# Sign Regulations in Lower Providence Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lower Providence Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/lower-providence-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/6207345#6207345)

## At a glance

Lower Providence Township, Pennsylvania regulates 28 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Portable Sign / Sandwich Board Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 3.5 ft (sandwich board) tall and 7 sq ft per face (sandwich board) (Sec. §143-140.3J). Most commercial signs in Lower Providence Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 3.5 ft (sandwich board) | 12.5 sq ft | — |
| Residential zones (R-1 Residential District, R-2 Residential District, R-3 Residential District, R-4 Residential District, R-5 Residential District, Mobile Home Park District (MHP)) | 9 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft per face | — |
| Village Commercial District (VC), Evansburg Village Commercial District (EVC) | 5 | 10 ft | 15% of window area per storefront (permanent, etched/painted/affixed) | — |
| General Commercial District (GC), Highway Commercial District (HC), Professional and Business Office District (PBO), Limited Industrial District (LI), Industrial District (I), Industrial Park District (IP), Mixed-Use District (MU), Ridge Pike Business District (RPB), Ridge Pike West District (RPW) | 7 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft total per marquee | — |
| Public Facilities and Open Space Overlay District (PFO) | 4 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Nonresidential zones | 4 | 8 ft (for freestanding signs) | 16 sq ft | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Must be mounted at least 8 feet above finished grade or may be lower if projecting less than 3 inches from wall; cannot project more than 12 inches from wall. | — | §143-140.2; §143-143 |
| Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | Five feet from right-of-way | — | Set back 5 feet from right-of-way (except government signs); cannot be in parking/loading/walkways or other required clear areas. | — | §143-140.3F; §143-143 |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | At least 5 feet from curb or street shoulder. | — | §143-140.3C |
| Marquee Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Above principal public entrance, facing street or parking lot. | — | §143-140.3E |
| Canopy or Awning Sign | — | — | Cannot be wider than building wall or tenant space it identifies. | — | — | Letters/numbers on front/side vertical faces. Logos/emblems on top or angled portion (1 per awning/canopy). | — | §143-140.3B |
| Digital Display / Message Center Sign | Same as parent sign type/location. | Limited to percentage of parent sign/site as specified by zone/type; see zone entries. | — | — | — | — | — | §143-140.2F(4-5); §143-143 |
| Portable Sign / Sandwich Board Sign | 3.5 ft (sandwich board) | 7 sq ft per face (sandwich board) | — | — | 1 per establishment | Must be on same premises and within 12 feet of primary public entrance; sidewalk clearance of 36 inches required. | — | §143-140.3J |
| Street Pole Banner | — | 12.5 sq ft | 3 ft | — | 2 per street pole | Not to extend beyond curbline; 14' min clearance if <18" from curb, 8' min if farther. | — | §143-140.3K |

### Residential zones (R-1 Residential District, R-2 Residential District, R-3 Residential District, R-4 Residential District, R-5 Residential District, Mobile Home Park District (MHP))

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Development/Apartment >10 units) | 8 ft | 15 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per street frontage | 1 per street frontage (applies to developments/apartments with more than 10 units) | — | §143-141.1D |
| Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential Use) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per access, max 2 | 1 at each street access, max 2 per lot | — | §143-141C; §143-141.1E |
| Wall and Projecting Sign (Nonresidential Use) | Eaveline or bottom of second-story sill, whichever is lower | 20 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per tenant per frontage, max 2 | 1 per tenant per building frontage, max 2 per tenant | — | §143-141D; §143-141.1F |
| Wall or Projecting Sign (Home Occupation) | Eaveline or bottom of second-story window sill, whichever is lower | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | 1 per home occupation | — | §143-141.1C |
| Limited Duration Signs (Large - Residential) | 8 ft for freestanding | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | §143-140.3H(2) |
| Limited Duration Signs (Small - Residential) | 6 ft for freestanding | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | §143-140.3H(2) |
| Temporary Signs (Large - Residential) | 8 ft for freestanding, 24 ft for banners | 16 sq ft (freestanding/window/wall); 32 sq ft (banner) | — | — | 1 | — | — | §143-140.3I(3) |
| Temporary Signs (Small - Residential) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | §143-140.3I(3) |

### General Commercial District (GC), Highway Commercial District (HC), Professional and Business Office District (PBO), Limited Industrial District (LI), Industrial District (I), Industrial Park District (IP), Mixed-Use District (MU), Ridge Pike Business District (RPB), Ridge Pike West District (RPW)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Eaveline | 32 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per tenant per frontage, max 2 | 1 per tenant per street frontage, max 2 per tenant (second can face parking lot) | — | §143-141.3E |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | Eaveline | — | — | — | — | — | — | §143-141.3F |
| Projecting Sign | Eaveline | 20 sq ft per sign face | — | — | See above | 1 per ground floor establishment + 1 per building entrance for upper tenants | — | §143-141.3G |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area for permanent signs; up to 35% total for permanent + temporary | — | — | — | — | — | §143-141.3H |
| Marquee Sign | Eaveline | 200 sq ft total per marquee | — | — | 1 | 1 marquee sign per building | — | §143-141.3I |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 50 sq ft plus 10 sq ft/tenant to 100 sq ft max | — | — | See above | 1 per street frontage, max 2 per property. Additional signs for gas stations/drive-through establishments per frontage. | — | §143-141.3J |
| Upper-level Building Identification Sign | 10 ft; cannot extend above eaveline | 200 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Top floor, buildings at least 3 stories | — | §143-141.3K |

## Prohibited signs in Lower Providence Township

- Abandoned signs.
- Snipe signs; except as permitted with utility pole regulations.
- Mechanical movement signs, except clocks or barber poles.
- Animated signs, flashing signs, or signs that scroll or flash text or graphics.
- Any signs that imitate, resemble, interfere with, or obstruct government/regulator signs and/or official traffic lights, signs, or signals.
- Signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape, or prevent free access from one part of a roof to another; except safety signs on standpipes or fire escapes.
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor, or contain open flames.
- Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors.
- Interactive signs.
- Signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting.
- Any banner or sign of any type suspended across a public street, without the permission of the property and road owner.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, except those authorized or required by the government.
- Any sign stating or implying that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under Township Code.
- Signs with statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects.
- Any sign that promotes illegal activity.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, or traffic on a street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals by position or color.
- No sign may occupy a sight triangle, except government/regulatory signs.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
- All signs must be constructed of durable materials, using noncorrosive fastenings, be structurally safe, comply with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, and be maintained in safe condition and good repair.
- No street pole banners shall be attached to utility poles.
- Glare control must be achieved by cutoff fixtures, shields, baffles, and appropriate lighting techniques—not primarily by vegetation.
- Signs that are frayed, torn, broken, faded, or no longer legible are deemed unmaintained and required to be removed.
- No outdoor off-premises advertising shall be permitted (per §143-264, if more strict).
- Signs shall not exceed 50 square feet per side (per §143-264).
- The illumination of signs shall be from interior sources only (per §143-264, where that section is controlling).
- Moving parts or signs with changeable copy (digital) more than once per 24 hours shall be prohibited, except for time, date, and weather (per §143-264).

## Signs exempt from permit in Lower Providence Township

- Government/regulatory signs.
- Signs inside a building, or other enclosed facility, not meant to be viewed from outside and located greater than three feet from an outside window.
- Holiday decorations.
- Personal expression signs (of any sign type, including flags) provided they do not exceed three square feet per side, are noncommercial, and not illuminated.
- Address signs (up to two) stating address, number, and/or name of occupants of the premises (noncommercial, size limits based on district).
- Signs or emblems of a religious, civil, philanthropic, historical, or educational organization not exceeding four square feet in area.
- Private drive signs: one per driveway entrance, not exceeding two square feet.
- Warning signs (e.g., 'no trespassing' signs) within two square feet in area (five square feet for one large sign in nonresidential properties).
- Flags (within specified number, size, and height limits) unless containing commercial messages.
- Legal notices.
- Vending machine signs.
- Memorial signs, public monument, or historical identification sign erected by the Township or a nonprofit organization, including plaques up to three square feet.
- Signs which are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, existing as of January 23, 2018.
- Signs advertising the variety of crops growing in a field (to be removed after growing season).
- Incidental signs, including incidental window signs.
- Directional signs (that do not contain commercial messaging), limited to 4 sq. ft. area, 5 ft. height, and nonilluminated.
- Art and murals, provided the signs do not contain any commercial messaging.
- Temporary signs in accordance with §143-147 (see ordinance for detailed requirements).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs (unless specifically exempted by §143-140.1) require a sign permit prior to erection, alteration, or relocation (§143-143A).
- A full permit application must include a site plan depicting the locations of proposed and existing signage, two scale drawings (with dimensions, color scheme, materials, and lighting), building elevations showing sign locations, photographs of existing signs, and other required details (§143-143B).
- Plans submitted for off-premises advertising signs must be certified by a licensed engineer and must include detailed site drawings showing the proposed sign location, required setbacks, location/species of existing trees, distances to nearest signs and right-of-way, and a site plan with all applicable requirements (§143-140.4L, §143-140.4H).
- Conversion of a permitted non-message center sign to a message center sign requires the issuance of a permit pursuant to the requirements of the article (§143-140.2.F(4)(f)).
- Conversion of a permitted non-digital sign to a digital sign requires permit issuance (§143-140.2.F(5)(f)).
- When a nonconforming sign is involved in certain actions (removal, significant alteration, >50% damage, change in support, illumination, material, or part of a subdivision/land development or change of use application), a sign permit and submission to the Zoning Officer are required for review (§143-144, §143-144C).
- Limited duration signs and street pole banners require a permit issued for one year, renewable annually; applications for these must include detailed descriptions and site drawings (§143-140.3.H(3), §143-140.3.K(6)).
- Upon denial of an application for a sign permit, the applicant may revise/resubmit or appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board (§143-143D).
- Off-premises signs require a special exception approval and submission of engineered plans (§143-140.4A, §143-140.4H).

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

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