# Sign Regulations in Vestal, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Vestal, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/vestal
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/NY/Vestal/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CD_ORD_CH5BUBURE_ARTVSI)

## At a glance

Vestal, New York regulates 53 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Ground Sign (Multiple Residence Complex)s in the Rural Residence (R-R) zoning district, Multiple Residence (R-C) zoning district, Planned Development Districts (PDD), One- and Two-Family Residence (RA-2) zoning district zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall, 16 sq ft, and 8 ft (any direction) wide (Sec. Sec. 5-126(a)(8)a). Most commercial signs in Vestal require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 15 | 3 ft | 50 sq ft (General); 6 sq ft in residential districts (see zone regs) | — |
| One-family Residence (RA-1) zoning district | 9 | 8 ft | 37 sq ft | — |
| Rural Residence (R-R) zoning district, Multiple Residence (R-C) zoning district, Planned Development Districts (PDD), One- and Two-Family Residence (RA-2) zoning district | 14 | 8 ft | 37 sq ft | — |
| Residential Office zoning district | 12 | 12 ft | 37 sq ft | — |
| Transitional Office zoning district, Transitional Neighborhood zoning district | 13 | 12 ft | 37 sq ft | — |
| Gateway Signs (Town-wide, special permit) | 1 | 10 ft above adjacent grade | — | — |
| Commercial and Industrial Districts (C-1, C-2, C-D, I, 1-D) | 11 | 16 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Shopping Plaza (Shopping Plaza District/Use) | 9 | 20 ft | 70 sq ft (max); height 5 ft (max); length ≤1/3 of storefront width | — |
| Pad Site (within Shopping Plaza) | 3 | 12 ft | 50 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### Rural Residence (R-R) zoning district, Multiple Residence (R-C) zoning district, Planned Development Districts (PDD), One- and Two-Family Residence (RA-2) zoning district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation Ground Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-126(a)(1)a |
| Home Occupation Wall Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-126(a)(1)b |
| Parking Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-126(a)(1)c |
| For Sale or Rent Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | 2 ft from front/side property line | 1 | On property being offered | — | Sec. 5-126(a)(2) |
| Ground Sign (Place of Worship) | 8 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | Sec. 5-126(a)(3)a |
| Wall Sign (Place of Worship) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | Sec. 5-126(a)(3)b |
| Yard Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | 42 in | — | — | — | — | Sec. 5-126(a)(7); Sec. 5-124(n) |
| Ground Sign (Multiple Residence Complex) | 8 ft | 16 sq ft | 8 ft (any direction) | — | 1 | On premises | — | Sec. 5-126(a)(8)a |

### Residential Office zoning district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation Ground Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-127(a)(1)a |
| Home Occupation Wall Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-127(a)(1)b |
| Parking Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-127(a)(1)c |
| For Sale or Rent Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | 2 ft from front/side property line | 1 | On property offered for sale/rent | — | Sec. 5-127(a)(2) |
| Yard Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | 42 in | — | — | — | — | Sec. 5-127(a)(4); Sec. 5-124(n) |
| Ground Identification Sign (Place of Worship) | 8 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-127(a)(5)a |
| Ground Sign (Commercial Use) | 12 ft | 16 sq ft | 10 ft (per dimension max) | — | 1 per lot | Per lot | — | Sec. 5-127(a)(7)a, 5-127(b)(1) |
| Wall Sign (Commercial Use) | — | 16 sq ft | 8 ft (per dimension max) | — | 2 per business occupancy per lot | — | — | Sec. 5-127(a)(7)b |

### Transitional Office zoning district, Transitional Neighborhood zoning district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation Ground Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-127.1(a)(1)a |
| Home Occupation Wall Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-127.1(a)(1)b |
| Parking Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-127.1(a)(1)c |
| For Sale or Rent Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | 2 ft from front/side property line | 1 | On property offered for sale/rent | — | Sec. 5-127.1(a)(2) |
| Yard Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | 42 in | — | — | — | — | Sec. 5-127.1(a)(4); Sec. 5-124(n) |
| Ground Identification Sign (Place of Worship) | 8 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 5-127.1(a)(5)a |
| Ground Sign (Commercial Use) | 12 ft | 20 sq ft | 10 ft (per dimension max) | — | 1 per lot | Per lot | — | Sec. 5-127.1(a)(7)a, 5-127.1(b)(1) |
| Wall Sign (Commercial Use) | — | 16 sq ft | 10 ft (per dimension max) | — | 2 per business occupancy per lot | — | — | Sec. 5-127.1(a)(7)b |

## Prohibited signs in Vestal

- Except as specifically allowed herein, all banners, pennants, spinners, feather flags, sandwich boards, tube man displays, sign twirlers, human directional, and strings of lights shall be prohibited.
- All advertising signs shall be prohibited anywhere within the town.
- No person shall post or affix any notice, poster or other device or paper calculated to attract the attention of the public to any lamppost, public utility pole or shade tree, or upon any public structure, building or right-of-way except as may be authorized or required by law.
- Any sign installed or placed on lampposts, utility poles, shade trees, public structures, buildings, or rights-of-way in violation shall be deemed illegal and subject to confiscation.
- No sign may be displayed without the consent of the legal owner of the property on which the sign is mounted or displayed, except as required by state law or permitted by this article.
- Projecting signs are prohibited.
- Signs on vehicles which do not qualify as legally approved vehicle signs are prohibited, including using any vehicle, trailer or other equipment primarily as a structure on which to display a sign.
- Blinking, flashing or animated signs which are visible from the nearest public thoroughfare or highway and that create a distraction by their animation, shall be prohibited.
- Except as specifically allowed in this article, no sign shall be a changeable sign, flashing sign or electronic message sign.
- No sign shall be actually in motion.
- No sign shall be environmentally activated.
- No sign shall be mechanically activated.
- No sign or recognized business flag shall be located on any vacant lot or vacant property, except as provided for sale/lease or by approval.
- No person shall place or erect a yard sign on any property owned by the federal government, State of New York, or school district, including rights-of-way.
- No yard sign shall be placed on overpass or underpass vehicular bridges or other bridges.
- No yard sign shall be placed on poles carrying utility lines, traffic signals, streetlights or telephone lines or on direction or traffic signs.
- No yard sign shall be erected or placed so as to obstruct or impair vision at any road intersection or driveway entrance/exit.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Not more than six (6) signs are permitted on any one (1) property, except as otherwise allowed (e.g., shopping plazas and permitted exceptions).
- Laser type lighting is not permitted for any illumination or for special effects advertising.
- Except for businesses approved for 24-hour service, ground sign lighting shall be turned off daily no later than midnight and not reenergized until 5:00 a.m.
- Signs are not permitted to be located on, above or around motor fuel dispensing equipment, except for permitted exceptions.

## Signs exempt from permit in Vestal

- A recognized flag of a nation, group, club, and/or association is permitted (with quantity and placement restrictions).
- Non-flashing lights and decorations displayed in connection with holidays and recognized celebrations are allowed without a permit.
- All signs created by or at the direction of the local, county, state or federal government are exempt from this article.
- Signs located on properties owned by the Vestal School District, occupied by school facilities, are exempt from this article.
- Signs adhered on or otherwise legally approved as a permanent part of a vehicle which is duly licensed for use on the highway and in actual use for transportation purposes, are exempt from this article.
- Signs located completely inside buildings are exempt from this article, except for blinking, flashing or animated signs visible from public thoroughfares that create a distraction.
- Yard signs do not require a sign permit.
- Permits are not required for signs offering property for sale or lease, flags, garage sale signs, building identification signs, and similar type signs as determined by the code enforcement officer.
- Replacing copy or changing the message on an approved changeable sign does not require a permit.
- Maintenance, cleaning and other normal repair of an existing permitted sign or sign structure does not require a permit, unless a structural change or permanent message change is made.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All properties altered, reconfigured or reconstructed to meet the shopping plaza definition and shopping plazas constructed after August 1, 2010 shall be required to submit to the planning board for review and approval, a proposal for typical type, size and style of signs for that shopping plaza.
- Planning Board approval of sign criteria and design is required for shopping plaza signs (see Sec. 5-132).
- For variances, applicant must submit information for Zoning Board of Appeals review; a public hearing may be required at board or official's discretion.
- Code enforcement official may refer any sign to the zoning board of appeals or planning board for review and recommendation regarding harmony, compatibility, neighborhood or environmental impact.
- Permit applications may require plans to be stamped by a NYS licensed design professional as mandated by the code enforcement official.
- All sign permits are conditioned upon the elimination of all nonconforming and illegal signs except as provided by section 5-114.

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

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