# Sign Regulations in Latrobe, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Latrobe, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/latrobe
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30961288#30961288)

## At a glance

Latrobe, Pennsylvania regulates 25 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Off-Site and On-Site Directional Signs in the Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), Industrial District (I-1, I-2) zoning district are capped at 6 feet tall, 18 inches by 24 inches, and 24 inches wide, with a Not within 3 feet of road/street edge; must not obstruct view setback (Sec. §166-44, §166-56). Most commercial signs in Latrobe require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 10 | 25 feet (flagpole) | 12 square feet | — |
| Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), Industrial District (I-1, I-2) | 16 | 40 feet | 225 square feet (combined with pole signs, per parcel) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 25 feet (residential); 40 feet (all other districts) | 60 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Identification) | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 per dwelling | On premises for identification of profession, organization, or institution; 1 per dwelling | — | §166-41A(1), §166-56 Identification signs |
| Wall Sign (Identification) | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 per dwelling | On premises for identification of profession, organization, or institution; 1 per dwelling | — | §166-41A(2), §166-56 Identification signs |
| Wall Plaque (Identification) | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 per dwelling | On premises for identification of profession, organization, or institution; 1 per dwelling | — | §166-41A(3), §166-43B |
| Projecting/Hanging Sign (Identification) | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 per dwelling | On premises for identification of profession, organization, or institution; 1 per dwelling | — | §166-41A(4) |
| Sign (Multiple Family Dwelling/Institution/Other Special Use) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 per street frontage | For each street frontage for a multiple-family dwelling, hospital, sanitarium, funeral home, or tourist home | — | §166-41B, §166-51C |
| Portable/Sandwich Board/A-Frame Sign | 3.5 feet | 7 square feet per face | — | — | 1 per establishment entrance | On premises, within 12 feet of primary entrance | — | §166-42H, §166-56 |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | No more than 2 | On property offered for sale/rental | — | §166-52B, §166-56 |
| Flag | 25 feet (flagpole) | — | — | Not in public right-of-way | 2 | Not in public right-of-way; must conform to setback requirements | — | §166-52J, §166-56 |

### Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), Industrial District (I-1, I-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 30 feet | 60 square feet (cumulative per parcel) | — | — | — | Building facade | — | §166-42C, §166-53D, §166-56 |
| Ground Sign | 6 feet (4 feet on corner lot) | 225 square feet (combined with pole signs, per parcel) | — | Must conform to all minimum setback requirements | 2 (in combination with pole signs) | Firmly planted on ground, not attached to building; may be part of required screening or barrier | — | §166-42E, §166-53E-F, §166-56 |
| Pole Sign | 24 feet | 225 square feet (combined with ground signs, per parcel) | — | Must conform to all minimum setback requirements | 2 (in combination with ground signs) | Firmly planted in ground, off-building | — | §166-42E, §166-53E-F, §166-56 |
| Billboard/Off-Premises Sign | 24 feet | 225 square feet | — | 40 ft from ROW; 200 ft from residential zone and from any building/sign | Up to 3 per parcel (within total max size) | Ground or pole on premises in permitted zones | — | §166-42B, §166-56 |
| Portable/Sandwich Board/A-Frame Sign | 3.5 feet | 7 square feet per sign face | — | — | 1 per establishment entrance | On premises, within 12 feet of entrance; if on sidewalk, 48 inches of clearance required | — | §166-42H, §166-56 |
| Bulletin Board | — | 30 square feet | — | — | 1 per frontage | On property | — | §166-56 |
| Off-Site and On-Site Directional Sign | 6 feet | 18 inches by 24 inches | 24 inches | Not within 3 feet of road/street edge; must not obstruct view | No more than 2 | Public right-of-way with City approval; private property with owner consent | — | §166-44, §166-56 |
| Flag | 40 feet | — | — | Not in public right-of-way | 3 | Not in public right-of-way; must conform to setback requirements | — | §166-52J, §166-56 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Banner (Government/Nonprofit Event) | — | 60 square feet | — | — | 1 | On premises or as directed by governmental body | — | §151-2H, §166-52H |
| Building Marker/Memorial/Historic Plaque | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per frontage | On building or site | — | §166-43, §166-56 |
| Identification Sign | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On premises | — | §166-56 |
| Flag | 25 feet (residential); 40 feet (all other districts) | — | — | Not in public right-of-way | 2 (R), 3 (C, I) | Setbacks as required, not in right-of-way | — | §166-52J, §166-56 |
| Temporary Sign (General) | — | 3 square feet (general); others see event/real estate/auction notes | — | — | — | As permitted | — | §166-52 |

## Prohibited signs in Latrobe

- No sign shall be erected within, or project into, the lines of a public sidewalk or street right-of-way, except traffic signs and similar regulatory notices of a duly constituted governmental body, unless approved by City Council.
- No artificial illuminating or reflecting device shall be used as a part of a sign where the intensity or color of such light or reflection thereof interferes with, or may be mistaken for, a traffic signal or in any other way would be a detriment to the public safety.
- Floodlighting must be arranged so that the source of light is not visible from any point off the lot and that only the sign is directly illuminated thereby.
- No sign shall be erected except on the property to which it is related.
- A sign or any part thereof erected on supports (freestanding) or suspended or projecting from a building shall be confined to the property to which it is related.
- Billboards are prohibited in all districts except the C-4, I-1 and I-2 Districts, and there shall be no more than one billboard sign per lot.
- Flashing lights are expressly prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected displaying information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the Zoning Chapter.
- Signs may not be located in the clear sight triangle.
- Every permitted sign in the fire zone must be constructed of noncombustible material and kept in good condition and repair; dilapidated signs may be removed by the City at the owner's expense.
- Off premise advertising signs shall not be painted directly on the wall of any building.
- Signs consisting of a static image projected upon a stationary object are prohibited.
- The use of mobile signs located on an unregistered or uninspected vehicle is not permitted.
- Building wrap signs in excess of 60 square feet are prohibited.
- Obscene, indecent, or immoral matter shall not be displayed on any sign or advertising, and observation of any material depicting, describing, or relating to 'specified sexual activities' or 'specified anatomical areas' from any public right-of-way or public park is prohibited.
- "For sale" or "for rent" signs shall not be placed on public property.
- No informational or directional sign or sticker shall be posted, nailed, wired, attached, or affixed to any public property, including, but not limited to, traffic signs, structures or devices, traffic control boxes, guardrails, telephone poles, utility posts, or City street signs.
- Informational or directional signs are prohibited within three feet of the edge of the paved surface of any road or street and where they would obstruct the clear sight distance of traffic or cause danger by obstructing the view.
- No sign shall be erected in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision at any intersection or at any location where by reason of position, shape or color, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device, or which makes use of misleading words, phrases, or symbols.
- Electronic/digital signs are prohibited in residential zones.
- Electronic signs may not emit smoke, visible vapors or particles, sound or odors with any displays.
- Illuminated signs must be nonflashing, nonglaring, and may not shine into residentially zoned or predominately residential areas.
- No illuminated sign shall exceed five footcandles between sunset and sunrise.
- Signs must be maintained in proper structural and surface condition or may be removed by the City.
- If a sign no longer advertises a bona fide business or activity on the premises, it must be removed within 90 days; if not, the City may remove it at the owner’s expense.
- Signs interfering with traffic visibility on any roadway will be removed by the City.

## Signs exempt from permit in Latrobe

- Signs and banners erected by a governmental body or under the direction of such body.
- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation or ordinance.
- Works of art that do not include a (commercial) message.
- Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message.
- Memorial signs or tablets denoting the date of erection of a building, monument or other civic structure.
- Auction, garage, or yard sale signs, provided they meet area, timing, and removal requirements.
- Community special event signs (nonprofit, civic, noncommercial), subject to area and duration limits.
- Signs of schools, colleges, churches, hospitals, or institutions of a similar nature relating exclusively to identification, activity, and services, subject to size limitation and number.
- Nameplates not exceeding 1/2 square foot in area.
- Flags and flagpoles (exempt from permit requirements, but must meet location, height, and number standards).
- Building markers, identification signs, historical or memorial signs meeting size and placement criteria.
- Temporary signs as specified in §166-52 (general requirements for special event, real estate, political, temporary banners, etc.), which do not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit is required for the erection of all signs not otherwise exempted by the ordinance.
- A separate permit is required for the erection of each individual sign (on public property).
- All requests for erection, alteration or enlargement of any business sign must be accompanied by a plan, drawn to scale, showing the exact size, shape, and dimensions of such sign and its proposed location or placement upon any structure or property.
- Zoning Officer may require calculations (by architect or engineer) certifying sign stability for signs over 25 square feet, ground signs over 10 feet in height, or signs weighing over 100 pounds.
- Variances from sign regulations require a variance procedure before the Zoning Hearing Board.
- Special exception or variance is required for deviations by hospital signs from provisions, as reviewed by Zoning Hearing Board.
- Electronic nonadvertising signs require a permit and applicant must certify sign has been tested and complies with requirements before permit approval.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Latrobe, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Latrobe+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-latrobe

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