# Sign Regulations in Canton Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Canton Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/canton-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31882489#31882489)

## At a glance

Canton Township, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial Districts, C-2, C-3 zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and 120 sq ft per side (240 sq ft total all sides), with a Meet yard requirements except as in § 19-103.6 setback (Sec. § 19-106.4B-D (C-2), § 19-106.5B-D (C-3)). Most commercial signs in Canton Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | — | 40% of background | — |
| Residential Districts, Agricultural Districts, R-1, R-2, R1-2A | 7 | 8 ft | 40 sq ft per side (80 sq ft total, both sides) | — |
| R-3 | 2 | 6 ft | 25 sq ft per side (50 sq ft total) | — |
| Commercial Districts, C-1 | 2 | 6 ft | 25 sq ft per side (50 sq ft total all sides) | — |
| Commercial Districts, C-2, C-3 | 3 | 20 ft | 120 sq ft per side (240 sq ft total all sides) | — |
| Industrial Districts, M1, M2 | 3 | 20 ft | 120 sq ft per side (240 sq ft total all sides) | — |
| Mixed Use District (MU) | 3 | 6 ft | 100 sq ft (total all sides) | — |
| Highway Corridor (C-3 parcels only) | 3 | 50 ft | 700 sq ft (not to exceed 10% of wall area fronting street), may increase to 900 sq ft with bonus | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Animated Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 19-103.2; § 19-108.3A |
| Roof Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 19-103.2, § 19-103.10; § 19-108.3J |
| Marquee Sign | — | 40% of background | — | — | — | On, attached to, or constructed in a marquee. | — | § 19-103.3 |
| Canopy Sign | — | 40% of background | — | — | — | On, attached to, or constructed in, on, or under a canopy or marquee. | — | § 19-103.4 |
| Wall Sign | — | 10% of building facade or 4 sq ft/lineal ft of elevation (whichever is greater) | — | — | — | Affixed to an exterior wall of a building; projects not more than 18 inches and does not extend above the parapet/eaves/building facade. | — | § 19-103.5 |
| Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | 12 ft (may be 0 at right-of-way); 8 ft clearance or max 3 ft within 30 ft of intersection/15 ft of driveway; 25 ft from Residential District line | — | — | — | § 19-103.6 |
| Ground Sign | — | — | — | See Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | § 19-103.6 |
| Trailer, Mobile Mounted, Banner, Balloon Sign (Temporary) | — | — | — | — | Max 5 per parcel per year | Front yard setback if not within 15 feet of intersecting street or driveway. | — | § 19-103.15 |

### Residential Districts, Agricultural Districts, R-1, R-2, R1-2A

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot; 2 on corner lots | Temporarily located on the premises being advertised. | — | § 19-106.1A |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot; 2 on corner lots | On-premises | — | § 19-106.1B |
| Subdivision Identification Sign | 8 ft | 40 sq ft per side (80 sq ft total, both sides) | — | — | 1 per subdivision entrance | At entrance to subdivision of five or more lots. | — | § 19-106.1D |
| Bulletin Board (Religious Institution) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 19-106.1E |
| Memorial Signs | — | — | — | — | — | Cut into masonry or affixed flat on building. | — | § 19-106.1F |
| Official Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 19-106.1G |
| Agricultural Sign | 8 ft | 16 sq ft per side (32 sq ft total) | — | — | 2 per farm | On agricultural premises | — | § 19-106.1H |

### Commercial Districts, C-2, C-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 120 sq ft per side (240 sq ft total all sides) | — | Meet yard requirements except as in § 19-103.6 | 1 per zoning parcel, 2 if over 200 ft frontage with second at least 200 ft from first | Per zoning parcel; not less than 200 ft from other freestanding or ground sign on same lot if 2nd sign installed as permitted. | — | § 19-106.4B-D (C-2), § 19-106.5B-D (C-3) |
| Ground Sign | 8 ft | 120 sq ft per side (240 sq ft total all sides) | — | Meet yard requirements except as in § 19-103.6 | 1 per zoning parcel, 2 if over 200 ft frontage with second at least 200 ft from first | — | — | § 19-106.4B-D (C-2), § 19-106.5B-D (C-3) |
| Wall Sign | — | 10% of surface area of front face or 500 sq ft (whichever is less) | — | — | No explicit max (limited by square footage per business/tenant space) | Any wall face, calculated per wall. | — | § 19-106.4E, § 19-106.5E, § 19-107.1A |

## Prohibited signs in Canton Township

- Animated signs and roof signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- No sign requiring a permit may be attached to any fence.
- All roof signs are prohibited.
- No sign shall be suspended by chains or other devices that will allow the sign to swing due to wind action.
- The use of cables or wires to suspend signs is prohibited.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, construct, enlarge, allow an illegal sign to remain, or structurally modify a sign without first obtaining a sign permit for each such sign, as required by this Part.
- All off-premise poster panel and painted bulletin signs are prohibited in the Township regardless of the nature, size and location, except as provided herein.
- Defacing, removing, or altering the position of a Township or public sign is a violation.
- No off-premise signs are permitted within 500 feet of a residential district.
- No off-premise signs may be more than 50 feet in height.
- No off-premise signs shall be greater than 700 square feet per side, 1,400 square feet total of all sides combined; off-premise signs are limited to no more than two sides.
- No off-premise sign shall project over the right-of-way of any highway or roadway.
- No off-premise sign may be located within the front yard or corner side yard setback of any zoning district, unless it meets specific requirements.
- No off-premise advertising signs are allowed to be placed on the roof of an existing building.

## Signs exempt from permit in Canton Township

- Permits are not required for a change of copy on any sign, nor for the repainting, cleaning, and other normal maintenance and repair of the sign and sign structure.
- Construction signs: Two per construction site, not exceeding 100 sq ft each, confined to the site, removed 30 days after completion or prior to occupancy.
- Directional and instructional nonelectric signs, on the property they pertain to, not exceeding 8 sq ft each, not advertising a business.
- Nonilluminated emblems or insignia of any nation or political subdivision, profit or nonprofit organization.
- Government signs for control of traffic, regulatory purposes, danger, and public utilities, erected by order of a public officer in performance of duty.
- House numbers and name plates not exceeding 2 sq ft in area for each building.
- Interior signs within a building, not visible from the public right-of-way (subject to structural/electrical/material specs).
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings, date of erection as part of building or built of bronze/noncombustible material, not more than 4 sq ft.
- No trespassing or no dumping signs not to exceed 1.5 sq ft per sign.
- Official notices posted by public officers or employers in the performance of their duties.
- Public signs as authorized for a public purpose by law, statute, or ordinance.
- Real estate signs: One per lot/parcel, within property, not directly illuminated, with specific size and removal requirements by district.
- Temporary window signs in business, commercial, and industrial districts, on inside surface of ground floor windows, not exceeding 50% of window area.
- On-premise symbols or insignia: Religious symbols, commemorative plaques, or identification emblems of recognized historic/religious orders/agencies.
- Temporary signs for civic, philanthropic, educational, or religious organization events: posted max 30 days before, removed within 5 days after, size limits by street type.
- Temporary signs for rummage/yard sales, not larger than 8 sq ft, erected no more than 2 days before and removed no later than the day after.
- Vehicular signs on vehicles operating in the normal course of business, not primarily displaying signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permits are required for the erection, construction, enlargement, or structural modification of a sign except where expressly exempted.
- Application for a permit must be filed with the Code Enforcement and Zoning Officer; applicant must provide all required information.
- Permit fees must be paid as determined by the Township schedule.
- No master sign plan or similar comprehensive sign plan requirement is explicitly mentioned in this text.
- Variance or special exception processes are only referenced for off-premise signs (requiring conditional use permit).

## 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 8 zoning districts in Canton Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Canton+Township+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-canton-township

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