# Sign Regulations in Bristol, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Bristol, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/bristol
- **Data last verified:** 2025-11-20
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31428545#31428545)

## At a glance

Bristol, Pennsylvania regulates 20 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Town Center District (TC), Neighborhood Commercial District (NC), General Commercial District (GC), Highway Commercial East District (HC-2), Mixed Use (MX) zoning district are capped at 16 feet tall and 24 square feet, with a ≥10 feet from any lot line setback (Sec. Table 27-6-A, B, C; § 27-602.1A, 1B(1); § 27-604.3; § 27-606; § 27-607; § 27-609.1A). Most commercial signs in Bristol 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 | 9 | — | 200 square inches | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3) and Conservation District (C) | 3 | 12 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Town Center District (TC), Neighborhood Commercial District (NC), General Commercial District (GC), Highway Commercial East District (HC-2), Mixed Use (MX) | 6 | 16 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Light Industrial District (LI), Intermediate Industrial District (II), Heavy Industrial District (HI), Highway Commercial West District (HC-1) | 8 | 20 feet | 200 square feet per side (400 total for back-to-back or V-shaped ≤45° angle) | — |
| Historical District (H) | 6 | 16 feet | 24 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 - Real Estate | — | No maximum specified (permit required if >6 sq ft) | — | Not within street right-of-way | — | Within property lines, not obstructing vision or traffic | — | § 27-602.1C(1) |
| Temporary Sign - Construction | — | No maximum specified (permit required if >6 sq ft) | — | Not within street right-of-way | 1 per street frontage per entity | On construction site, one per street frontage per developer/contractor/etc. | — | § 27-602.1C(2) |
| Temporary Sign - Public Event | — | — | — | Not within street right-of-way | — | On premises | — | § 27-602.1C(3) |
| Temporary Sign - Political | — | 32 per side | — | Not within street right-of-way | — | On premises or off as permitted | — | § 27-602.1C(4) |
| Temporary Sign - Garage Sale | — | 4 (2 ft by 2 ft) | 2 ft | Not within street right-of-way | — | On premises only | — | § 27-602.1C(5) |
| Temporary Sign - Special Event | — | No maximum specified (permit required if >6 sq ft) | — | Not within street right-of-way | — | On premises | — | § 27-602.1D |
| Temporary Window Sign | — | 75% of window area | — | — | — | Attached to or visible through window | — | § 27-602.1E |
| Off-Premises Sign - Nonprofit Event Directional | — | 50 | — | Not within street right-of-way | — | Directing to temporary exhibits, shows, events by nonprofit | — | § 27-602.2B(2) |

### Town Center District (TC), Neighborhood Commercial District (NC), General Commercial District (GC), Highway Commercial East District (HC-2), Mixed Use (MX)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 16 feet | 24 square feet | — | ≥10 feet from any lot line | 1 per street frontage (max 2 if ≥2 principal buildings on lot) | On premises, permanently anchored to ground, independent of building, ≥10 ft from lot line | — | Table 27-6-A, B, C; § 27-602.1A, 1B(1); § 27-604.3; § 27-606; § 27-607; § 27-609.1A |
| Parallel Sign | 12 feet | 24 square feet (total for all parallel signs) | — | — | — | Attached to or part of building facade, ≤14 inches extension from facade | — | Table 27-6-B, C; § 27-601.2B; § 27-604.2; § 27-606; § 27-607 |
| Projecting Sign | 12 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 | Attached to building facade, extends >14 inches but ≤4 feet from facade | — | Table 27-6-A, B, C; § 27-604.2; § 27-606; § 27-607 |
| Window Sign | 3 feet | — | — | — | — | Ground floor/first story window on main door side or facing street/parking | — | Table 27-6-B, C; § 27-601.2A(9); § 27-604.2; § 27-606; § 27-607 |
| A-Frame Sign | 3.5 feet | 8 square feet | — | ≥7 feet from curbline | 1 (only if total signs ≤ maximum permitted) | ≥7 feet from curbline | — | Table 27-6-A, B, C; § 27-601.2A(10); § 27-604.4; § 27-607.3; § 27-606 |
| Freestanding Sign - Planned Development | — | 50 square feet | — | ≥10 feet from lot line | 1 per road frontage | Along each road fronting the development | — | § 27-602.1B(1); Table 27-6-C (height as freestanding) |

### Light Industrial District (LI), Intermediate Industrial District (II), Heavy Industrial District (HI), Highway Commercial West District (HC-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet | — | — | ≥10 feet from any lot line | 1 per street frontage (max 2 if ≥2 principal buildings on lot) | On premises, permanently anchored to ground, independent of building, ≥10 ft from lot line | — | Table 27-6-A, B, C; § 27-602.1A, 1B(1); § 27-604.3; § 27-606; § 27-607; § 27-609.1A |
| Parallel Sign | 14 feet | — | — | — | — | Attached to or part of building facade, ≤14 inches extension from facade | — | Table 27-6-B, C; § 27-601.2B; § 27-604.2; § 27-606; § 27-607 |
| Projecting Sign | 14 feet | — | — | — | 1 | Attached to building facade, extends >14 inches but ≤4 feet from facade | — | Table 27-6-A, B, C; § 27-604.2; § 27-606; § 27-607 |
| Window Sign | 3 feet | — | — | — | — | Ground floor/first story window on main door side or facing street/parking | — | Table 27-6-B, C; § 27-601.2A(9); § 27-604.2; § 27-606; § 27-607 |
| A-Frame Sign | 3.5 feet | 8 square feet | — | ≥7 feet from curbline | 1 (only if total signs ≤ maximum permitted) | ≥7 feet from curbline | — | Table 27-6-A, B, C; § 27-601.2A(10); § 27-604.4; § 27-607.3; § 27-606 |
| Billboard | — | 200 square feet per side (400 total for back-to-back or V-shaped ≤45° angle) | — | ≥20 feet from street right-of-way; ≥50 feet from residential districts; ≥500 feet from Historic District | — | Only in HC-1 District; independent upright anchored to ground | — | § 27-602.2A; Table 27-6-C (height as freestanding 20 ft) |
| Electronic Message Board Sign | — | ≤75% of maximum area for the sign type it replaces in HC-1 | — | ≥20 feet from street right-of-way; ≥50 feet from residential districts | — | Only in HC-1 District; part of allowed on-premises sign (e.g., freestanding, parallel); setback ≥20 ft from street ROW; ≥50 ft from R-1/R-1A/R-2/R-3 districts; spaced ≥500 ft from other EMB or billboard same side | — | § 27-601.2A(11); § 27-607.4B |
| Freestanding Sign - Industrial Park | — | 50 square feet | — | ≥10 feet from lot line | 1 per road frontage | Along each road fronting the development | — | § 27-602.1B(1); Table 27-6-C (height as freestanding) |

## Prohibited signs in Bristol

- Banners, flags, pennants or any moving object (whether containing a message or not), except for use during not more than one special occasion in one calendar year by a use located in the TC, NC, GC, HC-1, and HC-2 districts for a period of not more than a total of 10 days per calendar year.
- Any sign which states that a property may be used for a non-permitted use.
- Any sign which flashes, rotates, revolves or oscillates, with the exception of barber poles.
- Any novelty sign, including, but not limited to, an object (e.g., tire, automobile, food product, etc.), except that novelty signs may be permitted in the Historic District provided that the applicant demonstrates to the HARB's satisfaction that such proposed novelty sign has qualities reflective of novelty signs utilized in this region historically.
- Any roof sign, i.e., any sign placed above the roof line of a flat roof or the lowest point of eaves of a sloping and mansard roof.
- Any sign placed or maintained in such a manner as to interfere with any electric light, power, telephone or cable wires or the supports thereof.
- Any sign which imitates any official traffic sign, signal or device.
- Any sign which interferes with an official highway sign.
- Any sign nailed or in any way attached to a tree or utility pole.
- Any vehicle or trailer which is parked on a public right-of-way or on public or private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way, which has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business or activity located on the same property or on another property.
- No sign shall be allowed within street right-of-way lines (except those of the government body which owns such right-of-way and public events temporary signs in the TC District), unless specifically authorized by another Borough ordinance or Commonwealth of Pennsylvania law or regulation.
- No sign shall be so located or arranged that it interferes with traffic through glare, through blocking of reasonable sight lines for streets, sidewalks or driveways, through confusion with a traffic control device (by reason of color, location, shape or other characteristic), or through any other means.
- No portion of any freestanding sign shall be located closer than 10 feet from any lot line. Freestanding signs shall be prohibited on a property where this requirement cannot be met.
- All A-frame signs shall be located a minimum of seven feet from the curbline and shall be put in at night.
- A-frame signs may not be illuminated.
- Flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated or moving signs of any type are prohibited except portions of signs which indicate time and temperature changes and electronic message board signs subject to specific requirements.

## Signs exempt from permit in Bristol

- Any sign specifically authorized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania laws or regulations.
- Signs applied to the door or window giving the store hours or the name or names of credit or charge institutions shall be exempt from the regulations of this chapter when the total area of all such signs does not exceed two square feet.
- Signs not exceeding one square foot in area and bearing only street numbers, post box numbers or names of the principal occupants of the premises.
- Directional, information or public service signs such as those advertising the availability of rest rooms, telephones or similar public conveniences provided such signs do not exceed four square feet in area.
- Signs required to be maintained or posted by law or governmental order, rule or regulation, unless specifically prohibited, limited or restricted.
- Flags or emblems of political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organizations.
- Traffic control and guidance signs, erected and maintained in the interest of public safety or for the regulation of traffic.
- Labels identifying the source, brand name or manufacturer of merchandise exhibited for sale.
- Signs indicating only the date of erection of a building and having an area not exceeding four square feet.
- Trespassing signs or signs indicating the private nature of a road, driveway, or premises, and signs prohibiting or otherwise controlling the fishing and hunting upon a particular premise may be erected and maintained providing the size of any such sign shall not exceed two square feet per side.
- Interior signs, which are signs placed within a building and are placed more than 12 inches from the interior surface of a window or door.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/bristol