# Sign Regulations in Norristown Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Norristown Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/norristown-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/14369777#14369777)

## At a glance

Norristown Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 38 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Public Interest Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 feet (freestanding) tall and 4 square feet (Sec. §320-328, Use Table by District (All Districts)). Most commercial signs in Norristown Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 6 feet (freestanding) | 10 square feet | — |
| Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, MR) | 6 | 6 feet | Up to 25% of glass area | — |
| TC Town Center, TC Town Center II, OR Office Residential, NC Neighborhood Commercial, DR Downtown Riverfront | 10 | 6 feet | 35 square feet | — |
| CR Commercial Retail, MS-MU Main Street Mixed Use, LI-MU Limited Industrial Mixed Use, OCR Office Commercial Retail, Institutional | 15 | 25 feet per sign | 175 square feet per sign | — |
| HI Heavy Industry | 7 | 15 feet | 35 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Sign (Single-family residential) | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | Wall | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (All Districts) |
| Directional/Incidental Sign | 4 feet (freestanding), 8 feet (wall) | 6 square feet (Directional), 1 square foot (Incidental) | — | — | — | Freestanding, Wall, Window | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (All Districts) |
| Memorial Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | — | One sign per premises | Wall, Freestanding | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (All Districts) |
| Personal Expression Sign | 6 feet (freestanding) | 4 square feet | — | — | — | Wall, Banner, Freestanding, Window | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (All Districts) |
| Public Interest Sign | 6 feet (freestanding) | 4 square feet | — | — | Two signs per premises | Wall, Freestanding | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (All Districts) |
| Sandwich Board Sign (where permitted) | 4 feet | — | 30 inches | — | One per building frontage | Adjacent to building or curb (leave at least 3 feet of sidewalk unobstructed), within 12 feet of business | — | §320-319A(12) |
| Temporary Sign (General, All Zones) | Residential: 4 ft; Nonresidential: 8 ft or 6 ft depending on sign size; Banner: 10 ft high | Residential: up to 6 sq ft, 4 ft high; Nonresidential: One at 16 sq ft, 8 ft high, plus one 6 sq ft at 6 ft high; Banner up to 24 sq ft, 10 ft high; Window—coverage not to exceed 25% glass area | — | — | Residential: one per property; Nonresidential: one large, one small, and one banner per property | Freestanding, Window, Wall, Banner | — | §320-320A |
| Limited Duration Sign (General, All Zones) | Residential: 4 ft; Nonresidential: 8 ft (large), 6 ft (small) | Residential: up to 6 sq ft, 4 ft high; Nonresidential: Large up to 16 sq ft/8 ft high, Small up to 6 sq ft/6 ft high (may have one extra of each for properties with at least 5 acres or 10,000 sq ft floor area) | — | — | As described | Freestanding, Window, Wall | — | §320-320B |

### TC Town Center, TC Town Center II, OR Office Residential, NC Neighborhood Commercial, DR Downtown Riverfront

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign (Multifamily) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per premises | Awning | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (TC Town Center, etc.) |
| Freestanding Sign (Multifamily) | 6 feet | 12 square feet | — | — | One per premises | Freestanding | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (TC Town Center, etc.) |
| Awning Sign (Institutional) | — | 20 square feet | — | — | One per premises | Awning | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (TC Town Center, etc.) |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional) | 6 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | One per premises | Freestanding | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (TC Town Center, etc.) |
| Wall Sign (Institutional or All other uses) | — | 35 square feet | — | — | One per premises or one per frontage | Wall | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (TC Town Center, etc.) |
| Freestanding Sign (All other uses) | 6 feet | 15 square feet | — | — | 3 signs per premises | Freestanding | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (TC Town Center, etc.) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per premises | Projecting | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (TC Town Center, etc.) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | Sidewalk area contiguous to the facade of business | — | §320-328, Use Table by District; §320-319A(12) |

### CR Commercial Retail, MS-MU Main Street Mixed Use, LI-MU Limited Industrial Mixed Use, OCR Office Commercial Retail, Institutional

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign (Multifamily) | 6 feet (freestanding) | 12 square feet | — | — | One per premises | Awning | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (CR, MS-MU, LI-MU, OCR, Institutional) |
| Awning Sign (Institutional) | — | 20 square feet | — | — | One per premises | Awning | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (CR, MS-MU, LI-MU, OCR, Institutional) |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional) | 6 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | One per premises | Freestanding | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (CR, MS-MU, LI-MU, OCR, Institutional) |
| Wall Sign (Institutional) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per premises | Wall | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (CR, MS-MU, LI-MU, OCR, Institutional) |
| Freestanding Sign (Convenience store with gas pumps) | 25 feet per sign | 175 square feet per sign | — | — | One per entrance | Freestanding, one per entrance | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (CR, MS-MU, LI-MU, OCR, Institutional) |
| Fuel Dispenser Sign | — | 4 square feet per sign | — | — | One per fueling position | On fuel dispenser (one per fueling position) | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (CR, MS-MU, LI-MU, OCR, Institutional) |
| Gas Canopy Sign | — | 40 square feet per sign | — | — | Two per premises | On gas canopy (up to 2 signs per premises) | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (CR, MS-MU, LI-MU, OCR, Institutional) |
| Freestanding Sign (All other uses) | 6 feet | 15 square feet | — | — | One per premises entrance | Freestanding, one per premises entrance | — | §320-328, Use Table by District (CR, MS-MU, LI-MU, OCR, Institutional) |

## Prohibited signs in Norristown Borough

- No sign or bill of any kind shall be placed or posted on any property located within the public right-of-way of any street or way within the Municipality of Norristown.
- Signs may be erected, altered, maintained, used, or moved only when in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, in all zoning districts.
- The following types of signs are prohibited across all zones: abandoned signs; any sign resembling traffic control signs or signals, including signs with words like 'stop,' 'look,' or 'danger'; any sign that flashes, rotates, revolves, or oscillates; animated or flashing signs or signs with internally generated messages or symbols; any sign that obstructs free ingress or egress from a door, window, fire escape, or other exitway; vehicular signs unless the vehicle is used in active business or personal transport; signs erected without the property owner's or agent's permission; signs that create a hazard by obstructing clear views for vehicles or pedestrians; signs with obscene or pornographic content determined by the Municipality; novelty signs unless meeting restrictions; special promotional devices or displays (beacons, floodlights, tethered balloons, etc.); signs with reflective backgrounds; projecting V-shaped signs; snipe signs; advertising on benches; freestanding signs within 75 feet of the Schuylkill River bank (except official directional/signs); beacon lighting; revolving or rotating signs; roof signs; portable-movable signs as defined (except sandwich board signs and umbrellas for outdoor dining); signs affixed to trees, fences, utility or light poles, traffic light devices, parking meters, benches, rocks, or natural features (except plaques of a maximum of one square foot); signs using electricity not installed in conformance with the Uniform Construction Code.
- No sign may be erected or maintained so as to prevent free ingress and egress to or from any door, window or fire escape.
- No sign may be placed so as to endanger pedestrians or street traffic by obscuring views or interfering with official street signs or signals by position or color.
- No sign, except official traffic signs or those approved by the Municipality, is permitted within the cartway of the right-of-way.
- No projecting sign shall extend into the cartway of the right-of-way or be less than seven feet above a pedestrian way.
- No freestanding sign may occupy designated areas for parking, loading, walkways, driveways, fire lanes, easements, cartways, or other required unobstructed areas.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
- Signs not properly maintained or in safe repair are subject to removal.
- Illumination of temporary and limited duration signs is prohibited.
- No illumination shall be permitted except as specified by code; illumination must be limited to what is necessary for readability (500 feet for large signs, 150 feet for smaller signs); neon and similar lighting not permitted in residential districts.

## Signs exempt from permit in Norristown Borough

- The following signs do NOT require a permit, but must comply with all other applicable regulations: address signs; flags (with location, height, size, and number limits, and provided no commercial message unless otherwise permitted as a sign); government/regulatory signs and notices; home occupation signs; home security signs (not exceeding one square foot); incidental signs (not exceeding three square feet, without commercial ads/logos, and not obstructing traffic sight triangles); personal expression signs (not illuminated, up to four square feet, max four feet height if freestanding, and must be freestanding, wall, or window signs); public monument, plaque or historic identification marker erected by a government agency; public interest signs (adequately sized, prominently located); professional nameplates (not exceeding 6" high x 18" wide); temporary signs meeting the requirements in § 320-320A; sandwich board signs (where permitted, with specific height, location, and material requirements); pennants (limited to one row per street frontage, up to 30 days display unless extended).
- No permit shall be required for 'No Solicitation or Handbills' signs (one per property, attached to the principal building, no larger than 18" x 6"), pursuant to § 203-3, but they must be maintained and not fall into disrepair.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required prior to the erection, alteration, repair, or relocation of any sign unless the sign is specifically exempt from permit requirements (see §320-318 and §320-324).
- Permit applications must be submitted on forms provided by the Zoning Officer and include detailed sign information, including a sketch plan, design, location, sign message, and photos of existing signage (§320-324).
- Limited duration signs require a permit (valid for one year, renewable); application must include detailed sign and site information (§320-320B(4)).
- Conditional use applications (e.g., for certain sign types such as murals and off-premises advertising signs) require submission of a tentative sketch plan, and are subject to public hearing and Council approval (§320-326, §320-327).
- For off-premises advertising signs, all plans must be certified by a licensed structural engineer and must include a landscaping plan reviewed by the Municipal Engineer (§320-327).
- Annual license fees apply to all signs requiring a permit (§320-325).
- For certain districts or sign types, a permit and sign plan (showing elevation, existing/proposed facades, location and size of all proposed and existing signage) are required as part of the permit application (§320-324).

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

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