# Sign Regulations in Hellertown Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Hellertown Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/hellertown-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/14678682#14678682)

## At a glance

Hellertown Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 20 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Business Identification Sign (Freestanding)s in the M Mixed, TC Town Center, I Industrial zoning district are capped at 18 ft tall and 30 sq ft, with a 10 ft (M, TC); 15 ft (I) setback (Sec. 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(a)). Most commercial signs in Hellertown Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1 Residential, R-2 Residential | 2 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| M Mixed, TC Town Center, I Industrial | 6 | 18 ft | 40 sq ft (M, TC, I) | — |
| SC Shopping Center | 9 | 18 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| C Conservation | 5 | 18 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| HC Highway Commercial | 11 | 36 ft (may be above roof if not greater than 36ft from avg finished grade) | 300 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | — | 6 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### M Mixed, TC Town Center, I Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification Sign (Attached/Wall) | — | 40 sq ft (M, TC, I) | — | — | 1 | Attached to building/wall | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(b), 450-22D(3), 450-22D(5), 450-22C(1)(a), 450-22C(1)(b) |
| Business Identification Sign (Freestanding) | 18 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 10 ft (M, TC); 15 ft (I) | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(a) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | 10 ft (M, TC); 15 ft (I) | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22F |
| Bulletin Board | 4 ft | 20 sq ft | — | 10 ft (M, TC); 15 ft (I) | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(c), 450-22D(4)(b) |
| Home Occupation/Home Professional Office Sign (Freestanding) | — | 3 sq ft | — | 10 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(4)(c) |
| Portable Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22H(1) |

### SC Shopping Center

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification Sign (Wall) (Multiple Occupants) | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | 2 per business use; 1 small sign under overhang | Attached to exterior wall | — | 450-22G(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center/Office Building) | 18 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 2 | Ground/freestanding | — | 450-22G(1), 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(a) |
| Business Identification Sign (Freestanding) | 18 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(a) |
| Advertising Sign | — | 300 sq ft | — | 30 ft | Per 450-22E (Z = per Subsection E) | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22E |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22F |
| Bulletin Board | 4 ft | 20 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(c) |
| Home Occupation/Home Professional Office Sign (Freestanding) | — | 3 sq ft | — | 10 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(4)(c) |
| Portable Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22H(1) |

### HC Highway Commercial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification Sign (Wall) | 36 ft (may be above roof if not greater than 36ft from avg finished grade) | 100 sq ft | — | — | 2 if applicable | Wall or above roofline | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(b) |
| Business Identification Sign (Freestanding) | 36 ft | 160 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | Freestanding | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(a) |
| Advertising Sign | — | 300 sq ft | — | 30 ft | Per E: Z = as per Subsection E | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22E |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22F |
| Bulletin Board | 4 ft | 20 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(2)(c), 450-22D(4)(b) |
| Home Occupation/Home Professional Office Sign (Freestanding) | — | 3 sq ft | — | 10 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22D(4)(c) |
| Portable Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | 15 ft | 1 | — | — | 450-22C(4), 450-22H(1) |
| Dynamic Sign | — | 128 sq ft (80% of 160 sq ft max freestanding sign area); 80 sq ft (80% of 100 sq ft wall sign), whichever sign type is used | — | — | 1 (replaces 2 business ID signs) | On lots that front an interstate or arterial, min 100 ft from residential district | — | 450-22I |

## Prohibited signs in Hellertown Borough

- No sign, including exempt signs, shall be placed or erected within any planting bed or other landscaped area on any Borough property.
- No person shall destroy, remove, deface, obliterate or cover up any lamp, sign or barricade erected as a warning of danger by the authorities of the Borough or by any person doing work by permission of the authorities of the Borough on any of the streets, alleys, sidewalks or bridges in the Borough or on any public grounds of the Borough.
- Signs which make use of words such as 'stop,' 'look,' 'one-way,' 'danger,' 'yield' or any similar words, phrases, symbols, lights or characters, in such manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic are prohibited.
- Signs with dynamic displays are prohibited, except those allowed under specific provisions.
- Signs of which all or any part is in motion by any means, including fluttering, rotating, revolving, flashing, twinkling or other moving devices, are prohibited (except units which alternately display time and temperature).
- No sign shall be located or arranged so it interferes with traffic through glare, blocks reasonable sightlines for streets, sidewalks or driveways, causes confusion with a traffic control device, or through other means.
- No sign shall be erected, attached or displayed within 25 feet of the intersection of the street right-of-way lines at a street corner except as specifically allowed.
- No freestanding sign shall exceed 18 feet in height, or 36 feet in height in the Highway Commercial District.
- No attached wall sign shall be erected upon the roof of a building or extend above the height of the building, except as specifically provided for certain districts.
- No red or green lights are permitted within 75 feet of the intersection of the street right-of-way lines at a street corner.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hellertown Borough

- Official signs placed or erected by government entities for official governmental purposes are exempt.
- Any person physically carrying a sign at any time as an expression of freedom of speech is exempt (on Borough property).
- Polling place election signs at a designated polling place, erected not earlier than 8:00 p.m. the day prior and removed not later than 8:00 p.m. the day after the election, are exempt (on Borough property).
- Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property numbers, post office box numbers, names of occupants of premises or other identification of premises not having commercial connotations are exempt.
- No trespassing signs and other signs indicating the private nature of a road, driveway, or premises, not exceeding two square feet, are exempt.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion, are exempt.
- Legal notices, identification, information or directional signs erected or required by governmental bodies, official traffic signs and signals, and other governmental signs are exempt.
- Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights, are exempt.
- Signs not exceeding six square feet in area and bearing no advertising matter, which direct and guide traffic and parking on private property, are exempt.
- Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing no advertising matter, which give information on locations of restrooms, telephones, offices or the functional subdivision of the premises, are exempt.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- In the case of a shopping center, office building, or similar structure with multiple commercial or business occupants on a lot held in single and separate ownership, provisions regarding the maximum number and surface area of signs per property do not apply. Each such occupant may have specific allowances for signage instead.
- A 'Notification of Placement of Political Signs' must be filed and removal certified when posting political signs in the Borough.

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

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