# Sign Regulations in Shillington Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Shillington Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/shillington-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31512941#31512941)

## At a glance

Shillington Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 20 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Business/Industry Freestanding Signs in the C, I zoning district are capped at 30 ft (C), 10 ft (I) tall and Combined with wall signs: 80 sq ft or 15% of wall area per street, with a Min 5 ft from street right-of-way, min side yard requirement from side lot line setback (Sec. §27-606.C.(1)(c), (e), (g)). Most commercial signs in Shillington Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 15 | 30 ft | 16 sq ft per side | — |
| C, I | 2 | 30 ft (C), 10 ft (I) | 80 sq ft or 15% of wall area | — |
| Commercial Zoning District | 1 | 30 ft overall, bottom min 15 ft above ground | 300 sq ft, max length 25 ft, plus embellishments up to 20% permanent sign area | — |
| R-1, R-2, R-3, M-P, L-C, INST | 3 | 10 ft | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Institutional Bulletin/Identification Board | — | 12 sq ft per side; or 10% of wall area (open lettering only, max height 10 ft) | — | 5 ft from front lot line or within side yard requirement, except attached signs | Up to 2 per street | On property of schools, churches, hospitals, clubs, lodges, municipal buildings, or similar | — | §27-606.B(2) |
| Temporary Sale/Contractor/Political Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | 5 ft from front lot line, side yard requirement on side lot line | 1 per street | On premises | — | §27-606.B(3) |
| Nonconforming Use Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | 5 ft from front lot line and side yard for side lot line | 1 per street | On nonconforming use property | — | §27-606.B(4) |
| Public Utility Identification/Protection Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On or near public utility facility | — | §27-606.B(5) |
| Residential Development Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Within residential development | — | §27-606.B(6) |
| Residential Development Identification Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per entrance | At entrance from a public street to residential development | — | §27-606.B(7) |
| Professional Home Occupation Identification Sign | — | 3 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 | On dwelling or accessory building | — | §27-606.B(9) |
| Nonprofit Event Directional Sign | — | 16 sq ft per side | — | — | Up to 4 per event/facility | On route to service club/church/nonprofit event | — | §27-606.B(10) |

### C, I

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business/Industry Sign (Wall) | 10 ft | 80 sq ft or 15% of wall area | — | — | 1 per street, except one per use for multi-use lots | On wall, facing street | — | §27-606.C.(1), (1)(a), (1)(d), (1)(f) |
| Business/Industry Freestanding Sign | 30 ft (C), 10 ft (I) | Combined with wall signs: 80 sq ft or 15% of wall area per street | — | Min 5 ft from street right-of-way, min side yard requirement from side lot line | 1 per street (possibly more for multiple uses on a lot, or on corner lots: 1 per street frontage with minimum lot width) | On lot, facing street | — | §27-606.C.(1)(c), (e), (g) |

### R-1, R-2, R-3, M-P, L-C, INST

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 ft | — | — | Min 5 ft from street right-of-way and not within side yard requirement | — | On lot, not within right-of-way, not closer than 5 feet to street right-of-way or within side yard requirement | — | §27-606.A.(6), (13), (5) |
| Wall-Mounted Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building wall | — | §27-606.A.(6), (7), (13) |
| Digital Display Sign (INST only) | — | — | — | — | — | INST district only | — | §27-606.A.(5) |

## Prohibited signs in Shillington Borough

- No person shall willfully or maliciously destroy, remove, deface, obliterate or cover up any lamp, warning sign or barricade erected by the Borough authorities or permitted parties as a warning of danger.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to bypass or run through or over any barricade erected for snow emergency or street closure.
- Signs shall not contain moving parts nor use flashing or intermittent illumination, except school warning signs, time/temperature signs, traffic control signs, and other municipal signs.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position, or have such a source of illumination, that it will cause any danger to pedestrians or vehicular traffic.
- No signs other than school warning signs, official traffic signs, and other municipal signs shall be erected within the right-of-way lines of any street or extend over any street right-of-way.
- No sign shall be utilized in a manner which produces a noxious glare or a light intensity greater than one footcandle beyond the lot boundaries. No direct beams of light shall be directed toward adjacent properties or public roads. All light sources shall be shielded from adjoining properties and streets.
- No sign shall be erected or located so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any window, door or fire escape.
- No sign which emits smoke, visible vapors or particulates, sound or odor shall be permitted.
- No portion of any sign shall project over any lot lines.
- Red, green or amber lights, except those within school warning, traffic control, or municipal signs, shall not be located so as to create a danger by being construed as traffic lights.
- No sign shall project more than 12 inches from the building wall to which it is attached, except certain allowances in C and I Districts.
- Signs on mobile stands which can be moved from place to place are prohibited.
- A sign affixed to any vehicle or object such that carrying the sign is a primary, not incidental, purpose is prohibited.
- Banner, inflatable, and other types of nonpermanent signs are prohibited, except by temporary permit (max 30 days); these must comply with all permanent sign regulations.
- No sign which becomes dilapidated or creates a hazard to public health, safety, or welfare shall be permitted; such signs must be removed at the owner’s or lessee’s expense as determined by the Borough Zoning Officer.
- A sign must be removed when the use or event to which it refers is terminated.
- Every sign shall be kept in good condition. Peeling paint, broken letters or parts, and broken lights must be repaired or replaced.
- The area immediately surrounding each sign shall be kept clean, sanitary and healthful; no accumulation of loose paper, bottles, cans, garbage or similar items allowed.

## Signs exempt from permit in Shillington Borough

- Official traffic or street name signs and other official federal, state, county or Borough government signs are permitted in all zoning districts.
- Identification signs or bulletin/announcement boards for schools, churches, hospitals, clubs, lodges, municipal buildings, or similar permitted uses, subject to size and location restrictions.
- Signs advertising the rental or sale of premises, the sale or development of a residential subdivision, the work of contractors, charitable events, and political elections and candidates, temporary in nature, are permitted, subject to size, location, and timing restrictions; permits are not required and such signs must be removed within 72 hours of the event.
- Signs advertising a lawful nonconforming use are permitted in all districts, subject to size and location restrictions.
- Signs necessary for the identification and protection of public utility facilities, subject to size restriction.
- Signs within a residential development to direct persons to a rental office or sample unit, subject to size restriction.
- Identifying signs for indicating the name of a residential development, one per entrance and subject to size restriction.
- Trespassing signs and signs indicating the private nature of premises, subject to size restriction.
- Signs displaying the name and occupation of a practitioner in a permitted professional office, studio, or home occupation within a dwelling or accessory building; not more than one per premises, subject to size restriction.
- Signs used for directing patrons, members, or audience to events or facilities of service clubs, churches, or nonprofit organizations, subject to content, placement, and number restrictions.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Signs may be erected and maintained only when in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and all other ordinances and regulations of the Borough relating to the erection, alteration, and maintenance of signs.
- No explicit requirement for a master sign plan, sign plan, or variance meeting appears in the provided sections. However, certain types of signs (e.g., off-premises advertising signs) require special exception approval from the Borough's Zoning Hearing Board.
- Temporary permits for banner, inflatable, and other nonpermanent signs may be issued by the Zoning Officer, but only for up to 30 days.
- For work in or along any state highway, a highway occupancy permit must be obtained from PennDOT and all PennDOT regulations regarding traffic control devices must be followed.

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

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