# Sign Regulations in West Caldwell Township, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** West Caldwell Township, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/west-caldwell-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/35357545#35357545)

## At a glance

West Caldwell Township, New Jersey regulates 37 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding/Pylon Sign (Business Use, Non-service station)s in the B-1 Zone Districts, B-3 Zone Districts zoning district are capped at 20 ft (max for over 200 ft frontage) tall and 40 sq ft (max for over 200 ft frontage), with a Rear half of front yard setback or 25 ft from property line setback (Sec. §20-24.4i). Most commercial signs in West Caldwell Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Shopping Center | 5 | lesser of height of highest building in center or 28 ft | 150 sq ft or 2.25 sq ft/setback foot, whichever less | — |
| Residence Zone Districts | 6 | 4 ft (freestanding) | 12 sq ft | — |
| B-1 Zone Districts, B-3 Zone Districts | 8 | 20 ft (max for over 200 ft frontage) | 150 sq ft max, or 2.25 sq ft per ft of setback, whichever less | — |
| B-2 Zone Districts | 5 | 28 ft or height of center, whichever less | 150 sq ft | — |
| M-1 Zone Districts, M-2 Zone Districts | 7 | 5 ft (M-1), 6 ft (M-2) | 70 sq ft | — |
| OP Zone Districts | 4 | 3 ft | 15% of building wall area | — |
| OS Zone Districts | 2 | 4 ft (freestanding) | 12 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 35 ft or 130% of building height, whichever less | 8 sq ft (max) / 4 sq ft (min) | — |

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

### B-1 Zone Districts, B-3 Zone Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Front Wall) | 3 ft | 15% of wall area | 30 ft or 85% of wall width, whichever is less | — | One per business use; up to three per building if conditions met | Front wall of principal building | — | §20-24.4a, b |
| Wall Sign (Rear/Side/Additional Walls) | 3 ft | Per formula | — | — | Max of three per building | Walls facing other streets or parking area | — | §20-24.4a2, a3 |
| Wall Sign (Shopping Center Uniform Signage < 60 ft storefront) | 3 ft | See Shopping Center | 30 ft or 85% of storefront | — | 1 per storefront | Storefronts in shopping center | — | §20-24.4k |
| Directory Sign (Lobby indication) | — | — | — | — | 1 per multiple-tenant building | Lobby, facing entrance | — | §20-24.4d |
| Temporary Sale/Rental Sign | — | 12 sq ft max, 8 sq ft min | — | — | 1 per premises | Location as permitted for permanent identification signs. | — | §20-24.4e |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | 10 in | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | On valance/awning/canopy | — | §20-24.4f |
| Freestanding/Pylon Sign (Business Use, Non-service station) | 20 ft (max for over 200 ft frontage) | 40 sq ft (max for over 200 ft frontage) | — | Rear half of front yard setback or 25 ft from property line | 1 per lot | Rear half of front yard setback or 25 ft from property line; not allowed in addition to wall sign if <50 ft setback | — | §20-24.4i |
| Freestanding Directory Sign (B-3 Integrated Retail Shopping Area) | 1 ft per ft of setback, max 25 ft above ground (min 10 ft) | 150 sq ft max, or 2.25 sq ft per ft of setback, whichever less | — | At least 10 ft from property line | One per arterial street frontage (max two) | See Shopping Center regulations | — | §20-24.4l |

### B-2 Zone Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Front Wall, Building < 20,000 sq ft, not in shopping center) | 3 ft | 15% of wall area | 30 ft or 85% of wall, whichever less | — | 1, plus up to 2 additional under special cases (see below) | Front wall of principal building | — | §20-24.5a, b |
| Wall Sign (Rear/Side Walls) | 3 ft | 50% of front wall sign size per rear/side; total 200% front wall sign | — | — | Up to 3 | Rear/side wall | — | §20-24.5a2, a3 |
| Wall Sign/Logo (Building ≥ 20,000 sq ft, not in shopping center) | 10 ft (sign/logo) | — | 50 ft (sign), 10 ft (logo), 75% of facade (combined width) | — | One wall sign and one logo per approved business use | Front wall (or rear/side if facing parking, same size limits as front wall) | — | §20-24.5c |
| Freestanding/Pylon Sign (Planned Shopping Center ≥ 20,000 sq ft) | 28 ft or height of center, whichever less | 150 sq ft | — | Not within 25 ft of street right-of-way | One per center, or two if two arterial street frontages | Entrance to shopping center; may be one per arterial street | — | §20-24.5h |
| Freestanding/Pylon Sign (Non-shopping center, per principal building) | 20 ft (for frontage over 200 ft) | 150 sq ft (for frontage over 500 ft), otherwise per formula | — | Rear half of front yard or 25 ft; not both wall and freestanding if <50 ft setback | 1 per principal building | Rear half of front yard setback or 25 ft from property line. In alternative to wall sign if <50 ft setback. | — | §20-24.5j |

### M-1 Zone Districts, M-2 Zone Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Front Wall) | M-1: 3 ft; M-2: 4 ft | 15% of wall area | 80% of wall width or 30 ft | — | One; up to three under specific circumstances | Front wall of principal building | — | §20-24.6a, b |
| Wall Sign (Additional Streets/Parking) | M-1: 3 ft; M-2: 4 ft | See formula | — | — | Up to three | Rear, side or other wall | — | §20-24.6a2, a3 |
| Freestanding Sign (Alternative to Wall Sign) | 5 ft (M-1), 6 ft (M-2) | — | 10 ft (M-1), 12 ft (M-2) or 10% of building width | — | One; up to two for buildings with 100+ ft width (see directory sign options) | Rear half of front yard setback required for principal building; not in side or rear yard | — | §20-24.6c |
| Directory Sign (Industrial Park) | — | 70 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from street right-of-way | One per industrial park | Entrance/lobby or along highway/road, but not within/adjacent to residential area | — | §20-24.6d |
| Wall Sign (Front Wall; Option for 100+ ft width building) | M-1: 3 ft; M-2: 4 ft | — | 50% of max permitted for single sign | — | 2 (front wall) | Front wall | — | §20-24.6e2 |
| Freestanding Identification Sign (Option for 100+ ft width building) | — | — | — | — | 2 per building (alternative to wall signs) | Not within 80 ft of other freestanding sign on same property. | — | §20-24.6e3 |
| Temporary Sale/Rental Sign | — | 8-12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | As per sign regs | — | §20-24.6f |

## Prohibited signs in West Caldwell Township

- All signs other than those signs permitted herein shall be prohibited, except such signs as may be required by county, state or federal regulations, laws or ordinances.
- All signs shall pertain to an existing, approved use or occupancy on the premises where such signs are located.
- No sign shall interfere with traffic lights, directional or warning signs, traffic vision or similar safety factors.
- No sign shall be located on, or extend into, any public walkway, driveway, curb or the right-of-way of any street.
- No sign shall be attached to any bridge, abutment, retaining wall, standpipe, water tower, fence, utility pole, tree or other living plant.
- No sign shall obstruct access to any fire escape, standpipe, window, door or other exit, nor shall any sign create a hazard to pedestrians or motor vehicle traffic.
- Except as provided herein, signs located within an enclosed building or structure which are visible or directed to be seen by the general public from the outside of the building or structure are prohibited.
- No sign, or any part thereof, shall move, oscillate or revolve or give the appearance of such motion.
- Portable or mobile signs are prohibited.
- Signs located on, or attached to, motor vehicles shall not be located, displayed or used on any privately owned property in such a manner as to circumvent the intent of these regulations.
- All signs shall comply with all applicable county, state, and federal regulations, laws and ordinances.
- No permanent, outdoor signs shall consist of unprotected painted signs or have facing of unprotected wood, canvas, oil cloth, fabric, cloth, paper or similar materials.
- No permanent sign shall consist of more than four colors, excluding shading thereof and including black and white, except as provided for logos.
- No sign shall be architecturally or aesthetically incompatible with other signs and structures on the same property.
- No sign area or lighting shall diminish or detract from the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety or warning device.
- No sign lighting shall be permitted where the light source is directly exposed to view, including, but not limited to, ionized inert gas tubing and LED.
- No sign shall be lighted by means of flashing, revolving or intermittent illumination, or illumination of varying intensity.
- No awning, canopy, or similar structure consisting of translucent materials shall be illuminated from the rear.
- No illuminated sign lighting directly visible from residential properties shall remain past 10:30 p.m., except for businesses open later.
- No regulatory, warning, or directional sign shall exceed maximum sizes specified for pedestrian or vehicular signs.
- Any temporary signs composed of streamers, pennants, banners, strings of illuminated devices, advertising or promotional flags, twirlers or similar objects or displays shall be prohibited, except as specifically permitted for temporary announcement signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in West Caldwell Township

- Official signs or legal notices erected, maintained or owned by governmental units, and those signs deemed necessary to inform or guide the public or for the promotion of the health, safety, convenience or welfare of the general public by the Governing Body, are permitted in any location and exempt from application and permit.
- The normal and customary display of the flag of a nation or state, county, municipality, or organization or firm occupying the same premises is permitted and exempt from application and permit (subject to size/count/setback conditions).
- Decorative illuminated or non-illuminated signs in residence districts showing the name of the resident/occupant and/or address are exempt from application and permit, provided they do not exceed 1.5 square feet.
- One non-illuminated temporary sign not exceeding four square feet advertising prospective sale or rental of premises in residence districts is exempt from application and permit.
- Directory signs in the lobby of a multiple use building facing the entrance are exempt from application and permit unless visible/directed to be seen outside.
- Signs located within a principal building which are visible or directed to be seen from outside (in designated retail business uses, on first floor, not above first floor, and under size limitations) are exempt from application and permit.
- Signs expressly designed and approved for periodic changes in lettering, illustration, or display shall not require sign applications or permits for periodic changes which do not involve alteration, relocation or reconstruction of the sign structure or its supporting members.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Every sign as defined in the Land Use Procedures Ordinance must be authorized and valid only upon the issuance of a sign permit, except for specified exempt signs.
- Prior to the issuance of any sign permit, an application for sign approval must be filed with the Township Code Enforcement Agency and include a plan drawn to scale showing location of all existing and/or proposed signs and details (lettering, dimensions, height, construction, colors, materials, illumination, location).
- In addition, when required by the Planning Board, the applicant must supply sufficient design information and data to substantiate the adequacy of the sign structure (such as ability to support sign weight and withstand wind pressures).
- A Sign Committee of the Planning Board reviews and approves or disapproves all sign applications (except for applications under jurisdiction of another Township agency/Planning Board as per chapter references).
- In the event of disapproval by the Sign Committee, the applicant may request a hearing de novo before the Planning Board and must file an application for development under the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law.
- Except as permitted herein, no sign approved by the Planning Board or Sign Committee shall be reconstructed, altered, replaced or relocated without prior written approval of the Sign Committee.
- A complete signage plan detailing quantity, size, location and color of all signs shall be submitted to the appropriate Township agency as part of any site plan approval request in the B-2 Zone for principal buildings over 20,000 square feet or as otherwise required by sign regulations. In the event of any signage changes to an approved site plan, an amended site plan approval shall be required.
- For properties with exceptional shapes or special visibility/safety considerations, the Sign Committee may specify sign regulations applicable to such properties, provided they conform with the overall intent of sign restrictions.
- The Planning Board exercises all responsibilities of the Sign Committee on appeals or variance requests from sign regulations.

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

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