# Sign Regulations in Toms River, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Toms River, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/toms-river
- **Data last verified:** 2025-10-13
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/11762667#11762667)

## At a glance

Toms River, New Jersey regulates 117 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Ground Sign (Additional - Premises with >600 ft Frontage)s in the HB, RHB, LI, I, RC zoning district are capped at Per Table 1 tall and Per Table 1 for each sign, with a ≥15 ft from all property lines setback (Sec. §348-8.26L(3)(a)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 27 | ≤10 ft (unless otherwise specified elsewhere) | Up to 100 sq ft (before any applicable bonuses), subject to 20% of facade area | — |
| Downtown Toms River Business Improvement District (VO, VB, DS, VS) | 13 | ≤18 ft; shall not extend above roofline or above height of facade to which attached | ≤60 sq ft | — |
| Village Office District (VO) (Outside BID) | 5 | ≤6 ft | ≤28 sq ft | — |
| HB, RHB, LI, I, RC | 32 | Up to 150% of basic height limit at that location | ≤400 sq ft | — |
| GB, GB-MF | 20 | Per §348-8.26D | Per §348-8.26D | — |
| VB, DS, VS (Outside BID) | 20 | Per §348-8.26D | Per §348-8.26D | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign - Access from Public Street | ≤2.5 ft (30 inches) | ≤4 sq ft | — | — | Limited to the number of public driveway/walkway intersections | At driveway or pedestrian walkway intersections with a public street/sidewalk | — | §348-8.26D(1)(a)-(c) |
| Directional Sign - Internal to Site (Ground) | ≤6 ft | ≤16 sq ft | — | Shall not be located within 20 ft of tract perimeter | — | Internal to site; intended for large retail, office park, R&D, institutional complexes (or as approved) | — | §348-8.26D(2)(a)-(e) |
| Directory Sign - Ground | ≤6 ft | ≤16 sq ft (general); see zone-specific allowances for larger sizes | — | — | — | Within site/complex at location allowing motorists to leave traffic flow and safely read; or at main entrance to building | — | §348-8.26E(1)-(5) |
| Wall Sign (General) | — | Up to 100 sq ft (before any applicable bonuses), subject to 20% of facade area | — | — | 1 per building or ground-level store; 2 on corner lot if conditions met | Above first floor windows; below parapet/mansard/pent roof; beside main entrance | — | §348-8.26F(1)-(7); §348-8.26A(8)-(9) |
| Ground Sign (2 lanes) (0-25 mph) (No Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft (unless otherwise specified elsewhere) | 15 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1; §348-8.26G(3)-(9) |
| Ground Sign (2 lanes) (0-25 mph) (Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1; §348-8.26G(3)-(9) |
| Ground Sign (2 lanes) (26-45 mph) (No Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 35 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1 |
| Off-Premises Sign (General) | Per applicable ground sign limits | Same as applicable ground sign limits unless otherwise modified | — | Per ground sign locational limits | — | Where off-premises signs are permitted | — | §348-8.26I |

### HB, RHB, LI, I, RC

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (General - HB/RHB/LI/I/RC) (2 lanes) (0-25 mph) (No Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 15 sq ft | — | ≥15 ft from all property lines | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1; §348-8.26L(4); §348-8.26G(3)-(9) |
| Ground Sign (General - HB/RHB/LI/I/RC) (2 lanes) (0-25 mph) (Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 10 sq ft | — | ≥15 ft from all property lines | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1; §348-8.26L(4) |
| Ground Sign (General - HB/RHB/LI/I/RC) (2 lanes) (26-45 mph) (No Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 35 sq ft | — | ≥15 ft from all property lines | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1); §348-8.26L(4) |
| Ground Sign (Additional - Premises with >600 ft Frontage) | Per Table 1 | Per Table 1 for each sign | — | ≥15 ft from all property lines | Additional signs per frontage length | On premises with >600 ft of street frontage | — | §348-8.26L(3)(a) |
| Ground Sign (Shopping Center >15 acres) | Up to 150% of basic height limit at that location | Up to 150% of basic area limit at that location | — | ≥15 ft from all property lines | 1 per frontage | One per frontage | — | §348-8.26L(3)(b) |
| Off-Premises Sign (Noncommercial, in lieu of Ground Sign) | Per applicable ground sign limits | Per applicable ground sign limits | — | ≥15 ft from all property lines (as for ground sign) | 1 (in lieu of ground sign) | In lieu of a ground sign | — | §348-8.26L(3)(h) |
| Ground Sign (New Car/Truck Franchised Dealership) (Additional) | Per Table 1 | Per Table 1 | — | ≥15 ft from all property lines | 1 additional sign | On site with ≥400 ft of contiguous street frontage | — | §348-8.26L(5) |
| A-Frame Sign (Shopping Center Tenant) | ≤5 ft | ≤6 sq ft per side | — | Not within public ROW | 1 per tenant | On sidewalk in front of the store to which it relates | — | §348-8.26L(8)(a)-(f) |

### GB, GB-MF

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (GB/GB-MF) | — | ≤100 sq ft | — | — | Per general wall sign rules (§348-8.26F(2)) | Per §348-8.26F(3) | — | §348-8.26F(1)-(7) |
| Ground Sign (GB/GB-MF) (2 lanes) (0-25 mph) (No Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 15 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1; §348-8.26G(3)-(9) |
| Ground Sign (GB/GB-MF) (2 lanes) (0-25 mph) (Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1; §348-8.26G(3)-(9) |
| Ground Sign (GB/GB-MF) (2 lanes) (26-45 mph) (No Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 35 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1 |
| Ground Sign (GB/GB-MF) (2 lanes) (26-45 mph) (Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1 |
| Ground Sign (GB/GB-MF) (2 lanes) (46+ mph) (No Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 75 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1 |
| Ground Sign (GB/GB-MF) (2 lanes) (46+ mph) (Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1 |
| Ground Sign (GB/GB-MF) (4 lanes) (0-25 mph) (No Residential Abutting) | ≤10 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | Front yard only | — | §348-8.26G(1) Table 1 |

## Prohibited signs in Toms River

- No sign may be located in the public right-of-way
- Signs that offend public morals or decency are prohibited
- Signs that imitate or resemble an official traffic sign are prohibited
- Signs that by size, location, movement, content, coloring or illumination may be confused with or hide a traffic control device are prohibited
- Off-premises advertising is prohibited except as specifically allowed (Subsection C(7) Motorist information signs; Subsection C(9) Off-site subdivision signs; and § 348-9.23 Billboards)
- Streamers, propellers, pennants or other wind-activated devices are prohibited
- Animated signs are prohibited
- Snipe signs, sandwich signs, and portable signs are prohibited (except where expressly permitted elsewhere in this section)
- Signs that obstruct motorists' view on ingress or egress are prohibited
- Signs that are unsafe in construction per applicable structural and electrical codes are prohibited
- Signs illuminated in a manner that produces glare sufficient to be a safety hazard are prohibited
- Signs that violate the purpose, intent, or specific regulations of this section are prohibited
- Air-supported or inflated signs are prohibited

## Signs exempt from permit in Toms River

- All signs not located or designed to be seen from the right-of-way of a street or highway or any vehicular circulation area are exempt
- Exempt signs must contain seven or fewer items of information, meet the specified requirements and the setback requirements referenced in § 348-8.26A(3)(c); exempt signs visible from the right-of-way must not exceed the sign area limitations for the part of the Township where located
- Construction signs: one nonilluminated sign per site, up to 40 sq ft and 8 ft high, identifying project participants, on the property under construction
- Directional signs: up to 4 sq ft with lettering no taller than 6 inches; may be lighted (moving directional lights allowed where required for safety); must be at least 10 ft from the street right-of-way and not exceed 30 inches in height within 25 ft of any access drive
- Government flags and historic markers: flags of the U.S., State of NJ, Toms River, other governments, or religious/social/civic/fraternal organizations; memorial/historic tablets or similar information cut into masonry or of bronze/like material up to 6 sq ft
- Nameplates: one per frontage, up to 2 sq ft, illuminated by no more than a total of 25 watts
- Political signs: exempt from 30 days before an election to 5 days after; subject to § 427-3D(5)-(7) and § 427-5
- Real estate signs: one nonilluminated per frontage; maximum 12 sq ft and 4 ft high in residential areas; maximum 32 sq ft and 8 ft high in other zones; in residential areas must be removed no later than 7 days after closing
- Outdoor holiday decorations are exempt provided they do not advertise a product or establishment
- Special events signs: exempt if the event is approved by the Zoning Officer; may be erected no more than 30 days prior to the event and must be removed within 7 days after the event
- Subdivision sign: one nonilluminated sign advertising premises under development, up to 40 sq ft and 8 ft high
- Temporary window signs: any window sign meeting the definition of a temporary sign is exempt
- Traffic or other municipal signs: any sign erected by Toms River Township, Ocean County, the State of New Jersey, or required by law; and no-trespassing/no-hunting signs up to 2 sq ft
- Vehicle signs: signs painted on or attached to motor vehicles, trailers, or other portable devices are exempt if they pertain to the function of the vehicle or the business of its owner; parking/storage limits—(a) residential sites may have one motor vehicle with gross weight ≤4 tons if owned by the occupant; (b) all other sites may park/store in side or rear yards per zoning, or in front yards only if parking spaces are approved for such uses by the Planning Board or Zoning Board

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No master sign plan requirement is stated in § 348-8.26 as provided
- Downtown Toms River BID: signs require review and approval by the Design Committee of the Downtown Toms River Business Improvement District; variances or deviations from BID provisions are heard by the Planning Board, except when proposed in connection with a special reasons variance, which are heard by the Zoning Board of Adjustment
- Murals in RC, RHB, HB, GB, and GB-MF zones require prior approval by TR Community Arts Project, Inc. (CAP) and the Toms River Planning Board and must have a civic theme
- Murals in the Downtown BID require prior approval by the TR BID and the Toms River Planning Board and must have a historic or civic theme
- Directional signs internal to a site may be permitted in circumstances as approved by the board of jurisdiction (discretionary approval)
- In the Downtown BID, lettering style may be limited to specified fonts or others approved by a special review board for the village area appointed by Township Council
- In the Downtown BID, temporary signs for sidewalk sales and promotions not otherwise covered require permits for special events
- Signs using items such as 'Stop', 'Slow', 'Warning', or 'Danger' may be allowed if required by the approving authority as part of site plan review (BID window)
- Awnings projecting into a public right-of-way require prior approval from the appropriate public entity (BID)
- Front yard parking of vehicles bearing signage (for vehicle sign exemption) requires Planning Board or Zoning Board approval of such parking spaces

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

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