# Sign Regulations in Erie, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Erie, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/erie
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/33835593#33835593)

## At a glance

Erie, Pennsylvania regulates 13 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Name and Address Signs in the R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, W-R zoning district are capped at 6 feet (if mounted on ornamental pole in front yard) tall and 4 square feet (Sec. §303.6).

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 24 square feet | — |
| R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, W-R | 3 | 6 feet (if mounted on ornamental pole in front yard) | 24 square feet | — |
| RLB, C-4 | 1 | — | 24 square feet per 75 feet of frontage | — |
| C-1, C-2, C-3, M-1, M-2 | 4 | 6 feet | 672 square feet (plus up to 10% extension/embellishments) | — |
| W-C, W-M | 2 | — | 10% of the surface area of the wall on or in front of which the sign is mounted | — |
| Waterfront Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| Commercial Districts | 1 | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Manufacturing Districts | 1 | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Residential Districts | 1 | — | 4 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Sign | — | — | — | Any sign <10 ft from right-of-way requires 7 ft clearance or height ≤36 inches. Signs at corners in the clear sight triangle: max 36 inches or 7 ft height. | — | No sign may state or imply a use prohibited by ordinance. No sign may simulate official, directional, or warning signs of governments, railroads, or public utilities. Signs for uses or products no longer available shall be removed or changed within six months. | — | §303, especially 303.1-303.5, 303.14, 303.17 |
| Routine Non-Advertising Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | Within property lines | — | §303.5 |
| Temporary Sign (in conjunction with event) | — | 24 square feet | — | — | — | Exterior of structure | — | §303.15 |

### R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, W-R

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Name and Address Sign | 6 feet (if mounted on ornamental pole in front yard) | 4 square feet | — | — | — | Attached to building or mounted on ornamental pole in front yard | — | §303.6 |
| Identification Sign (Public/Semipublic Use) | — | 24 square feet | — | — | — | In connection with any church, school, college, hospital, institution, park, playground, or other similar public/semi-public use. | — | §303.7 |
| Temporary Sign (Property Sale) | — | 6 square feet (individual sale), 32 square feet (residential development/developer/contractor/realtor while under construction or for sale) | — | — | — | — | — | §303.16 |

### C-1, C-2, C-3, M-1, M-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign (≤50 ft from R or W-R district) | — | 10% of wall area | — | — | — | Within 50 feet of any R or W-R district | — | §303.10 |
| Identification Sign (>50 ft from R or W-R district) | — | 2 × lineal feet of lot frontage | — | — | — | More than 50 feet from any R or W-R district | — | §303.10 |
| Outdoor Advertising Sign | — | 672 square feet (plus up to 10% extension/embellishments) | — | Bayfront Parkway and Eastside Connector: 600 ft from centerline for signs in C-2, M-1, M-2, C-3. Seaway Trail: No outdoor advertising within 660 ft of right-of-way or visible for purpose of being read unless for sale/lease/activity on property or official sign. | — | Mounted at least 10 ft above ground, unless flush to building wall. Permitted only in C-2, C-3, M-1, M-2 districts. | — | §303.18 |
| Portable Sign | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | — | Anywhere on nonresidential property, except public right-of-way, clear sight triangle, or required parking spaces | — | §303.17 |

## Prohibited signs in Erie

- It is unlawful to post a political campaign sign on or over any public property in the City.
- It is unlawful to post a political campaign sign more than 90 days prior to an election and to fail to remove a sign within 30 days after the election.
- No person shall paste, tack or affix any advertisement or sign on any pole in the City which is used or intended to be used for carrying or supporting wires.
- No person shall paste or otherwise affix any advertisement or sign on any ornamental or other lighting poles owned by the City.
- No person in a park shall paste, glue, tack or otherwise post any sign, placard, advertisement or inscription whatever except as authorized by the Director of Parks and Public Places.
- No sign shall state or imply that a property may be used for a purpose prohibited by this Ordinance.
- Signs are prohibited which simulate official, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by government or other public agencies.
- Signs advertising a use no longer in existence or a product no longer available shall be removed or changed to advertise the new use within six months after cessation.
- All signs shall be located in such a manner that pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic views will not be obstructed.
- No flashing, moving or on-and-off style or rotating beacon style lights will be permitted.
- Message center signs and digital displays cannot contain a message which flashes, pulsates, moves, or scrolls.
- No outdoor advertising and portable signs shall be permitted in any waterfront district.

## Signs exempt from permit in Erie

- Routine non-advertising signs situated within property lines not exceeding four square feet in area, such as 'No Trespassing' or 'Private Drive', and entrance/exit directional signs are allowed and are exempt from permit requirements.
- Council may, by resolution, authorize the placing of temporary signs of an approved type in connection with any civic or community project on ornamental or other lighting poles owned by the City.
- Council may give permission by resolution to place direction and information signs of a design and type it approves for bus line companies on City poles.

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

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