# Sign Regulations in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Radnor Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/radnor-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/26914290#26914290)

## At a glance

Radnor Township, Pennsylvania regulates 23 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign - Poles in the Commercial Office (CO),Commercial (C-1, C-2, C-3) zoning district are capped at 15 ft tall and 25 sq ft, with a 10 ft from street cartway; not in right-of-way; 150 ft between signs on separate frontages setback (Sec. § 280-122C(5)(a)[1],(c)). Most commercial signs in Radnor Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural Conservation District,Residential District,Planned Apartment Zoning Districts | 6 | 8 ft | 15 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Office (CO),Commercial (C-1, C-2, C-3) | 13 | 15 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Planned Business District,Planned Laboratory Office District,Planned Institutional District,Public Land Use District | 7 | 15 ft | 75 sq ft | — |
| Wayne Business Overlay District (WBOD),C-3 Zoning District | 1 | 15 ft (freestanding or mounted) | 64 sq ft per face; max 128 sq ft total if double-sided back to back (V-angle <=45°) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | 6 sq ft (perpendicular; see § 280-49.14); 4 sq ft (angle; see § 280-53.15) | — |

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

### Agricultural Conservation District,Residential District,Planned Apartment Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential Uses) | 8 ft | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises; 1 per street frontage if over 150 ft apart | On the premises; one sign per street frontage with minimum 150 ft between signs on separate frontage | — | § 280-121B |
| Freestanding Sign (Multifamily/Residential Developments) | 6 ft | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1; 1 per street frontage | On the premises; one sign per street frontage | — | § 280-121C(1)-(2) |
| Wall Sign (Rental Office, Multiple-Family Development) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On building at rental office | — | § 280-121C(3) |
| Real Estate Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per premises; 1 per street frontage | On premises | — | § 280-121D(1),(4) |
| Directional Sign (Open House off-premises) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 2 | Within township for open house, not on-site | — | § 280-121D(3) |
| Development Sign | 8 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per 500 ft of frontage | On premises; 1 per 500 ft of street frontage | — | § 280-121E |

### Commercial Office (CO),Commercial (C-1, C-2, C-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate/Development Sign | 8 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per 500 ft | On premises; 1 per 500 ft of street frontage | — | § 280-122B |
| Wall Sign (General) | 15 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | On wall(s) with street frontage, per frontage | — | § 280-122C(1),(2) |
| Freestanding Sign - Pole | 15 ft | 25 sq ft | — | 10 ft from street cartway; not in right-of-way; 150 ft between signs on separate frontages | 1 per building or street frontage | Not within right-of-way; 10 ft setback from street cartway; not a hazard | — | § 280-122C(5)(a)[1],(c) |
| Freestanding Sign - Ground | 8 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 10 ft from street cartway; not in right-of-way; 150 ft between signs on separate frontages | 1 per building or street frontage | Not within right-of-way; 10 ft setback from street cartway; not a hazard | — | § 280-122C(5)(a)[2],(c) |
| Wall Sign (Gasoline Service Stations) | 15 ft | 25 sq ft per principal building; 10 sq ft additional above service areas | — | — | 1 per frontage + additional above service | On building; 1 per street frontage | — | § 280-122C(6)(a) |
| Freestanding Sign - Ground (Gasoline Service Stations) | 10 ft | 30 sq ft plus 20 sq ft for pricing for gas stations | — | As per other freestanding signs | 1 per location | On premises, subject to general freestanding setback/location | — | § 280-122C(6)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign - Ground (Automobile Dealership - Primary) | 10 ft | 30 sq ft | — | As per other freestanding signs, see § 280-122C(5)(c) | 1 per street frontage | One per location per street frontage | — | § 280-122C(7)(c)[1][a],(d) |
| Freestanding Sign - Ground (Automobile Dealership - Secondary) | 10 ft | 30 sq ft | — | As per other freestanding signs | 1 per qualifying property | Allowed if used/pre-owned cars or more than one make | — | § 280-122C(7)(c)[1][b],[d] |

### Planned Business District,Planned Laboratory Office District,Planned Institutional District,Public Land Use District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Office Use Only) | 15 ft | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Per building | — | § 280-123B |
| Wall Sign (Each business in shopping/retail center) | 15 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | One per business | — | § 280-123B |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On vertical face of awning | — | § 280-123C, § 280-122C(3) |
| Freestanding Sign - Ground | 10 ft | 75 sq ft | — | As required by § 280-122C(5)(c): Not within right-of-way, 10 ft from street cartway, no hazard | 1 per street frontage or major ingress/egress | One per street frontage and/or major point of ingress or egress; min 200 ft between signs | — | § 280-123D |
| Real Estate/Development Sign | 8 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per 500 ft | On premises; one per 500 ft of street frontage | — | § 280-123E |
| Directional Sign | 3 ft | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises as needed | — | § 280-123F, § 280-122C(8) |
| Instructional Sign | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises interior | — | § 280-123G, § 280-122C(9) |

## Prohibited signs in Radnor Township

- Any sign which by color, shape or location conflicts with or resembles a traffic signal device.
- Signs attached to a utility pole, parking meter, traffic sign post, traffic signal or control device, street sign, historical marker, tree or rock.
- Portable signs.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner or authorized agent.
- Signs on awnings, except on the vertical face thereof as provided herein.
- Signs that create a hazard by obstructing the clear view of vehicles and pedestrian traffic.
- Signs painted on any wall surface.
- Projecting signs, except as may be provided for within this ordinance.
- Animated signs, except time and temperature signs.
- Illuminated tubing or strings of lights which outline rooflines, doors, windows or wall edges when used for advertising purposes, but excluding temporary signs for traditional seasonal decorations.
- Any sign which obstructs free ingress to or egress from a required door, window, fire escape or other required exitway.
- Banners, pennants or balloons, except as may be otherwise provided for within this article.
- Vehicular signs.
- Sidewalk and sandwich signs.
- Abandoned or dilapidated signs.
- Signs which exhibit statements, words or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects.
- Internally illuminated signs, except as may be provided for within this article.
- Flashing signs, except time and temperature signs.
- Revolving signs.
- Festoon signs.
- Beacon lights.
- Roof signs.
- Any sign inconsistent with provisions of this article.
- No person shall use or contract for the use of any type of aircraft or other self-propelled or buoyant airborne object to display in any manner or for any purpose whatsoever any sign or advertising device. (Aerial advertising prohibited, except as exempted).

## Signs exempt from permit in Radnor Township

- Governmental signs as herein defined.
- Real estate and development signs, subject to height, area and number requirements as set forth in this article.
- Political signs, provided that no sign shall be displayed more than 30 calendar days prior to an election or for more than 10 days following the election for which it is erected.
- Civic event signs, subject to specified regulations such as time, area, number and location.
- "No Trespassing" or similar on-premise signs, provided that no sign shall exceed one square foot in sign area or be placed at intervals of less than 150 feet.
- Memorial and landmark signs erected within the definition of this article.
- Changeable copy, repainting, cleaning and other normal maintenance and repair of a sign unless the sign structure, design, color or lighting is altered.
- Temporary signs under specific categories (artisan signs, garage/yard sale signs, banners during repairs/transition), as specified in section 280-120(I).
- Regulatory signs as required.
- Address signs as specified, with area exempt from the computation of total permitted sign area provided there is no advertising/trade names/logos.
- Interior signs as herein defined.
- Logo and operating instructions for an automatic teller or money access center when located on the machine.
- Any other sign as may be provided for within this article.
- Flags, subject to specified regulations (e.g., business or corporate logo flags treated as permanent signs; seasonal, noncommercial flags exempt).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Where a permit is required for any new sign, or change of existing signage in a multiple tenant building, the Township shall have authority to require the owner of such building to submit for approval a sign plan for the entire building. Such a plan shall be submitted and approved prior to, or at the time of application for any new or change of existing signage. All signs shall be consistent with the plan, unless otherwise approved by the Design Review Board. (Section 280-125H)
- When applying for a sign permit, two copies of a plan drawn to scale are required, depicting lot dimensions, building frontage, sign design and location, etc. (Section 280-128B(4)).
- Design review is provided: sign permit applications may be referred to the Design Review Board for compliance review with ordinance intent. (Section 280-128C).
- For off-premises signs, all applications shall be reviewed for a recommendation by the Design Review Board prior to special exception application to the Zoning Hearing Board. (Section 280-127K).

## 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 Radnor Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Radnor+Township+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-radnor-township

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