Bethlehem, PA Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

Sign regulation in Bethlehem operates at the intersection of zoning authority and First Amendment doctrine. The U.S. Supreme Court in Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015) held that content-based sign regulations are presumptively subject to strict scrutiny: municipalities can regulate size, height, location, illumination, and duration, but cannot impose different rules based on the message conveyed (e.g., real estate signs treated differently from political signs treated differently from home-business signs). Bethlehem's Zoning Ordinance, particularly given its post-2023 comprehensive update, should be content-neutral. For home occupations, typical PA sign rules (consistent with neighboring Lehigh Valley municipalities) include: maximum sign area of 1-2 square feet, wall-mounted only (no freestanding), non-illuminated, no animated or flashing elements, and no off-premises display. The PA MPC §10107 "no-impact home-based business" definition requires "no display or other indication of the business" visible from outside the dwelling, which functionally bans signage for that tier. Customary home occupations may have a small identification sign with a zoning permit. Bethlehem Code Enforcement responds to complaints. Bethlehem's Historic District and Historic Conservation District provisions add additional Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) review for signs visible from the public right-of-way in designated areas, including Historic Bethlehem along Main Street and parts of South Bethlehem.