# Sign Regulations in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Tewksbury Township, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/tewksbury-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/NJ/Tewksbury_Township/codes/Development_Code?nodeId=ARTVIIZOPR_S720SI)

## At a glance

Tewksbury Township, New Jersey regulates 20 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Flagpole Signs in the Highlands District (HL), Lamington District (LT), Farmland Preservation District (FP), Piedmont District (PM), R-1.5 Residential District (R-1.5), Townhouse Village District (TH-V), South Oldwick Residential District (SO), Village Residential District (VR), Village Residential-1 District (VR-1), Village Business District (VB), Research Office/Mixed Use District (RO/MXD), Village Office District (VO), Mining District (MINE), Historic District Overlay (H), Affordable Residential District Overlay (AR-1) zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall and Flag: 25 sq ft (max 2 per pole), with a See above setback (Sec. § 702.2.C). Most commercial signs in Tewksbury Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Highlands District (HL), Lamington District (LT), Farmland Preservation District (FP), Piedmont District (PM), R-1.5 Residential District (R-1.5), Townhouse Village District (TH-V), South Oldwick Residential District (SO), Village Residential District (VR), Village Residential-1 District (VR-1), Village Business District (VB), Research Office/Mixed Use District (RO/MXD), Village Office District (VO), Mining District (MINE), Historic District Overlay (H), Affordable Residential District Overlay (AR-1) | 10 | 25 ft | Flag: 25 sq ft (max 2 per pole) | — |
| Village Business District (VB) | 3 | 12 ft | 6 sq ft (or 5% of wall, whichever is less) | — |
| Research Office/Mixed Use District (RO/MXD) | 1 | 12 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Affordable Residential District Overlay (AR-1) | 1 | 5 ft | 20 sq ft (excludes base) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 25 ft | Flag max 25 sq ft (2 flags per pole) | — |

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

### Highlands District (HL), Lamington District (LT), Farmland Preservation District (FP), Piedmont District (PM), R-1.5 Residential District (R-1.5), Townhouse Village District (TH-V), South Oldwick Residential District (SO), Village Residential District (VR), Village Residential-1 District (VR-1), Village Business District (VB), Research Office/Mixed Use District (RO/MXD), Village Office District (VO), Mining District (MINE), Historic District Overlay (H), Affordable Residential District Overlay (AR-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign - Residential Lot | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On the lot advertised, only until the property is rented or sold | — | § 720.B.1, § 720.E.2 |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign - Non-Residential Lot | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | — | On the lot advertised, only until the property is rented or sold | — | § 720.B.1, § 720.E.2 |
| Temporary Subdivision/Development Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On the site being developed; removed prior to 75% occupancy | — | § 720.B.2 |
| Temporary Construction/Contractor Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Premises while work is ongoing; removed upon job completion | — | § 720.B.3 |
| Temporary Event Sign (Charitable, Religious, Civic, or Government Event) | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | — | Erected up to 30 days prior to the event and removed next day after event | — | § 720.C.8 |
| Directional/Traffic Safety Sign (On-site) | — | — | — | — | — | As approved in site plan | — | § 720.C.5 |
| Name of Residence Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On residential property | — | § 720.C.4, § 720.E.1 |
| Freestanding Flagpole Sign | 25 ft | Flag: 25 sq ft (max 2 per pole) | — | See above | 1 flagpole per lot | On residential lot | — | § 702.2.C |

### Village Business District (VB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Retail/Commercial/Business Use) | Not higher than roofline; not above 2nd story; not projecting more than 3 ft; nor projecting above a driveway/parking area below 8 ft clearance | 6 sq ft (or 5% of wall, whichever is less) | — | — | 1 per business | On building facade/wall for business in VB zone | — | § 720.E.5a, § 720.F, § 720.H, § 720.K |
| Window/Door Sign (Retail Use, Part of Wall Sign Allowance) | — | Included in 6 sq ft wall sign total | — | — | — | On glass of door/window at business | — | § 720.E.5b |
| Directory Sign (Ground Sign; Multi-Tenant Building) | 12 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Ground, on property with 4+ separate businesses | — | § 720.E.5c, § 720.K |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign - Residential Lot | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On the lot advertised (until sold/rented) | — | § 720.B.1, § 720.E.2 |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign - Non-Residential Lot | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | — | On the lot advertised (until sold/rented) | — | § 720.B.1, § 720.E.2 |
| Temporary Subdivision/Development Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On the site being developed | — | § 720.B.2 |
| Temporary Construction/Contractor Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Premises during construction only; removed when complete | — | § 720.B.3 |
| Temporary Event Sign (Charitable/Religious/Civic/Government) | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | — | On property related to activity/event | — | § 720.C.8 |
| Name of Residence Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On residential property | — | § 720.C.4, § 720.E.1 |
| Preserved Farmland/Open Space/Farmland Preservation Sign | — | Max as supplied by State | — | — | — | On property | — | § 720.C.6, § 720.E.3 |
| Flagpole (residential lot) | 25 ft | Flag max 25 sq ft (2 flags per pole) | — | As specified above | 1 flagpole per lot | On residential lot | — | § 702.2.C |

## Prohibited signs in Tewksbury Township

- Off-tract or off-premises signs are prohibited.
- No sign constructed of more than two surfaces shall be permitted.
- No signs may be illuminated except one display sign in non-residential zoning districts. Lighted signs shall be illuminated only during business hours and only to the extent necessary for readability and shall be turned off by the close of business or 10 p.m.
- No neon, flashing, or glaring sign shall be permitted in any district.
- No sign with red, green, or blue illumination in a beam, beacon, or flashing form resembling an emergency light shall be erected in any location where it may be confused with a railroad, traffic control, or emergency signal.
- No free standing sign or attached sign shall exceed the maximum height permitted in the district in which it is located.
- No sign shall exceed any lesser height if specified elsewhere in this Ordinance.
- No attached sign shall be higher at any point than the roof line of the building.
- No attached sign shall project into or hang over a street right-of-way and no sign shall project beyond a building in a manner placing it above an area traversed by motor vehicles such as, but not limited to, driveways and parking areas.
- Where signs project beyond a building facade or wall over a pedestrian way, the lowest portion of the sign shall be at least 8 feet above the walkway.
- No signs may be illuminated in residential districts.
- Signs must be constructed of durable material, maintained in good condition, and not allowed to become dilapidated.
- All signs advertising a use or the goods and services of a use must be located on the same lot as the use.
- All exterior lighted signs shall be lighted either from the interior behind translucent material or from the bottom with said lights shielded from residences and from streets or other rights-of-way carrying vehicular traffic and with the light source angled no closer to the horizontal than two vertical to one horizontal.

## Signs exempt from permit in Tewksbury Township

- Official traffic direction or caution signs are permitted in all districts.
- Street number designations are permitted in all districts.
- Postal boxes are permitted in all districts.
- Names of residences, not exceeding two (2) square feet in area, are permitted in all districts.
- On-site directional and traffic safety signs, subject to site plan approval, are permitted in all districts.
- Signs designating property as farmland preserved, open space preserved, or green acres pursuant to an approved governmental program are permitted in all districts.
- Signs posting property as 'private property,' 'no hunting,' or for similar purposes are permitted in all districts.
- Temporary signs announcing activities or events sponsored by charitable, religious, civic, or government organizations or agencies, not exceeding eighteen (18) square feet in size, nor left standing for longer than thirty (30) days before and one day after the event, are permitted in all districts.
- Street numbers, names of residences, official government signs, and traffic safety signs are exempt from limitations.
- Temporary signs advertising the sale or rental of property, a major subdivision, or the name of a construction firm/architect/mechanic may be used on the lot advertised only until the property is rented/sold or work is complete, subject to size and time limits.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- On-site directional and traffic safety signs are subject to site plan approval.
- In its review of the site plan, the Approving Authority may establish reasonable hours of operation and include regulations governing the use of lights to prevent sky glow and glare off-site (see farm market accessory uses in various zones, but signage regulation is noted as part of site plan review).
- Parking lot canopy-mounted solar or photovoltaic energy systems require site plan approval, which may include signage for safety.
- Nonresidential and commercial agricultural ground-mounted solar or photovoltaic energy systems require site plan approval, which may address signage.
- Directory signs or free standing business signs in the VB and RO/MXD Districts specifically require a sign permit from the Zoning Officer prior to installation.
- Sign permits are required for signs under § 720 E.5 (Village Business), E.6 (RO/MXD), and E.7 (definition of sign area, directory/business/office signs); obtained from the Zoning Officer before installation.
- Signs to be placed within protected area of limited access and non-limited access highways must conform to the requirements of N.J.S.A. 27:7A-11 et seq. and require a permit from the New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation.
- Site plan approval is required for retail, commercial, and office uses where sign type, placement, and illumination may be considered as part of the overall site plan review.
- Whenever an application requires site plan or subdivision approval, the plans submitted must include sign location and details for all signage requiring approval.
- Any sign not specifically permitted in this Section must require zoning application/approval and may, depending on district or type, require a variance.

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

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