# Sign Regulations in Brookhaven, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Brookhaven, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/brookhaven
- **Data last verified:** 2025-07-10
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/8594153#8594153)

## At a glance

Brookhaven, New York regulates 37 sign types across 13 zoning districts. Ground/Detached Signs in the Commercial Recreation (CR) District zoning district are capped at 100 ft (or less per highway ROW width formula) tall and 300% of sign height (sq ft), with a Pylon/pole signs set back at least 50% of height setback (Sec. §57A-8.3.B). Most commercial signs in Brookhaven require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (13 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 9 ft from grade (including supports) | 32 sq ft per face | — |
| J Zoning Districts, J-4 Zoning Districts | 2 | Not higher than roof or than 18 ft above mean ground level | 18 sq ft per face | — |
| J-6 Zoning Districts (Main Street Business Districts) | 6 | 36 in | 48 sq ft | — |
| J-2 Zoning Districts | 3 | Not higher than roof or 18 ft above mean ground | 32 sq ft per face | — |
| J-5 Zoning Districts | 6 | Not higher than roof or 18 ft above ground | 24 sq ft per face | — |
| J-8 Zoning District | 4 | 12 ft from mean ground | 36 sq ft | — |
| L-1 Zoning Districts, L-2 Zoning Districts | 2 | Not higher than roof or than 18 ft above mean ground | 18 sq ft per sign face | — |
| Route 25A Hamlet Center Overlay District | 2 | 12 ft above mean ground level | — | — |
| Route 25A Transition Center Overlay District | 2 | 12 ft above mean ground level | — | — |
| Commercial Recreation (CR) District | 8 | 100 ft (or less per highway ROW width formula) | 300% of sign height (sq ft) | — |
| Commercial zones, Commercial zoned districts | 1 | — | 16 sq ft | — |
| Industrial zones, Industrial zoned districts | 1 | — | 16 sq ft | — |
| Residential zoned districts | 1 | — | 4 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 13 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Sign | 9 ft from grade (including supports) | 2 sq ft per face | — | — | One per premises | On premises of resident practitioner | — | §57A-3.A |
| Sale or Rent Sign (Residential Zone) | 9 ft from grade (including supports) | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | One per premises | On premises for sale or rent | — | §57A-3.B |
| Sale or Rent Sign (Industrial and Commercial Zones) | 9 ft from grade (including supports) | 3 ft x 6 ft | 3 ft | — | One per premises | On premises for sale or rent | — | §57A-3.B |
| Subdivision Sign | 9 ft above grade (including supports) | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | One per subdivision | At subdivision site | — | §57A-3.C |
| Utility Sign | — | 12 in x 20 in per face | 20 in | — | — | To inform the public of utility facilities | — | §57A-3.E |
| House of Worship Ground Sign | 9 ft above grade (including supports) | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | One ground sign and one wall sign per premises | On premises of place of worship | — | §57A-3.F |
| Building Contractor/Architect/Engineer Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per premises under construction | On premises only while under construction | — | §57A-3.J |
| Service Organization Off-premises Sign | — | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | Two per service organization | Off-premises | — | §57A-3.L |

### J-6 Zoning Districts (Main Street Business Districts)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Wall < 24 ft width) | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | One per exterior side wall | Exterior side wall of each store facing street or parking area | — | §57A-4.1.B(1)(a), (c), (C) |
| Wall Sign (Wall > 24 ft width) | — | 48 sq ft | — | — | One per exterior side wall | Exterior side wall of each store facing street or parking area | — | §57A-4.1.B(1)(b), (c), (C) |
| Blade Sign | — | 4 sq ft (unless otherwise authorized by Town Board) | — | — | One per business | Perpendicular to building facade | — | §57A-4.1.B(2) |
| Detached/Ground Sign (assemblage of businesses) | 12 ft from mean ground level | — | — | — | One per street frontage for assemblage of businesses | Only for assemblage of businesses; not for individual sites | — | §57A-4.1.B(3) |
| Sandwich Board / Portable / Sidewalk Sign | 36 in | 24 in x 36 in (6 sq ft) | 24 in | — | One per store | On property for which erected; exterior sidewalk | — | §57A-4.1.B(5) |
| Address Number Sign | 6 in | — | — | — | One per principal entrance | Attached to building in proximity to entrance | — | §57A-4.1.B(4) |

### Commercial Recreation (CR) District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 35 ft | See formula | Not wider than building | — | One per exterior side wall | Exterior wall facing street or parking area | — | §57A-8.3.A |
| Ground/Detached Sign | 100 ft (or less per highway ROW width formula) | 300% of sign height (sq ft) | — | Pylon/pole signs set back at least 50% of height | One per building or per street frontage | On premises; per street frontage; pylon/pole signs only along LIE (SR495) & Sunrise Hwy (SR27) | — | §57A-8.3.B |
| Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On canopy | — | §57A-8.3.C |
| Marquee Sign | ≤50% of story height | — | Max width two feet from each side of entrance | ≥3 ft from curbline | One per entrance | At or near building entrance | — | §57A-8.3.D |
| Wall Sign (Accessory Use) | — | 80 sq ft | — | — | One per accessory use | Wall sign per accessory use | — | §57A-8.3.F |
| Electronic or Electronic Message Sign (Large) | 20 ft, mounting height max 42 ft | Width max 50 ft, height max 20 ft, mounting height max 42 ft | 50 ft | — | One per site | Along LIE (SR495) or Sunrise Hwy (SR27) | — | §57A-8.3.G(1) |
| Electronic or Electronic Message Sign (Small) | 10 ft, mounting height max 42 ft | Width max 25 ft, height max 10 ft, mounting height max 42 ft | 25 ft | — | Three per site | Along LIE (SR495) or Sunrise Hwy (SR27) | — | §57A-8.3.G(2) |
| Neon or LED Effect Sign | Max mounting height 35 ft | 144 sq ft or 144 linear ft per wall | 144 linear ft per wall | — | — | Along LIE (SR495) or Sunrise Hwy (SR27) | — | §57A-8.3.H |

## Prohibited signs in Brookhaven

- No sign, poster, sticker, flag or advertising device (except governmental or traffic-related signs) shall be located within or upon the right-of-way of any Town, state or county road or highway or upon any publicly owned land or upon any utility pole, tree, fence, or any other structure or object thereupon.
- No sign shall be constructed of cloth, oilcloth, paper or other destructible material for outdoor display, except for temporary signs, which must be properly mounted and removed within 90 days.
- No sign or any part thereof, including lighting devices and reflectors, shall be placed so as to frame or outline any side of any wall of a building.
- No sign which directs attention to a business, service, entertainment or commodity conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the premises shall be erected or maintained (no off-premises advertising signs).
- No sign shall be attached to any tree, fence or utility pole, unless required for safety and placed by the utility.
- No banners, streamers, flags, pennants or noise-creating devices may be attached to or used in connection with any sign or be used as a sign.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained which might be confused with any traffic control device or which might interfere with the vision or discernment of any traffic sign or which might cause danger to public travel.
- Except as otherwise permitted, no sign shall extend or project into any right-of-way.
- The construction of new billboards is prohibited in all zoning districts.
- No new or existing sign shall hereafter be erected or altered except in conformity with the provisions contained in the chapter. Signs must be kept clean, neatly painted, and free from hazards, maintained safely at all times.
- No flashing, rotating or moving light sources shall be permitted as part of any sign, except for signs displaying time and temperature; in such signs, only the time and temperature may move, and each message must remain at least two seconds.
- Signs must not cause glare beyond property lines or disturb the vision of passing motorists.
- No sign requiring a permit may be erected unless the proper permit is obtained and displayed as required.
- No sign may be structurally altered, rebuilt, enlarged, extended, relocated, or modified in any way except in conformity with the provisions of the ordinance.
- All nonconforming signs must be brought into conformity or be removed by the specified amortization deadline, unless an extension is granted.
- Animated and motion effects are prohibited on signs with neon or LED lighted effects.
- No mobile or temporary sign may be illuminated or electrified.

## Signs exempt from permit in Brookhaven

- Signs erected and maintained for a municipal or governmental purpose are exempt, subject to conditions and safeguards as the Town Board may specify.
- Standard signs of public utilities, not exceeding 12 inches by 20 inches per face, placed to inform the public of the location of utility facilities available to the general public, are permitted.
- Public safety signs erected by a governmental agency or at its direction warning the public of a specific danger, including traffic and parking lot signs designed and placed in accordance with the NYS Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, are exempt.
- Municipal directory signs installed by or at the direction of the Town are exempt under specified terms.
- Signs required for safety purposes and placed by the utility may be attached to trees, fences or utility poles.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any project requesting signs within a specified zoning district (J, J-4, J-6, J-2, J-5, J-8, L-1, L-2, Route 25A Hamlet Center Overlay, Route 25A Transition Center Overlay, Commercial Recreation District) that requires site plan approval shall have its signage approved by the Planning Board at the time of site plan approval/review.
- Variance requests may be submitted to the Board of Zoning Appeals in accordance with the ordinance for relief from sign requirements.
- Applicants for new or replacement signs in the Route 25A Hamlet Center Overlay District must apply to the Planning Division for conformance review prior to submittal for a building permit.
- Applicants for new or replacement signs in the Route 25A Transition Center Overlay District must apply to the Planning Commissioner or his/her designee for conformance review prior to submittal for a building permit.
- Application for any and all sign permits (except signs approved in conjunction with a site plan, or change of use/expansion) must be made to the Chief Building Inspector on prescribed forms with required drawings and surveys, except as exempted for mobile and political signs.

## 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 13 zoning districts in Brookhaven — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Brookhaven+NY&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-brookhaven

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