# Sign Regulations in East Berlin Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** East Berlin Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/east-berlin-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/37008140#37008140)

## At a glance

East Berlin Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Shopping Plaza)s in the C District zoning district are capped at 10 ft tall and 50 sq ft per side, 100 sq ft total, with a At least 20 ft from road right-of-way setback (Sec. §500-77B(1)). Most commercial signs in East Berlin Borough 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 | 3 | 10 ft | 50 sq ft per side; 100 sq ft total | — |
| BC District | 9 | 12 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| C District | 5 | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (absolute max) | — |
| MU District | 4 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft (absolute max) | — |
| SR District | 3 | 6 ft (freestanding) | 80 sq ft | — |

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

### BC District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft per side, 24 sq ft total | — | — | 1 per nonresidential use; 1 consolidated sign for 3+ uses | One per nonresidential use; at property | — | §500-76A |
| Projecting Sign | 12 ft | 12 sq ft per side, 24 sq ft total | — | — | 1 per nonresidential use; 1 consolidated sign for 3+ uses | One per nonresidential use; above sidewalks/driveways/walkways requires 8 ft clearance | — | §500-76A |
| Freestanding or Projecting Sign (Consolidated, 3+ uses) | 6 ft (freestanding); 12 ft (projecting) | 18 sq ft per side, 36 sq ft total | — | — | 1 consolidated per property | One per property with 3+ nonresidential uses | — | §500-76A(3) |
| Wall Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per nonresidential use; see consolidated sign note | Shall not extend above the eave of the building; not placed over windows | — | §500-76B |
| Awning Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per nonresidential use; see consolidated sign note | Only on awning at primary entrance | — | §500-76B |
| Wall Sign (Consolidated, 3+ uses) | — | 36 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property (consolidated) | One consolidated per property | — | §500-76B(3) |
| Awning Sign (Consolidated, 3+ uses, common entrance) | — | 36 sq ft | — | — | 1 consolidated (common entrance), or 1 per entrance (separate entrances) | On awning at common entrance | — | §500-76B(5) |
| Awning Sign (Multiple Entrances, 3+ uses) | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance | On awning at separate entrances | — | §500-76B(5), referencing §500-75B(1) |

### C District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Individual Use) | 6 ft | 20 sq ft per side, 40 sq ft total | — | — | 1 per use, per street (see intersection rule) | Individual nonresidential use property | — | §500-77A(1) |
| Wall Sign (Individual Use) | — | 100 sq ft (absolute max) | — | — | 1 per use, per street (see intersection rule) | On building wall | — | §500-77A(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Plaza) | 10 ft | 50 sq ft per side, 100 sq ft total | — | At least 20 ft from road right-of-way | 1 per shopping plaza | At plaza name/entrance | — | §500-77B(1) |
| Wall Sign (Shopping Plaza Tenant) | — | 30 sq ft (absolute max) | — | — | 1 per tenant | On tenant's leased wall area | — | §500-77B(2) |
| Freestanding/Wall Signs at Two Public Streets (Individual Use) | — | See Freestanding and Wall signs | — | — | Up to 2 per type (1 per street) | At each public street for properties at intersection (excluding alleys) | — | §500-77A(3) |

### MU District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Individual Use) | 10 ft | 30 sq ft per side, 60 sq ft total | — | — | 1 per use, per street (see intersection rule) | Individual nonresidential use property | — | §500-78A(1) |
| Wall Sign (Individual Use) | — | 200 sq ft (absolute max) | — | — | 1 per use, per street (see intersection rule) | On building wall | — | §500-78A(2) |
| Freestanding/Wall Signs at Two Public Streets (Individual Use) | — | See above for individual signs | — | — | Up to 2 per type (1 per street) | At each public street for properties at intersection (excluding alleys) | — | §500-78A(3) |
| Billboard Sign | 20 ft | 100 sq ft per side, 200 sq ft total | — | 25 ft from right-of-way; 50 ft from side/rear lot lines | 1 per property | MU District only; along minor arterial street (per plan) | — | §500-78B-G |

## Prohibited signs in East Berlin Borough

- Flashing signs are prohibited.
- Flashing and/or rotating lights are prohibited.
- Signs using the words 'stop', 'caution', or 'danger' are prohibited.
- Signs using red, yellow, and/or green lights resembling traffic signals are prohibited.
- Signs that resemble traffic control signs in terms of size, shape, or color are prohibited.
- Revolving, rotating, wind or blown air activated, or otherwise moving signs are prohibited.
- Animated signs are prohibited.
- Changeable copy signs are prohibited except when copy is changed manually. Signs with the express purpose of displaying the time and temperature are exempted.
- Portable signs are prohibited, whether mounted on a trailer, vehicle, temporary base, or similar device. Vehicles decorated for advertising and parked in a visible location are considered moveable signs and are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Streamers, pennants, inflatable, or lighter-than-air signs are prohibited.
- Strings or light bulbs, search lights, or other lighting intended to attract attention to a nonresidential use are prohibited, other than traditional holiday decorations.

## Signs exempt from permit in East Berlin Borough

- Official street and traffic signs and any other signs required by law are exempt from permitting.
- Trespassing signs, signs indicating private ownership of roads and/or property, and similar signs (provided they are spaced at intervals of at least 100 feet and do not exceed two square feet in area) are exempt from permitting.
- Temporary, non-illuminated real estate signs advertising the sale or rental of the premises (provided they meet specified size, placement, and removal standards) are exempt from permitting.
- Temporary, non-illuminated signs of contractors, painters, or similar artisans erected on the premises where work is being performed (provided they meet specified size, quantity, and removal standards) are exempt from permitting.
- Temporary, non-illuminated yard or garage sale signs (provided they meet specified display duration, size, and quantity standards) are exempt from permitting.
- Freestanding signs designating 'entrances' and 'exits' to commercial and industrial establishments (maximum four square feet per side and limited to external illumination) are exempt from permitting.
- Legal notices, identification, informational, or directional signs erected or required by governmental bodies are exempt from permitting.
- Window signs, directly affixed to the exterior or interior of a window, or placed inside a building to be seen through a window, are exempt from permitting.
- Sandwich board signs (one per use, not exceeding twelve square feet total, with conditions for sidewalk use and daily removal) are exempt from permitting.
- Decorative flags, including such flags indicating that the use is open for the business day (subject to clearance and daily removal standards), are exempt from permitting.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign shall be erected, enlarged, or relocated until a permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer, unless specifically exempted from permitting by §500-73.
- Permit applications must include a scale drawing specifying dimensions, materials, illumination, letter sizes, colors, location, means of installation, and all other relevant information.
- If three or more off-premises directional signs are proposed on the same property, consolidation of the individual signs on a single off-premises directional sign is required.
- Where three or more nonresidential uses are located on the same property, one consolidated freestanding, projecting, wall, or awning sign must be used (within BC District). Maximum sign areas may be increased by 50% in these cases.
- Where three or more nonresidential uses are located on the same property and use of awning signs is proposed, one consolidated awning sign must be used if nonresidential uses have a common building entrance.

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

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