# Sign Regulations in North Wales Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** North Wales Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/north-wales-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43373847#43373847)

## At a glance

North Wales Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 34 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Off-Premises Signs in the Limited Industrial District (LI) zoning district are capped at 12 ft copy area above ground tall, 72 sq ft; 6 ft tall by 12 ft wide, and 12 ft wide, with a See detailed location restrictions above setback (Sec. §208-90J, §208-85). Most commercial signs in North Wales 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 | 7 | 30 ft above grade | 24 sq ft | — |
| R-1 residential district, R-2 residential district, R-3 residential district | 8 | 10 ft | 15 sq ft per sign face | — |
| Office Residential (OR) district, Commercial Business District (CBD), Transit-Oriented Development District (TOD) | 8 | No higher than eave line; lowest edge ≥ 10 ft above grade | 150 sq ft per marquee structure | — |
| Limited Industrial District (LI) | 10 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft per structure | — |
| Historic Preservation District | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### R-1 residential district, R-2 residential district, R-3 residential district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Residential) | 3 ft | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property | Ground, window, or banner, on private property | — | §208-86B(2), §208-88A |
| Freestanding Sign (Home Occupation) | 7 ft | 6 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per lot | On property with home occupation | — | §208-88B(1) |
| Wall Sign (Home Occupation) | The eave line or bottom of second story window sill | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On principal dwelling | — | §208-88B(2) |
| Projecting Sign (Home Occupation) | The eave line or bottom of second story window sill | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | Projecting from principal dwelling | — | §208-88B(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Development >10 units) | 10 ft | 15 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per street frontage | At development entrance | — | §208-88C |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional Use) | 10 ft | 15 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 2 per institutional use | On institutional property | — | §208-88D(1), (3) |
| Wall Sign (Institutional Use) | The eave line or bottom of second story window sill | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On institution building | — | §208-88D(2)-(3) |
| Projecting Sign (Institutional Use) | The eave line or bottom of second story window sill | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On institution building | — | §208-88D(2)-(3) |

### Office Residential (OR) district, Commercial Business District (CBD), Transit-Oriented Development District (TOD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Business District) | Large (ground): 8 ft; Small: 6 ft; Banner: 24 ft max hanging height | Large: 16 sq ft; Small: 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 large + 2 small per lot; max 2 at once | Ground, window, banner; see placement requirements | — | §208-86B(1), (C)-(G) |
| Wall Sign (Business District) | Eave line or bottom of second story window sill | 24 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per tenant per frontage; max 2 per tenant | On wall facing public street or parking lot | — | §208-89D |
| Window Sign (Business District) | — | 15% of window area (permanent); 25% (permanent + temporary) | — | — | — | On windows | — | §208-89E |
| Projecting Sign (Business District) | Eave line or bottom of second story window sill | 12 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per ground floor establishment + 1 per common building entrance for upper floor tenants | Projecting from primary facade; 1 per ground floor establishment plus 1 per main entrance for upper floor tenants | — | §208-89F, 208-84C |
| Canopy/Awning Sign (Business District) | Not above eave line; lowest edge ≥8 ft above grade | — | No wider than wall/tenant space | — | — | Awnings/canopies over/above windows/doors | — | §208-89G, 208-84D |
| Marquee Sign (Business District) | No higher than eave line; lowest edge ≥ 10 ft above grade | 150 sq ft per marquee structure | No wider than entrance served +2 ft each side; ≤ 3 ft from curb | — | 1 per qualifying use | Above principal entrance facing public street | — | §208-89H, 208-84E |
| Portable Sign (Business District) | — | — | — | — | — | See sandwich board/A-frame | — | §208-89B, 208-87A |
| Sandwich Board/A-frame Sign (Business District) | 3.5 ft | 7 sq ft per sign face | — | 36 in sidewalk clearance | 1 per establishment | On sidewalk within 12 ft of primary entrance; must maintain 36 inches of clearance | — | §208-89B, 208-87B |

### Limited Industrial District (LI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Industrial) | Large (ground): 8 ft; Small: 6 ft; Banner: 24 ft max hanging | Large: 16 sq ft; Small: 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 large, 2 small per lot, max 2 at once | Ground, window, banner | — | §208-86B(1), (C)-(G) |
| Wall Sign (Industrial) | Eave line or bottom of second story window sill | 32 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per tenant per frontage, max 2 per tenant | On wall facing public street or parking lot | — | §208-90D |
| Projecting Sign (Industrial) | Eave line or bottom of second story window sill | 20 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per ground floor establishment + 1 per non-ground floor common entrance | Projecting from primary facade; 1 per ground floor establishment + 1 per main entry for non-ground tenants | — | §208-90F |
| Canopy/Awning Sign (Industrial) | Not above eave line; lowest edge ≥8 ft above grade | — | No wider than wall/tenant space | — | — | Awnings/canopies over/above windows/doors | — | §208-90G, 208-84D |
| Marquee Sign (Industrial) | Not above eave line; lowest edge ≥10 ft above grade | 200 sq ft per structure | No wider than entrance +2 ft each side; ≤3 ft from curb | — | 1 per qualifying use | Above principal entrance facing street | — | §208-90H, 208-84E |
| Freestanding Sign (Industrial) | 20 ft | 50 sq ft plus 10 sq ft per tenant up to 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage, up to 2 | Property frontage | — | §208-90I |
| Sandwich Board/A-frame Sign (Industrial) | 3.5 ft | 7 sq ft per sign face | — | 36 in sidewalk clearance | 1 per establishment | On sidewalk within 12 ft of primary entrance; must maintain 36 in sidewalk clearance | — | §208-90B, 208-87B |
| Off-Premises Sign | 12 ft copy area above ground | 72 sq ft; 6 ft tall by 12 ft wide | 12 ft | See detailed location restrictions above | 1 per lot | Not within 25 ft of street or property line, not within 50 ft of building or other on-premises sign, not within 500 ft of other off-premises sign or intersection/interchange, not within 1,000 ft of park, school, cemetery, religious or residential uses | — | §208-90J, §208-85 |

## Prohibited signs in North Wales Borough

- Abandoned signs and abandoned billboards.
- Snipe signs. Signs shall only be attached to utility poles in conformance with state and utility regulations and the requirements of this chapter.
- Vehicle signs (except business logos, identification or advertising on vehicles primarily and actively used for business purposes and/or personal transportation).
- Mechanical movement signs, including revolving signs.
- 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 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, 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, 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 or road.
- Roof signs.
- Unofficial signs on Borough property.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner.
- Any sign containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of this chapter.
- Signs that exhibit vulgar words or images of an obscene, sexual, violent, or illegal nature as determined by the Borough.
- Any sign that promotes illegal activity.
- No sign shall create a public nuisance by emitting smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor or open flames.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrians 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, except official traffic signs or those approved by the Borough, 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 eight feet above a pedestrian way.
- No freestanding sign may occupy an area designated for parking, loading, walkways, driveways, fire lane, easement, cartway of the right-of-way or other areas required to be unobstructed.
- No freestanding sign may occupy a sight triangle.
- Awnings and/or canopies shall not extend into the street right-of-way.
- No signs shall be erected or maintained so as to prevent free ingress and egress to or from any door, window, or fire escape.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
- Signs must be constructed of durable materials, using noncorrosive fastenings, and erected or installed in strict accordance with the PA Uniform Construction Code, and must be maintained in safe condition and good repair at all times so that all sign information is clearly legible.
- Signs that are unsafe, in danger of falling, so deteriorated that they no longer serve a useful purpose of communication, are a nuisance, or unlawful must be removed upon written notice by the Borough.
- Violation of any provision of the sign ordinance (including placement without a required permit) is prohibited and subject to penalties.

## Signs exempt from permit in North Wales Borough

- Signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities, including, but not limited to, legal notices, traffic, safety, railroad crossing, utility, and identification signs for public facilities.
- Address signs indicating the address, number and/or name of occupants of the premises necessary for emergency response purposes.
- Security and warning signs regarding a potential hazard or danger associated with a facility or location.
- Personal expression signs (freestanding, wall, or window signs) that are not illuminated, do not exceed three square feet in sign area per sign face, and are no more than four feet in height if freestanding.
- Flags on private property that meet requirements for location (not in required yard setbacks), height (30 feet max), number (no more than two flags per lot), and size (maximum 24 square feet per flag).
- Memorial signs, public monuments, historical or scenic identification signs erected by the Borough.
- Signs which are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, existing at the time of adoption of this chapter.
- Signs interior to a building or lot which are not viewable from a public street or right-of-way.
- Temporary signs in accordance with § 208-86, Temporary signs (which themselves have notification, but not permit, requirements).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required for any person, firm, or corporation to erect, alter, repair, or relocate any sign within the Borough unless specifically exempt under § 208-82.
- Permit applications for signs in the Historic Preservation District must be reviewed and approved by the Historic Architectural Review Board and a Certificate of Appropriateness must be issued by Borough Council.
- Permit applications for signs in the Historic Preservation District must include specific documentation (property photograph, building facade illustration, scaled drawing of sign and materials, site plan for ground signs, type of illumination).
- Applications for illuminated signs require an approved electrical permit filed at the same time as the sign permit application (§ 208-83G(3)).
- Temporary signs are exempt from the standard permit requirements but require notification to the Borough for temporary signs larger than four square feet (include location, size, timing, and contact information).
- In addition to a sign permit, special exception relief may be required for off-premises signs (§ 208-85L) to ensure public health and safety.
- Nonconforming signs must be brought into conformance if altered, damaged (over 50%), or upon land development, change of use, or as otherwise specified (§ 208-94).

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

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