# Sign Regulations in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/shrewsbury
- **Data last verified:** 2025-11-02
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://ecode360.com/28530024#28530024)

## At a glance

Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania regulates 28 sign types across 10 zoning districts. No Trespassing Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at Limited to the Building Height authorized for the property (s.301.1(g)); may not project more than 25 ft above ground and attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.4(c)) tall and 2 sq ft, with a Attached signs may not extend beyond building setback line or interfere with sight clearance (s.301.3(a)); Free-standing signs must meet sight clearance per s.400.3 (s.301.3(b)) setback (Sec. s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table); s.301.1(e); s.301.1(f); s.301.1(g); s.301.5; s.301.7). Most commercial signs in Shrewsbury require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 19 | Limited to the Building Height authorized for the property (s.301.1(g)); may not project more than 25 ft above ground and attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.4(c)) | Subject to applicable sign type limits; counted as permanent signs (s.301.9(d)) | — |
| Village (V) | 3 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 6 sq ft | — |
| Residential (R) | 3 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 12 sq ft | — |
| Residential One Family (R-O) | 3 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 12 sq ft | — |
| Residential Agricultural (R-A) | 3 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 32 sq ft (Other districts except R and R-O) | — |
| Commercial (C) | 3 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 32 sq ft per 100 lineal ft of frontage | — |
| Commercial (C) (Multi-Use Buildings), Industrial (I) (Multi-Use Buildings) | 3 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 32 sq ft (total per sign) | — |
| Commercial (C) (Commercial Center) | 2 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 56 sq ft | — |
| Industrial (I) | 3 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 300 sq ft | — |
| Industrial (I) (Industrial Park) | 3 | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 56 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No Trespassing Sign | Limited to the Building Height authorized for the property (s.301.1(g)); may not project more than 25 ft above ground and attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.4(c)) | 2 sq ft | — | Attached signs may not extend beyond building setback line or interfere with sight clearance (s.301.3(a)); Free-standing signs must meet sight clearance per s.400.3 (s.301.3(b)) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Any district (Table: Type, Location and Size of Sign) | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table); s.301.1(e); s.301.1(f); s.301.1(g); s.301.5; s.301.7 |
| Utility Sign | Limited to Building Height authorized; 25 ft projection limit; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 2 sq ft | — | s.301.3(a)-(b) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Any district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table); s.301.3; s.301.5; s.301.1(e) |
| Directional Sign | Limited to Building Height authorized; 25 ft projection limit; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 6 sq ft | — | s.301.3(a)-(b) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Any district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table); s.301.3; s.301.5; s.301.1(e) |
| Home Occupation or Home Profession Sign | Limited to Building Height authorized; 25 ft projection limit; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 1 sq ft | — | s.301.3(a)-(b) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Where the use is permitted (any district where home occupation/profession is allowed) | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table); s.301.3; s.301.5; s.301.1(e) |
| House of Worship, Schools, and Other Non-Profit Institutions Sign | Limited to Building Height authorized; 25 ft projection limit; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 12 sq ft | — | s.301.3(a)-(b) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Any district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table); s.301.1(e); s.301.3; s.301.5 |
| Apartment Development/Subdivision Sign | Limited to Building Height authorized; 25 ft projection limit; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 32 sq ft | — | s.301.3(a)-(b) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Where use is permitted | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table); s.301.1(e); s.301.3; s.301.5 |
| Advertising Sign | Limited to Building Height authorized; 25 ft projection limit; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | Village: 6 sq ft; Other districts except R and R-O: 32 sq ft; Industrial district: 300 sq ft | — | s.301.3(a)-(b) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Village; Other districts except R and R-O; Industrial district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table); s.301.1(a)-(b); s.301.1(e); s.301.5 |
| Animated Sign (Permanent) | Limited to Building Height authorized (s.301.1(g)); may not project more than 25 ft above ground; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.4(c)) | Subject to applicable sign type limits; counted as permanent signs (s.301.9(d)) | — | s.301.3(a)-(b) | Counts toward permanent sign limits for the property (s.301.9(d)) | Any district, subject to distance from traffic lights for red/green/amber colors (s.301.5(b); s.301.9(f)) | — | s.301.9(a)-(f); s.301.1(e)-(g); s.301.5(b)-(c) |

### Village (V)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Business (Permanent) | Limited to Building Height authorized; 25 ft projection limit (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 6 sq ft | — | s.301.3(b); must maintain sight clearance | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Village district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table - Business (permanent free-standing) Village); s.301.1(d)-(g); s.301.5 |
| Wall Sign - Business (Permanent) | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 6 sq ft | — | s.301.3(a) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Village district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table - Business (permanent building) Village); s.301.1(d)-(g); s.301.5 |
| Advertising Sign | Limited to Building Height; 25 ft projection limit; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 6 sq ft | — | s.301.3 | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | Village district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table - Advertising Village); s.301.1(d)-(g); s.301.5 |

### Residential (R)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Business (Permanent) | Limited to Building Height; 25 ft projection limit (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 12 sq ft | — | s.301.3(b) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | R district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table - Business (permanent free-standing) R); s.301.1(d)-(g); s.301.5 |
| Wall Sign - Business (Permanent) | Limited to Building Height; attached signs may not project above roof (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 12 sq ft | — | s.301.3(a) | Max one per street frontage per approved occupancy unless otherwise noted (s.301.1(d)) | R district | — | s.301.1 (Type, Location and Size of Sign table - Business (permanent building) R); s.301.1(d)-(g); s.301.5 |
| Temporary Sign - Agricultural Produce Sale (Residential Use) | Limited to Building Height; projection limits apply (s.301.1(g); s.301.4(c)) | 6 sq ft per sign | — | s.301.3 | Max two per lot (s.301.6(g)) | On the property where agricultural produce raised on the property is being sold (R district) | — | s.301.6(g); s.301.1(e)-(g); s.301.5 |

## Prohibited signs in Shrewsbury

- Noise producing signs (e.g., talking and musical signs) are prohibited.
- Signs containing flashing or intermittent lights visible from outside a building are prohibited.
- No portion of an attached sign may extend beyond the building setback line or interfere with required sight clearance.
- No portion of a free-standing sign may be closer to a street right-of-way than permitted for sight clearance.
- No sign may project over a public sidewalk area.
- No sign may project over a public highway or street, except when necessary for traffic control and meeting current PA DOT specifications.
- No sign may project more than 25 feet above the ground; attached signs may not project above the highest point of the roof.
- Sign illumination is prohibited if lighting is directed or reflected toward adjacent residences or if it obstructs or distracts motorists.
- Signs illuminated in the colors red, green, or amber may not be located within 200 feet of a highway traffic light or similar safety device or from the center of any street intersection.
- The Decorative Sign Area of any sign shall not be self-illuminated.
- No sign exceeding 32 square feet may be located within 75 feet of a residential use or zone.
- Signs are not allowed to become dilapidated.

## Signs exempt from permit in Shrewsbury

- Signs for houses of worship, civic, or charitable purposes are exempt from the building permit requirement.
- For sign area calculation, poles or pylons without any writing, representation, emblem, or display are excluded from the Main Sign Area.
- For double-sided signs, only one side is counted in determining maximum allowable size.
- Signs necessary for traffic control that meet current PA DOT specifications are exempt from the prohibition on projecting over a public highway or street.
- Special event signs for charitable or non-profit organizations are exempt from the limit of two special events per year.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No master sign plan or sign plan requirement identified in the provided text.

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

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