# Sign Regulations in Oxford Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Oxford Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/oxford-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31201490#31201490)

## At a glance

Oxford Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 37 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (C-1 Commercial District)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 15 ft tall and 32 sq ft (per side), with a Not within street ROW; setback from side/rear equals sign height setback (Sec. §27-1601.1L(1-5)). Most commercial signs in Oxford Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 24 ft | 192 sq ft (per side) | — |
| Residential Districts | 11 | 8 ft | 24 sq ft (per side) | — |
| C-1 Commercial District | 8 | 15 ft | Directory: 192 sq ft freestanding; 12 sq ft facade sign; wall sign: 10% of facade or 200 sq ft per use | — |
| C-2 Commercial District | 8 | 15 ft | 60 sq ft max per property | — |
| C-3 Commercial District | 7 | 15 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| I Industrial District, I General Industrial District | 9 | 24 ft (freestanding directory at entrance) | 200 sq ft per use | — |
| PC/LI Planned Commercial/Light Industrial District | 9 | 24 ft (freestanding directory at entrance) | 200 sq ft per use | — |
| Oxford Borough Historic District | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (C-1 Commercial District) | 15 ft | 32 sq ft (per side) | — | Not within street ROW; setback from side/rear equals sign height | 1 per property (exclusive of directory/directional signs) | Permitted in C-1, C-2, C-3, I, and PC/LI zones, on institutional uses, residential developments (as ground/monument signs), and nonconforming nonresidential uses in residential zones. | — | §27-1601.1L(1-5) |
| Freestanding Sign (C-2 or C-3 Commercial District) | 15 ft (general maximum for commercial/industrial districts) | 12 sq ft (per side) | — | Not within street ROW; setback from side/rear equals sign height | 1 per property (exclusive of directory/directional signs) | See above | — | §27-1601.1L(6) |
| Freestanding Sign (I Industrial District) | 15 ft | 50 sq ft (per side) | — | Not within street ROW; setback from side/rear equals sign height | 1 per property (exclusive of directory/directional signs) | As specified above | — | §27-1601.1L(7) |
| Freestanding Sign (PC/LI Planned Commercial/Light Industrial District) | 15 ft (Mixed Commercial Industrial Center directory sign) | 32 sq ft (per side, except directory signs) | — | Not within street ROW; setback from side/rear equals sign height | 2 (Mixed Commercial Industrial Center); 1 elsewhere (exclusive of directory/directional signs) | As specified above | — | §27-1601.1L(8) |
| Portable Sign | 5 ft | 9 sq ft (per face) | — | — | 1 per property/principal use | C-1, C-2, C-3, PC/LI, I. In front of principal use including sidewalk (clear width 4 ft). | — | §27-1601.1P |
| Feather Flag Sign - Portable Type | 12 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | 3 per lot | Permitted where portable signs are allowed except in C-3 and residential zones | — | §27-1601.1P(10) |
| Temporary Sign - General | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | Usually 2 per street frontage (5 for elections), unless otherwise limited | All districts, as applicable; see use cases. | — | §27-1601.1N(1) |
| Directory Sign - Freestanding | 24 ft | 192 sq ft (per side) | — | — | 1 per tract | Entrance to multi-use property/development in C-1, I, and PC/LI | — | §27-1601.1Q(1) |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Institutional/Club/Farm/Estate Sign | — | 12 sq ft (per side) | — | — | 2 per street frontage | On lot with school, church, hospital, club, lodge, farm, estate, or similar use | — | §27-1602.1B |
| Professional/Home Occupation Sign | — | 2 sq ft (per side) | — | — | 1 per permitted use/dwelling | On lot occupied by use | — | §27-1602.1C |
| Nonconforming Use Sign | — | 12 sq ft (per side) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | For existing nonconforming uses | — | §27-1602.1D |
| Utility Corporation Facility Sign | — | 4 sq ft (per side) | — | — | — | On lot with public utility corporation facility | — | §27-1602.1E |
| Residential Subdivision Sign (Rental Office/Sample Unit) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On lot with rental office or sample unit | — | §27-1602.1F |
| Entrance/Monument Sign (Subdivision/Land Development) | — | 24 sq ft (per side) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Entrance to subdivision/land development, on premises | — | §27-1602.1H |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential) | 8 ft | 12 sq ft (per side) | — | — | 1 per property | Residential zone, where permitted | — | §27-1602.1I |
| Temporary Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | Up to 2 per street frontage (up to 5 for election signs at polling places) | All residential lots as permitted by general terms | — | §27-1602.1J, §27-1601.1N |

### I Industrial District, I General Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Sign | Not above roofline | 150 sq ft (per property) | — | — | 2 per street frontage | — | — | §27-1606.1B |
| Directory Sign (Freestanding) | 24 ft (freestanding directory at entrance) | 192 sq ft (freestanding), 12 sq ft (facade) | — | — | 1 per tract/building as specified | Freestanding at entrance (1 per tract); facade directory sign (1 per building) | — | §27-1606.1D; §27-1601.1Q(1-2) |
| Wall-Mounted Business Sign (Multi-Use Building) | — | 200 sq ft per use | — | — | 1 per use | On building with multiple uses | — | §27-1606.1D(3) |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 ft | 50 sq ft (per side) | — | Setback from side/rear equals height of sign; not in street ROW | 1 per property | — | — | §27-1606.1C; §27-1601.1L(7) |
| Window Sign | — | 35% of window area of frontage wall | — | — | — | — | — | §27-1606.1F |
| Portable Sign | 5 ft | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property/principal use | — | — | §27-1606.1G |
| Directional Sign | — | 2 sq ft per sign | — | — | — | — | — | §27-1606.1H |
| Billboard (I General Industrial District only) | 15 ft | 60 sq ft (<35 mph roadway); 100 sq ft (36-45 mph roadway) | — | Min. 15 ft from property line; min. 300 ft from other billboards/residential districts | — | Freestanding, off-premises, must meet spacing and zoning requirements | — | §27-1606.1J |

## Prohibited signs in Oxford Borough

- No sign shall contain flashing, revolving, moving, sound-producing, or animated parts, including any sign which has the capability of motion in whole or in part, except for digital changeable display signs in compliance with regulations and manual changeable display signs.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position or have such a source of illumination that it directly illuminates any street, creates glare, or will cause any danger to pedestrians or vehicular traffic.
- Floodlighting of any sign shall be arranged so that the source of light is not visible nor glare is detected from any property line or vehicular access and that only the sign is illuminated.
- No sign other than official traffic signs or public service signs shall be erected within the right-of-way lines of any street.
- No sign shall be allowed to become dilapidated; dilapidated signs must be removed by the owner, or by the Borough at the owner's expense.
- No sign shall be erected or located so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any window, door, fire escape, sidewalk, or driveway.
- No sign shall be erected which emits smoke, visible vapors or particles, sound, or odor.
- No sign shall be erected which uses an artificial light source or reflecting device which may be mistaken for a traffic signal.
- No sign shall be placed on any tree except temporary signs affixed with string or rope. No sign shall be painted or drawn on a rock or other natural feature.
- No sign shall be permitted which has or includes content that is not subject to the protections of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or Article I, Section 7, of the Pennsylvania Constitution, including but not limited to obscenity/pornography, fighting words, and incitement to imminent lawless action.

## Signs exempt from permit in Oxford Borough

- Official traffic signs.
- Temporary signs as detailed in Section 27-1601.1N(1)(a) through (e), subject to removal within the specified timeframes and not creating hazards, do not require a permit except where specifically required.
- Signs on lots on which trespassing is prohibited, at entry to private roads/driveways/premises, or where hunting and fishing are prohibited/restricted, as long as they do not exceed two square feet in area, are placed at intervals of at least 100 feet, and do not require a permit.
- Portable signs meeting the requirements of Section 27-1601.1P do not require a permit.
- Window signs displayed on the inside of any window do not require a permit.
- Directory signs as facade signs in any zoning district, meeting applicable area requirements, are allowed without further restriction.
- Temporary signs as specified in 27-1601.1N(2) for short-term commercial activity in C-1, C-2, C-3, and PC/LI Districts may be displayed without fee and are not counted toward permanent signage totals (limitations apply).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit is required to construct, alter, install, and maintain any sign, unless otherwise specified as exempt for certain temporary, small, or specific sign types.
- Permit applications for properties within the Oxford Borough Historic District must be reviewed by the Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) for compatibility, with a written recommendation to Borough Council, and require a Certificate of Appropriateness before a permit is issued.
- A sign plan/submittal is required when seeking a special exception (such as for billboards in the I General Industrial District), including documents and plans necessary to establish compliance with ordinance criteria; these must be submitted with the special exception application to the Zoning Hearing Board.
- Changeable display signs (digital) require a sign permit; the permit fee is established by Borough Council resolution.
- All sign permits are to be obtained as required under Section 27-1601; permits need not be displayed on the property.

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

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