# Sign Regulations in Bath Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Bath Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/bath-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/32937995#32937995)

## At a glance

Bath Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 19 sign types across 11 zoning districts. Wall Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at No flat wall sign shall be erected upon the roof of a building or extended above the height of the building. tall and See zone-specific limits (e.g., 6 sq ft in R-1, 24 sq ft in C-N, etc.), with a N/A except as listed in zone specific schedules. setback (Sec. § 675-128A, § 675-130B, § 675-135B, D, C). Most commercial signs in Bath Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (11 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 15 | Must comply with wall sign height limits in § 675-135 | 360 sq ft per face, 1 panel, 2 faces per structure. | — |
| R-1, R-2, R-3 | 2 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| C-N | 2 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| C-H1, C-H2 | 2 | — | 55 sq ft | — |
| M-C, M-C2 | 2 | — | 75 sq ft | — |
| CH-2 Commercial Highway with Limited Residential Use | 2 | See § 675-135 height for wall signs. | 360 sq ft per face (1 panel, 2 faces per structure) | — |
| M-C Manufacturing Commercial Zone | 2 | See § 675-135 height for wall signs. | 360 sq ft per face (1 panel, 2 faces per structure) | — |
| Commercial class zoning district, Manufacturing class zoning district, Nonresidential districts | 4 | 4 ft above grade | Up to 30% of window area (if surpassing, becomes wall sign for calculation, not exceeding 50%) | — |
| Residential zoning district | 1 | — | — | — |
| Historic district | 1 | — | — | — |
| Industrial or office park | 1 | — | 100 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 11 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | No flat wall sign shall be erected upon the roof of a building or extended above the height of the building. | See zone-specific limits (e.g., 6 sq ft in R-1, 24 sq ft in C-N, etc.) | — | N/A except as listed in zone specific schedules. | Subject to Schedule of Sign Regulations per district. | Attached to a building face. | — | § 675-128A, § 675-130B, § 675-135B, D, C |
| Freestanding Sign | — | See zone-specific limits (e.g., 6 sq ft in R-1, 32 sq ft in C-N, etc.) | — | See Schedule of Sign Regulations (10 ft, 20 ft, etc. by zone) | Subject to Schedule of Sign Regulations per district. | On-site, see setbacks per district. | — | § 675-128A, § 675-130A, § 675-135C, D(2) |
| Sandwich Board Sign (Portable Freestanding Business ID Sign) | 4 feet above average grade | 8 sq ft per side | 2 feet | — | 1 per premises | On premises, commercial or manufacturing class district only; not to obstruct public sidewalk per § 675-135. | — | § 675-128C(10) |
| Open/Closed/Hrs Sign | — | 2 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | — | 1 per premises | Attached to side of building with nonresidential entrance. | — | § 675-128C(9) |
| Sale or Rental Sign | 4 ft above floor (if mounted to structure) or 4 ft above average grade | 6 sq ft per face (1-2 faces) | — | — | 1 per street fronted by premises | On premises. | — | § 675-128C(11) |
| Contractor/Service Sign | 4 ft above floor (if mounted to structure) or 4 ft above average grade | 6 sq ft per face (1-2 faces) | — | — | 1 per street fronted by premises | On premises where work is being performed (not the contractor's place of business). | — | § 675-128C(12) |
| Billboard | 35 feet above ground level (top); bottom high enough for sight lines as determined by Zoning Officer. | 360 sq ft per face, 1 panel, 2 faces per structure. | — | 35 ft from any street, 300 ft from residential use or district, 100 ft from any building or structure (except 600 ft between billboards) | 1 per lot | Front yard, not in side or rear yard; not on utility easement or buildings. | — | § 675-133C |
| Advertising Sign | Must comply with wall sign height limits in § 675-135 | 32 sq ft | — | 35 ft from streets, 150 ft from intersections and buildings, 300 ft from residential, 600 ft from other advertising signs. | 1 per lot | Attached to exterior wall that complies with required setbacks. | — | § 675-133B |

### CH-2 Commercial Highway with Limited Residential Use

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Advertising Sign | See § 675-135 height for wall signs. | 32 sq ft | — | 35 ft from street, 150 ft from intersections and buildings, 300 ft from residential, 600 ft from other advertising signs. | 1 per lot | Exterior wall, with building meeting required setbacks. | — | § 675-133B |
| Billboard | Max 35 ft above ground (top). Bottom must allow adequate sight lines. | 360 sq ft per face (1 panel, 2 faces per structure) | — | 35 ft street, 300 ft residential, 100 ft building, 600 ft other billboards. | 1 per lot | Front yard only; not on building, easement, or side/rear yard; not parallel or <45° to street. | — | § 675-133C |

### Commercial class zoning district, Manufacturing class zoning district, Nonresidential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sandwich Board Sign (Portable Freestanding Business ID Sign) | 4 ft above grade | 8 sq ft per side | 2 ft | — | 1 per premises | On premises, not to obstruct walks. | — | § 675-128C(10) |
| Window Sign | — | Up to 30% of window area (if surpassing, becomes wall sign for calculation, not exceeding 50%) | — | — | — | On windowpane, only for nonresidential uses. | — | § 675-128C(13), § 675-130C |
| Open/Closed/Hrs Sign | — | 2 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 | Attached to building wall with nonresidential entrance. | — | § 675-128C(9) |
| Temporary Device (New business/special occasion) | — | — | — | — | 1 per street frontage (twice/year) | — | — | § 675-137A(1) |

## Prohibited signs in Bath Borough

- Signs which make use of words such as 'stop,' 'look,' 'one-way,' 'danger,' 'yield,' or any similar words, phrases, symbols, lights, or characters, in such manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.
- Signs of which all or any part is in motion by any means, including fluttering, rotating, revolving or other motion devices.
- Any sign displaying activities which constitute violation of 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 5903, as amended, relating to display, sale, lending, distribution or exhibition of obscene or other sexual materials are prohibited in every zoning district.
- Signs that contain the property owner's personal expression or belief which individually exceed four square feet in area.
- Signs displayed in a residential area for a fee or any commercial advertisements on residential property not otherwise permitted under this section.
- Signs that are determined to be a nuisance, including those which create safety or traffic hazards to motorists, pedestrians, or children by distracting people or obstructing someone's view or movement, impair the value of the surrounding properties, or are in disrepair that endangers the public.
- Signs prohibited must be removed at the owner's expense within 10 days after notice from the Zoning Officer, or will otherwise be removed by the Borough with cost billed to the owner.
- No sign shall be so located or arranged that it interferes with traffic through glare, blocking sight lines for streets, sidewalks, or driveways, confusion with a traffic control device by color, location, shape, or other characteristics, or other means.
- No flat wall sign shall be erected upon the roof of a building or extended above the height of the building.
- Willfully or maliciously destroying, removing, defacing, obliterating, or covering up any lamp, warning sign, or barricade erected by authorities or permitted persons on public property as a warning of danger is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Bath Borough

- Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, names of occupants of premises, or other identification of premises not having commercial connotations.
- No-trespassing signs and other signs indicating the private nature of a road, driveway or premises, which do not exceed two square feet in area.
- Flags and insignia of any government except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- Legal notices; identification, informational or directional signs erected or required by governmental bodies; official traffic signs and signals; other state, county, school district or municipal government signs.
- Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.
- Nonilluminated signs, not exceeding six square feet in area and bearing no advertising matter, which direct and guide traffic and parking on private property.
- Nonilluminated signs, not exceeding six square feet in area, which give information on location of such things as restrooms, telephones, offices, or the functional subdivision of the premises.
- Signs which do not individually exceed four square feet in area and bear only the property owner's noncommercial personal expression or belief.
- Signs indicating that the nonresidential use of the premises is either open or closed and the hours of operation, provided that such signs meet detailed conditions: allowed in certain zones or for permitted home occupations; may be illuminated but not flashing, blinking, or strobing; illuminated only during hours of operation; may not move; max two faces, max two square feet per face; attached at business entrance; only one such sign per premises.
- A two-sided, portable, freestanding, self-supported, business identification sign meeting detailed restrictions: only for nonresidential uses in certain zones; not illuminated or with moving parts; max eight square feet per side, height four feet, width two feet; only during hours of operation; not to obstruct sidewalk; only one per premises.
- A one- or two-sided sign advertising sale or rental of the premises, meeting specific restrictions: not illuminated or moving; max six square feet per side; max four feet in height; not on sidewalk; must be removed within 10 days of sale or lease; one per street frontage.
- A one- or two-sided sign listing contractors, consultants, mechanics or artisans performing work on the premises, meeting specific restrictions: not illuminated or moving; max six square feet per side; max four feet in height; not on sidewalk; removed within 10 days of completion; one per street frontage.
- Window signs for nonresidential use in certain zones, not illuminated or moving, and not exceeding 30% of window area.
- Historical markers authorized by HARB and erected in accordance with requirements established for historic markers by HARB (such markers are not considered as signs).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A zoning permit is required for all business identification signs, advertising signs, temporary signs, and announcement or professional signs which will be seen off the premises on which the sign is located before erection or replacement, except for those signs explicitly exempted in the ordinance.
- No permit shall be required for normal maintenance of existing signs.
- No additional mention in the provided text of a master sign plan, sign plan, or required variance meeting for signage.

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

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