# Sign Regulations in Kingston Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Kingston Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/kingston-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/11770370#11770370)

## At a glance

Kingston Township, Pennsylvania regulates 38 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Off-Premises Signs in the General Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and <35 mph: 60 sq ft; 36–45 mph: 100 sq ft; 46–55 mph: 150 sq ft; 56–65 mph: 200 sq ft; Limited access: 300 sq ft, with a 15 ft or height of sign from ROW; 25 ft property line; 50 ft building; 1500 ft another off-premises sign; 1000 ft from park, school, church, residence setback (Sec. §118.L, §108). Most commercial signs in Kingston Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural, Rural, and Open Space Districts | 12 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft per playing field | — |
| Parks and Open Space | 4 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft per scoreboard | — |
| Residential Districts | 7 | 8 ft (freestanding only) | 16 sq ft | — |
| Institutional Districts | 9 | 10 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Main Street Districts | 5 | Eaveline or bottom of second-story windowsill | 150 sq ft (total on marquee) | — |
| Village Commercial Districts | 5 | 10 ft | Up to 30 sq ft (multi-tenant) | — |
| General Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts | 8 | 30 ft | 200 sq ft per marquee | — |
| Historic Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 3.5 ft | 12.5 sq ft | — |

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

### Agricultural, Rural, and Open Space Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Limited-Duration Sign (Large) | 8 ft (freestanding only) | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property; 2 if property is over 5 acres and has 400+ ft of frontage or >10,000 sq ft floor area | See §109 for property size/frontage requirements | — | §113.A, §109 |
| Limited-Duration Sign (Small) | 6 ft (freestanding only) | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property; 2 if property is over 5 acres and has 400+ ft of frontage or >10,000 sq ft floor area | See §109 for property size/frontage requirements | — | §113.A, §109 |
| Temporary Sign (Large) | 8 ft for ground/banners up to 24 ft high | 16 sq ft for freestanding/window/wall, 32 sq ft for banner | — | — | 1 per property; 2 if property is over 5 acres and has 400+ ft of frontage or >10,000 sq ft floor area | — | — | §113.B, §110 |
| Freestanding Sign - Parks and Open Space Facility Entrance | 10 ft | 24 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per street access | At street access to a park or open space facility | — | §113.D(1) |
| Freestanding Scoreboard - Parks and Open Space | 20 ft | 200 sq ft per playing field | — | — | One per playing field | Per playing field | — | §113.D(3)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign - Nonresidential Use | 6 ft | 32 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per street access, up to 2 per lot | At street access, max two signs per lot | — | §113.E |
| Wall Sign - Nonresidential Use | Eaveline or bottom of second-story windowsill, whichever is lower | 20 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per tenant per building frontage, max 2 per tenant | Per tenant per building frontage, up to 2 per tenant | — | §113.F |
| Projecting Sign - Nonresidential Use | Eaveline or bottom of second-story windowsill, whichever is lower | 20 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per tenant per building frontage, max 2 per tenant | Per tenant per building frontage, up to 2 per tenant | — | §113.F |

### Institutional Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Limited-Duration Sign | Large: 8 ft; Small: 6 ft (freestanding) | Large: 16 sq ft; Small: 6 sq ft | — | — | See §109 for limits | — | — | §115.A, §109 |
| Temporary Sign | Large: 8 ft (ground), 24 ft (banner); Small: 6 ft | Large: 16 sq ft (sign); 32 sq ft (banner); Small: 6 sq ft | — | — | See §110 | — | — | §115.B, §110 |
| Portable Sign | 3.5 ft for sandwich board | See §111 (e.g. 7 sq ft per face for sandwich-board) | — | — | 1 sandwich-board per establishment | On premises, within 12 ft of entrance | — | §115.C, §111 |
| Street Pole Banner | — | 12.5 sq ft per banner (2 per pole max) | 3 ft | — | 2 per pole | Street pole | — | §115.D, §112 |
| Freestanding Sign - Institutional Use | 10 ft | 24, 40, or 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street access, up to 2 | 1 per street access, up to 2 per property (not park/open space) | — | §115.G |
| Freestanding Sign - Interior Directory | 8 ft | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Site interior for identification/wayfinding | — | §115.H |
| Building Signs (Wall, Awning, Projecting, Window) - <2 acres | Eaveline | 5% wall area (max 24 sq ft/sign) | — | — | — | Facing public street or parking lot | — | §115.I |
| Upper-Level Building Identification Sign (Optional) | 10 ft; does not exceed eaveline | 200 sq ft | — | — | 2 per building | Top floor of 3+ story building | — | §115.J |

### General Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Nonresidential Use | Eaveline | 32 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per tenant per street frontage, up to 2 per tenant (+1 for parking lot entrance) | 1 per tenant per street frontage, up to 2 per tenant (+1 for parking lot entrance) | — | §118.E |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | Eaveline | — | — | — | — | — | — | §118.F |
| Projecting Sign | Eaveline | 20 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per ground-floor establishment, plus 1 per building entrance | 1 per ground-floor establishment + 1 per building entrance for tenants without ground-floor entrance | — | §118.G |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Storefront windows | — | §118.H |
| Marquee Sign | Eaveline | 200 sq ft per marquee | — | — | 1 per building | 1 per building | — | §118.I |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 100 sq ft (max) | — | — | 1 per street frontage, up to 2 per lot (extra: gas/drive-thru) | 1 per street frontage, up to 2 per lot | — | §118.J |
| Upper-Level Identification Sign (Optional) | 10 ft, not exceeding eaveline | 200 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Top floor, 3+ story buildings | — | §118.K |
| Off-Premises Sign | 30 ft | <35 mph: 60 sq ft; 36–45 mph: 100 sq ft; 46–55 mph: 150 sq ft; 56–65 mph: 200 sq ft; Limited access: 300 sq ft | — | 15 ft or height of sign from ROW; 25 ft property line; 50 ft building; 1500 ft another off-premises sign; 1000 ft from park, school, church, residence | 1 per lot | — | — | §118.L, §108 |

## Prohibited signs in Kingston Township

- 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 Township or by any person doing work by permission of the authorities of the Township.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Snipe signs are prohibited except as attached to utility poles in conformance with state and utility regulations and the requirements of this Part.
- Vehicular signs that do not involve vehicles primarily and actively used for business purposes and/or personal transportation are prohibited.
- Mechanical movement signs, including revolving signs, are prohibited.
- Pennant strings and streamers are prohibited.
- Animated signs, flashing signs, or signs that scroll or flash text or graphics are prohibited.
- Inflatable devices or balloon signs are prohibited, except for balloons used in temporary, noncommercial situations.
- Any signs that imitate, resemble, interfere with, or obstruct official traffic lights, signs, or signals are prohibited.
- Signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape, or signs that prevent free access from one part of a roof to another, are prohibited. No sign other than a safety sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, or odor or contain open flames are prohibited.
- Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors are prohibited.
- Interactive signs are prohibited.
- Signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting are prohibited.
- Any banner or sign suspended across a public street is prohibited without the permission of the property and road owner.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner are prohibited, except those authorized or required by local, state, or federal government.
- Any sign containing information that states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the zoning ordinance is prohibited.
- Signs showing statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects as determined by the Township are prohibited.
- Any sign that promotes illegal activity is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Kingston Township

- Official traffic signs are exempt from permit requirements.
- Government/regulatory signs are exempt.
- Signs inside a building or other enclosed facility not meant to be viewed from outside and located more than three feet from the window are exempt.
- Holiday and seasonal decorations are exempt.
- Personal expression signs, including flags, not exceeding three square feet per side, noncommercial, and not illuminated, are exempt.
- Address signs (up to two per premises, no commercial advertising or other identification) are exempt if within size limits outlined by district.
- Public signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities (including traffic, utility, safety, railroad crossing, and identification or directional signs for public facilities) are exempt.
- Signs/emblems of religious, civil, philanthropic, historical, or educational organizations not exceeding four square feet are exempt.
- Private drive signs (one per driveway entrance, up to two square feet) are exempt.
- Security and warning signs are exempt, subject to size limitations by district.
- Flags meeting specified location, height, number, and size requirements are exempt; additional rules apply to commercial-message flags.
- Legal notices are exempt.
- Vending machine signs are exempt.
- Memorial signs, public monuments, or historical identification signs erected by the Township, including plaque signs up to three square feet, are exempt.
- Signs that are permanent architectural features of a building or structure, existing at the time of adoption, are exempt.
- Signs advertising the variety of crops growing in a field (removed after growing season) are exempt.
- Incidental signs, including incidental window signs, are exempt.
- Directional signs not containing commercial messaging, with area, height, and illumination restrictions, are exempt.
- Art and murals with no commercial messaging are exempt.
- Temporary signs conforming to § 110 are exempt from standard permit requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All plans for off-premises signs must be certified by a licensed engineer registered in Pennsylvania.
- Plans for off-premises advertising signs must include: location of proposed sign on lot with required setbacks, location and species of existing trees, distance to nearest existing off-premises advertising sign, distance to nearest right-of-way, property line, building, structure, on-premises sign, off-premises sign, intersection, interchange, safety rest area, bridge, residential district, or institutional use, sewer rights-of-way, and water, electric or petroleum pipelines.
- A site plan containing all applicable requirements from the Township zoning code is required with off-premises sign applications.
- Certification under seal by a licensed engineer that the off-premises sign is designed in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws, codes, and professional standards is required.
- For nonconforming signs, when certain changes occur (removal, relocation, significant alteration, etc.), permanent signs and sign structures must be brought into conformance with sign regulations.
- In Historic Districts, no sign shall be erected or altered until an application has been reviewed and approved by the Review Board and a certificate of appropriateness issued by the Township.
- Applications for a certificate of appropriateness in Historic Districts must contain photographs, building facade illustration, a scaled drawing showing size, materials, colors, lighting, lettering, method of attachment (material samples may be required), site plan for ground signs, and type of illumination.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/kingston-township