# Sign Regulations in Tonawanda, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Tonawanda, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/tonawanda
- **Data last verified:** 2026-04-27
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/ny/tonawanda)

## At a glance

Tonawanda, New York regulates 20 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Wall Sign - Single-Family/Two-Family (Option 1)s in the Single-Family Residence District (R-1), General Residence District (R-2), Residential-Restricted Business District (R-C) zoning district are capped at 20 ft maximum overall (Sec. 82-305(8)) tall and 2 sq ft, with a At least 5 ft from any property line setback (Sec. Sec. 82-305(1); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-305(8)). Most commercial signs in Tonawanda require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single-Family Residence District (R-1), General Residence District (R-2), Residential-Restricted Business District (R-C) | 9 | 20 ft maximum overall (Sec. 82-305(8)) | 25 sq ft | — |
| Neighborhood Shopping District (C-1, C-1A), General Commercial Services District (C-M), Manufacturing District (M-1), Light Industrial District (M-2) | 6 | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | 36 sq ft (total area) | — |
| Central Retail District (C-2) | 6 | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | 36 sq ft (total area) | — |
| Spaulding Commerce Park District (SCD) | 2 | 5 ft | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Single-Family Residence District (R-1), General Residence District (R-2), Residential-Restricted Business District (R-C)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Single-Family/Two-Family (Option 1) | 20 ft maximum overall (Sec. 82-305(8)) | 2 sq ft | — | At least 5 ft from any property line | 1 per dwelling | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-305(1); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-305(8) |
| Freestanding Sign - Single-Family/Two-Family (Option 2) | 4 ft (support height limit); 20 ft maximum overall applies (Sec. 82-305(8)) | 2 sq ft | — | At least 5 ft from any property line | 1 per dwelling | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-305(1); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-305(8) |
| Identification Sign - Multiple Dwellings | 20 ft maximum overall (Sec. 82-305(8)) | 5 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from any lot line | 1 per multiple dwelling | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-305(2); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-305(8) |
| Bulletin Board/Identification Sign - Churches and Institutional Uses | 20 ft maximum overall (Sec. 82-305(8)) | 16 sq ft | — | Not within 10 ft of any lot line | 1 per permitted institutional/church use | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-305(3); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-305(8) |
| Real Estate Sign - Residential (For Sale/For Rent) | 20 ft maximum overall (Sec. 82-305(8)) | 6 sq ft | — | Not within 10 ft of any lot line | 1 per lot | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-305(4); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-305(8) |
| Subdivision Sign | 20 ft maximum overall (Sec. 82-305(8)) | 25 sq ft | — | Not within 25 ft of any lot line | 1 per subdivision | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-305(5); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-305(8) |
| Governmental Sign | 20 ft maximum overall (Sec. 82-305(8)) | — | — | — | — | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-305(6); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-305(8) |
| Portable Sign (Other Districts) | 5 ft | — | 8 ft | — | — | Not on city property; Must not obstruct vision for traffic or pedestrians | — | Sec. 82-308(b)(1)-(5); Sec. 82-308(c) |

### Neighborhood Shopping District (C-1, C-1A), General Commercial Services District (C-M), Manufacturing District (M-1), Light Industrial District (M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Building-Attached, Parallel to Face) | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | ≤ 10% of the area of the building face to which signs are attached | — | — | — | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(1)-(2), (6), (8); Sec. 82-304 |
| Freestanding Sign (Per Business) | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | — | — | Not within 10 ft of a lot in an R district; Not located within a corner visibility area (Sec. 82-443) | 1 freestanding sign per separate business on the lot | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(3)-(6), (8); Sec. 82-304 |
| Freestanding Sign (Illuminated) - Option 1 | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | — | — | Not within 10 ft of a lot in an R district; Not within a corner visibility area (Sec. 82-443) | 1 illuminated freestanding sign per lot with frontage ≥ 100 ft | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(3), (4), (6) |
| Freestanding Sign - Gasoline Brand Name | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | — | — | Not within 10 ft of a lot in an R district; Not within a corner visibility area (Sec. 82-443) | Subject to 1 freestanding sign per separate business | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(1), (3)-(6), (8); Sec. 82-304 |
| Real Estate Sign - Commercial/Industrial (Prospective Sale/Rental) | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | 36 sq ft (total area) | — | — | — | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(7); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-306(6) |
| Portable Sign (Other Districts) | 5 ft | — | 8 ft | — | — | Not on city property; Must not obstruct vision for traffic or pedestrians | — | Sec. 82-308(b)(1)-(5); Sec. 82-308(c) |

### Central Retail District (C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Building-Attached, Parallel to Face) | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | ≤ 10% of the area of the building face to which signs are attached | — | — | — | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(1)-(2), (6), (8); Sec. 82-304 |
| Freestanding Sign (Per Business) | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | — | — | Not within 10 ft of a lot in an R district; Not located within a corner visibility area (Sec. 82-443) | 1 freestanding sign per separate business on the lot | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(3)-(6), (8); Sec. 82-304 |
| Freestanding Sign (Illuminated) - Option 1 | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | — | — | Not within 10 ft of a lot in an R district; Not within a corner visibility area (Sec. 82-443) | 1 illuminated freestanding sign per lot with frontage ≥ 100 ft | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(3), (4), (6) |
| Freestanding Sign - Gasoline Brand Name | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | — | — | Not within 10 ft of a lot in an R district; Not within a corner visibility area (Sec. 82-443) | Subject to 1 freestanding sign per separate business | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(1), (3)-(6), (8); Sec. 82-304 |
| Real Estate Sign - Commercial/Industrial (Prospective Sale/Rental) | 20 ft maximum above adjoining grade | 36 sq ft (total area) | — | — | — | Front or exterior side yard only; rear yard sign allowed only if rear yard abuts a navigable waterway (Sec. 82-304) | — | Sec. 82-306(7); Sec. 82-304; Sec. 82-306(6) |
| Portable Sign (C-2 District Only) | 8 ft | — | 4 ft | At least 30 ft from intersecting street lines | — | Location to be determined by the building inspector; Must not obstruct vision for traffic or pedestrians | — | Sec. 82-308(a)(1)-(8) |

## Prohibited signs in Tonawanda

- Signs are permitted only as provided in Article 6 of the zoning code (Sec. 82-301).
- No sign shall be erected, altered, moved, or used except in conformance with the chapter (Sec. 82-304).
- Signs are allowed only as an accessory use to a listed permitted use or to a lawfully continuing nonconforming use (Sec. 82-304).
- Signs must be located only in a front or exterior side yard, except as provided for rear yards abutting navigable waterways (Sec. 82-304).
- Lawfully existing nonconforming signs shall not be removed, replaced, or altered except in conformance with the chapter (Sec. 82-303).
- No part of any sign shall be more than 20 feet above the adjoining grade level (applies in both residential and commercial/industrial sign sections) (Secs. 82-305(8), 82-306(6)).

## Signs exempt from permit in Tonawanda

- Lawfully existing nonconforming signs accessory to permitted uses may be continued and maintained (Sec. 82-303).
- Where a rear yard abuts a navigable waterway, a sign may be permitted facing the waterway (exception to the yard location rule) (Sec. 82-304).
- Real estate signs advertising the prospective sale or rental of the premises on which they are located are permitted (with district-specific size/illumination limits) (Secs. 82-305(4), 82-306(7)).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No master sign plan or comprehensive sign plan requirement is specified in Article 6.
- For shopping plazas and industrial centers or parks created by a provisional amendment under Sec. 82-142, sign regulations are set in the approval given by the common council (Sec. 82-307).
- Portable signs require permits: in C-2, temporary 7-day permits with limits and deposit/insurance; in other districts, an annual permit expiring Dec 31 (Sec. 82-308).

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

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