Sign Regulations in Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania
Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania has specific sign regulations covering 27 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Regulated sign types include Upper-Level Building Identification Sign, Wall Sign (Nonresidential), Awning/Canopy Sign (Nonresidential). Height restrictions apply. Permits are required for most commercial signs. Use PermitPal to get instant access to the complete regulations.
Data last verified: April 28, 2025
Sign Regulation Overview for Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania
Sample Sign Requirements in Marlborough Township
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Setback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Development) | 8 ft | 15 sq ft per sign face | — |
| Wall or Projecting Sign (Home Occupation) | Eave line or bottom of second-story windowsill, whichever is lower | 4 sq ft | — |
| Limited-Duration Sign (Large) | 8 ft (freestanding), 24 ft (banner) | 16 sq ft | — |
* Sample data shown. Actual requirements may vary by zone. Use PermitPal for complete, location-specific regulations.
PermitPal Coverage for Marlborough TownshipFull Coverage
Sign Types Covered
27
- Upper-Level Building Identification Sign
- Wall Sign (Nonresidential)
- Awning/Canopy Sign (Nonresidential)
- Projecting Sign (Nonresidential)
- +2 more types
Zoning Districts
7
Different zoning districts with specific sign regulations
Data Includes
- Permit requirements
- Height restrictions
- Illumination rules
Official Resources for Marlborough Township
Municipal Code3 permit application links available
Other Cities in Pennsylvania
Frequently Asked Questions
In Marlborough Township, wall signs can be up to Eave line or bottom of second-story windowsill, whichever is lower and monument signs are limited to 8 ft. Height limits vary by zoning district and sign type. Use PermitPal to get exact requirements for your specific location.
To get a sign permit in Marlborough Township, submit an application to the local building or planning department with sign dimensions, location, and design specifications. Our data confirms permits are required for most commercial signs. Processing typically takes 1-4 weeks. PermitPal helps you identify specific requirements and prepare complete applications.
In Marlborough Township, regulated sign types include Upper-Level Building Identification Sign, Wall Sign (Nonresidential), Awning/Canopy Sign (Nonresidential), Projecting Sign (Nonresidential), and 2 more types. Most commercial signs require permits. Temporary signs and certain small signs may be exempt. Use PermitPal for specific exemptions.
Sign setback requirements in Marlborough Township vary by zone and sign type, typically ranging from 5-15 feet from property lines. Use PermitPal for specific setback requirements at your location.
Digital and LED signs in Marlborough Township are regulated with specific requirements for brightness, animation, and message duration. Marlborough Township has documented illumination rules in our database. Use PermitPal to see the exact requirements for electronic message centers.
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Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania Sign Rules at a Glance
Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania regulates 27 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Off-Premises Sign (GC parcels on Route 29, LI, HI)s in the General Commercial District (GC), Light Industrial District (LI), Heavy Industrial District (HI) zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and 60-300 sq ft depending on road speed (see detail), with a 20 ft from right-of-way or sign height; 25 ft from property line; 50 ft from building; 1,500 ft from other off-premises sign setback (Sec. §192-8B–N). Most commercial signs in Marlborough Township require a permit.
Detailed Sign Ordinance Requirements for Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania
Sign Rules by Zoning District in Marlborough Township (7 zones)
| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-1 Residential, MR Mixed Residential, VR Village Residential, MHD Mobile Home Development | 6 | 8 ft | 16 sq ft | — |
| Institutional Overlay District | 9 | 18 ft | 96 sq ft | — |
| Village Commercial District | 5 | 10 ft | 15% of total window area of single storefront | — |
| General Commercial District (GC), Light Industrial District (LI), Heavy Industrial District (HI) | 8 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft (total for all signs on marquee structure) | — |
| Nonresidential Districts | 2 | 3.5 ft | 12.5 sq ft per banner | — |
| Residential Districts | 2 | 3.5 ft | 12.5 sq ft per banner | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 3 sq ft in residential, 5 sq ft in nonresidential | — |
Zone-by-Zone Sign Requirements in Marlborough Township(sample of 3 of 7 zones)
R-1 Residential, MR Mixed Residential, VR Village Residential, MHD Mobile Home Development
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Development) | 8 ft | 15 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per street frontage | One sign per street frontage | — | Unlock | §192-13D(1)-(4) |
| Wall or Projecting Sign (Home Occupation) | Eave line or bottom of second-story windowsill, whichever is lower | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On principal building | — | Unlock | §192-13C(1)-(2) |
| Limited-Duration Sign (Large) | 8 ft (freestanding), 24 ft (banner) | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property, 2 if 2 street frontages | Freestanding, window, or wall; 1 per property if criteria met | — | Unlock | §192-9B(2)(a), (3)(a)-(c); §192-9F Table |
| Limited-Duration Sign (Small) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property; 2 if 2 street frontages | Freestanding, window, or wall; 1 per property; 2 if 2 street frontages | — | Unlock | §192-9B(2)(b),(3)(b)-(c); §192-9F Table |
| Temporary Sign (Large) | 8 ft (freestanding), 24 ft (banner) | 16 sq ft (freestanding, window, wall), 32 sq ft (banner) | — | — | 1 per property, 2 if 2 street frontages | Freestanding, window, wall, banner; 1 per property if criteria met, 2 if 2 street frontages | — | Unlock | §192-10C(2)(a), (3)(a)-(c); §192-10H Table |
| Temporary Sign (Small) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property; 2 if 2 street frontages | Freestanding, window, or wall; 1 per property; 2 if 2 street frontages | — | Unlock | §192-10C(2)(b), (3)(b)-(c); §192-10H Table |
Institutional Overlay District
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding Sign (Park/Open Space) | 10 ft | 24 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per street access | One per street access | — | Unlock | §192-14E(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional, Lot < 2 acres) | 10 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street access, up to 2 | 1 per street access, up to 2 per lot | — | Unlock | §192-14G(1)-(4), Table |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional, Lot ≥ 2 acres) | 10 ft | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street access, up to 2 | 1 per street access, up to 2 per lot | — | Unlock | §192-14G(1)-(4), Table |
| Freestanding Sign (Interior Identification) | 8 ft | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Interior identification | — | Unlock | §192-14E(2) and §192-14H |
| Wall, Awning/Canopy, Projecting, and Window Sign (Institutional, Lot < 2 acres) | Eave line | 24 sq ft (individual sign); 5% wall face (all signs) | — | — | — | Building walls facing streets/parking | — | Unlock | §192-14I(1)(a)-(2), Table |
| Wall, Awning/Canopy, Projecting, and Window Sign (Institutional, Lot 2-5 acres) | Eave line | 36 sq ft (individual sign); 6% wall face (all signs) | — | — | — | Building walls facing streets/parking | — | Unlock | §192-14I(1)(b)-(2), Table |
| Upper-Level Building Identification Sign | 10 ft, not above eave line | 20 sq ft | — | — | 2 per building | Top floor, building 3+ stories | — | Unlock | §192-14J(1)-(4), Table |
| Scoreboard (Freestanding, Recreational Facility) | 18 ft | 96 sq ft | — | — | 1 per playing field | One per playing field, oriented towards spectator area | — | Unlock | §192-14E(3) |
General Commercial District (GC), Light Industrial District (LI), Heavy Industrial District (HI)
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall Sign (Nonresidential) | Eave line | 32 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per tenant per street frontage (max 2 per tenant) | Each tenant per street frontage facing public street or parking lot | — | Unlock | §192-16D-E |
| Awning/Canopy Sign (Nonresidential) | Eave line | — | — | — | — | Over entrance or window | — | Unlock | §192-16F |
| Projecting Sign (Nonresidential) | Eave line | 20 sq ft per sign face | — | — | — | Per ground-floor establishment or entrance serving upper-floor tenants | — | Unlock | §192-16G |
| Window Sign (Permanent) | — | 25% of total window area (permanent signs); 35% (all window signs) | — | — | — | Within storefront window area | — | Unlock | §192-16H |
| Marquee Sign | Eave line | 200 sq ft (total for all signs on marquee structure) | — | — | 1 per building | One marquee per building | — | Unlock | §192-16I |
| Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential) | 20 ft | 50 sq ft + 10 sq ft per tenant (max 100 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per street frontage, up to 2 per lot (extra for gas stations, drive-throughs) | Per street frontage | — | Unlock | §192-16J |
| Upper-Level Building Identification Sign | 10 ft, not above eave line | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Top floor, building 3+ stories | — | Unlock | §192-16K |
| Off-Premises Sign (GC parcels on Route 29, LI, HI) | 20 ft | 60-300 sq ft depending on road speed (see detail) | — | 20 ft from right-of-way or sign height; 25 ft from property line; 50 ft from building; 1,500 ft from other off-premises sign | 1 per lot | Allowed only in noted districts | — | Unlock | §192-8B–N |
PermitPal covers all 7 zoning districts in Marlborough Township — full sign requirements for every zone, plus illumination rules, size formulas, and permit requirements for every sign type — with a free account.
See all 7 zones for Marlborough Township — start freeProhibited Signs in Marlborough Township
- Abandoned signs.
- Snipe signs. Signs shall only be attached to utility poles in conformance with state and utility regulations and the requirements of this chapter.
- Vehicular and trailer signs. This regulation does not include the use of business logos, identification or advertising on vehicles, or trailers, primarily and actively used for business purposes and/or personal transportation.
- Mechanical movement signs, including revolving signs, but excluding barbershop poles.
- Pennant strings and streamers.
- Animated signs, flashing signs, or signs that scroll or flash text or graphics.
- Inflatable devices or balloon signs, with the exception of balloons used in temporary, noncommercial situations.
- Any signs that imitate, resemble, interfere with, or obstruct official traffic lights, signs, or signals.
- Signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape, or that prevent free access from one part of a roof to any other part. 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.
- 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 owner of the property, Marlborough Township, and any applicable state or local authority.
- Roof signs.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, with the exception of those authorized or required by a local, state, or federal government.
- Any sign containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of the Marlborough Township Zoning Ordinance.
- Signs that exhibit statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects as determined by Marlborough Township.
- 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 virtue of position or color.
- No sign may be located in or obstruct the view of the right-of-way.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
- Illuminated signs: Light sources to illuminate signs shall neither be visible from any street right-of-way nor cause glare hazardous or distracting to pedestrians, vehicle drivers, or adjacent properties.
- No more than 0.2 footcandle of light shall be detectable at the boundary of any abutting property.
- For illuminated signs: The source of the light must be concealed by translucent covers.
- Illuminated signs must have the light source static in color and intensity (unless strictly regulated for message center or digital displays).
- The addition of any message center sign or digital display to a nonconforming sign is prohibited.
- Vegetation screens shall not be employed to serve as the primary means for controlling glare.
- Signs that are frayed, torn, broken, or that are no longer legible will be deemed unmaintained and required to be removed.
- Illumination of temporary, limited-duration or portable signs is prohibited.
Exempt Signs in Marlborough Township
- Official traffic signs.
- Government/regulatory signs.
- Signs inside a building, or other enclosed facility, which are not meant to be viewed from the outside and are located greater than three feet from the window.
- Holiday and seasonal decorations.
- Personal expression signs of any sign type, including flags, provided that they do not exceed three square feet in area per side, are noncommercial in nature, and are not illuminated.
- Address signs: signs stating the address, number and/or name of occupants of the premises and which do not include any commercial advertising or other identification.
- Public signs: signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities, including traffic, utility, safety, railroad crossing, and identification or directional signs for public facilities.
- Signs or emblems of a religious, civic, philanthropic, historical or educational organization that do not to exceed four square feet in area.
- Private drive signs: up to two signs per driveway entrance, not to exceed two square feet in area.
- Security and warning signs (as limited by area and per district).
- Flags (with noncommercial content and size/location as specified).
- Legal notices.
- Vending machine signs.
- Memorial signs, public monuments or historical identification signs erected by Marlborough Township, including plaque signs up to three square feet in area.
- Signs which are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, existing at the time of adoption of this chapter.
- Signs advertising the variety of crops growing in a field, to be removed after the growing season.
- Incidental signs, including incidental window signs.
- Directional signs, provided they do not contain any commercial messaging, and meet size/height/illumination criteria.
- Murals, provided such signs do not contain any commercial messaging and are approved as specified.
- Temporary signs in accordance with § 192-10, Regulations by sign type: temporary signs.
Sign Plan & Submission Notes for Marlborough Township
- A sign permit is required for any person, firm, or corporation to erect, alter, repair, or relocate any sign within Marlborough Township, unless the sign is specifically exempt from permit requirements as outlined in § 192-5.
- The sign permit application must include a site plan and two copies of the plan, drawn to scale, depicting lot dimensions, building frontage, rights-of-way, building elevations, sign locations, and design details.
- For off-premises advertising signs, detailed plans must be certified by a licensed engineer and include: site plan, tree locations/species, distances to rights-of-way, property lines, buildings/structures/signs/intersections, and engineer's certification.
- Conversion of a permitted non-message-center sign to a message center sign, or conversion of a permitted nondigital sign to a digital sign, requires the issuance of a permit pursuant to § 192-18.
- Permits for illuminated signs will not be issued without an approved electrical permit, if required.
- All illuminated signs require independent certification showing compliance with brightness standards as a condition precedent to the issuance of a sign permit, and recertification every three years.
- Street pole banners require a permit (issued for one year and renewable), with application including diagram/map, design proof, and (if brackets installed) bracket installation specs.
- Limited-duration signs: Small signs are exempt from permit requirements; large limited-duration signs require a permit with application including description, schematic, and number of signs.
- Murals require submission of four sets of scale renderings of the existing facade, structure, fence, or garden, all indicating the location and rendering of the proposed mural, for Board of Supervisors approval.
- Application for use and occupancy permit (Article X, § 275-86) with site plan and dimensioned drawings is required prior to erecting, affixing, attaching or installing any sign in Marlborough Township.
Source: ecode360 municipal code