# Sign Regulations in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Ridley Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/ridley-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/8798202#8798202)

## At a glance

Ridley Township, Pennsylvania regulates 35 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Freestanding Business Signs in the Commercial District (C-2), Commercial District zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and 60 sq ft (Sec. §325-68A(3)). Most commercial signs in Ridley Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District, A Residential District, B Residential District, C Residential District | 18 | No higher than ceiling of ground floor or 12 ft above street grade | 108 sq in | — |
| Commercial District (C-2), Commercial District | 7 | 20 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| Industrial District (I District), Industrial District | 6 | 26 ft above bldg or official street grade | 700 sq ft | — |
| Special District | 2 | — | — | — |
| Planned Residential Development | 3 | 14 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Shopping Center District | 7 | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | No closer to property line than the balloon's height (measured from ground to top incl. wires/ropes) | — | — |

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

### Residential District, A Residential District, B Residential District, C Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign (Nonilluminated) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises for direction, safety, or convenience | — | §325-67A(1) |
| Mailbox/Doorbell Sign | — | 36 sq in | — | — | 1 | On-premises | — | §325-67A(3) |
| Name/Address Sign | — | 108 sq in | — | — | 1 | On-premises; may be indirectly illuminated | — | §325-67A(4) |
| Home Occupation/Accessory Office Sign | — | 6 in x 18 in | — | — | 1 | On-premises | — | §325-67A(5) |
| Bulletin/Announcement Sign (Nonresidential Use) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On-premises, nonresidential use | — | §325-67A(6) |
| Nonconforming Use Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 | For lawfully maintained nonconforming use | — | §325-67A(7) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On-premises, for sale/rental indication | — | §325-67A(8) |
| Construction/Development Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On-premises during construction/development | — | §325-67A(9) |

### Commercial District (C-2), Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Signs Allowed in Residential Districts | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §325-68A(1) |
| Parallel Business Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On facade fronting street | — | §325-68A(2) |
| Freestanding Business Sign | 20 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On property | — | §325-68A(3) |
| Roof Sign (C-2 Districts) | — | — | — | — | — | On roof | — | §325-68A(3)(c) |
| Projecting Business Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Projecting from building wall | — | §325-68A(5) |
| Canopy or Marquee Sign (Projecting, C-2 only) | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed flat to canopy or marquee | — | §325-68A(6) |
| Electronic Message Board (LED) Sign (Wall or Freestanding) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Wall or freestanding, on premises | — | §325-68A(7) |

### Shopping Center District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Signs Allowed in Residential Districts | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §325-72B(1) |
| Real Estate Sign (Shopping Center Size) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On-premises | — | §325-72B(2) |
| Parallel Business Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 (+1 for second floor use if only entryway present) | On establishment façade | — | §325-72B(3) |
| Freestanding Business Sign | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 (or 2 per shopping center with multiple arterial accesses) | On shopping center property | — | §325-72B(4) |
| Menu Sign (Restaurant with Drive-through) | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Freestanding, for restaurant drive-through | — | §325-72B(5) |
| Projecting Business Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Projecting from building wall | — | §325-72B(6) |
| Canopy or Marquee Sign (Projecting) | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed flat to canopy or marquee | — | §325-72B(7) |

## Prohibited signs in Ridley Township

- No sign shall be erected, altered, repaired, enlarged, removed or maintained without obtaining a sign license from the Township (except as specifically exempted).
- No sign license shall be issued unless the sign conforms with all state, federal, and local laws and regulations, as well as minimum standards for construction, placement, repair, enlargement, illumination, stability, or grounding.
- No sign other than a canopy, awning, or overhang sign, or signs in bus shelters under the Township's Bus Shelter Agreement, shall be placed within the public right-of-way.
- All portable or movable signs are prohibited except as permitted by the Zoning Ordinance.
- All pennants are prohibited from use.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger on a street by obscuring the view and, except official traffic and street signs, shall be placed within the clear-sight triangle.
- No signs except those of a duly constituted governmental body (including traffic signs/regulatory notices) shall be allowed within street lines, except for parallel and projecting signs in areas where no yard setback is required.
- No person shall paint, paste, brand, stamp or in any manner whatsoever place on or attach to any tree, telegraph, electric light or other pole on any street in the Township any advertisement, bill, notice, sign, card or poster.
- Projection signs, roof signs, flashing signs, festoon lighting, and electronic message board signs are not permitted in any district unless specifically specified.
- No sign shall be erected containing information which states or implies a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of this chapter in the zoning district in which the property is located.
- No directly illuminated sign shall violate the illumination standards as per § 325-61.
- Illuminated signs shall not be lighted after 11:00 p.m. and must be hooded so illumination does not affect areas outside of a fifty-foot radius (in residential districts).
- No two billboards shall be located closer to one another than 120 feet.
- No billboard shall be permitted within 1,000 feet of any residential district or facing schools, libraries, churches, hospitals or similar uses where closer than 200 feet.
- No billboard shall exceed 700 square feet in area.
- No billboard shall project above the height limit of structures in the district where located.
- Flashings or moving billboards shall not be permitted in any district.
- No sign shall be maintained in a manner that is unsafe, insecure, a menace to the public, or in violation of these regulations.
- Any vehicle to which a sign is affixed so that the sign is no longer incidental to the vehicle's primary purpose shall be considered a freestanding sign and regulated as such.
- No portion of any freestanding sign shall be located closer to any lot line than 1/2 the required yard for the district, or it is prohibited on such property.
- Signs may not be erected containing information which states or implies that a property is permitted for a use not allowed in the zoning district.

## Signs exempt from permit in Ridley Township

- Holiday decorations displayed for recognized federal or state holidays are exempt except as they may interfere with glare, traffic safety, or become a public safety hazard.
- Signs erected by the state, county, Township or other legally constituted government body or specifically authorized by a Township ordinance or resolution do not require a sign license.
- Construction and real estate signs do not require a sign license.
- A sign (up to 32 square feet) erected by a nonprofit or entirely charitable entity to denote a special event, erected no more than 45 days including before and after the event, requires a license but no fee.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Every application for a new sign license must be accompanied by a plan and specifications (including dimensions, materials, construction details, location, and distance from sides or roof) submitted to the Township Secretary.
- A separate application is required for each sign.
- No sign license will be approved unless, in the opinion of the Township Manager, the sign does not interfere with health, safety, or welfare, the sign content is not offensive or objectionable, and sign design/colors blend with the building and neighboring buildings.
- For hot or cold air balloons or floating devices (used as signs), a specific permit and full application process is required including purpose, location, height, and insurance.
- Certain billboard height increases may be authorized only as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board.

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

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