# Sign Regulations in Somers Point, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Somers Point, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/somers-point
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-22
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/15308733#15308733)

## At a glance

Somers Point, New Jersey regulates 33 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center)s in the GB District zoning district are capped at Principal structure height or 25 ft, whichever is less tall and 50 sq ft, with a 30 ft from any property line setback (Sec. §114-42B). Most commercial signs in Somers Point require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 14 | 25 ft in residential, 35 ft in nonresidential | 40 sq ft per flag | — |
| R-1 Single-Family Residential District | 3 | 3 ft 6 in | 6 sq ft | — |
| Garden Apartment or Townhouse District | 3 | — | 12 sq ft | — |
| GB District | 10 | Principal structure height or 25 ft, whichever is less | 50 sq ft | — |
| Professional Medical Commercial (PMC) District | 5 | 25 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| Planned Commercial District | 3 | 15 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Planned Industrial District | 1 | — | 100 sq ft | — |
| Planned Waterfront District | 3 | 15 ft | 100 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Street Address Sign (Residential Use) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per residence | — | — | §114-4.10A |
| Street Address Sign (Nonresidential Use) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business or parcel | — | — | §114-4.10A |
| Nameplate or Occupant Identification Sign (Residential Use) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per residence | Adjacent to building entrance providing direct access to occupant; not allowed adjacent to common lobby entrances | — | §114-4.10B |
| Nameplate or Occupant Identification Sign (Nonresidential Use) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business or occupancy | Adjacent to building entrance providing direct access to occupant; not allowed adjacent to common lobby entrances | — | §114-4.10B |
| Noncommercial On-site Directional Sign | 3 ft | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §114-4.10C |
| Free Expression Sign | 6 ft if attached; 3 ft if freestanding | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel | — | — | §114-4.10D |
| Election (Political) Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per candidate/issue per frontage | Along each street frontage | — | §114-4.10E |
| Flagpole | 25 ft in residential, 35 ft in nonresidential | — | — | — | 1 per parcel; up to 3 if > 1/2 acre | — | — | §114-4.10F |

### GB District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Principal Use) | Principal structure height or 25 ft, whichever is less | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use | On lot | — | §114-42A |
| Wall Sign (Principal Use, Front of Building) | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | 1 per front | Front of building, attached flat | — | §114-42A(1) |
| Wall Sign (Rear or Side Entrance) | — | — | — | — | 1 per rear/side entrance | Rear or side entrance, attached flat | — | §114-42A(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center) | Principal structure height or 25 ft, whichever is less | 50 sq ft | — | 30 ft from any property line | 1 per arterial/collector road with 200 ft frontage | Along each arterial or collector road which tract abuts; minimum 200 ft unbroken frontage | — | §114-42B |
| Suspended Walkway Sign (Shopping Center) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use served by walkway | Suspended from roof over common walkway | — | §114-42B(1), (2) |
| Utility Sign (Identification, Directional, Regulatory) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Identifying parking area entrances and exits, off-street loading areas, etc. | — | §114-42D(2) |
| Real Estate Sign (Sale or Rent) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per firm per lot | On lot or parcel with bona fide listing | — | §114-42E |
| Development Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot or parcel | Affixed to lot or parcel to designate future business/use | — | §114-42F |

### Professional Medical Commercial (PMC) District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Official Sign (Highway Route, Street Name, Directional) | — | — | — | — | — | Official use | — | §114-52A |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises to which it relates | — | §114-52B |
| Wall Sign (Individual Identification) | 2 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per tenant per wall | Each wall fronting on a street | — | §114-52C(1)-(5) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft | 48 sq ft per face | — | Determined by authorities; 10 ft minimum mounting height | 1 per single property | Setback as determined by Construction Official with PB Engineer and City Traffic Officer | — | §114-52D; §114-60A(1)-(8) |
| Wall Sign (Building Identification) | 2 ft | 25 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Building; not above roofline or more than 9 in beyond front surface | — | §114-60B(1)-(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Somers Point

- Billboards.
- Revolving signs.
- Flashing signs.
- Animated signs.
- Wind signs.
- Portable signs.
- Roof signs.
- Abandoned and discontinued signs.
- Projecting signs, except as expressly allowed.
- Signs that emit smoke, visible vapor or smoke, sound, odor or visible particles or gaseous matter.
- Signs that have unshielded illuminating devices.
- Signs that obstruct, conceal, hide or otherwise obscure from view any official traffic or governmental sign, signal or device.
- Any sign within a sight visibility triangle that obstructs a clear view of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Any sign in the public right-of-way other than traffic control device signs, warning signs or safety signs.
- Any sign other than a traffic control device sign that uses the word "Stop" or "Danger" or presents or implies the need or requirement of stopping or the existence of danger or which is a copy or imitation of official traffic control device signs and which is adjacent to the right-of-way of any road, street or highway.
- Any sign nailed, fastened or affixed to any tree.
- Any sign prohibited by state or federal law.
- Any sign located on real property without the permission of the property owner.
- Beacons, except as required by federal or state law.
- Intermittent signs.
- Any sign, except fire signs, so erected, constructed or maintained as to obstruct or be attached to any fire escape, window, door or opening used as a means of egress or ingress or for fire-fighting purposes or placed so as to interfere with opening for ventilation required by law.

## Signs exempt from permit in Somers Point

- A sign located entirely inside the premises of a building or enclosed space.
- A sign on a car, other than a prohibited vehicle sign or signs.
- A statutory sign.
- A traffic control device or sign.
- Any sign not visible from a public street, sidewalk or right-of-way, except that the foregoing does not exempt a sign for a commercial use that is visible from an abutting residential use.
- Memorial tablets or signs and historic markers as approved by the City Council.
- Signs required to be maintained by law or governmental order, rule or regulation.
- Signs that are within public recreation facilities and open space, such as, but not limited to, signs setting forth rules and regulations of play, hours of use, parking facilities, directional signs, scoreboards, park names and Green Acres project.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Signs for public utility substations, churches and professional offices shall be subject to individual review and approval as part of the site plan review process. (§114-17C)
- Each garden apartment or townhouse development may have one identification sign, not to exceed 12 square feet, made of natural materials and approved by the Planning Board during site plan review. (§114-26B)
- All signs within this district are subject to Planning Board review as part of the site plan process. (§114-52E, §114-60D, §114-79D)
- All signs in a shopping center shall conform in character to all other signs in the complex and shall blend with the overall architectural scheme of the shopping center. (§114-42B(2))
- Signs for planned industrial areas shall be designed within an overall theme with coordinated graphics throughout, incorporating style of lettering, construction, material, type of pole and lighting (§114-110C).
- Appeals to Board of Adjustment are permitted for decisions related to sign permits (§114-4.13).

## 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 8 zoning districts in Somers Point — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Somers+Point+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-somers-point

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