How Allentown Handles Sign Regulations: A Practical Guide

Allentown maintains 134 local ordinances across all categories, and 6 of those deal specifically with sign regulations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Allentown falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Garage Sale Signs

Yard or garage sale signs in Allentown may be affixed to a utility pole or streetlight standard no more than three days before the sale and must come down within 24 hours after it ends. Every sign must list the sale's address and date, and none may exceed 30 inches by 24 inches or use adhesive backing.

Key details: Earliest posting: 3 days before the sale. Removal deadline: 24 hours after sale closes. Required content: Address and date of sale. Max size: 30 in. tall by 24 in. wide. First-violation fine: $10 per sign.

Section 505-9 makes any person who violates Chapter 505 and does not correct the problem within seven days of a mailed notice guilty of a violation, punishable by a $10 fine for the first violation of each sign and $5 per sign for each additional day it remains posted illegally; the Bureau of Code Enforcement and Police Department enforce these fines.

Political Signs

Political signs affixed to a utility pole or streetlight standard in Allentown may go up no earlier than 45 days before an election and must come down within seven days after. Signs are capped at 30 inches tall by 24 inches wide, cannot use nails or adhesive backing, and sponsors must register with the Zoning Office.

Key details: Posting window: No earlier than 45 days before election. Removal deadline: Within 7 days after the election. Max size: 30 in. tall by 24 in. wide. Registration: Sponsor name/address filed with Zoning Office. Permit threshold: Required for 10 or more signs.

Violating any provision of Chapter 505, including the posting window or size limits, and failing to fix it within seven days of a mailed notice, is a separate violation for each sign. Section 505-9 sets a $10 fine for the first violation of each sign and $5 per sign for every additional day the violation continues; the Bureau of Code Enforcement and Police Department issue notices and enforce compliance.

Holiday Displays

Allentown's zoning performance standards ban flashing, flickering, or strobe lighting on any sign or light source citywide, but Zoning Ordinance § 660-82.J(4) carves out seasonal holiday lights, letting them run only between October 25 and January 10 each year. Outside that roughly eleven-week window, the same flicker ban applies to holiday displays like any other lighting.

Key details: Allowed window: October 25 through January 10. Governing section: § 660-82.J(4). Enforcing agency: City Zoning Officer. Max civil penalty: $500 per day. Applies citywide: to signs and other light sources.

Running flashing, flickering, or strobe holiday lighting outside the October 25-January 10 window violates § 660-82.J(4) as a performance-standard breach. The Zoning Officer can issue a written enforcement notice and order the display discontinued under § 660-123.B(2)(a). Continued noncompliance exposes the owner to a civil judgment of up to $500 per day under § 660-123.D(1), plus court costs and the City's attorney fees, with each day a separate offense.

Window Signs

Citywide, Allentown allows non-illuminated and neon window signs in every zone without a permit, but § 660-97.J caps how much glass they can cover: no more than 25% of the window area, including window space in doors, which counts toward that limit.

Key details: Coverage cap: 25% of window area. Governing section: § 660-97.J. Doors count too: glazed door area included. No permit needed: if under the cap. Lit sign exception: over 2 sq ft treated as wall sign.

Covering more than 25% of a window's glazed area with non-illuminated or neon signage violates § 660-97.J, and treating a large internally lit window sign as exempt instead of counting it against wall-sign limits is a separate violation. The Zoning Officer enforces both under § 660-123, with civil penalties up to $500 per day for continued noncompliance.

Freeway-Facing Signs

Off-premise billboards facing Interstate 78 or U.S. Route 22 in Allentown get special treatment under § 660-104.A: a taller allowance when the sign sits below the highway grade, and a far larger sign-area cap, 672 square feet instead of the citywide 300, if the billboard is within 200 feet of the right-of-way and oriented toward those roads.

Key details: Standard sign area cap: 300 square feet. Near I-78/US-22 (within 200 ft): 672 square feet. Standard height cap: 30 feet. Below-grade freeway sign height: 25 ft above highway centerline. Governing section: § 660-104.A(2), (4).

Building a freeway-facing billboard taller than the 25-foot highway-grade allowance, or larger than 672 square feet within 200 feet of I-78/US-22 (300 square feet elsewhere), violates § 660-104.A(2) and (4). The Zoning Officer can revoke the permit under § 660-123.C, and continued noncompliance carries civil penalties up to $500 per day under § 660-123.D(1).

This is one of the stricter rules in Allentown's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Digital Billboards

Digital billboards in Allentown are legal only as conversions of existing off-premise outdoor advertising signs, and only if they meet the full dynamic-display rulebook of § 660-105: no full-motion video, a minimum 10-second dwell time between messages (six seconds near I-78/US-22), and a one-second, effects-free transition.

Key details: Minimum dwell time: 10 seconds (6 near I-78/US-22). Transition limit: 1 second, no effects. Zones allowed: IG, IM, and grandfathered B-3 lots. Governing sections: § 660-104.A(5), § 660-105.A. Full-motion video: prohibited.

Operating a digital billboard with full-motion video, a dwell time under 10 seconds (six near I-78/US-22), or a transition longer than one second violates § 660-105.A, and converting a billboard without meeting current § 660-104 standards violates § 660-104.A(5). The Zoning Officer can revoke the sign permit under § 660-123.C or pursue civil penalties up to $500 per day under § 660-123.D.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Allentown actively enforces its digital billboards requirements.

The Bottom Line

Allentown is tougher than many cities when it comes to sign regulations. Out of the 6 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Allentown, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Allentown's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.