# Sign Regulations in Trussville, Alabama

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Trussville, Alabama (AL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/alabama/trussville
- **Data last verified:** 2026-04-27
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/AL/Trussville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_APXAZO_ARTXISIRE)

## At a glance

Trussville, Alabama regulates 73 sign types across 35 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the C-2 General Business District (C-2) zoning district are capped at 6 ft at 15' setback; up to 12 ft with additional setback tall and 60 sq ft, with a ≥15' from pavement; add 3' per 1' over 6'; max 12' high. setback (Sec. Sec. 11.0(A), Art. XI.). Most commercial signs in Trussville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (35 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |
| A-1 Agricultural District (A-1) | 4 | 4 ft at 15' setback; may increase up to 12 ft with 3 ft additional setback for each 1 ft over 4 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| CP Preferred Commercial District (C-P, CP) | 8 | 6 ft | Per approved master signage plan (may receive up to 150% size incentive on base allowance) | — |
| C-1 Local Shopping District (C-1) | 8 | Up to 25–45 ft depending on center type (per master plan incentives) | Up to incentives: e.g., 150% of base monument size; shopping center freestanding allocations (400–1,500 sq ft total for large centers) | — |
| C-2 General Business District (C-2) | 10 | 60–80 ft normally; up to 120 ft with special justification | Up to 300 sq ft or 25% of facade facing street, whichever is less, in addition to base allowances | — |
| C-3 Tourist Commercial District (C-3) | 10 | 60–80 ft standard; up to 120 ft with special approval | Up to 300 sq ft or 25% of facade facing street (whichever less), in addition to base | — |
| C-4 Commercial/Light Manufacturing District (C-4) | 9 | Up to 25–45 ft | Up to 300 sq ft or 25% of facade facing street | — |
| C-5 Commercial Adult Entertainment District (C-5) | 5 | 6 ft | ≤30% of sign face | — |
| I-1 Light Industrial District (I-1) | 8 | ≤25 ft | Up to 400 sq ft total freestanding monolith signage; each sign ≤300 sq ft | — |
| I-2 General Industrial District (I-2) | 8 | ≤25 ft | Up to 400 sq ft total freestanding monolith signage; each sign ≤300 sq ft | — |
| I-3 Industrial District (I-3) | 8 | ≤25 ft | Up to 400 sq ft total freestanding monolith signage; each sign ≤300 sq ft | — |
| IN-1 Institutional District (IN-1) | 5 | 6 ft at 15' setback; up to 12 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| IN-2 Institutional District (IN-2) | 6 | 6 ft at 15' setback; up to 12 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| IN-3 Institutional District (IN-3) | 4 | 6 ft at 15' setback; up to 12 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| P Park District (P) | 4 | — | 100 sq ft per principal building or recreational facility (freestanding monument) | — |
| PUD Planned Unit Development District (PUD, PUD-PC, PR-1, PR-2, PR-3, PO, PC, PCS, PB, P-MX, PCOS) | 1 | — | — | — |
| "Q" Qualified Zone District (Q, "Q" C-2) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6, R-CP, R-G, R-T, R-MP, MP) | 7 | — | 48 sq ft | — |
| R-1 Single-Family Residential District (R-1) | 3 | — | Freestanding 48 sq ft; wall 4 sq ft per entrance | — |
| R-2 Single-Family Residential District (R-2) | 3 | — | Freestanding 48 sq ft; wall 4 sq ft/entrance | — |
| R-3 Single-Family Residential District (R-3) | 3 | — | Freestanding 48 sq ft; wall 4 sq ft/entrance | — |
| R-4 Single-Family/Duplex Residential District (R-4) | 3 | — | Freestanding 48 sq ft; wall 4 sq ft/entrance | — |
| R-5 Multi-Family Residential District (R-5) | 3 | — | Freestanding 48 sq ft; wall 4 sq ft/entrance | — |
| R-6 Single-Family District (R-6) | 3 | — | Freestanding 48 sq ft; wall 4 sq ft/entrance | — |
| R-CP Residential—Cahaba Project Mixed Residential District (R-CP) | 3 | — | Freestanding 48 sq ft; wall 4 sq ft per entrance | — |
| RG Garden Home Residential District (R-G) | 3 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| RT Townhouse Residential District (R-T) | 3 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| MP Mobile Home Park District (R-MP, MP) | 3 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| CEM-1 Cemetery (CEM-1) | 1 | — | — | — |
| CEM-2 Pet Cemetery (CEM-2) | 1 | — | — | — |

_5 additional zoning districts are covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 35 zones)

### C-2 General Business District (C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 6 ft at 15' setback; up to 12 ft with additional setback | 60 sq ft | — | ≥15' from pavement; add 3' per 1' over 6'; max 12' high. | 1 per principal building. | On-premises, serving principal building. | — | Sec. 11.0(A), Art. XI. |
| Wall Sign | — | ≤25% of building face; max 150 sq ft per face (except large establishment bonus below) | — | — | Not numerically capped; area limits apply. | On building wall. | — | Sec. 11.0(B), Art. XI. |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | Max 1 per building side. | On wall of building served. | — | Sec. 11.0(C); Sec. 3.0(T), Art. XI. |
| Directory/Menu/On-Site Informational Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | One or more. | On premises; not legible from ROW/adjacent property. | — | Sec. 11.0(I), Art. XI. |
| Entrance Wall-Mounted Informational Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per public entrance. | Near each public entrance. | — | Sec. 11.0(J), Art. XI. |
| Shopping Center/Office Complex Entrance Sign (Master Sign Plan) | Up to 25–45 ft depending on center size | As per Sec. 25.0 incentives (e.g., up to 400–1,500 sq ft total freestanding signage by center size) | — | Per monument standards or as in plan. | Per plan and Sec. 25.0 category limits. | At entrances, on-premises. | — | Sec. 11.0(E); Sec. 25.0(G)(3)–(5), Art. XI. |
| Interstate High-Rise Sign | 60–80 ft normally; up to 120 ft with special justification | Standard up to 250 sq ft; up to 350 sq ft if special height increase granted | — | Cannot be forward of front building setback line along any non-interstate street; specific distance not otherwise stated. | 1 interstate high-rise sign per qualifying property; no other pole/pylon signs allowed. | On-premises within Interstate High-Rise Sign Zone; must be behind front building setback line of all streets except interstate right-of-way; positioned for visibility from interstate. | — | Sec. 11.0(G); Sec. 3.0(Q), Art. XI. |
| Temporary and Portable Signs | — | ≤24 sq ft | — | Freestanding: ≥15' from pavement; not in ROW or sight triangle. | Max 1 portable/temporary per establishment at a time. | On-premises; freestanding at least 15' from pavement; or wall-mounted. | — | Sec. 11.0(H); Sec. 24.0, Art. XI. |

### C-3 Tourist Commercial District (C-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 6 ft at 2' setback (note: text likely intended 15', but states 2'); may increase up to 12 ft with added setback | 60 sq ft | — | At least 15' from pavement (by general rule) and not in sight triangle; plus 3' extra setback for each 1' of height over 6'; max 12' high. | 1 per principal building. | On-premises. | — | Sec. 12.0(A); Sec. 3.0(G), Art. XI. |
| Wall Sign | — | ≤25% of building face; max 150 sq ft | — | — | Not numerically capped; area limits per face. | On building wall. | — | Sec. 12.0(B), Art. XI. |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | Max 1 per building side. | On wall of building served. | — | Sec. 12.0(C); Sec. 3.0(T), Art. XI. |
| Directory/Menu/On-Site Informational Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | One or more. | On-site, not legible from public ROW or adjacent property. | — | Sec. 12.0(H), Art. XI. |
| Entrance Wall-Mounted Informational Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per public entrance. | Near each public entrance. | — | Sec. 12.0(I), Art. XI. |
| Shopping Center/Office Complex Entrance Sign (Master Plan) | Up to 25–45 ft per center size | Per Sec. 25.0(G) incentives | — | As in plan; generally like monument signs. | Per plan and size category limits. | At entrances. | — | Sec. 12.0(E); Sec. 25.0(G), Art. XI. |
| Interstate High-Rise Sign | 60–80 ft standard; up to 120 ft with special approval | 250 sq ft (standard) or up to 350 sq ft with special approval | — | Not forward of front building setback line along non-interstate streets. | 1 per qualifying property. | On-premises within Interstate High-Rise Sign Zone; behind front building setback line of non-interstate streets. | — | Sec. 12.0(G); Sec. 3.0(Q), Art. XI. |
| Temporary and Portable Signs | — | ≤24 sq ft | — | Freestanding: ≥15' from pavement; not in sight triangle/ROW. | 1 portable/temporary per establishment at a time. | On premises; freestanding ≥15' from pavement; or wall-mounted. | — | Sec. 12.0(H); Sec. 24.0, Art. XI. |

### C-4 Commercial/Light Manufacturing District (C-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 6 ft at 15' setback; up to 12 ft with added setback | 60 sq ft | — | ≥15' from pavement; add 3' per 1' height over 6'; max 12' height. | 1 per principal building. | On-premises. | — | Sec. 13.0(A), Art. XI. |
| Wall Sign | — | ≤25% of building face; max 150 sq ft | — | — | Not numerically capped; area limited. | On building wall. | — | Sec. 13.0(B), Art. XI. |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | Max 1 per building side. | On wall of building it serves. | — | Sec. 13.0(C); Sec. 3.0(T), Art. XI. |
| Directory/Menu/On-Site Informational Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | One or more. | On site; not legible from ROW/adjacent property. | — | Sec. 13.0(H), Art. XI. |
| Entrance Wall-Mounted Informational Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per public entrance. | Near each public entrance. | — | Sec. 13.0(I), Art. XI. |
| Message Board/Reader Board (Accessory) | — | ≤30% of sign face | — | — | Per host sign. | Within monument or wall sign. | — | Sec. 13.0(D); Sec. 3.0(E), Art. XI. |
| Shopping Center/Office Complex Entrance Sign (Master Plan) | Up to 25–45 ft | Per Sec. 25.0(G) incentives | — | As per monument rules or plan. | Per plan. | At entrances. | — | Sec. 13.0(E); Sec. 25.0(G), Art. XI. |
| Temporary and Portable Signs | — | ≤24 sq ft | — | Freestanding: ≥15' from pavement; not in ROW/sight triangle. | 1 per establishment at a time. | On premises; freestanding ≥15' from pavement; may be wall-mounted. | — | Sec. 13.0(G); Sec. 24.0, Art. XI. |

## Prohibited signs in Trussville

- No sign shall be erected or maintained where, by reason of its position, wording, illumination, shape, symbol, color, form, or character, it may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device, or interfere with, mislead, confuse, or disrupt traffic safety or flow (Sec. 3.0(A)).
- No portion of a sign may obscure visibility between a height of three and ten feet within a sight triangle, unless specifically approved due to unique conditions (Sec. 3.0(B)).
- Signs incorporating noisy mechanical devices such as whistles, horns, sirens, or any other noisy audible devices are prohibited (Sec. 3.0(C)).
- No sign or its foundation/support shall be placed in a public street or highway right‑of‑way, except certain neighborhood signs as separately provided (Sec. 3.0(D)).
- No sign may have animated, blinking, flashing, intermittent, traveling, or fluctuating lights, or LCD, plasma, video, or similar displays, including arrangements that spell messages, simulate motion, or form various symbols or images, except signs whose message changes no more than once per minute (Sec. 3.0(E)).
- No sign may use rotating vertical or horizontal panels or other moving parts to change the message (Sec. 3.0(F)).
- Signs shall not interfere with traffic visibility for entrance/exit from the lot or adjacent lots or for traffic flow through nearby intersections; monument signs must generally be at least 15 feet from pavement edge (Sec. 3.0(G)).
- No illuminated sign, other than a permanent neighborhood identification sign or an institutional sign, is permitted within 100 feet of any residential zoning district (Sec. 3.0(H)).
- All signs must be maintained in a safe and proper operating manner; the area around signs must be kept clean and free of trash and litter (Sec. 3.0(I); Sec. 29.0).
- Each sign must contain a complete message or display (Sec. 3.0(J); Sec. 29.0(5)).
- Temporary signs must have the installation date noted on the sign (Sec. 3.0(K); Sec. 24.0(J)).
- Signs shall not be attached to trees, utility poles, rocks, street lights, or to fences except where expressly allowed (Sec. 3.0(L)).
- No signs may be placed on public property except as specifically authorized in the sign regulations (Sec. 3.0(M)).
- All signs must conform to applicable building code provisions, including structural, wind, seismic, and electrical standards (Sec. 3.0(N)).
- No person may damage, trim, destroy, or remove trees, shrubs, or other vegetation within any right‑of‑way or required landscaping area for the purpose of increasing or enhancing the visibility of any sign, unless expressly authorized by the agency having jurisdiction (Sec. 3.0(O)).
- No new billboards are permitted anywhere in the city (Sec. 3.0(P); Sec. 23.0(A); repeated as a prohibition in multiple zone‑specific sections).
- Any sign over 80 feet in height must be constructed to allow for the future addition of telecommunications arrays or antennae (Sec. 3.0(Q)).
- Window and door signage counts toward sign area limits, and may not occupy more than 25 percent of the total window and door area (Sec. 3.0(R)–(S)).
- Projecting signs are limited to one per building side (per elevation) and do not count toward the maximum number of wall/window signs or sign square footage, but are otherwise constrained by the projecting‑sign standards (Sec. 3.0(T)).
- Exposed neon is prohibited as a building design element and may not flash or change color; for signs, exposed neon is only allowed under the limitations in Sec. 4.0(A) (Sec. 4.0(A)).
- Certain materials are prohibited for sign backgrounds, frames, supports, and ornamentation, including exposed metal poles (unless masonry‑clad), smooth‑face concrete blocks, and metal or plastic panels used without brick, split‑face block, or stone (Sec. 4.0(B)(4)).
- Portable signs are prohibited in specific districts (CP, I‑1, I‑2, I‑3) and temporary signs are prohibited in shopping center areas (Sec. 9.0(F), 15.0(F), 16.0(G), 17.0(F), 24.0(C)).
- Signs that are abandoned (e.g., business closed, blank/irrelevant message, event concluded) must be removed; continued display after 90 days constitutes a violation (Sec. 28.0–29.0).
- Nonconforming signs may not be structurally altered to extend their useful life, and may not be replaced with other nonconforming signs when replacement is required due to deterioration (Sec. 30.0(C)(2)–(3)).

## Signs exempt from permit in Trussville

- Traffic control and other official signs erected by governmental entities or utilities (including MUTCD‑compliant traffic signs, DOT/ALDOT directional signs, tourist‑oriented directional signs, and public information signs) are exempt from permit requirements, though they must comply with other standards where feasible (Sec. 5.0(A)–(B)).
- Signs installed by state or federal agencies in the course of governmental duties, or required by state or federal statute or court order, may exceed size or other standards to the extent required by the statute or order; otherwise they must conform to the ordinance (Sec. 5.0(B)(2)–(4)).
- On private property, detached noncommercial signs not exceeding 2 square feet in area and less than 4 feet in height, and noncommercial wall signs not exceeding 2 square feet, are allowed in all zoning districts without a permit (Sec. 6.0(A)(2)–(3); Sec. 7.0(A)–(C)).
- In single‑family residential districts only, permanent noncommercial signs up to 5 square feet are allowed without a permit (Sec. 7.0(B)).
- Any permitted sign not legible from a public way or from private property other than the lot on which the sign is located is allowed without a permit (Sec. 7.0(C)).
- Routine maintenance of signs (cleaning, touch‑up painting, like‑for‑like bulb replacement, poster panel changes on billboards, and similar work that does not change the structure, size, shape, or identification) does not require a sign permit (Sec. 2.0, definition of sign maintenance/repair; Sec. 7.0(D), (E); Sec. 27.0(E)).
- Changes of copy on an existing, permitted manual or electronic message board/reader board are allowed without a new permit, provided the sign structure and area remain the same (Sec. 7.0(E); Sec. 2.0 definitions of changeable copy signs).
- Certain very small, noncommercial temporary signs in agricultural, residential, or institutional districts not exceeding 6 square feet are allowed without a permit (Sec. 7.0(A); Sec. 22.0(B); Sec. 8.0(C); Sec. 18.0(E)–20.0(F)).
- Signs located inside athletic fields in park districts, generally legible only from seating areas and not exceeding 4 by 8 feet, are exempt from permit requirements (Sec. 21.0(D)).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master signage plan is optional but may be submitted by owners of qualifying properties (shopping centers, office complexes, industrial parks, large institutional campuses, recreational complexes) in business, commercial, industrial, park, and institutional districts to coordinate all signs on a site (Sec. 25.0(A)–(B)).
- Master signage plans are reviewed and approved by the Planning and Zoning Board; they may be submitted with or after site development/parking/drainage/landscape plans. Approval is required before any sign covered by the plan is permitted (Sec. 25.0(C)–(E)).
- Applications for a master signage plan must include: plot plan, sign design drawings, building/parking/driveway/landscape layout, computations of total allowed sign area and height, allocation of sign area among tenants, locations of all present/future signs, sign design schemes (colors, materials, typeface), and owner/agent signatures (Sec. 25.0(D)).
- Once a master signage plan is approved, all signs on the covered premises must comply with that plan; no sign may be erected or maintained in conflict with it. The plan is enforceable like any other zoning regulation (Sec. 25.0(J)).
- An approved master signage plan can be amended only by submitting a new plan that meets all current standards; amendments follow the same review process (Sec. 25.0(E)).
- Master signage plans for existing developments must include a schedule to bring all existing nonconforming signs into conformance by a specified date; this schedule becomes a binding condition of approval (Sec. 25.0(F)).
- Master signage plans allow specific incentives, including: (a) treating all property in the plan as one premises for off‑premises determinations; (b) increased monument sign size for single tenants over 50,000 sq ft; (c) increased monument sign size for multi‑tenant retail/office buildings; (d) additional wall signage for large/set‑back shopping centers; and (e) larger and/or more numerous freestanding signs for neighborhood, community, regional, and super‑regional shopping centers, industrial parks, and large institutional campuses, within stated square footage and height caps (Sec. 25.0(G)).
- Approval criteria for a master signage plan include: compliance with all applicable sign standards (subject to allowed incentives), correct total sign area and number, proportional allocation among tenants based on frontage/entrances/facade area, and a unified design scheme for all wall and freestanding signs (materials, colors, shape, proportion, typeface, lighting) (Sec. 25.0(H)–(I)).
- Several zone‑specific sections explicitly require or reference master signage plans as a precondition for certain freestanding or entrance signs, including CP, C‑1, C‑2, C‑3, C‑4, I‑1, I‑2, I‑3, IN‑1, IN‑2, IN‑3, and P districts (e.g., office complexes, shopping centers, industrial parks, recreation complexes) (Secs. 9.0(E), 10.0(E), 11.0(E), 12.0(E), 13.0(E), 15.0(E), 16.0(F), 17.0(E), 18.0(E), 19.0(E), 20.0(E), 21.0(A)–(B)).
- The Downtown Overlay district allows or references master signage plans for shopping centers and office complexes within the district; such plans must still meet the Downtown‑specific sign standards and external illumination requirement (Sec. 14A.0(E); Sec. 19B.9(A)).
- Site‑level plans are generally required for new development in commercial, industrial, institutional, and certain overlay districts (site, drainage, parking, landscape, lighting, and buffer plans), and master signage plans may be coordinated with these submissions (Sec. 2.0(C); Sec. 9.0(B); Sec. 13.0(B); Sec. 19A.12; Sec. 19B.9(A)).

## 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 35 zoning districts in Trussville — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Trussville+AL&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-trussville

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