# Sign Regulations in Cumberland Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cumberland Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/cumberland-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31048511#31048511)

## At a glance

Cumberland Township, Pennsylvania regulates 16 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Off-site Directional Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 5 ft (freestanding) tall and 3 sq ft, with a Not less than 5 feet from property line setback (Sec. § 19-113.1.D.(1)). Most commercial signs in Cumberland Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 48 inches (if freestanding) | 40 sq ft | — |
| Non-Residential Zoning Districts | 2 | 15 ft at 15' setback, +1 ft per 2 ft additional setback, max 25 ft | 30 sq ft at building setback line, plus 1 sq ft per 3 ft additional setback, max 7.5% wall area | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts | 1 | 4 ft (if freestanding) | 2 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Development/Neighborhood Identification Sign | 48 inches (if freestanding) | 16 sq ft | — | — | 2 per development or neighborhood | On-site for development or neighborhood | — | § 19-113.1.A. |
| Multiple-family Development Identification Sign | 48 inches (if freestanding) | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-site; one per street frontage with vehicle access | — | § 19-113.1.B. |
| Religious/Quasi-public Institution Sign - Bulletin Board (Freestanding, Wall, or Suspended Wall) | 8 ft (if freestanding) | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per institution | On-site | — | § 19-113.1.C.(1) |
| Off-site Directional Sign | 5 ft (freestanding) | 3 sq ft | — | Not less than 5 feet from property line | 1 per intersection | Within 50 feet of intersection, up to 2 miles from site, not in right-of-way | — | § 19-113.1.D.(1) |
| On-site Real Estate Sign (Residential) | 5 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-site, one per street frontage | — | § 19-113.1.D.(2) |
| On-site Real Estate Sign (Non-Residential) | 8 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-site, one per street frontage | — | § 19-113.1.D.(2) |
| Civic Event Sign | 6 ft (if freestanding) | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On-site or other property with owner consent; one per lot | — | § 19-113.1.E.(2) |
| On-site Commercial Event Sign (Primary) | 6 ft (if freestanding) | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 primary, up to 2 secondary (max 3 per event) | On-site; temporary | — | § 19-113.1.E.(3) |

### Non-Residential Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign/Projecting/Window/Awning Sign | — | 30 sq ft at building setback line, plus 1 sq ft per 3 ft additional setback, max 7.5% wall area | — | — | Max two per 30 feet of building frontage | Attached to wall, facade, porch, awning, or window | — | § 19-109, § 19-110 |
| Freestanding Sign (non-residential) | 15 ft at 15' setback, +1 ft per 2 ft additional setback, max 25 ft | Max per sign: 12 sq ft at 15' setback, +1 sq ft/extra foot, max 50 sq ft; Max tract: as formula | — | 15 ft minimum, or equal to height if greater, from property/right-of-way line | 1 per street frontage | Not less than 15 ft from right-of-way/property line, not more than 200 ft from street right-of-way, not within 10-50 ft of intersection | — | § 19-111, § 19-112 |

### Residential Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Office Identification Sign (Wall, Suspended, or Freestanding) | 4 ft (if freestanding) | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per professional office | On the premises | — | § 19-114.1 |

## Prohibited signs in Cumberland Township

- Signs placed or painted on a vehicle or vehicle trailer and parked with the primary purpose of providing a sign for a business, use, event, or similar function.
- A sign that copies or imitates or in any way approximates an official highway sign or carries the words 'Stop,' 'Danger,' 'Go Slow,' 'Caution,' 'Warning,' or similar terms.
- Any sign in, or projecting into, a public right-of-way.
- A sign or illumination that causes any direct glare into or upon any building or street, other than the building to which the sign may be accessory.
- Abandoned signs, defined as those on-premises signs that advertise an activity, business, product, or service no longer conducted or available on the premises.
- Any sign advertising activities, services, products or uses not located, made, sold, used, or served on the premises displaying such sign.
- Billboards.
- Roof signs or signs on dormers or balconies.
- Strobe lights and signs containing strobe lights.
- Animated signs, defined as having moving parts or lighting that creates the illusion of moving parts, except those portions of a sign indicating time and/or temperature.
- Signs that emit smoke, visible vapors, particles, sound, or odors.
- Signs consisting of pennants, spinners, or streamers, or inflatable signs, except as short-term temporary on-site commercial event signs as permitted in this Part.
- Any sign that impairs, or causes confusion to, vehicular or pedestrian traffic in its design, color, or placement, as determined by the Police Department of Cumberland Township.
- Any sign mounted or attached to a tree or utility pole in the public right-of-way.
- Any sign located in a rear yard.
- Any sign that is not included under the types of signs permitted in specific district regulations or in this Part.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cumberland Township

- Signs inside a building, not visible from a right-of-way, private or public road, or other private property.
- Building street address numbers.
- Signs carved into or part of materials that are on an integral and permanent part of the building, noting the name of the building and its date of erection.
- Garage or yard sale signs no larger than four square feet, displayed for a maximum duration of 48 hours per year.
- Public and/or government signs, including traffic or similar regulatory devices.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with a commercial promotion.
- Non-illuminated warning, private drive, posted, or no trespassing signs, not exceeding four square feet per face.
- Temporary, non-illuminated 'For Sale,' 'For Rent,' real estate signs concerning the premises upon which the sign is located, subject to the provisions of § 19-113, Subsection 1D(2).
- Non-illuminated window signs and posters not exceeding 10% of the window surface.
- One temporary sign for a seasonal roadside stand selling agricultural produce grown on the premises, not exceeding four square feet in area, set back a minimum of 10 feet from any property line, and remaining only while the stand is in active use.
- Non-illuminated, on-premises directional signs for the convenience of the general public (identifying parking areas, fire zones, entrances/exits), not exceeding four square feet per face and no more than six feet above the ground.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign may be erected unless it conforms with the regulations of this Part. Sign permits must be approved prior to erection of the sign (applies to all but exempted signs).
- Permit Required: Except for exempt signs and routine maintenance not altering certain elements, a sign permit is required before erection, alteration, or relocation.
- Permit applications must include a site plan showing all structures and the exact location of the proposed sign, as well as plans and specifications, including dimensions, materials, color, weight, and attachment method.
- Sign(s) shall be considered a site plan and architectural feature of the proposed development, and as such, should be coordinated and shall be shown on drawings and considered in conjunction with uses where land development approval is required (19-107.4).

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Cumberland Township, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Cumberland+Township+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-cumberland-township

---

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