# Sign Regulations in Montgomery Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Montgomery Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/montgomery-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/32173884#32173884)

## At a glance

Montgomery Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Business Identification Sign - Wall Mounted Options in the C Districts, I Districts zoning district are capped at Not more than 24 feet in height when within 10 feet of right-of-way tall and 32 to 120 square feet (see formula) (Sec. §475-61A-D). Most commercial signs in Montgomery Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | Highest point shall not exceed building height limit in the district | 200 square feet | — |
| Residential Districts | 9 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| C Districts, I Districts | 7 | Not more than 24 feet in height when within 10 feet of right-of-way | 120 square feet for shopping center sign, plus 120 square feet total for individual business IDs attached to the sign structure (aggregate) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached to or part of the wall of a structure. | — | §475-59K |
| Fascia Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed to an architectural projection, canopy, or marquee. | — | §475-59L |
| Roof Sign | Highest point shall not exceed building height limit in the district | 200 square feet | — | — | — | Supported by the roof of a building | — | §475-58 (Roof Sign definition) |
| Ground Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Supported vertically by one or more uprights placed in or on the ground. | — | §475-58 (Ground Sign definition) |
| Official Traffic Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Within right-of-way lines; otherwise no sign shall be erected within right-of-way lines. | — | §475-59B |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sale or Rental Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 per property, or 2 per frontage for properties fronting more than one street | Erected on premises by owner, broker, or other interested person | — | §475-60A |
| Sale or Development Sign (Builder/Developer) | — | 32 square feet | — | — | 2 per property, or 2 per frontage for properties fronting more than one street | On premises in connection with development by builder/contractor/developer | — | §475-60B |
| Directional Sign (Development) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 per 500 feet of street frontage | Not on the premises being developed; indicates location/direction for premises in process of development; may include owner, developer, builder, or agent name | — | §475-60C |
| Construction Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises where construction is occurring. | — | §475-60D |
| Trespassing/Private Drive Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | On private property or driveway | — | §475-60E |
| Institution/Development Identification Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | 2 per property, or 2 per frontage for properties fronting more than one street | For schools, colleges, churches, hospitals, sanitariums, similar institutions, or housing developments | — | §475-60F |
| Sale of Farm Products Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 | On property where sale of farm products is permitted | — | §475-60G |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | — | On premises for home occupations | — | §475-60H |

### C Districts, I Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification Sign - Wall Mounted Option | Not more than 24 feet in height when within 10 feet of right-of-way | 32 to 120 square feet (see formula) | — | — | 2 per premises, 3 if certain entrances (see additional requirements) | On the premises in C and I Districts, wall mounted | — | §475-61A-D |
| Business Identification Sign - Ground Mounted Option | Not more than 24 feet in height when within 10 feet of right-of-way | 32 to 120 square feet (see formula) | — | — | 2 per premises, 3 if certain entrances (see additional requirements) | On the premises in C and I Districts, ground mounted | — | §475-61A-D |
| Shopping Center Sign | — | 120 square feet for shopping center sign, plus 120 square feet total for individual business IDs attached to the sign structure (aggregate) | — | — | 1 shopping center sign per shopping center; business signs aggregate 120 sq ft per shopping center sign | On premises, for shopping centers with more than 4 individual businesses | — | §475-61E |
| Apartment-Office Building Ground Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per building/complex | On premises, for apartment-office or office complex | — | §475-61F(1), (2) |
| Apartment-Office Building Wall/Fascia Sign | — | 25 square feet | — | — | 1 per occupant | On premises, for each occupant of office building or office complex | — | §475-61F(3) |
| Portable Sign | 6 feet | 12 square feet per face | — | — | 1 per premises, counts toward total sign count | Movable ground sign, on premises, for existing lawful uses advertising products for sale | — | §475-62 |
| Temporary Sign | — | 25 square feet per face | — | — | 1 per business per street frontage | C or I District, on premises | — | §475-63 |

## Prohibited signs in Montgomery Borough

- No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger to traffic on the street by obscuring the view.
- No sign, other than an official traffic sign, shall be erected within the right-of-way lines of any street.
- No sign shall project over a public sidewalk area or public right-of-way.
- No sign shall be painted on a tree, stone, cliff or other natural object.
- Signs shall not attempt to direct the movement of traffic or interfere with, imitate or resemble any official signs, signal or device.
- Signs shall not prevent the driver of a vehicle from having a clear and unobstructed view of approaching or merging traffic.
- No sign or portion thereof, including lights, shall be permitted in any district when, by reason of its design, content, intensity, color, location or movement, it may interfere or cause confusion with traffic lights, signals or other controls or otherwise interfere with the operation of vehicles upon a public thoroughfare.
- All signs shall be removed by the owner when the circumstances leading to its erection no longer apply.
- All signs with a clearance of less than six feet above grade shall be a minimum of 20 feet from the face of any curb abutting a street or 10 feet from the property line abutting any street, whichever distance is more restrictive.
- No wall sign shall extend above the top of the wall, nor beyond the left or right extremity of the wall to which it is attached nor shall it extend or project more than 18 inches from the wall upon which it is attached.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit shall be required for the erection or structural alteration or modification of all billboards or signs.

## Full detail

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

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