# Sign Regulations in Wanaque Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Wanaque Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/wanaque-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/11785233#11785233)

## At a glance

Wanaque Borough, New Jersey regulates 23 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Pole Sign (Ringwood Avenue)s in the Business Districts zoning district are capped at 16 feet tall, 50 square feet, and 8 feet (including support structure) wide, with a 10 feet from any property line setback (Sec. § 114-17C(4)(a)-(e)). Most commercial signs in Wanaque Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | — | 32 square feet (commercial and industrial zones); 9 square feet (residential zones) | — |
| Residential Districts | 4 | — | 16 square feet | — |
| Business Districts | 10 | 25 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Redevelopment Districts 1 and 2 (RD-1 and RD-2) | 4 | 25 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Redevelopment 1 (RD-1) District | 1 | 90 feet | 600 square feet (may be split over up to 2 display areas) | — |
| Industrial District | 2 | 24 inches (sign), 16 inches (characters), below second floor | 16 square feet (including all trim and supportive members) | — |
| Regional Commercial Zone | 1 | 25 feet | No more than 150 square feet per side unless approved by special application (see below). | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate or Professional Sign | — | 6 inches x 18 inches | — | None, except for nameplate sign <=1 sq ft, which may be anywhere in front yard. | 1 per dwelling unit | — | — | § 114-17B(1), (4) |
| Sales or Rental Sign | — | 8 square feet | — | Not within 10 feet of any property line. | 1 per property | On premises being sold or rented. | — | § 114-17B(2); § 88-23 |
| Institutional Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property line | 1 per property, or 2 for multiple frontages | For schools, colleges, churches or similar public/semi-public institutions; minimum of 10 feet from property line. | — | § 114-17B(3) |
| Trespassing/No Hunting Sign | — | 1 square foot | — | — | — | — | — | § 114-17B(5) |

### Business Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 24 inches (sign), 16 inches (characters), located below second floor | — | 75% of facade width | — | 1 per building wall fronting street | On wall fronting on a street, parallel to the face; below second floor | — | § 114-17C(1) |
| Awning Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | 1 per building wall fronting street (combined with wall/window sign rule) | Canvas-only, attached to wall, may extend to curbline but not beyond | — | § 114-17C(2) |
| Window Sign | — | 15% of window surface | — | — | 1 per building wall fronting street (combined with wall/awning sign rule) | Windows on first floor | — | § 114-17C(3) |
| Pole Sign (Ringwood Avenue) | 16 feet | 50 square feet | 8 feet (including support structure) | 10 feet from any property line | 1 per lot | Minimum 10 feet from any property line, bottom at least 10 feet above ground level. | — | § 114-17C(4)(a)-(e) |
| Pole Sign (Union Avenue and Ringwood Avenue within 500ft of Union Ave intersection) | 25 feet | 50 square feet | 8 feet (including support structure) | 10 feet from any property line | 1 per lot | Minimum 10 feet from any property line, bottom at least 10 feet above ground level. | — | § 114-17C(4)(a)-(e) |
| Ground Sign | 6 feet | 16 square feet (including all trim, moldings, etc.) | 6 feet (including supporting members) | 10 feet from property line | 1 per lot | Bottom of sign must be 2 feet above ground. Minimum 10 feet from property line. | — | § 114-17C(5) |
| Gas Station/Automotive Service Directional Sign (Over Bay/Entrance) | 12 inches (characters), one line | — | — | — | 1 per bay/entrance | On building wall over individual entrance doors or bays | — | § 114-17C(6)(a) |
| Temporary Help Wanted Sign | — | 2 feet x 3 feet per sign | — | — | Max 6 per lot | Outdoors in ground (corrugated plastic, vinyl, or cardboard on wire frame); in windows; on entrances | — | § 114-17C(7) |

### Redevelopment Districts 1 and 2 (RD-1 and RD-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 24 inches (sign), 16 inches (characters), located below second floor | — | 15% of facade width | — | 1 per building wall fronting street | On wall fronting on a street, parallel to the face; below second floor | — | § 114-17D(1) |
| Window Sign | — | 15% of window surface | — | — | 1 per building wall fronting street (combined with wall/awning sign rule) | Windows on first floor | — | § 114-17D(2) |
| Pole Sign - Redevelopment 2 (RD-2) | 25 feet | 50 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line | 1 per lot | Minimum 10 feet from any property line | — | § 114-17D(4) |
| Ground Sign | 6 feet | 16 square feet (including all trim, moldings, etc.) | 6 feet (including supporting members) | 10 feet from property line | 1 per lot | Bottom of sign must be 2 feet above ground. Minimum 10 feet from property line. | — | § 114-17D(5) |

## Prohibited signs in Wanaque Borough

- No flashing, moving, rotating or apparent motion signs or lights, as well as streamers, pennants, and similar displays, are allowed.
- No signs with more than two display faces are allowed.
- No sign as permitted shall extend or project above the highest elevation of the wall to which it is attached, nor shall any sign be erected on or attached to the roof of a building.
- No sign shall be painted on or affixed to water towers, storage tanks, smoke stacks or similar structures.
- No private sign shall be erected within the right-of-way of any street, nor shall any sign be located so as to constitute a traffic hazard.
- No sign shall be placed so as to interfere with or be mistaken for a traffic light or similar safety device or interfere with traffic visibility.
- No signs shall be placed so as to impede or interfere in any way with the operation of a traffic light, traffic directional signal or general traffic vision.
- No billboard or billboard signs shall be permitted.
- No sign shall be placed, located or displayed upon any sidewalk.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited in all districts.
- Projecting signs are prohibited.
- Back-lighted signs, with the exception of pole signs, are prohibited.
- No neon or back-lighted window signs shall be permitted.
- No sign shall be erected higher than the maximum heights specified for sign types and locations.
- No sign shall be located on the roof or above the highest part of the front wall.
- All signs shall be maintained in good repair. Lack of proper maintenance shall be considered abandonment and such signs shall be removed upon notification by the Building Inspector.
- Structurally unsafe or dangerous signs must be made safe or removed upon order of the Building Inspector; otherwise may be removed without notice.
- No off-site directional or advertising signs shall be permitted.
- All illuminated signs must be indirectly lighted and not flash or be intermittently illuminated except for time/temperature signs.
- Floodlights used for sign or building illumination shall not project light above the height of the highest wall elevation.
- Pole signs must only advertise the business on the premises and be only internally illuminated.
- Wall signs must only advertise uses, products, or services on the premises.
- Any sign that constitutes a menace to the health, safety, morals or general welfare of the community must be remedied or removed.
- No sign shall be placed so as to obscure or obstruct sight lines or impede or impair vehicular or pedestrian traffic.

## Signs exempt from permit in Wanaque Borough

- The limitations on signs prescribed in this chapter shall not apply to any sign or directional device erected by any governmental agency.
- The limitations on signs prescribed in this chapter for permitted commercial and industrial uses shall not apply to parking lot markers, directional signs or entrance and exit signs erected on the premises, provided each such sign does not exceed two square feet in area, the number and location of such signs are approved by the Planning Board, and no such sign contains any advertising material.
- No permit is required for temporary signs erected for a special event, such as an election or sale, provided that they do not exceed 32 square feet in commercial and industrial zones and nine square feet in residential zones, and are removed after the event.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No signs shall be constructed, erected, displayed, altered, relocated or reconstructed unless a permit shall have first been obtained from the Building Inspector.
- For temporary help wanted signs in business districts, anyone desiring to display signs must make application to the Wanaque Borough Clerk providing details about the signs and the length of time to display them.
- For billboards, approval must be made by application to the Borough of Wanaque Planning Board, providing detailed plans, property surveys, and a fee.
- For political signs, application must be made to the Wanaque Borough Clerk, providing the name and address of the applicant and a deposit.
- For parking lot markers, directional signs, or entrance/exit signs exempted in commercial/industrial uses, the number and location must be approved by the Planning Board.

## 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 7 zoning districts in Wanaque Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Wanaque+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-wanaque-borough

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