 sq ft (per public entrance) | — | — | 1 per storefront/business service with public entrance | Under canopy for each storefront/public entrance | — | §255-157M(3) |
| Window Sign (Permanent) | — | 25% of one storefront window area | — | — | One per business | Storefront window | — | §255-157M(4) |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | One per awning/canopy | On awning or canopy | — | §255-157M(5) |
| Directory Sign | 4 ft (measured from grade to bottom) | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per building | Per building | — | §255-157M(6)(d) |
| Neon/Gas Tubing Sign (Window) | — | 10% of total window area | — | — | — | In window | — | §255-157M(7) |

## Prohibited signs in Riverside Township

- Posting, attaching, or permitting signs on any telegraph or electric light pole or tree within the Township, except where expressly permitted.
- No sign shall be placed on, or attached to a building, or erected independently, for any purpose other than to advertise a permitted business or use conducted on the same premises unless specifically permitted or exempted.
- No sign other than street, traffic or similar official signs shall be erected within or project over the right-of-way of any public street, sidewalk, or public promenade, except as hereafter provided.
- No sign except traffic signs and those of a duly constituted governmental body or agency shall be erected within the street right-of-way.
- No sign shall be placed on any property without the consent of the property owner.
- No sign shall be attached to utility poles, public structures, trees, stumps, fenceposts, other signs or sign posts, except as otherwise provided herein.
- No sign shall be erected so as to project over any property line.
- No signs shall be clustered and no commercial shopping center or office complex identification signs shall contain individual signs for individual tenants except as part of an approved site plan or waiver of site plan approval.
- Signs shall not create visual clutter, conflict, or interference with traffic signs or sight triangles.
- No signs shall be erected, altered or replaced which are not in accordance with the standards established in this section.
- No existing sign shall be enlarged, rebuilt, replaced, structurally altered, or relocated except in accordance with these regulations.
- All signs, whether properly permitted or not, shall be safely and decorously maintained at all times.
- All signs not expressly permitted or exempt from regulation are prohibited.
- No sign of any type shall be permitted to obstruct sight triangles for driving vision, pedestrian or vehicular traffic, traffic signals, traffic directional and identification signs, walkways, entrances, exits, fire escapes, doorways, other places of business, 48 inches wide sidewalks, or other signs or windows of the building on which they are located, or in any way affect the safety of the public.
- Billboard or off-premise signs are prohibited, including billboard type signs mounted on roofs.
- Commercial vehicles or trailers displaying signage are not permitted as signage on any lot or street or parked on a public street in front of a business or in a front yard setback, except for limited loading/unloading.
- Additional prohibited signs (unless otherwise permitted): changeable copy signs (except as otherwise permitted), neon or gas tubing attached to facades/roof lines, beacons or search lights, tethered balloons or inflatables, signs using traffic signal colors, signs using 'stop', 'look', 'danger', roof signs or signs mounted on roof, signs painted directly onto buildings, pennants (unless permitted), strings of light (except holiday lighting), inflatable signs, animated/moving/illusionary signs, mobile signs, mechanical/electrical revolving/flashing/moving devices (except time/temperature), internally illuminated plastic, lexan, or vinyl awning/canopy signs, internally illuminated box/wall/projecting/suspended signs, lewd language/graphic sexual depictions, bench signs, hand-drawn or pre-printed cardboard/plastic placards/temporary signs affixed to windows, doors, bollards, poles, sign supports or other permanent/temporary fixtures (with limited exceptions for some flyers), banners (except by governing body action).

## Signs exempt from permit in Riverside Township

- One real estate sign per street frontage advertising the sale, lease, or rent of the premises upon which the sign is located, meeting specified size and placement rules.
- One temporary construction sign of architects, engineers, real estate agencies, and/or corporations on the lot(s) to which it relates, meeting specified content, size, and placement rules.
- One temporary contractor sign per contractor, only during active work, meeting specified size and placement rules.
- Decorations for a recognized federal or state officially designated holiday or observance, provided they do not create a traffic or fire hazard, are erected not more than 30 days prior and removed within 30 days after the holiday.
- Official municipal, county, state or federal governmental signs.
- Political and personal opinion signs, prior to any municipal, county, state or national election or referendum and removed within seven days after, meeting size, placement, and duration requirements.
- Premises identification signage providing address numbers legible from the street, and signs denoting name/address of occupants not exceeding two square feet.
- Cornerstone, memorials, tablets or nameplate signs not exceeding two square feet, made of durable material, limited to identification and date of construction, etc.
- Temporary garage or yard sale signs placed by individuals with a yard sale permit if required, not exceeding three square feet, not erected more than seven days prior to sale and removed within 48 hours after.
- Flags of the U.S., any State, county, municipality, foreign nation, or other flag adopted/sanctioned by legislative body (limited to 25 sq. ft., 35 ft. pole, at least 7 ft. high, etc.).
- The following signs, when firmly affixed or attached in public, quasi-public, commercial, or industrial districts: (a) change in copy of legally permitted changeable sign or time/temp sign after permit; (b) restaurant menu in glass case or on easel/sandwich board near restaurant entrance (size/impediment limits); (c) directional and informational window signs (limits: 6 in. height, four signs, not for commercial messages); (d) flags for holiday decoration/indicate open business (with size, illumination, and display hour limitations); (e) bus shelter signs; (f) public utility signs; (g) one internally illuminated 'open' or 'closed' sign if low energy lights are used.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Each application for development must include a sign plan depicting the visual rendering of the designed message, trademark, symbol, or insignia and specifying location, size, dimensions, colors, materials, height above ground, construction, and type of illumination of proposed sign(s) in accordance with regulations.
- All development applications must include all proposed signs, which must be approved by the Riverside Township Planning Board.
- In applications where only sign modification is sought (no other site modifications), any sign exceeding the maximum area, height, or otherwise not in conformance requires application and approval for minor site plan by the Riverside Township Planning Board.
- No sign, other than exempt signs, shall be erected without first obtaining an approved zoning application from the Zoning Officer, accompanied by a plan showing sign details.
- Where directional signs are proposed, they are required as part of a site plan application, waiver, or approval by the jurisdictional reviewing body.
- Where signs are proposed as part of a project or site development, the sign plan shall demonstrate consistent sign design throughout the project and show how signs will integrate with building/site character.
- Permit, fee, and application requirements do not apply to signs specifically exempted within the section.

## 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 Riverside Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Riverside+Township+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-riverside-township

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/riverside-township