# Sign Regulations in New Oxford Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** New Oxford Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/new-oxford-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31928304#31928304)

## At a glance

New Oxford Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Billboards in the Highway Commercial District (HC) zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and 50 sq ft per side, 100 sq ft total, with a At least 100 ft from principal structure setback (Sec. §27-1106.1D). Most commercial signs in New Oxford Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 10 ft | 10 sq ft per side, 20 sq ft total; Consolidated: 6 sq ft per use per side, 12 sq ft total per use | — |
| Low Density Residential District (LDR), Moderate Density Residential District (MDR) | 3 | 6 ft unless wall or projecting sign | 25 sq ft total | — |
| Professional Office District (PO) | 2 | 6 ft unless wall or projecting sign | 10 sq ft per side, 20 sq ft total | — |
| Highway Commercial District (HC) | 4 | 20 ft | 75 sq ft per side, 150 sq ft total | — |
| Town Center Mixed Use District (TCM) | 1 | 12 ft (projecting sign); projecting signs above sidewalk/walkway/driveway must have 8 ft clearance below | 12 sq ft per side, 24 sq ft total | — |
| Town Center Residential District (TCR) | 1 | 12 ft (projecting sign); projecting signs above sidewalk/walkway/driveway must have 8 ft clearance below | 6 sq ft per side, 12 sq ft total | — |
| Light Industrial District (LI) | 5 | 25 ft | 150 sq ft per side, 300 sq ft total | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side, 12 sq ft total | — | — | 2 | On-premises | — | §27-1102.1B(3) |
| Temporary Contractor Sign | — | 8 sq ft per side, 16 sq ft total | — | — | 1 | On-premises where work is performed | — | §27-1102.1B(4) |
| Temporary Yard or Garage Sale Sign | — | 4 sq ft total | — | — | 2 | — | — | §27-1102.1B(5) |
| Temporary Political Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §27-1102.1B(6) |
| Name and Street Number Sign (Residential) | — | 2 sq ft total | — | — | — | Residential property | — | §27-1102.1B(8) |
| Off-Premises Directional Sign | 10 ft | 10 sq ft per side, 20 sq ft total; Consolidated: 6 sq ft per use per side, 12 sq ft total per use | — | — | As approved per zoning | Off-premises; allowed by special exception | — | §27-1102.1D |

### Highway Commercial District (HC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Sign (Freestanding or Wall) | 15 ft (freestanding) | 40 sq ft (freestanding or wall sign); wall sign area may be increased by 20% (i.e. up to 48 sq ft) if wall sign is chosen | — | — | 1 per lot (2 for 2 street frontages) | On-premises | — | §27-1106.1A, 1B |
| Shopping/Personal Service Plaza Entrance Sign (Freestanding) | — | 75 sq ft per side, 150 sq ft total | — | At least 20 ft from road right-of-way | 1 per plaza | At plaza entrance, at least 20 ft from ROW | — | §27-1106.1C(1) |
| Shopping/Personal Service Plaza Individual Establishment Wall Sign | — | 35 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment in plaza | Attached to plaza building | — | §27-1106.1C(2) |
| Billboard | 20 ft | 50 sq ft per side, 100 sq ft total | — | At least 100 ft from principal structure | Not specified | — | — | §27-1106.1D |

### Light Industrial District (LI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owner/Occupant/Activity Sign | — | 100 sq ft per side, 200 sq ft total | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | §27-1108.1A |
| Entrance/Exit Activity Sign | 6 ft | 10 sq ft per side, 20 sq ft total | — | — | 1 per entrance/exit | At each entrance and/or exit to/from public road | — | §27-1108.1B |
| Multiple Activity Sign | — | 75 sq ft per side, 150 sq ft total | — | — | 1 per activity | On premises | — | §27-1108.1C |
| Billboard | 25 ft | 150 sq ft per side, 300 sq ft total | — | 200 ft from residential | Not specified | — | — | §27-1108.1F |
| Residential Development Sign (LI, Special Exception) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §27-1108.1E |

## Prohibited signs in New Oxford Borough

- No sign shall be erected, enlarged or relocated until a permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer, except where exempted.
- Any sign advertising or identifying a business or organization which is either defunct or no longer located on the premises is not permitted.
- No sign shall use the words 'stop,' 'caution' or 'danger' or shall use red, yellow and/or green lights resembling traffic signals, or shall resemble traffic control signs in terms of size, shape or color.
- No sign shall be located so as to interfere with the clear sight distance regulations of the New Oxford Borough Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
- Signs may only be illuminated to the extent necessary to be seen and read at night at a distance not to exceed 250 feet for signs of 10 square feet or more in area, and at a distance not to exceed 125 feet for signs less than 10 square feet in area.
- Flashing signs and/or flashing and/or rotating lights are prohibited.
- Revolving, rotating or otherwise moving signs are prohibited.
- Animated signs are prohibited.
- Changeable copy signs are prohibited except when copy is changed manually, except signs with the express purpose of displaying the time and temperature.
- Moveable signs, whether mounted on a trailer, vehicle, temporary base, or similar device, are prohibited. A vehicle, painted or decorated so as to display an advertising or related message, and parked in a visible location, is considered a moveable sign.

## Signs exempt from permit in New Oxford Borough

- Official street and traffic signs and any other signs required by law.
- Trespassing signs, signs indicating private ownership of roads and/or property, and similar signs, provided such signs are spaced at intervals of no less than 100 feet and do not exceed two square feet in area.
- Temporary, unlighted real estate signs advertising the sale or rental of the premises upon which they are erected, provided the maximum area on any side does not exceed six square feet, total area does not exceed 12 square feet, not more than two signs are placed on a property, and signs are removed not more than five business days following the sale or rental.
- Temporary, unlighted signs of contractors, painters, or similar artisans, erected on the premises where the work is being performed, provided the maximum area of any one side does not exceed eight square feet, total area does not exceed 16 square feet, not more than one such sign per property, and the sign is removed within one day of completion of work.
- Temporary, unlighted yard or garage sale signs, provided such signs are not displayed for more than 48 hours per calendar month, total area does not exceed four square feet, and not more than two signs per sale event.
- Temporary, unlighted political signs, provided the signs do not exceed six square feet in area, are not displayed earlier than 30 days prior to an election, and are removed within three working days after the election.
- Freestanding signs designating the 'entrances' and 'exits' to commercial and industrial establishments, provided such signs are illuminated only by indirect lighting and each side does not exceed four square feet unless otherwise regulated.
- Signs displaying the name and street number of the occupant of a residence, provided the total area does not exceed two square feet.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit is required for the erection, enlargement or relocation of any sign unless the sign qualifies for exemption under § 1102(B). A scale drawing and other relevant information must be submitted with the application.
- If three or more off-premises directional signs are proposed on the same property, the Borough may require the consolidation of individual signs on a single off-premises directional sign, and compatibly designed business logos will be required.
- A landscaping sketch must accompany the sign permit application for certain free-standing signs (e.g., residential development and pre-existing commercial use signs; see § 1104.1B(3) and § 1106.1A(4)).
- Replacement of any nonconforming sign requires full compliance with current sign ordinance requirements (§ 27-1307.2), including the need for a permit and adherence to standards.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/new-oxford-borough