# Sign Regulations in Johnstown, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Johnstown, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/johnstown
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Johnstown, Pennsylvania regulates 17 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Billboard (Off-Site Sign)s in the C2 Community Business District, C3 Central Business District zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 700 sq. ft., with a Min 300 ft radius from certain uses, 1,000 ft radius from other billboards, 400 ft from highway centerline if visible setback (Sec. §1260.106(b)). Most commercial signs in Johnstown 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 | 1 | — | — | — |
| S Conservancy District, R1 One-Family Residence District, R2 Two-Family Residence District | 3 | — | 30 sq. ft. | — |
| R3 Multiple-Family Residence District | 1 | — | 12 sq. ft. | — |
| Traditional Neighborhood District, Historic Overlay District | 5 | More than 10 ft, but not more than 20 ft | 864 sq. in. (3 ft x 2 ft) | — |
| H Health Service and Medical Center District, C1 Neighborhood Shopping District | 5 | 10 ft minimum/20 ft maximum above ground | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| C2 Community Business District, C3 Central Business District | 6 | 30 ft | 864 sq. in. (3 ft x 2 ft) | — |
| M1 Light Industrial District, M2 Industrial Service and Distribution District, M3 Heavy Industrial District | 6 | 30 ft | 864 sq. in. (3 ft x 2 ft) | — |

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

### Traditional Neighborhood District, Historic Overlay District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | Total wall signs not to exceed 16 sq. ft. | Attached to main wall of main building, projecting max 18 inches, no part <10 ft above grade. If projecting ≤3 inches, height limit does not apply. | — | §1260.103(b)(1), §1260.104(b)(1) |
| Canopy and Awning Sign | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Projected from exterior wall of building | — | §1260.103(b)(1)(A), §1260.104(b)(1)(A) |
| Freestanding Sign | More than 10 ft, but not more than 20 ft | 20 sq. ft. | — | — | Total for all signs not to exceed 20 sq. ft. | Within buildable area of lot (front or side yard abutting street allowed) | — | §1260.103(b)(2), §1260.104(b)(2) |
| Monument Sign | — | 35 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Not attached to building or pole structure | — | §1260.103(b)(3), §1260.104(b)(3) |
| Perpendicular Signage | — | 864 sq. in. (3 ft x 2 ft) | — | — | — | Installed perpendicular to facade | — | §1260.103(b)(4), §1260.104(b)(4), §1260.108(l) |

### H Health Service and Medical Center District, C1 Neighborhood Shopping District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 30 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Attached to main wall of building, projecting max 18 in.; if ≤3 in., height limit does not apply. | — | §1260.105(b)(1) |
| Canopy and Awning Sign | — | 30 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Attached/projected from exterior building wall | — | §1260.105(b)(2) |
| Pole Sign | 10 ft minimum/20 ft maximum above ground | 60 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Within buildable area of lot; may be in front or side yard abutting street (C1) | — | §1260.105(b)(3) |
| Ground Sign | 5 ft max pole structure | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | — | — | — | §1260.105(b)(4) |
| Monument Sign | — | 35 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Principally supported by structure affixed to ground; not by building or pole | — | §1260.105(b)(5) |

### C2 Community Business District, C3 Central Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 400 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On wall | — | §1260.106(c) |
| Billboard (Off-Site Sign) | 30 ft | 700 sq. ft. | — | Min 300 ft radius from certain uses, 1,000 ft radius from other billboards, 400 ft from highway centerline if visible | — | — | — | §1260.106(b) |
| Electronic Message Display | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §1260.108(m) |
| Projected Light Display | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §1260.108(o) |
| Perpendicular Signage (C3 only) | — | 864 sq. in. (3 ft x 2 ft) | — | — | — | Installed perpendicular to building facade. | — | §1260.106(e), §1260.108(l) |
| Projecting Sign (C3 only) | — | — | — | — | — | Perpendicular to facade; may project into public right-of-way; not to extend above top of wall; min clearance 10 ft above ground, min 4 ft from curb line. | — | §1260.106(f), §1260.108(n) |

## Prohibited signs in Johnstown

- No sign shall be placed in a position that will cause danger to vehicular or pedestrian traffic by obscuring view or causing distraction.
- Any sign, if illuminated, shall be lighted in a manner not detrimental to any adjacent property or public right-of-way.
- No sign, except traffic signs and other official signs, may be erected or extend onto any public street or right-of-way.
- No sign that is a part of or is supported by a building shall be erected upon the roof of such a building.
- No signs shall be permitted which are posted, stapled or otherwise permanently attached to public utility poles or trees within the street line.
- Nonconforming signs, once removed, shall be replaced only with conforming signs.
- No signs shall be permitted which are posted, stapled, taped, or otherwise permanently attached to public utility poles, trees within the street line, buildings or fences, which are made of paper, natural or synthetic fabric, vinyl or other flexible, roll stock materials or any other non-rigid material. Temporary signs made of non-rigid material are permissible only for a period up to 60 days.
- All signs that are not expressly permitted under this chapter or exempted from its regulations by subsection (i) are prohibited.
- Electronic message display boards, beacons, pennants, strings of lights that are not permanently mounted to a rigid background, inflatable signs, tethered balloons, and sexually suggestive signs containing advertisements are prohibited.
- Merchandise displays, signs, or any other exhibit depicting adult entertainment activities or sexually oriented businesses placed within the interior of buildings or premises must be arranged and screened to prevent public viewing from outside such buildings or premises.
- No sexually suggestive signs shall contain photographs, silhouettes, drawings or pictorial representations of any kind.

## Signs exempt from permit in Johnstown

- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance.
- Any sign that is inside a building, not attached to a window or door, or not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the lot line of the involved lot or parcel.
- Works of art that do not include a commercial message.
- Signs on the scoreboard or outfield fence of an athletic field, within the structure.
- Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message.
- Traffic control signs on private property such as 'STOP,' 'YIELD,' and similar signs, the face of which meet Pennsylvania Department of Transportation standards and which contain no commercial message.
- Project identification signs are exempt for the duration of the work for which permits have been issued if they comply with the following: not exceed four feet by eight feet in size, secured so that it is not a hazard, and one such sign per project.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A building permit shall be required for any sign erected.
- A permit shall be secured for the establishment, major alteration or moving of any sign (except real estate signs) one and one-half square feet or more in area.
- The Building Code Official shall approve all signs and billboards erected pursuant to this subchapter.

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

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