# Sign Regulations in Albion Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Albion Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/albion-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/36550553#36550553)

## At a glance

Albion Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 24 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Residential Property/Home Occupation/Bed-and-Breakfast)s in the R-1, Residential District; R-2, Residential District zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall and 6 square feet, with a 5 feet (if 32 sq ft or less), 10 feet (if >32 sq ft), or 10 feet if adjacent to residential property (§520-905B) setback (Sec. §520-908). Most commercial signs in Albion Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | See applicable height requirements for permanent signs per sign type (freestanding/building signs) (§520-910D) | 5 square feet | — |
| R-1, Residential District; R-2, Residential District | 8 | 6 feet | 36 square feet (cumulative, all temporary signs per establishment) | — |
| B-1, Business District; B-2, Business District | 5 | 24 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| C-B, Central Business District | 4 | 12 feet | 24 square feet | — |
| REC, Public Recreation District | 3 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | See applicable height requirements for permanent signs per sign type (freestanding/building signs) (§520-910D) | — | — | See permanent sign setback requirements (§520-910D, §520-908B, §520-909D) | — | — | — | §520-904A, §520-910 |
| Address Sign (Residential Districts) | — | 2 square feet | — | — | Up to 2 per premises | On premises | — | §520-904B(4)(a) |
| Address Sign (Nonresidential Districts) | — | 5 square feet | — | — | Up to 2 per premises | On premises | — | §520-904B(4)(b) |
| Directional Sign | 5 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | §520-904B(10) |
| Memorial/Monument/Historical Sign | — | 3 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | §520-904B(7) |
| Official Traffic Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Public right-of-way | — | §520-904B(1), §520-907 |
| Government/Regulatory/Public Signs | — | — | — | — | — | As required | — | §520-904B(2), (5); §520-907; §463-2 |
| Vending Machine Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On vending machine | — | §520-904B(11) |

### R-1, Residential District; R-2, Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Property/Home Occupation/Bed-and-Breakfast) | 4 feet | 6 square feet | — | 5 feet (if 32 sq ft or less), 10 feet (if >32 sq ft), or 10 feet if adjacent to residential property (§520-905B) | 1 per lot | On lot | — | §520-908 |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Subdivisions, Large Apartment/Condo/Mobile Home Parks) | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet (if 32 sq ft or less) | 1 per street entrance | At each street entrance | — | §520-908 |
| Freestanding Sign (Permitted Nonresidential Uses) | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet (if 32 sq ft) or 10 feet if adjacent to residential property | 1 per street frontage | At each street frontage | — | §520-908 |
| Building Sign (Single Family/Home Occupation/Bed-and-Breakfast/B-1 use in district) | At or below eave line or bottom of second story window sill, whichever is lower | 4 square feet per dwelling unit | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit | On building | — | §520-909 |
| Building Sign (Apartment Complexes/Multifamily/Assisted Living) | At or below eave line or bottom of second story window sill, whichever is lower | see formula | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | §520-909 |
| Building Sign (Permitted Nonresidential Uses) | At or below eave line or bottom of second story window sill, whichever is lower | see formula | — | — | Unlimited | On building | — | §520-909 |
| Temporary Sign (Residential Use) | See freestanding/building sign limit | 24 square feet (cumulative, all temporary signs per dwelling unit) | — | Same as permanent signs (§520-910D, §520-908, §520-909) | — | On premises | — | §520-910A |
| Temporary Sign (Nonresidential Uses) | See freestanding/building sign limit | 36 square feet (cumulative, all temporary signs per establishment) | — | Same as permanent signs | — | On premises | — | §520-910B |

### B-1, Business District; B-2, Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 24 feet | 100 square feet | — | 5 feet (if 32 sq ft or less), 10 feet (if >32 sq ft), 10 feet if adjacent to residential property | 1 per street frontage | At each street frontage | — | §520-908 |
| Building Sign | At or below eave line or bottom of second story window sill, whichever is lower (B-1); eave line of the building (B-2) | see formula | — | — | Unlimited | On building | — | §520-909 |
| Temporary Sign | See permanent sign limits | Unlimited (cumulative area) | — | Same as permanent signs | — | On premises | — | §520-910C |
| Billboard (B-2 only) | 24 feet (not exceeding 30 ft if special exception) | 100 square feet | — | Height of sign or 15 ft (whichever greater) from ROW. 25 ft from any property line. | 1 per lot | Not closer to ROW than the greater of the height of the billboard or 15 feet; not closer than 25 feet to property line; not on utility pipeline or sewer ROW | — | §520-911 |
| Digital Display / Message Center Sign | — | Subject to general sign area limits | — | — | — | Permitted location for sign type in C-B, B-1, B-2 | — | §520-905E(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Albion Borough

- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Signs erected in a public right-of-way or on public land, other than those approved by the municipality or required by law, are prohibited.
- Any signs that imitate, resemble, interfere with, or obstruct official traffic lights, signs, or signals are prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, or traffic on a street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
- Signs must be structurally safe, erected or installed in accordance with the PA Uniform Construction Code, and maintained in good condition and safe repair at all times so that all sign information is clearly legible.
- All signs must comply with required setbacks from property lines as set forth in § 520-905B.
- No sign shall cause glare hazardous or distracting to pedestrians, vehicle drivers, or adjacent properties.
- Posting or placing any sign on any post or pole used for traffic signs or signals is prohibited.
- Posting or placing any sign on the surface of any street, curb, or sidewalk is prohibited.
- Posting or placing any sign anywhere on private property without the permission of the owner or occupant is prohibited.
- Upon conclusion of the time stated in the permit for a holding of a sale, the permit holder must remove all related notices, advertisements, and directional signs not previously removed.

## Signs exempt from permit in Albion Borough

- Temporary signs are permitted in all districts and do not require a zoning permit, except as otherwise regulated.
- Official traffic signs do not require a zoning permit.
- Government/regulatory signs do not require a zoning permit.
- Signs inside a building or other enclosed facility that are not meant to be viewed from the outside do not require a zoning permit.
- Up to two address signs (without commercial advertising), with area limitations per district, do not require a zoning permit.
- Public signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities, including traffic, utility, safety, railroad crossing, and identification or directional signs for public facilities, do not require a zoning permit.
- Security and warning signs do not require a zoning permit.
- Memorial signs, public monument or historical identification signs, including plaque signs up to three square feet in area, do not require a zoning permit.
- Signs which are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, such as a cornerstone or identifying letters carved into or embossed on a building (provided they are not reflective and do not contrast in color), do not require a zoning permit.
- Incidental signs, including incidental window signs, do not require a zoning permit.
- Directional signs (not containing commercial messaging, not exceeding four square feet in area, a maximum height of five feet, and nonilluminated) do not require a zoning permit.
- Vending machine signs do not require a zoning permit.
- Art and murals that do not contain commercial messaging do not require a zoning permit.
- Flags that do not contain commercial messaging do not require a zoning permit.
- Signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities, including government/regulatory signs, official traffic signs, public signs, legal notices and other signs required by law, are exempt from the regulations of this chapter.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Plans for billboards must be certified by a licensed engineer registered in Pennsylvania and include the location of the proposed sign on the lot with required setbacks, the location of sewer rights-of-way or pipelines as applicable, and certification under seal that the billboard is designed in accordance with all laws, codes, and professional standards.
- Plans for billboards must be constructed and maintained in compliance with applicable codes and industry standards.
- Permanent, freestanding, and building signs are subject to requirements identified in the ordinance and may require approval or special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board for exceptions.
- Any proposal for digital display or message center signs outside designated districts (C-B, B-1, B-2) requires a special exception granted by the Zoning Hearing Board.
- If a property submits a subdivision or land development application or undergoes a change of land use requiring a use certificate, all permanent signs and sign structures must be brought into conformance with sign regulations (which may imply review of existing signage as part of the plan).

## 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 Albion Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Albion+Borough+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-albion-borough

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