# Sign Regulations in West Caldwell, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** West Caldwell, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/west-caldwell
- **Data last verified:** 2025-01-03
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/35367290#35368338)

## At a glance

West Caldwell, New Jersey regulates 8 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Identification Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at Not specified tall, Not specified, and Not specified wide (Sec. ¤ 20-24.2a, ¤ 20-24.2b, ¤ 20-24.2q). Most commercial signs in West Caldwell 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 | 4 | 4 ft for freestanding | 4 sq ft for pedestrian, 6 sq ft for vehicular | Yes |
| Residence Zone Districts | 3 | 4 ft above ground | 4 sq ft | No |
| B-1 Zone Districts, B-3 Zone Districts | 2 | 20 ft | 40 sq ft | Yes |
| B-2 Zone Districts | 2 | 20 ft | 40 sq ft | Yes |
| M-1 Zone Districts, M-2 Zone Districts | 2 | 5 ft (M-1), 6 ft (M-2) | Not specified | Yes |
| OP Zone Districts | 2 | 3 ft | Not specified | Yes |
| OS Zone Districts | 1 | — | 12 sq ft | Yes |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall sign | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Attached to the wall of a building | Yes | 20-24.2.i |
| Identification Sign | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | Not specified | On the premises where such signs are located | Yes | ¤ 20-24.2a, ¤ 20-24.2b, ¤ 20-24.2q |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft for freestanding | 4 sq ft for pedestrian, 6 sq ft for vehicular | — | — | Not specified | As deemed necessary by the Sign Committee | Yes | ¤ 20-24.2d |
| Temporary Sign | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | Not specified | On the premises where such signs are located | Yes | ¤ 20-24.2m, ¤ 20-24.2p |

### Residence Zone Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Decorative Sign | — | 1.5 sq ft | — | — | Not specified | On the premises | No | ¤ 20-24.3a |
| Professional Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | Within the front yard | No | ¤ 20-24.3b |
| Temporary Sale/Rental Sign | 4 ft above ground | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | On the premises | No | ¤ 20-24.3c |

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

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign | 3 ft (M-1), 4 ft (M-2) | Not specified | 80% of building wall width or 30 ft, whichever is less | — | Up to 3 per building | Attached to and parallel with the front wall of a principal building | Yes | ¤ 20-24.6a, ¤ 20-24.6b |
| Freestanding Sign | 5 ft (M-1), 6 ft (M-2) | Not specified | 10 ft (M-1), 12 ft (M-2) | — | 1 per lot | In the rear half of the front yard setback | Yes | ¤ 20-24.6c |

## Prohibited signs in West Caldwell

- 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.
- 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 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.
- Streamers, pennants, banners, strings of illuminated devices, advertising or promotional flags, twirlers or similar objects or displays shall be 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, and 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.
- No sign shall be lighted by means of flashing, revolving or intermittent illumination, or illumination of varying intensity.
- 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 light emitting diodes (LED).

## Signs exempt from permit in West Caldwell

- 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 shall be permitted in any location and shall be exempt from application and permit.
- Signs expressly designed and approved for periodic changes in the 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.
- Nothing herein shall prohibit the normal and customary display of the flag of a nation or of a state, county or municipality of the United States or of an organization or firm occupying the same premises, provided that such flags, which shall be exempt from application and permit, shall conform to the following: No more than three such flags which each exceed 15 square feet in area shall be permitted on one lot, and the maximum permitted size of each such flag shall be determined as follows. The highest flag display height (measured, in feet, from ground level to the top edge of the flag) shall be multiplied by itself and the maximum flag size, in square feet, shall not exceed 5% of that product. In no event shall any flag display height exceed 130% of the permitted height of the principal building or structure, or 35 feet, whichever is less.

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

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