Finalizing an exterior sign before confirming the property’s municipality, zoning district, and historic status can force a redesign after the project is underway. Sign permits in Allentown and neighboring municipalities don’t follow one universal process, and historic approval doesn’t replace other city permits a project may need.
The Survey and Permitting process starts with the location and proposed sign. An illuminated channel letter sign, awning sign, or projecting sign can raise different review questions.
Start with the Property & Sign Type
For a property in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, first determine whether the proposed sign requires a zoning permit. The City of Allentown requires one before the construction, extension, or placement of a sign unless it’s expressly exempt from permit requirements.
An Allentown zoning permit authorizes the installation or alteration of a sign that fully meets the city’s Zoning Ordinance. Article 10 of the city’s updated Zoning Ordinance, effective January 1, 2026, governs signs and applies standards by zoning district, so a design that works at one address might not fit another property across town.
Before ordering a sign, confirm these project details:
- The municipality with jurisdiction over the property.
- The property’s zoning district and relevant site restrictions.
- The sign’s dimensions, placement, mounting method, illumination, and distance from property lines.
- Whether the sign will be visible from a public right-of-way or extend into it.
This early review establishes a practical design framework and avoids the assumption that a nearby municipality uses the same standards as Allentown.
What Allentown Permit Review Checks
Allentown’s Zoning Officer reviews signage as part of the zoning permit process, along with property factors such as prior use, intended use, and parking. For a compliant proposal, the review determines whether the sign meets the ordinance requirements for that site.
The Bureau of Planning and Zoning lists a $100 application fee for zoning permit review. That isn’t a complete project budget. Construction requirements, additional reviews, and other permits can affect the total cost.
A proposal that exceeds the standards for sign size, height, or placement requires another step. A sign variance allows the Zoning Hearing Board to approve a departure from a zoning requirement, and the applicant must show a genuine hardship that isn’t self-imposed.
Designing to district standards removes the added uncertainty and scheduling demands of a variance request. If a larger or differently placed sign is important to the project, include time for the Zoning Hearing Board process in the installation plan rather than treating it as a last-minute correction.
Additional Reviews for Historic Areas & Public Space
Historic approval is an additional review, not a substitute for an Allentown zoning permit. Allentown has three local historic districts, and exterior work visible from a public right-of-way, including signage, may need a Certificate of Appropriateness before the sign permit is issued.
The Historical Architectural Review Board, commonly called HARB, reviews applicable projects in these areas. Its application has no fee and must be submitted at least 10 days before a meeting, typically held monthly. Depending on the scope of the change, a project may need no HARB review, qualify for staff-level review, or require full board review.
A protruding sign or awning that extends into or affects public space requires review and approval from Allentown’s Bureau of Engineering in addition to applicable zoning and historic review.
Bethlehem Uses Its Own Historic Review Process
Bethlehem’s process shows why an Allentown permit path shouldn’t be applied across the region. Bethlehem has three historic review districts, but they don’t use a single review body. The Bethlehem Historic District is reviewed by HARB, while the South Bethlehem Historic Conservation District and Mount Airy Neighborhood District are reviewed by the Historic Conservation Commission.
In those districts, exterior signs and awnings visible from a public way can require a Certificate of Appropriateness before a building or sign permit can proceed. Timing also differs by board: Bethlehem HARB requires complete applications four weeks before its first-Wednesday monthly meeting, while the Historic Conservation Commission requires complete applications two weeks before its third-Monday monthly meeting.
Those differences matter when a business is coordinating leasehold improvements, a storefront opening, or a rebrand. Requirements in Breinigsville, Emmaus, Northampton, Center Valley, Macungie, Wescosville, and Whitehall should each be confirmed with the municipality governing the property rather than assumed to match Allentown or Bethlehem.
Build Permitting into the Sign Project from the Start
Use this sequence to account for site conditions and local approvals before fabrication:
- Identify the municipality.
- Survey the site.
- Confirm zoning and historic constraints.
- Develop a compliant design.
- Submit the required applications before scheduling fabrication and installation.
This order gives the project team room to adjust the sign’s size, location, mounting, or materials while changes are still manageable.
Permit timing matters after approval. In Allentown, a permit becomes invalid unless authorized construction begins within 180 days of issuance, and it may remain valid for no more than five years from its issue date.
Whether the project involves building signs, awning signage, channel letter signs, or monument and freestanding signs, the approval path should shape the design from the beginning. That preparation turns permit work across the Lehigh Valley into a planned project step rather than a surprise near installation.
We coordinate Survey and Permitting for exterior signage projects, including site surveys and procurement of appropriate permits. To discuss a proposed sign and its local review path, contact FASTSIGNS® of Allentown, PA at (610) 482-4824.