# Sign Regulations in Upper Hanover Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Upper Hanover Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/upper-hanover-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/106293#106293)

## At a glance

Upper Hanover Township, Pennsylvania regulates 36 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Institutional Use/Residential Complex Signs in the Residential districts zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 15 sq ft, with a At least 1/3 the distance of any required yard setback (Sec. § 500-1002A(6)(a), B). Most commercial signs in Upper Hanover Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 30 ft (min ground clearance 10 ft) | 300 sq ft | — |
| Residential districts | 14 | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — |
| Nonresidential districts | 7 | 16 ft (for shopping center and multiple-directory signs); 12 ft (for individual use freestanding signs) | 75% of wall height | — |
| LI District, LIC-2 District, CB District | 1 | 30 ft (min ground clearance 10 ft) | 300 sq ft | — |
| Neighborhood shopping center in CB District | 12 | 12 ft | See formula; max any sign 200 sq ft | — |

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

### Residential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (Individual Property) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 2 per property or per frontage | On premises | — | § 500-1002A(1)(a), B |
| Real Estate Sign (Small Development) | 6 ft | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per small development | On premises | — | § 500-1002A(1)(b), B |
| Real Estate Sign (Large Development) | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — | — | 2 per large development | On premises | — | § 500-1002A(1)(c), B |
| Private Property/No Trespassing/No Hunting Sign | 6 ft | 2 sq ft | — | — | Unlimited, but not less than 100 ft spacing | On premises | — | § 500-1002A(3), B |
| Construction Sign | 6 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per contractor | On premises | — | § 500-1002A(4), B |
| Business Sign (Home Occupation, B&B, Rooming) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | On premises | — | § 500-1002A(5)(a), B |
| Business Sign (Other Home Occupations) | 6 ft | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property | On premises | — | § 500-1002A(5)(b), B |
| Institutional Use/Residential Complex Sign | 6 ft | 15 sq ft | — | At least 1/3 the distance of any required yard | 1 per frontage | On street frontage of property | — | § 500-1002A(6)(a), B |

### Nonresidential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single-Occupancy Business Sign | — | 40 sq ft (base) | — | — | — | On premises | — | § 500-1003A(1) |
| Multiple-Occupancy Business Freestanding Sign | 16 ft (for shopping center and multiple-directory signs); 12 ft (for individual use freestanding signs) | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 per center | On premises | — | § 500-1003A(2)(a), B(1),(3) |
| Multiple-Occupancy Business Wall/Awning Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | On premises | — | § 500-1003A(2)(b) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | On premises | — | § 500-1003A(3) |
| Construction Sign | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per contractor | On premises | — | § 500-1003A(4) |
| Directional Sign | 8 ft for directional signs | — | — | — | — | On premises | — | § 500-1003B(2) |
| Wall Sign | — | 75% of wall height | — | — | — | On premises (attached to wall) | — | § 500-1003B(4) |

### Neighborhood shopping center in CB District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Shopping Center Entrance) | 12 ft | 150 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance | At each vehicular entrance to shopping center | — | § 500-1504.7A |
| Pad Site Freestanding Monument Sign | 8 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per pad site | Each pad site within shopping center | — | § 500-1504.7B |
| Wall Sign (Front Facade, Building > 300 ft from ROW) | — | See formula; max any sign 200 sq ft | — | — | Max 3/primary facade + up to 2 additional frontages | Front facade of building (facing arterial), >300 ft from ROW | — | § 500-1504.7C |
| Wall Sign (Front Facade, Building < 300 ft from ROW) | — | See formula; max any sign 125 sq ft | — | — | Max 3/primary facade + up to 2 additional frontages | Front facade of building (facing arterial), <300 ft from ROW | — | § 500-1504.7D |
| Blade/Under-canopy Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per public entrance | Each public entrance | — | § 500-1504.7H |
| Directional Sign (Shopping Center) | 6 ft | 8 sq ft (may be increased to 12 sq ft if monument sign) | — | — | 4 per shopping center | — | — | § 500-1504.7I |
| Temporary Window Sign | — | Up to 16 sq ft (unless further restricted); 30 days max duration. | — | — | 1 per frontage per event | Window (front); banners/pennants up to 32 sq ft on site; off site up to 12 sq ft. | — | § 500-1504.7K |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | On premises | — | § 500-1504.7L referring to § 500-1003A(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Upper Hanover Township

- It is unlawful to affix posters, stickers, placards, or signs of any nature to utility poles, street signs, or any other structures within the rights-of-way of public streets or highways at any time.
- Flashing, revolving, nonstationary, or animated signs are prohibited.
- Festoon lighting or beacon lights are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Portable signs are prohibited (except as specifically permitted elsewhere).
- Illuminated temporary signs are prohibited.
- Vehicular signs which do not meet the requirements for a freestanding sign in the district where the vehicle is parked are prohibited.
- Signs affixed with adhesives are prohibited.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited except as specifically allowed elsewhere.
- Signs shall not create a hazard to vehicular traffic, including obscuring necessary visibility, causing confusion with official street or traffic signs, or by causing motion, glare or excessive brightness that interferes with driver vision.
- No sign other than official street signs shall be erected or maintained within the legal right-of-way of any public road.
- No sign projecting over a public walkway shall be less than eight feet above the walk level at its lower edge.
- No sign may be located in side or rear yards, in required buffer areas, or in areas designated for parking, loading, walkways, cartways, driveways, or other unobstructed areas.
- No sign may be located in a buffer area adjacent to a zoning district with more restrictive sign requirements.
- Signs not properly maintained in good condition and safe repair, or that have deteriorated to the point of being a public safety hazard, may be required to be removed.
- Signs erected without an approved use and occupancy permit and not in compliance may be removed.
- Rotating, flashing, pulsing, oscillating light sources; lasers; beacons; or strobe lighting are prohibited.
- Light sources used to illuminate signs shall not be visible from any street right-of-way nor cause hazardous glare.
- Signs may not create light trespass exceeding specified maximums onto adjacent properties.
- Electronic display signs may not contain fading, modulating, scrolling, moving lights, texts or graphics, full-motion video, or any visible change during the change interval period.
- Message sequencing is prohibited for all electronic display signs.
- Electronic display signs must meet minimum setback requirements from residentially zoned property and street intersections.
- All signage in every zone must comply with the Township Building Code for construction, materials, and installation.

## Signs exempt from permit in Upper Hanover Township

- Official street signs are permitted within the legal right-of-way of public roads.
- Directional signs for businesses not situated on a primary highway, with specific area and content limits, are permitted with property owner consent.
- Temporary nonilluminated political signs and special event signs are permitted with area, duration, and removal limitations.
- Nonilluminated service signs directing patrons to service clubs, churches, or nonprofit organizations are permitted within specified size and content limits.
- Official memorial or historical markers, traffic signs, community identifier signs, street names, legal notices, warnings, and other official signs authorized by government authorities are allowed.
- Temporary window signs for specific events and sales, and buntings, pennants, and similar material signs ('coming soon') are permitted with restrictions.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Prior to erecting, affixing, attaching, or installing any sign, an application for a use and occupancy permit must be submitted to the Zoning Officer, accompanied by a site plan showing the sign's location, dimensions, copy, and any illumination features.
- A permit (with site plan and sign details) is always required for any sign unless specifically exempted by ordinance.
- Shopping centers may obtain a conditional use permit for a bonus in total wall sign area if all wall signs are externally illuminated.
- There is no reference in the provided text to a 'master sign plan' requirement, but a site plan with a sign permit is always required.

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

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