# Sign Regulations in Carefree, Arizona

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Carefree, Arizona (AZ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/arizona/carefree
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Carefree, Arizona regulates 26 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Garden Office (GO) zoning district are capped at 7 ft tall, 56 sq ft structure, 46 sq ft sign area, max 8 ft width, and 8 ft wide, with a See (E) for spacing and placement setback (Sec. Sec 8.03(6)). Most commercial signs in Carefree require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rural-190, Rural-70, Rural-43, R1-35, R1-18, R1-10, R-3, L | 4 | 5 ft | 35 sq ft structure; sign area max 35% of structure | — |
| Garden Office (GO) | 17 | 7 ft | 56 sq ft structure, 46 sq ft sign area, max 8 ft width | — |
| Commercial (C) | 17 | 7 ft | 56 sq ft structure; sign area 46 sq ft, max width 8 ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 24 ft (flagpole) | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Garden Office (GO)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade Sign (Attached) | No higher than 1 ft below top of facade or floor plate above; min 8 ft clearance from ground | 12 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | — | 1 per tenant | Exterior wall of business; bracket perpendicular to building/column | — | Sec 8.02 Table, 8.03(1)(F) |
| Blade Sign (Freestanding) | 5 ft | 12 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | — | 1 per tenant | Post within 15 ft of entrance, in landscaped area, not obstructing passageways | — | Sec 8.03(1)(G) |
| Directional Sign | 5 ft (freestanding), 6 ft (on building) | 2 sq ft | — | 1 ft from property line (freestanding) | As required | Freestanding or flat on building, as approved | — | Sec 8.03(2) |
| Menu Board Sign (Attached) | 4 ft | 10 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 2.5 ft wide | 2.5 ft | — | 1 per restaurant | Exterior wall or arcade column of restaurant | — | Sec 8.03(5)(D) |
| Menu Board Sign (Sidewalk/A-frame) | 4 ft | 10 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 2.5 ft wide | 2.5 ft | — | 1 per restaurant | On business or complex property; may not obstruct passage | — | Sec 8.03(5)(E) |
| Monument Sign | 7 ft | 56 sq ft structure, 46 sq ft sign area, max 8 ft width | 8 ft | See (E) for spacing and placement | See (D) | Multi-tenant complexes; within 50 ft of driveway, 20 ft of ROW, except minors | — | Sec 8.03(6) |
| Tenant Directory Sign (Freestanding) | 7 ft (to top of post from ground) | 12 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | Min 30 ft from any onsite sign; min 15 ft from any offsite sign | See above | Post of Cor-ten steel or similar; must not obstruct walkways or vehicular passages | — | Sec 8.03(7)(H) |
| Banner, Projecting Vertical | No higher than 1 ft below top facade; multi-story: no higher than above story floor plate; 7 ft min clearance; max projection 3 in | 12 sq ft; 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | 8 ft from other vertical banners, 5 ft from any other sign | 1 or 2 per tenant (see above) | On exterior wall, bracketed perpendicular | — | Sec 8.03(10) |

### Commercial (C)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade Sign (Attached) | No higher than 1 ft below top of facade; multi-story: no higher than above story floor plate; min 8 ft clearance from ground | 12 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | — | 1 per tenant | Exterior wall of business; bracket perpendicular to building/column | — | Sec 8.02 Table, 8.03(1)(F) |
| Blade Sign (Freestanding) | 5 ft | 12 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | — | 1 per tenant | Post within 15 ft of entrance, landscaped area, not obstructing passage | — | Sec 8.03(1)(G) |
| Directional Sign | 5 ft (freestanding), 6 ft (on building) | 2 sq ft | — | 1 ft from property line (freestanding) | As required | Freestanding or flat on building, approved by Zoning Administrator | — | Sec 8.03(2) |
| Menu Board Sign (Attached) | 4 ft | 10 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 2.5 ft wide | 2.5 ft | — | 1 per restaurant | On exterior wall or arcade column of restaurant | — | Sec 8.03(5)(D) |
| Menu Board Sign (Sidewalk/A-frame) | 4 ft | 10 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 2.5 ft wide | 2.5 ft | — | 1 per restaurant | On property of business/complex, not obstructing pedestrian/vehicular movement | — | Sec 8.03(5)(E) |
| Monument Sign | 7 ft | 56 sq ft structure; sign area 46 sq ft, max width 8 ft | 8 ft | ¾ 75 ft from onsite, 30 ft offsite other monument signs | — | Multi-tenant complex; within 50 ft of driveway and 20 ft of ROW | — | Sec 8.03(6) |
| Tenant Directory Sign (Freestanding) | 7 ft (top of post) | 12 sq ft; max 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | Min 30 ft from onsite signs; 15 ft from offsite signs; 5 ft from any other sign | See above | Post (Cor-ten steel or similar); no obstruction of walkways/vehicle path | — | Sec 8.03(7)(H) |
| Banner, Projecting Vertical | No higher than 1 ft below top of facade; multi-story: below floor plate above; 7 ft clearance at base; max projection 3 in | 12 sq ft; 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | 8 ft from other vertical banners, 5 ft from any other sign | 1 or 2 per tenant | Exterior wall, bracketed perpendicular | — | Sec 8.03(10) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-commercial Flag | 24 ft (flagpole) | 24 sq ft; max 4 ft high and 6 ft wide | 6 ft | — | — | — | — | Sec 8.06(1) |
| Political Sign (Residential Area) | — | 16 sq ft in area (in right-of-way, if in residential zone) | — | — | 1 per candidate/issue per lot | In right-of-way limited period only | — | Sec 11-3-2, 8.06(2) |
| Political Sign (Non-Residential Area) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per candidate/issue per lot | In right-of-way during designated periods, except in sign free zones | — | Sec 11-3-2, 8.06(2) |
| Open House Sign (Onsite, Residential Use/Condo) | 3 ft | — | — | — | 1 onsite | Onsite only, during open house | — | Sec 8.03(12)(K) |
| Open House Sign (Offsite/Public ROW) | — | — | — | — | Up to 8 | Public right-of-way, subject to 8.03(12)(K), 11-3-3 | — | Sec 8.03(12)(K), 11-3-3 |
| Name Plate | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | — | Adjacent to entry door | — | Sec 8.06(4) |
| Security / No Trespassing Sign | 2 ft | 1 sq ft | — | — | 2 per street frontage | — | — | Sec 8.04(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Carefree

- Illuminated signs, except as specifically allowed by this Ordinance.
- With the exception of 'open' signs placed in a commercial window, signs that use movement, lighting, or animation to give the illusion of action are prohibited. Such signs include revolving signs, flashing signs with intermittent lighting and/or varying intensities of light (including moving lights), and signs illuminated by internal lighting or by lights that are external but integral to the sign, such as bulbs or neon tubing that display a business logo or spell out the sign message.
- Signs that give off any sound.
- Any sign located above the eaves or parapet or attached to the roof of a building.
- Window signs, including pictures, symbols, or combinations thereof designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale, or service, except those for commercial uses only, placed inside a window or upon the window panes or glass and visible from the exterior of the window (not exceeding 10 square feet or 25% of the subject window area, whichever is smaller) or as otherwise provided for in Article VIII.
- Search lights or beacons.
- Flags, pennants, tethered balloons, or similar devices used for commercial advertisement.
- Signs attached to utility poles or other structures or located on the ground within the right-of-way of public or private streets, except as specifically allowed in this Ordinance or the Carefree Town Code.
- Signs not expressly allowed in this Article.
- No person or political subdivision (other than the Town of Carefree) shall erect, place or post any sign within any public right-of-way belonging to the town except as specifically authorized by code.
- Signs erected, posted, or placed in any town right-of-way in contravention of the code are contraband and subject to immediate seizure.
- No sign is allowed on any structure owned by the town.
- Signs shall not be placed so as to obstruct pedestrian, bicycle, or vehicular traffic and visibility.
- Fill shall not be added for the purpose of elevating the sign's height.

## Signs exempt from permit in Carefree

- Non-commercial flags with a maximum height of 24 feet as measured from the top of the flagpole to finished grade directly below, less than 24 square feet in size, no more than 4 feet high and 6 feet wide, and only flown between sunrise and sunset.
- One temporary political sign per lot per candidate and/or issue provided the size of each sign does not exceed 3 square feet in area. The sign shall be removed within 15 days after the results of the associated election.
- Political signs located in the Town of Carefree right-of-ways pursuant to the Carefree Town Code Article 11-3 and Carefree Resolution 2012-01.
- A name plate of no more than 1 square foot adjacent to an entry door.
- Signs displayed by the Town of Carefree for government or other public purposes.
- Signs for a private guard or security company and/or 'no trespassing' signs do not require permits provided each sign does not exceed 1 square foot in area and 2 feet in height from finished grade directly below the sign, with no more than two signs per street frontage.
- Outdoor merchandise is not considered signage as defined in Article VIII.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A Comprehensive Sign Program (CSP) is required for all proposed or existing nonresidential multi-tenant complexes and/or mixed use developments.
- Applications for a CSP are reviewed and approved by the Planning Director, who may approve elements that exceed the normal sign regulations if the CSP conforms to specific findings and incorporates special design features.
- All signs located within a multi-tenant complex or mixed use development must comply with the approved CSP if such a plan has been approved.
- A sign permit is required for the construction and placement of individual signs contained in an approved Comprehensive Sign Program.
- A CSP shall be prepared by a graphics design professional and must include a site plan, building/parcel locations, sign locations, dimensions, colors, materials, lighting, and design standards.
- No explicit mention of a general master sign plan or variance meeting requirement for other sign types outside of the Comprehensive Sign Program process.

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

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