# Sign Regulations in Ferguson Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Ferguson Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/ferguson-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/37300913#37300913)

## At a glance

Ferguson Township, Pennsylvania regulates 38 sign types across 11 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Office and General Commercial, General Commercial Zoning District zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall and 32 sq ft per face, 64 sq ft aggregate, with a Not within 15 ft of vehicular access, not over lot line setback (Sec. § 19-111.1.A.(2)). Most commercial signs in Ferguson Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (11 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Agriculture and Rural, AR Zoning District, Residential District | 3 | 15 ft for wall signs, 7 ft for freestanding signs | 20 sq ft per face; max aggregate 40 sq ft per entrance | — |
| Office and General Commercial, General Commercial Zoning District | 7 | 25 ft or eaveline | 300 sq ft per face | — |
| Industrial/ IRD, Industrial District | 5 | 25 ft or eaveline | Max 1,500 sq ft per face; 1/4 acre min nonbuildable front yard required | — |
| Office, Industrial and Institutional | 5 | 25 ft or eaveline | 64 sq ft per face (24 sq ft for multiple tenants) | — |
| Office and Industrial Park | 1 | 7 ft | 32 sq ft per face, 64 sq ft aggregate | — |
| Shopping Center | 4 | 25 ft or eaveline | 100 sq ft per face, 200 sq ft aggregate | — |
| Automobile Service Station | 6 | 25 ft or eaveline | 64 sq ft per face | — |
| Automobile Dealership | 5 | 25 ft or eaveline, except in Corridor Overlay | 64 sq ft per face | — |
| Adult Business | 1 | 25 ft or eaveline | 20 sq ft per face | — |
| Corridor Overlay District | 2 | Controlled by Corridor Overlay Ordinance and underlying zone | Same as underlying zone (usually 32 sq ft per face, 64 sq ft aggregate or per shopping center 100 sq ft per face) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 30 ft | 32 sq ft per face | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 11 zones)

### Office and General Commercial, General Commercial Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 25 ft or eaveline | 64 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per principal building; extra for each street abutting | Outermost wall, not projecting more than 16 in | — | § 19-111.1.A.(1) and Table 1 (illumination) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft | 32 sq ft per face, 64 sq ft aggregate | — | Not within 15 ft of vehicular access, not over lot line | 1 per lot (2 per lot in certain Corridor Overlay cases) | Any required yard, not within 15 ft of vehicular access, not over lot line | — | § 19-111.1.A.(2) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per business | Outermost building wall | — | § 19-111.1.A.(3) |
| Awning, Canopy and Marquee Sign | Top of awning/canopy/marquee | 24 sq ft or 50% of smallest face of awning/canopy/marquee (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per principal building | On any awning/canopy/marquee | — | § 19-111.1.A.(4) |
| Attraction Board | 15 ft (if separated from pole sign) | 10 sq ft per face; max 20 sq ft aggregate | — | — | 1 per lot | Main freestanding sign | — | § 19-111.1.A.(5); § 19-104.3 |
| Billboard & Off-Premises Sign | 22 ft | 300 sq ft per face | — | District setback for structures | 1 per premises | Only on lots without freestanding sign; must follow zoning district setback | — | § 19-111.1.A.(6) |
| Window Sign | — | See formula | — | — | — | Window | — | § 19-111.1.A.(7) |

### Automobile Service Station

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Service Station) | 25 ft or eaveline | 64 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per principal building; extra for each abutting street | Outermost wall, not projecting more than 16 inches | — | § 19-111.3.A. |
| Freestanding Sign (Service Station) | 25 ft (unless subject to Corridor Overlay) | 32 sq ft per face, 64 sq ft aggregate | — | Not within 15 ft vehicular access | 1 per lot | Any required yard, not within 15 ft vehicular access, not over lot line | — | § 19-111.3.B. |
| Awning, Canopy and Marquee Sign (Service Station) | Top of awning/canopy/marquee or 20 ft, whichever is lower | 24 sq ft or 50% of smallest face | — | — | 1 per principal building | On awning/canopy/marquee | — | § 19-111.3.C. |
| Service Bay Identification Sign | 25 ft or eaveline | 10 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per service bay | On outermost wall adjacent to bay entrance | — | § 19-111.3.D. |
| Service Island Identification Sign | 15 ft | 6 sq ft per face, 12 sq ft aggregate | — | — | 1 per island | On pump/island or adjacent wall | — | § 19-111.3.E. |
| Gas Island Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Canopy face | — | § 19-111.3.G. |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Banner Sign (Commercial) | 20 ft | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 (or 2 in qualifying cases) per business | — | — | § 19-108.3.A. |
| Temporary Wall Sign (Commercial) | — | 16 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 (or 2 in qualifying cases) per business | — | — | § 19-108.3.C. |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign (Commercial) | 8 ft | 16 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 (or 2 if eligible) | — | — | § 19-108.4.B. |
| Portable Sign (Commercial, Temporary) | — | 9 sq ft per face | — | — | 2 per establishment | Must not block access or traffic | — | § 19-108.4.C. |
| Temporary Wall Sign (Residential) | — | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per residential use | — | — | § 19-108.5.A. |
| Portable Sign (Residential, Temporary) | 6 ft | 3 sq ft per face | — | — | 3 per lot | — | — | § 19-108.6.A. |
| Flag | 30 ft | 24 sq ft per face (residential); 35 sq ft per face (other districts) | — | — | 2 (residential), 3 (other lots) | Not in ROW | — | § 19-107.D. |

## Prohibited signs in Ferguson Township

- Signs within the Township right-of-way, except for governmental signs/regulatory signs and official traffic signs.
- Abandoned signs.
- Bandit signs (signs tacked, nailed, posted, pasted, glued, or otherwise attached to objects or placed on public property or on any private property without the permission of the property owner), except as conforming to state and utility regulations and requirements of this chapter.
- Signs placed on or painted on a vehicle parked with the primary purpose of providing signage not otherwise allowed.
- Mechanical movement signs, including revolving signs.
- Pennant strings and streamers, balloons, and other gas-filled figures, except as a temporary sign.
- Any signs that imitate, resemble, interfere with, or obstruct official traffic lights, signs, or signals.
- A-frame, sandwich board, sidewalk, or curb signs, except as a temporary sign.
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor, or contain open flames.
- Interactive signs.
- Signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting.
- Roof signs.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, except those authorized or required by local, state, or federal government.
- Signs which are attached or otherwise affixed to trees or other living vegetation, except for security and warning signs.
- Signs which are attached or otherwise affixed to a building and project more than 16 inches beyond the wall surface of the building.
- Portable and wheeled signs, except as a temporary sign.

## Signs exempt from permit in Ferguson Township

- Signs for each roadway frontage on a parcel of land that is actively marketed for sale, lease, or rent, subject to size and removal limitations.
- Up to two signs stating address, number, and/or name of occupants of the premises, with size limitations and no commercial advertising.
- Nonilluminated 'No Trespassing' or similar notice signs in accordance with applicable regulations, subject to size and quantity limits.
- Flags and flagpoles not located within any right-of-way, subject to height, size, number, and purpose restrictions.
- Flags, emblems, and insignia of political, professional, religious, educational, or fraternal organizations displayed for noncommercial purposes.
- Any sign required to be erected by Township, state, or federal law.
- Any sign consisting of a solid plate of bronze or similar corrosion-resistant metal not exceeding four square feet per face, either attached or as a low freestanding sign.
- Any sign carved into masonry that is integral to a structure.
- Signs advertising the variety of crop growing in a field, provided they are removed after the harvest season.
- Incidental signs, including incidental window signs, displaying general site information, instructions, or directions.
- Parking lot directional and instructional signs, subject to height, size and content restrictions.
- Certain murals or works of visual art on commercial buildings that meet criteria for size, text, location, and duration.
- Temporary signs in accordance with § 19-108.
- Farms may have a total of three signs of limited size and total area; duplicates allowed at all property frontages.
- Signs placed on or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers where the sign is incidental to the primary use of the vehicle or trailer; does not allow use of parked vehicles primarily as signs.
- Awning, canopy, and marquee signs not exceeding four square feet in total area.
- Signs erected for two weeks annually in the AR Zoning District and on the Agricultural Progress Days grounds.
- Signs erected on the internal and external perimeter of an organizational sponsored athletic field, one-sided only.
- Official traffic signs within the Township right-of-way.
- Government/regulatory, public signs (traffic, utility, safety, railroad crossings, and identification/directional signs for public facilities) within the right-of-way.
- Private Drive Signs within the right-of-way, subject to number and size limitation.
- Tourist-oriented directional signs within Township right-of-way, subject to number and size limits.
- Tourist-oriented directional signs within state right-of-way, meeting state signage policy.
- Signs advertising garage/yard sales, not posted more than 10 consecutive days.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required for all signs unless exempt under § 19-107.
- Permit applications must include a property sketch plan, placement details, and two drawings of the plans and specifications for the sign, as well as the written consent of the owner.
- Annual license review for all signs, except exempt and residential development signs; annual fee required and sign subject to inspection.
- Land development plans may require a sign plan submission in accordance with Chapter 22; when a land development plan is required, a land development plan must be submitted.
- Appeals or variance requests relating to signs must be submitted to the Zoning Hearing Board, with specified information including a site plan and sign specifications.
- Development Review Notice Signs are required for land development or subdivision applications, including submission of a certificate of installation and placement sketch to the Township; plan review is held up until proof of sign posting is provided.
- In addition to standard sign permit applications, the design for all outdoor sign lighting must be submitted for review and approval by the Township.
- A Master Sign Plan or similar consolidated plan is not specifically named in the ordinance, but a single application and sign plan (including site sketch and details) is required for all permanent signs not exempted, and for land development plans as part of the plan process.

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

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