# Sign Regulations in Middletown Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Middletown Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/middletown-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/5138575#5138575)

## At a glance

Middletown Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 22 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Ground Sign (Professional Office)s in the R-1, R-1A zoning district are capped at 3 ft tall and 6 sq ft, with a Must be inside property line setback (Sec. § 260-180A(1)(a)[2], (3), (4)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1, R-1A | 4 | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | — |
| R-2 | 3 | — | 12 sq ft | — |
| R-3, R-C | 3 | — | 12 sq ft per entrance | — |
| Residential Districts (R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-C) | 2 | 8 ft (freestanding sign only) | 16 sq ft (if building set back 35 ft or more); 12 sq ft (if less than 35 ft from street) | — |
| C-2 District | 8 | 8 ft | 20 sq ft | — |
| C-1, M-1 | 5 | 20 ft | 160 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | 3 ft (for freestanding sign) | 3 sq ft | — |

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

### R-1, R-1A

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Projecting Sign (Professional Office) | — | 2 sq ft | — | Must be inside property line | — | Attached to building or mounted on decorative freestanding post or lighted lamppost; must be inside property line | — | § 260-180A(1)(a)[1], (2), (3), (4) |
| Wall Sign (Professional Office) | — | 6 sq ft | — | Must be inside property line | — | On building wall; must be inside property line | — | § 260-180A(1)(a)[2], (3), (4) |
| Ground Sign (Professional Office) | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | — | Must be inside property line | — | Freestanding, inside the property line | — | § 260-180A(1)(a)[2], (3), (4) |
| Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 2 sq ft | — | Must be inside property line | — | On the premises and inside the property line | — | § 260-180A(1)(b), (3), (4) |

### C-2 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Option 1) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | Up to four permanent signs of any type in combination | On front of building | — | § 260-180D(1), (2)(a) |
| Projecting Sign (Option 2) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | Up to four permanent signs in total | Projecting from building | — | § 260-180D(1), (2)(a) |
| Freestanding Ground Sign (Option 3) | 8 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | Up to four permanent signs in total | Freestanding, on the property | — | § 260-180D(1), (2)(a), (2)(c) |
| Permanent Window Sign (Option 4) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | Up to four permanent signs in total | Painted on windows | — | § 260-180D(1), (2)(a), (2)(b) |
| Canopy Sign (Fuel Island Type Canopy) | — | 20 sq ft (total for up to two business names/logos) | — | — | Up to two business names per canopy | On fuel island canopy | — | § 260-180D(2)(d) |
| Pylon Sign (Special Exception) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 260-180D(2)(e) |
| Wall Sign (Additional - Side/Parking Lot) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | One (in addition to above signs) | On side street or building façade facing parking lot (corner lots only) | — | § 260-180D(3) |
| Directory Sign | 6 ft (freestanding sign only) | 20 sq ft (total, divided among businesses) | — | — | One (two if corner/parking lot properties) | Freestanding ground or wall sign; one per group, two if corner or parking lot | — | § 260-180D(4)(a)-(e) |

### C-1, M-1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Pylon Sign (Shopping Center Entrance) | 20 ft | 75 sq ft (identifies shopping center and individual businesses) | — | — | One per primary front entrance | At each primary front entrance | — | § 260-180E(1)-(4) |
| Canopy Sign (Fuel Island Type Canopy) | — | 20 sq ft (total for up to two business names/logos) | — | — | Up to two business names per canopy | On fuel island canopy | — | § 260-180E(8) |
| Wall Sign (Store Frontage up to 100 ft) | — | — | — | — | — | On front of store | — | § 260-180E(5) |
| Wall Sign (Store Frontage 100-200 ft) | — | — | — | — | — | On front of store | — | § 260-180E(6) |
| Wall Sign (Store Frontage Over 200 ft) | — | 160 sq ft | — | — | — | On front of store | — | § 260-180E(7) |

## Prohibited signs in Middletown Borough

- It is unlawful to place, erect, or attach any form of sign on any utility pole, except emergency signs for snow removal, leaf collection, and traffic control as authorized by the Mayor and Borough Manager.
- No sign shall be located or arranged so that it interferes with traffic through glare, blocking sight lines, or conflicts with a traffic control device by color, location, shape, or any other characteristic.
- No sign shall violate corner visibility restrictions.
- No overhanging or projecting sign shall be less than eight feet above any walkway.
- No sign or portion of any sign shall project into or over a cartway.
- No sign may extend above the eaves of a sloping roof or roofline of a flat roof.
- In all districts, no signage may be located outside property lines except exempt signs.
- No sign shall be erected that contains information stating or implying that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the zoning provisions.
- No sign with more than two faces is permitted.
- Signs using electricity shall be installed in conformance with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.
- Every sign must be kept in good condition and repair or must be removed.
- All signs shall be removed when the circumstances leading to their erection no longer apply.
- No sign shall be erected within any public right-of-way or near the intersections of any streets in a manner as to materially obstruct free and clear vision.
- No sign shall be erected that is not properly maintained, showing neglect, or in a dilapidated or hazardous condition.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Any vehicle or trailer parked so as to be visible from a public right-of-way with any sign or advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement is prohibited.
- Any sign nailed or attached to a tree, utility pole, streetlight pole, street identification sign, another sign, mailbox, fence, rock or natural features, traffic signal device, or other regulatory device is prohibited.
- Any sign that flashes, rotates, revolves, or oscillates is prohibited (excluding electronic message centers).
- Any animated signs, movable message signs or signs with internally generated messages or symbols (excluding electronic message centers) are prohibited.
- Any roofed sign structure attached to and supported by the building placed above the roofline of a flat roof or the lowest point of eaves of a sloping or mansard roof is prohibited.
- With exception of a portable menu sign three square feet or less at the entrance of a restaurant, any portable sign, including signs on wheels or banners, is prohibited.
- Pylon signs are prohibited except as noted elsewhere (e.g., special exception for C-2, permitted for certain shopping centers in C-1/M-1).

## Signs exempt from permit in Middletown Borough

- Emergency signs for snow removal, leaf collection, and traffic control authorized by the Mayor and Borough Manager on utility poles.
- Official highway street name, directional, or other traffic signs erected in accordance with the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code.
- No trespassing signs not exceeding two square feet.
- Residential identification signs not exceeding two square feet and six feet in height bearing only property numbers, street address, and/or names of occupants or name of dwelling.
- Governmental flag or insignia (with specific size and height limits).
- Governmental, regulatory, and official signs including safety signs, signs indicating points of interest, historical plaques, public parks or recreation facilities, and official Borough buildings or facilities (Borough buildings, police stations, and other Borough facilities' signs may be illuminated).
- Decorative flags and plaques (size-limited, containing no advertising, no business logos, no names of businesses).
- Legal notices.
- Information or public service signs indicating hours of operation, public telephone availability, or directions (maximum one square foot, two per property).
- Temporary professional signs for mechanics, contractors, architects, or realtors (maximum six square feet, only during work/sale/lease, with quantity limits, no illumination).
- Temporary window signs (total area no more than 12 square feet, maximum 60 days except neon under 2 sq ft; notification to Zoning Officer required for grand opening signs; must be durable).
- Temporary yard sale signs (on-site, maximum four square feet, only during sale but not longer than five days, only one per property, no illumination).
- Temporary activity signs for religious organizations, volunteer fire companies, nonprofit educational institutions, civic organizations, community groups advertising special events or charitable purposes (maximum size, duration, removal, and type restrictions detailed).
- Temporary political signs (with size, timing, location, display period, and no illumination restrictions).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The sign ordinance does not reference a required master sign plan or general sign plan for all zones.
- The building owner (or designee) in multi-tenant buildings is responsible for allocating total allowed sign area among tenants, but each tenant may select a sign option with individual sign area limited to the assigned portion.
- The Zoning Officer provides applications for sign permits, fee information, inspection requirements, and application requirements dealing with submission of drawings and construction information.
- Pylon signs in the C-2 district are permitted only by special exception (which would require a Zoning Hearing Board process/variance-like proceeding).

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

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