# Sign Regulations in East Hanover Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** East Hanover Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/east-hanover-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/35366228#35366228)

## At a glance

East Hanover Township, Pennsylvania regulates 37 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Off-Premises Directional Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 3 sq ft, with a sign post width max 6 inches; height min 3 ft, max 8 ft above ground; not within the 'clear sight triangle' (§ 250-172) setback (Sec. § 250-219B). Most commercial signs in East Hanover Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Agricultural Districts | 6 | — | 25 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts | 4 | — | 16 sq ft | — |
| Village District | 7 | — | 30 sq ft | — |
| General Commercial District, Limited Industrial District, Industrial District, Institutional District | 7 | 35 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Tourism Development Area District | 7 | 35 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| GC - General Commercial zoning district, TDA - Tourism Development Area zoning district, Institutional uses (all zones) | 1 | — | 32 sq ft (changeable portion, may be increased via special exception) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Contractor/Service Provider Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises where work is being conducted | — | § 250-219A(1) |
| Temporary Non-Commercial Banner Across Public ROW | — | — | — | — | — | Across public right-of-way | — | § 250-219A(2) |
| Temporary Civic/Religious/Educational Event Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 250-219A(3) |
| Off-Premises Directional Sign | 8 ft | 3 sq ft | — | At intersections: sign post width max 6 inches; height min 3 ft, max 8 ft above ground; not within the 'clear sight triangle' (§ 250-172) | Max 6 per principal use in municipality and 1 per post per use at intersections | Within two miles of use | — | § 250-219B |
| Home Occupation Name Plate | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On dwelling | — | § 250-219C |
| Institutional Sign / Bulletin Board | — | 16 sq ft | — | 1/2 depth of existing front yard or 25 ft (whichever is less) | 1 per street frontage | Not closer to road right-of-way than 1/2 depth of existing front yard or 25 ft (whichever is less) | — | § 250-219D |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign (Temporary) | — | — | — | — | 1 per road frontage | On property to be subdivided, at an entrance | — | § 250-219E(1) |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign (Option for Road Frontage) | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage | At entrance to subdivision on property to be subdivided | — | § 250-219F |

### General Commercial District, Limited Industrial District, Industrial District, Institutional District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agri-business Signs (see Agricultural Districts) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 250-223A |
| Wall Sign (One per Road Frontage) | — | — | — | — | 1 per road frontage | Attached to wall of principal building | — | § 250-223B(1) |
| Projecting/Marquee/Roof Sign (One per Road Frontage) | 35 ft | 20 sq ft | — | Vertical plane 2 ft inside ROW | 1 per road frontage | — | — | § 250-223B(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (One per Road Frontage) | 35 ft | 60 sq ft | — | Vertical plane 2 ft inside lot from ROW | 1 per road frontage | — | — | § 250-223B(3) |
| General Shopping District Identification Sign | 35 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 2 per shopping district | For general shopping district | — | § 250-223B(4) |
| Off-Premises Billboard/Advertising Sign Board | 35 ft | 100 sq ft | — | Minimum 25 ft to ROW | — | — | — | § 250-223C |
| Signs as permitted in § 250-219 and § 250-224 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 250-223D |

### Tourism Development Area District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agri-business Signs (see Agricultural Districts) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 250-224A |
| Wall Sign (Two per Road Frontage) | — | — | — | — | 2 per road frontage | Front, sides, or rear wall of principal building | — | § 250-224B(1) |
| Projecting/Marquee/Roof Sign (One per Road Frontage) | 35 ft | 16 sq ft | — | Vertical plane 2 ft inside ROW | 1 per road frontage | — | — | § 250-224B(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (One per Road Frontage) | 35 ft | 60 sq ft | — | Vertical plane 2 ft inside lot from ROW | 1 per road frontage | — | — | § 250-224B(3) |
| General Shopping District Identification Sign | 35 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 2 per shopping district | For general shopping district | — | § 250-224B(4) |
| Off-Premises Billboard/Advertising Sign Board | 35 ft | 100 sq ft | — | Minimum 25 ft to ROW | — | — | — | § 250-224C |
| Signs as permitted in § 250-219 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 250-224D |

## Prohibited signs in East Hanover Township

- No sign shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, replaced, altered, removed for repair, enlarged, or relocated until a permit is obtained from the Zoning Administrator, unless specifically exempted.
- Every sign shall be maintained in a safe, presentable and good structural condition at all times. Any abandoned or obsolete sign must be removed by the owner.
- All signs not owned by the person, firm or organization advertising thereon shall carry a clearly legible imprint showing the owner's name.
- No sign shall be so illuminated as to have a glaring effect upon vehicular traffic or adjacent properties; no sign shall be illuminated so as to constitute a nuisance.
- No sign shall contain moving parts or use flashing or intermittent illumination. The source of the light shall be continuous and stationary.
- No sign shall be higher than 35 feet from the ground to the highest part of the sign.
- No sign shall be erected so as to obstruct entrance to or exit from a required door, window, fire escape or other required exitway.
- No sign shall be erected that screens traffic signals or signs or utilizes red, green or amber lights or reflectorized material that creates a flashing action and is so located as to render ineffective any traffic sign or signal.
- Any sign which resembles an official traffic sign or signal, by way of its appearance or content, is prohibited.
- Unless otherwise provided, no sign shall be painted, pasted, or otherwise affixed to any tree, rock, utility pole, hydrant, bridge, sidewalk, curb, or street.
- Unless otherwise provided, no portion of any sign shall be erected within or placed on an existing structure in the road right-of-way.
- No sign shall be erected in the 'clear sight triangle' as specified in § 250-172.
- Unless otherwise specified, all signs shall be on-premises.
- No sign shall be erected until a permit has been secured from the Zoning Administrator and approval has been received from any other applicable state or local agencies (unless specifically exempted).
- No sign shall contain obscene material.
- Portable signs must comply with requirements for freestanding signs and count toward maximum sign area.
- Canopy and suspended signs must comply with projecting sign requirements and count toward maximum sign area.
- All signs not expressly permitted under this chapter or exempt from regulation hereunder are prohibited.
- Specifically prohibited sign types include: beacons, pennants, strings of lights not permanently mounted to a rigid background (except for holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message), and inflatable signs and tethered balloons.

## Signs exempt from permit in East Hanover Township

- Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property numbers, postal box numbers or names of the occupants of the premises.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- Legal notices, official traffic signs, community facilities signs, municipal identification signs, non-commercial historical or geographical identification information, or directional signs erected by government bodies. Such signs may be placed within the road right-of-way.
- Geographical identification and greeting signs erected by civic and service organizations, not exceeding four square feet in area and comprised of the organization's standard emblem or seal.
- Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings (except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights).
- Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property, not exceeding three square feet, and not containing advertising copy.
- Temporary signs as described in §§ 250-219 and 250-221C.
- Signs identifying farms, farm associations, and agricultural products, provided that no farm or association identification sign exceeds 10 square feet, only one per road frontage, and signs identifying agricultural products shall not exceed two square feet.
- Hunting, fishing, and trespassing signs and signs indicating private ownership of roadways or property, not exceeding two square feet and spaced not less than 100 feet apart along street frontage.
- Signs up to four square feet in area necessary for the identification, protection, and operation of public utility facilities.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator prior to the erection, construction, reconstruction, replacement, alteration, removal for repair, enlargement, or relocation of any sign unless the sign is explicitly exempted in § 250-218A.
- Application for off-premises directional sign permits must include a map indicating requested sign locations, the landowner's written approval, name to be placed on sign, and distances from the facility to each sign (§ 250-219B(1)(f)).
- For any changes, repairs, or maintenance to nonconforming signs, a permit is required to re-erect or remessage the sign within a specified timeframe, as described in § 250-226.
- For special exceptions (such as for electrically activated changeable signs/electronic reader boards with animation, with extended illumination hours, or larger areas), approval must be obtained from the Zoning Hearing Board (§ 250-225C, F, G).
- No explicit mention of a 'master sign plan' was found in the provided ordinance text.

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

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