# Sign Regulations in Doylestown, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Doylestown, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/doylestown
- **Data last verified:** 2025-01-15
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/16054685)

## At a glance

Doylestown, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Billboard Signs in the FC, CI, PI, CR-H zoning district are capped at 35 feet tall and 250 square feet, with a Minimum setback from street line of 50 feet setback (Sec. ¤ 709.5). Most commercial signs in Doylestown require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CR, O, R1, R2, R2-A, R3, TND-1, TND-2 | 12 | — | 150 square inches | Yes |
| Historical District | 12 | — | 150 square inches | Yes |
| RC, RC-1, CC Commercial Districts | 4 | 14 feet (Retail), 8 feet (Central Commercial) | 20 square feet (Retail), 16 square feet (Central Commercial) | Yes |
| FC, CI, PI, CR-H | 7 | 35 feet | 250 square feet | Yes |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 100 square feet total for all signs on one frontage | Yes |

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

### CR, O, R1, R2, R2-A, R3, TND-1, TND-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonilluminated Sign for Sale of Agricultural Produce | — | 8 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.1 |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | Not specified | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.2 |
| Name and Address Sign | — | 150 square inches | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.4 |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 1.5 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.5 |
| Directory Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.6 |
| Nonconforming Use Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.7 |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.8 |
| Development Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.9 |

### Historical District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonilluminated Sign for Sale of Agricultural Produce | — | 8 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.1 |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | Not specified | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.2 |
| Name and Address Sign | — | 150 square inches | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.4 |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 1.5 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.5 |
| Directory Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.6 |
| Nonconforming Use Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.7 |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.8 |
| Development Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.9 |

### FC, CI, PI, CR-H

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Parallel Business Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | Not specified | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 713.2 |
| Freestanding Business Sign | 14 feet | 60 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 713.3 |
| Name and Address Sign | — | 150 square inches | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.4 |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 1.5 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.5 |
| Nonresidential Directory Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 708.6 |
| Billboard Sign | 35 feet | 250 square feet | — | Minimum setback from street line of 50 feet | One per lot | Off-premises | Yes | ¤ 709.5 |
| Parallel Sign | — | 1.5 square feet per foot of building wall length or 50 square feet, whichever is less | — | — | Not specified | On-premises | Yes | ¤ 713.2 |

## Prohibited signs in Doylestown

- No sign shall be erected or maintained within a distance of 25 feet from the intersection of any street lines or the intersection of a street line and the edge of a private accessway, unless the location of the sign is situated at least eight feet above the level of the street center line.
- No sign shall be so located or arranged that it interferes with traffic through glare, through blocking or reasonable sight lines for streets, sidewalks or driveways, through confusion with a traffic control device (by reasons of color, location, shape or other characteristic) or through any other means.
- No sign shall overhang any walkway or public right-of-way, except for overhanging signs that meet all other criteria as specified elsewhere in this Chapter and which are within an Historical District.
- All signs must be constructed of durable materials and must be kept in good condition and repair. Any sign which is allowed to become dilapidated shall be removed by the Borough at the expense of the owner or lessee of the property on which it is located.
- Once removed for repair, replacement or any other reason, a nonconforming sign shall not be replaced unless with a conforming sign.
- Directly illuminated signs, including but not limited to neon, light emitting diode (LED), and electronic digital signs, shall be prohibited in the Historic District.
- No other signs shall be permitted within street lines, except that this provision shall be waived for parallel signs in areas where no front yard setback is required.
- The total square footage of all signs on one frontage shall not exceed 100 square feet.
- Temporary window signs such as sale of items or promotions shall not exceed 60 days.
- Where two or more businesses share an entrance to a building, they shall be required to group their signs in a single directory sign.
- The light source for an indirectly illuminated sign shall be so directed and shielded that no direct rays are visible either on or off lot.

## Signs exempt from permit in Doylestown

- Signs erected by a duly constituted governmental body, including traffic signs and similar regulatory notices, shall be allowed within street lines.
- Normal sign maintenance shall not require a 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 5 zoning districts in Doylestown — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Doylestown+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-doylestown

---

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