# Sign Regulations in Cherokee, Alabama

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cherokee, Alabama (AL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/alabama/cherokee
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/AL/Cherokee/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH48ZO_ARTIIISTAPALDI_DIV2SI)

## At a glance

Cherokee, Alabama regulates 12 sign types across 3 zoning districts. On-site Sign (Sale or Lease)s in the Forestry-Agriculture-Residential (FAR), Residential Districts zoning district are capped at 8 sq ft, with a 20 feet from all property lines setback (Sec. Sec. 48-144(1); 48-143(c)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | Must not obstruct vision between 2.5 feet and 10 feet above street level within 20 feet of intersection (front yard setback areas) | — | — |
| Forestry-Agriculture-Residential (FAR), Residential Districts | 5 | — | 32 sq ft (including structure to support sign) | — |
| Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts | 5 | Clear view from ground level to height of 16 ft (except supports) | 300 sq ft (facing in one direction) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Any Sign | Must not obstruct vision between 2.5 feet and 10 feet above street level within 20 feet of intersection (front yard setback areas) | — | — | — | — | Within 20 feet of intersection of right-of-way lines: No signs permitted in vision area between 2.5 ft and 10 ft high | — | Sec. 48-112; Sec. 48-143(a),(b) |
| Nonconforming Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 48-148 |

### Forestry-Agriculture-Residential (FAR), Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On-site Sign (Sale or Lease) | — | 8 sq ft | — | 20 feet from all property lines | 1 per lot | Premises being sold or leased | — | Sec. 48-144(1); 48-143(c) |
| On-site Sign (Home Occupation, Boarding Home or Professional Service) | — | 2 sq ft | — | 20 feet from all property lines | 1 per lot | Flat against the front wall of the building | — | Sec. 48-144(2); 48-143(c) |
| On-site Sign (Recorded Subdivision Advertising Development) | — | 18 sq ft | — | 20 feet from all property lines | 1 per recorded subdivision | 1 per recorded subdivision | — | Sec. 48-144(3); 48-143(c) |
| On-site Sign (Multiple-Family Building, Development, or Mobile Home Park Identification) | — | 18 sq ft | — | 20 feet from all property lines | 1 per building/development/park | On-site at multiple-family building, development, or mobile home park | — | Sec. 48-144(4); 48-143(c) |
| On-site Sign (School, Church, or Public Building Identification) | — | 32 sq ft (including structure to support sign) | — | 20 feet from all property lines | 1 per school, church, or public building | On-site at school, church or public building | — | Sec. 48-144(5); 48-143(c) |

### Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | Calculated per formula | — | 10 feet from property lines | 1 per lot | Affixed flat against the building wall or projecting up to 48 inches | — | Sec. 48-145(1); 48-143(d) |
| Freestanding Identification Sign | — | 200 sq ft (maximum) | — | 10 feet from property lines | 1 per commercial or industrial building or group | On-site, freestanding | — | Sec. 48-145(2); 48-143(d) |
| Off-site Sign | — | 300 sq ft (facing in one direction) | — | — | — | Along street or highway frontage | — | Sec. 48-146 |
| Automobile Service Station Sign - Freestanding | Clear view from ground level to height of 16 ft (except supports) | 25 sq ft | — | — | 1 per service station | Permanently installed on premises of service station | — | Sec. 48-147 |
| Automobile Service Station Sign - On-building/Canopy | — | — | — | — | — | Flat on main building or fuel pump canopies | — | Sec. 48-147 |

## Prohibited signs in Cherokee

- No sign shall be erected at any location where, by reason of position, size, shape, color, movement, or illumination, it would obstruct the view of traffic or be confused with any authorized traffic signal, safety barricade, or emergency vehicle.
- Lighted signs must be arranged to reflect light away from adjoining lots and streets.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cherokee

- Height limitations shall not apply to church steeples, hospitals, sanitariums, barns, silos, farm structures, chimneys, flagpoles, public utility poles, radio and television towers, cellular transmission towers, and aerials, cooling towers, water tanks, and industrial structures when required by the manufacturing process.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Cherokee, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Cherokee+AL&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-cherokee

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