# Sign Regulations in Surf Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Surf Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/surf-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28

## At a glance

Surf Borough, New Jersey regulates 20 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Fabricated Point of Sale Sign (Freestanding or Building Mounted)s in the Business Zone zoning district are capped at 48 sq ft (aggregate for all such signs on use/parcel, not including additional neon/digital sign) and 12 ft (either horizontal or vertical, maximum for any one sign, or sum of two signs) wide, with a No projection over 5 ft beyond street line, or 6 ft beyond face of building setback (Sec. § 30-10.2.b). Most commercial signs in Surf Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RA Residential Zone, RAA Residential Zone | 9 | — | 40 sq ft (for one or two signs total) | — |
| Business Zone | 9 | 5 ft (may be up to 12 ft if width is no more than 5 ft) | 300 sq ft; or 10% of occupied building area (whichever is less) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 2 ft | 2 ft (overall dimensions including trim) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### RA Residential Zone, RAA Residential Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Office Announcement Sign (RA Residential Zone only) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling with such office | On dwelling with professional office | — | § 30-10.1.b, § 30-10.1.i |
| Announcement or Bulletin Board Sign (Church, School, Museum, or Similar Public Use) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use | On premises of public use | — | § 30-10.1.c, § 30-10.1.i |
| Directional Sign (Public Buildings, Schools, Churches, Museums) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 2 per use | To provide directions to buildings, entrances, or parking | — | § 30-10.1.f |
| Name Plate | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises | — | § 30-10.1.d |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 4.5 sq ft | — | — | 1 per plot | On improved, unimproved or vacant plot | — | § 30-10.1.e |
| Construction Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per contractor or subcontractor | On premises during construction, repair or remodeling | — | § 30-10.1.g |
| Political Expression Sign | — | 12 sq ft | 6 ft (no single dimension to exceed 6 ft) | — | — | On premises | — | § 30-10.1.j |
| Library Sign (Ocean County Library) | — | 40 sq ft (for one or two signs total) | — | — | 1 or 2 per library, not to exceed 40 sq ft total | On Library property | — | § 30-10.1.k |

### Business Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Signs Permitted in RA and RAA Zones | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 30-10.2.a |
| Fabricated Point of Sale Sign (Freestanding or Building Mounted) | — | 48 sq ft (aggregate for all such signs on use/parcel, not including additional neon/digital sign) | 12 ft (either horizontal or vertical, maximum for any one sign, or sum of two signs) | No projection over 5 ft beyond street line, or 6 ft beyond face of building | Max 2 fabricated point of sale signs per use, plus one additional neon/digital sign (16 sq ft max) | Attached to building or on separate support on premises (Freestanding or wall-mounted) | — | § 30-10.2.b |
| Fabricated Point of Sale Sign - Additional Neon/Digital | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One additional neon/digital sign per use/parcel | Must comply with location/setback as above | — | § 30-10.2.b.1 |
| Wall Sign | 5 ft (may be up to 12 ft if width is no more than 5 ft) | 300 sq ft; or 10% of occupied building area (whichever is less) | 12 ft (if width is 5 ft, height can be up to 12 ft; otherwise, 5 ft max height) | — | 1 per building side/front | Painted on or mounted to exterior wall of commercial building | — | § 30-10.2.c |
| Off-premises Point of Sale Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On property owned by proprietor but not adjacent to business | — | § 30-10.2.d |
| Parking Area Identification/Directional Sign | — | 6 sq ft (each) | — | — | 1 directional + 1 identifying per parking area | On premises, for customer/client/patient use parking areas | — | § 30-10.2.e |
| Sandwich Board / A-frame / Chalkboard Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | On sidewalk or exterior location; must not block or impede sidewalk; must be removed each night | — | § 30-10.2.h |
| Flag / Feather Flag | — | — | — | — | 1 per 25 ft street frontage | Not in right of way, and must not block or impede sidewalk; must be removed at close of business | — | § 30-10.2.i |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Handicapped Parking Sign | — | — | — | — | — | At each parking space reserved for handicapped persons | — | § 7-41.5, § 7-43.4 |
| Sale Event Sign | 2 ft | 2 ft (overall dimensions including trim) | 2 ft | — | 1 per sale per property | On the lands licensed for execution of the sale | — | § 5-4.7 |

## Prohibited signs in Surf Borough

- No sign shall have flashing lights or exposed high-intensity illumination.
- No lighted, illuminated, digital or neon sign shall be of such color or located in such a fashion as to diminish or detract in any way from the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety or warning device.
- No sign shall be erected, used or maintained which, in any way, simulates official, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by the State of New Jersey, County of Ocean or Borough of Surf City, or by any public utility or similar agency concerned with the protection of the public health or safety.

## Signs exempt from permit in Surf Borough

- Street signs erected by the Borough or County at public or private streets, lanes or drives.

## Full detail

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

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