# Sign Regulations in Payson, Arizona

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Payson, Arizona (AZ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/arizona/payson
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Payson, Arizona regulates 23 sign types across 11 zoning districts. Banners in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft (as max length or height specified) tall, 24 sq ft, and 8 ft wide, with a 15 ft back from public road (if in right-of-way); 3-15 ft from public road (if on private property) setback (Sec. § 154-05-005(C)(6)). Most commercial signs in Payson require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (11 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residentially zoned areas, Residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3) | 4 | — | 6 sq ft for parcels ≤ 1 acre, 16 sq ft for parcels > 1 acre | — |
| Commercially zoned areas, Commercial establishments | 7 | 5 ft (from ground level) | 32 sq ft | — |
| Shopping center | 1 | — | 100 sq ft per driveway on arterial roadway | — |
| Plaza mall/office complex | 1 | — | 50 sq ft per thoroughfare | — |
| Mini plaza/mall | 1 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| Subdivided shopping centers/plazas with shared or common parking areas | 3 | — | 100 sq ft | — |
| Residential subdivisions | 1 | — | 24 sq ft | — |
| Commercial and industrial subdivisions | 1 | — | See relevant ratio: e.g., 100 sq ft for 10+ units, 50 sq ft for 6-9 units, 32 sq ft for 5 or fewer units | — |
| Non residentially zoned area | 1 | — | 32 sq ft per lot or parcel | — |
| All zoning areas, All zoning districts | 1 | — | 4 sq ft for subcontractors, 32 sq ft for general contractor | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 8 ft (as max length or height specified) | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 11 zones)

### Residentially zoned areas, Residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Name Plate Sign (Home Based Business) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per home based business | Attached to the residence | — | § 154-05-005(B)(5), § 154-05-005(E) |
| Temporary Sale, Lease or Rent Sign | — | 6 sq ft for parcels ≤ 1 acre, 16 sq ft for parcels > 1 acre | — | — | 1 per subdivided lot | In unimproved town right-of-way adjacent to property or on property | — | § 154-05-005(C)(3) |
| Political Sign | — | 3 sq ft per lot or parcel | — | — | — | On private property or the unimproved area of the town right-of-way adjacent to residential property | — | § 154-05-005(C)(5) |
| Temporary Contractor/Subcontractor Sign | — | 4 sq ft for subcontractors, 32 sq ft for general contractor | — | — | 1 per contractor or subcontractor | On property under construction/repair | — | § 154-05-005(C)(4) |

### Commercially zoned areas, Commercial establishments

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| High Profile Sign (Freestanding) | — | 32 sq ft | 8 ft | May not extend onto an existing right-of-way or easement | 1 per lot | Main entrance frontage of lot; only for individual businesses (not for plazas/complexes/shopping centers) | — | § 154-05-005(A)(1) |
| Low Profile Sign (Freestanding) | 5 ft (from ground level) | 32 sq ft | 8 ft | — | — | On lot, not extending onto right-of-way/easement; only for individual businesses, not plazas/complexes/shopping centers | — | § 154-05-005(A)(2) |
| Wall Sign | — | Varies (main frontage: 1 sq ft/lf; additional sides: 2 sq ft/lf, max 16 sq ft/side) | — | — | — | On main entrance frontage and additional building sides | — | § 154-05-005(B)(1) |
| Canopy (Awning) Sign | — | 12 sq ft or 50% of awning area | — | — | — | Flat against rigid canopy; or painted/stiched on nonrigid canopy | — | § 154-05-005(B)(2) |
| Permanent Window Sign | — | 25% of window area | — | — | — | Behind glass on the inside of window; not in unglazed openings | — | § 154-05-005(B)(4) |
| Roof Sign (Visible below roofline) | — | Per Wall Sign regulations | — | — | — | On roof, but not above roofline | — | § 154-05-005(B)(3) |
| Temporary Portable Sign (Commercial Zone) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per person or establishment | Unimproved portion of town right-of-way or private property (with property owner's permission) | — | § 154-05-005(C)(7) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Coming Soon Sign | — | 32 sq ft | 8 ft | — | — | On the site of the proposed development | — | § 154-05-005(C)(2) |
| Temporary Directional Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1 per direction change | Within one mile of location; allowed on private property or unimproved town right-of-way | — | § 154-05-005(C)(8) |
| Banner | 8 ft (as max length or height specified) | 24 sq ft | 8 ft | 15 ft back from public road (if in right-of-way); 3-15 ft from public road (if on private property) | 1 banner permit per business/month | Affixed to building wall or freestanding; unimproved right-of-way (commercial only); or private property (setbacks apply) | — | § 154-05-005(C)(6) |
| Electronic Message Center (EMC) | — | As per primary sign type | — | — | — | As component of allowed sign types | — | § 154-05-005(D) |
| Spherical, free-form, sculptural, other non-planar sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 154-05-005(A)(4) |

## Prohibited signs in Payson

- Signs that are not specifically authorized are prohibited.
- Vehicle signs not in compliance with designated regulations are prohibited.
- Fixed aerial advertising and displays are prohibited.
- Off-premise signs are prohibited except as provided in § 154-05-005(C).
- Roof mounted signs that project above the highest point of the roof line, parapet, or facade are prohibited.
- Any sign or device emitting a sound or substance is prohibited.
- Any sign or device with intermittent or flashing illumination, animations, or moving copy is prohibited (except EMCs).
- Signs or notices of any kind placed or displayed on sidewalks, posts, utility poles, lamp posts, hydrants, trees, bridges, rocks, boulders, the ground, or other surfaces located in a town's right-of-way, town roadway easement, or on public property are prohibited (except as specifically allowed in § 154-05-005(C)).
- Temporary signs are prohibited except as provided in § 154-05-005(C).
- Any freestanding sign which creates a visibility problem along adjacent streets or driveways is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Payson

- Flags, pennants, or insignias of any nation, state, city, or other political entity on private property.
- Tablets, grave markers, headstones, statuary, or remembrances of persons or events noncommercial in nature on private property.
- Temporary decorations or displays celebrating the occasion of traditionally accepted patriotic, religious or local holiday or event on private property.
- Temporary signs on any property for events of a general town-wide civic or public benefit, community events, or town sponsored events, under specified area and location restrictions, so long as notice is given to the Community Development Department and the signs are removed within three days after the event.
- Signs on private property not visible beyond the boundaries of the lot or parcel upon which they are located, or from any public right-of-way or thoroughfare, provided that such sign does not constitute a traffic hazard.
- The erection, construction, and maintenance of official traffic, fire, and police signs, signals, devices and markings of state or authorized public agency, or the posting of notices as required by law, providing such sign does not constitute a traffic hazard.
- Banners over the town's right-of-way, town's roadway easements, or the ADOT Right-of-Way if such banners are otherwise regulated or placed by a state or local government entity.
- Window signs on private property which are only for the purpose of temporary signage to advertise the sale of goods or services.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Approval of subdivision signs will be processed at the time of preliminary plat review through the submittal of a Master Sign Plan. The subdivider shall submit a Master Sign Plan showing the location, size, and design for all subdivision identification signs to be included with the preliminary plat approval.
- If a subdivision does not have a Master Sign Plan or wishes to amend the existing Master Sign Plan, a sign application showing the location, size, and design for all subdivision identification signs shall be submitted to the Community Development Department for issuance of a sign permit.

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

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