# Sign Regulations in San Luis, Arizona

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

- **Jurisdiction:** San Luis, Arizona (AZ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/arizona/san-luis
- **Data last verified:** 2026-02-09
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://sanluis.municipal.codes/SLCC/18.80)

## At a glance

San Luis, Arizona regulates 21 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Public Facilities / Religious Institution Freestanding Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 19 ft maximum outside street yard setback; 4 ft maximum inside street yard setback (subject to visibility/clearance) tall and 50 sq. ft. maximum sign face area per freestanding sign; 150 sq. ft. maximum total sign face area of all signs on site, with a Minimum 12-ft street yard setback for all such signs; inside street yard setback (within minimum yard) height is limited to 4 ft, outside to 19 ft; must also comply with general visibility triangle restrictions. setback (Sec. SLCC 18.80.040(K)). Most commercial signs in San Luis require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 35 ft maximum height for any on-site freestanding sign (unless more restrictive standard applies) | 100 sq. ft. maximum sign face area per wall-mounted sign; 150 sq. ft. maximum total sign face area of all signs on site | — |
| Agricultural districts | 4 | Within street setback: 6 ft maximum for freestanding sign; Outside street setback: 12 ft maximum for freestanding sign (also subject to citywide 35-ft maximum) | 32 sq. ft. maximum area of any temporary freestanding sign face | — |
| Residential districts - RA-10, SR-5, SR-2, R1-35, R1-20, R1-12, R1-8, R1-6, R-2, R-3 | 6 | 6 ft maximum (both within and outside street setback) | 50 sq. ft. maximum total sign face area per residential development; 50 sq. ft. maximum area per sign face | — |
| Commercial / industrial districts - C-1, C-2, MU, L-I, H-I | 7 | 35 ft maximum (applies both within and outside street setback per table) | Max area of any wall-mounted or roof-mounted sign face: 300 sq. ft | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Sign Types (General Applicability) | 35 ft maximum height for any on-site freestanding sign (unless more restrictive standard applies) | — | — | No sign or portion thereof may be within or overhang public street right-of-way, except as allowed by other code or ARS. General on-site: Support structure must be at least 12 ft from street ROW; leading edge of face at least 3 ft from ROW; if sign (including structure) is ≤3 ft high, only 3-ft setback from ROW is required. Monument/low-profile setbacks: >6 ft high: 12-ft; 4–6 ft high: 6-ft; ≤4 ft high: 3-ft. No signs allowed in visibility sight triangles. (SLCC 18.80.020(E)-(F); 18.80.040(E), (I)) | — | Allowed within any zoning district, subject to standards of Chapter 18.80 | — | SLCC 18.80.010; 18.80.020(A)-(C); 18.80.040(A)-(I); 18.80.080(C)-(F) |
| Address / Nameplate Sign | — | 1 sq. ft. maximum area | — | — | 1 per building | On any building within any zoning district | — | SLCC 18.80.040(B) |
| Permanent On-Site Directional Signage | — | 10 sq. ft. per street entrance (total directional sign area) | — | General on-site setbacks apply (12-ft support; 3-ft leading edge from ROW; visibility triangle limits) | Implicitly limited to 10 sq. ft. of directional signage per street entrance; no explicit number limit. | On any premises, at or within the site as needed for traffic circulation and direction | — | SLCC 18.80.040(J) |
| Public Facilities / Religious Institution Freestanding Sign | 19 ft maximum outside street yard setback; 4 ft maximum inside street yard setback (subject to visibility/clearance) | 50 sq. ft. maximum sign face area per freestanding sign; 150 sq. ft. maximum total sign face area of all signs on site | — | Minimum 12-ft street yard setback for all such signs; inside street yard setback (within minimum yard) height is limited to 4 ft, outside to 19 ft; must also comply with general visibility triangle restrictions. | 1 freestanding and 1 wall-mounted sign per street frontage | On any site used for public facilities or religious institutions in any zoning district | — | SLCC 18.80.040(K) |
| Public Facilities / Religious Institution Wall-Mounted Sign | — | 100 sq. ft. maximum sign face area per wall-mounted sign; 150 sq. ft. maximum total sign face area of all signs on site | — | General wall sign placement rule: sign must remain within silhouette of wall/roof and below top of wall/roof per definitions; no separate setback for wall signs since they are on building | 1 wall-mounted per street frontage | On any building wall of public facilities or religious institutions, in any zoning district | — | SLCC 18.80.040(K)(1)-(4) |
| Temporary Sign - General (all zones) | 6 ft maximum for permit-exempt temporary signs; higher allowed with permit per Table 17 by zone | Up to 32 sq. ft. per sign face and 6 ft in height are exempt from permit; larger temporary signs allowed per Table 17 by zone | — | Must comply with general prohibition on signs in or over public ROW and with all applicable on-site setbacks and visibility triangle requirements. | Maximum number of temporary signs per lot/parcel is set by Table 17 by zone, except number of signs displaying only noncommercial messages may exceed maximum per lot or parcel | On-site, consistent with Table 17 and general right-of-way/setback rules | — | SLCC 18.80.050(A)-(C); 18.80.020(F)(4); 18.80.030 (balloons/inflatables, festoons, vehicular signage); 18.80.080(C)(1)(c), (E)(5) |
| Prohibited Signage (General Prohibition) | — | — | — | — | — | Prohibition applies citywide, all zoning districts | — | SLCC 18.80.020(D) |
| Signs in Public Right-of-Way (General Prohibition) | — | — | — | Effectively requires placement outside ROW and compliance with separate setback rules. | — | Within or overhanging any existing or prospective public street right-of-way | — | SLCC 18.80.020(E); 18.80.020(G)(2) (government signs); 18.80.060 (political signs) |

### Residential districts - RA-10, SR-5, SR-2, R1-35, R1-20, R1-12, R1-8, R1-6, R-2, R-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Freestanding Sign (On-Site) - Per Dwelling | Within street setback: 4 ft; Outside street setback: 6 ft (freestanding) | 2 sq. ft. max total area of all sign faces per dwelling; 2 sq. ft. maximum area per sign face | — | Support structure minimum 12 ft from street ROW, 3 ft from ROW to leading edge, unless overall height ≤3 ft, in which case 3-ft setback is allowed; also visibility triangle restrictions. | 1 freestanding sign per dwelling unit | On individual dwelling lots/units in residential districts | — | SLCC 18.80.040(D)-(F); Table No. 16 (Residential districts – first line: 2 sq. ft for each dwelling) |
| Permanent Wall-Mounted Sign (On-Site) - Per Dwelling | Must be below top of wall/roof and within building silhouette; Residential districts freestanding height limits (4/6 ft) do not apply to wall-mounted signs (n/a), but wall placement is limited by footnote (*) | 2 sq. ft. maximum per sign face and per dwelling | — | On structure; must remain within building silhouette and not project into ROW | 1 wall-mounted sign per dwelling unit | On dwelling walls in residential districts | — | SLCC 18.80.040(D); Table No. 16 (Residential districts – first subrow, W-M); footnote (*) |
| Permanent Freestanding Sign (On-Site) - Residential Development Entry | Within street setback: 4 ft (Residential F-S limit inside setback); Outside street setback: 6 ft (Residential F-S limit) | 50 sq. ft. maximum total sign face area per residential development; 50 sq. ft. maximum area per sign face | — | Support structure at least 12 ft from ROW and 3 ft to leading edge; monument/low-profile setbacks by height, and no signs in visibility triangles | 2 freestanding signs per entrance | At entrances to a residential development (subdivision, complex, etc.) in residential districts | — | SLCC 18.80.040(D); Table No. 16 (Residential districts – second subrow: 50 sq. ft. per development, 2 per entrance) |
| Permanent Wall-Mounted Sign (On-Site) - Non-Residential Use in Residential District | Freestanding: 4 ft within setback / 6 ft outside; wall-mounted: subject to footnote (*) placement below top of wall or roofline | 24 sq. ft. total sign area for each non-residential use; 24 sq. ft. maximum area per sign face | — | Freestanding: general 12-ft/3-ft plus 3/6/12-ft low-profile rules and visibility triangles; wall signs: on building, no encroachment into ROW | 1 freestanding and 1 wall-mounted sign per street frontage for each non-residential use | On sites in residential districts that contain non-residential uses (e.g., small institutional/other uses) | — | SLCC 18.80.040(D); Table No. 16 (Residential districts – third subrow: 24 sq. ft for each non-residential use) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign - Residential Lots Under 1 Acre | 6 ft maximum (both within and outside street setback) | 10 sq. ft. maximum area of any sign face | — | May not be in ROW; general on-site setbacks and visibility triangles apply. | 1 temporary freestanding sign per lot or parcel | On residential lots or parcels less than 1 acre | — | SLCC 18.80.050(A)-(C); Table No. 17 (Residential districts – Freestanding, less than 1 ac.) |
| Temporary Wall-Mounted Sign - Residential Parcels 1 Acre or More | Within street setback: 6 ft; Outside street setback: 8 ft (Residential wall-mounted temporary) | 32 sq. ft. maximum area of any sign face | — | On building; may not project into ROW; must respect visibility triangle if near intersections. | 1 temporary wall-mounted sign per street frontage | On building walls in residential districts on parcels of 1 acre or more | — | SLCC 18.80.050(A)-(C); Table No. 17 (Residential districts – Wall-mounted, 1 ac. or more) |

### Commercial / industrial districts - C-1, C-2, MU, L-I, H-I

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Freestanding Sign (On-Site) | 35 ft maximum (applies both within and outside street setback per table) | Total sign face area per freestanding sign: 1 sq. ft per 1 linear foot of street frontage, maximum 300 sq. ft; Max area of any sign face: 300 sq. ft | — | Support structure minimum 12 ft from street ROW; leading edge of sign face minimum 3 ft from street ROW; monument/low-profile setbacks apply for monument-style signs; no signs in visibility sight triangles; citywide maximum height 35 ft also applies. | 1 freestanding sign per street frontage (subject to corner Options 1 and 2) | On sites in commercial/industrial districts (all commercial and industrial zones) as on-site freestanding signage | — | SLCC 18.80.040(D), (G); Table No. 16 (Commercial/industrial districts – F-S row); footnotes (a), (b) |
| Permanent Wall-Mounted Sign (On-Site) | Maximum height of wall sign is "(*)" – i.e., wall sign must be set a minimum distance below top of building wall equal to 10% of wall height or 25% of narrow dimension of sign, whichever less restrictive; signs on pitched roof must be located a minimum distance below roofline equal to 20% of building height. | Max area of any wall-mounted or roof-mounted sign face: 300 sq. ft | — | Wall/roof signs on buildings do not have a ground setback, but may not project into or overhang ROW; must be within building silhouette. | No numeric limit; constrained by 15% of primary façade area and 300 sq. ft max per sign | On primary building façade or roof sections of buildings in commercial/industrial districts | — | SLCC 18.80.040(D), (H); Table No. 16 (Commercial/industrial districts – W-M / R-M row, 15% primary facade); 18.80.030 (Height of Building, Maximum Height, parapet, wall-mounted sign definition) |
| Permanent Roof-Mounted Sign (On-Site) | Must be within silhouette of roof and below roofline per 20% of building height rule; citywide 35-ft maximum sign height also applies | 300 sq. ft maximum area per roof-mounted sign face | — | Mounted on roof; may not overhang or encroach into ROW; building setback applies, not sign-specific ground setback. | No numeric limit; controlled by 15% façade area and 300 sq. ft per sign | On roof of buildings in commercial/industrial districts | — | SLCC 18.80.040(D), (H); Table No. 16 (Commercial/industrial districts – W-M/R-M row); 18.80.080(F)(3) |
| Permanent Under-Canopy Sign (On-Site) | Maximum height not applicable; minimum vertical clearance of 7 ft from walking grade to bottom of sign | 4 sq. ft. maximum sign face area | — | Mounting must respect building placement and ROW limits; 7-ft minimum vertical clearance | 1 under-canopy sign per front entrance | Suspended from underside of canopy, roof, covered walkway, porch, or cantilever projection from a building in commercial/industrial districts | — | SLCC 18.80.040(D); Table No. 16 (Commercial/industrial districts – U-C row); 18.80.030 (Under-canopy sign definition) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign | Within street setback: 6 ft; Outside street setback: 12 ft | 100 sq. ft. maximum area of any sign face | — | May not be placed in or overhang ROW; must comply with visibility triangles; general low-profile setbacks by height should be observed. | 1 temporary freestanding sign per street frontage | On sites in commercial/industrial districts | — | SLCC 18.80.050(A)-(C); Table No. 17 (Commercial / industrial districts – Freestanding) |
| Temporary Wall-Mounted Sign | Sign must be located a distance below the uppermost line of the wall upon which mounted equal to ½ of the vertical dimension of the sign | 32 sq. ft. maximum area of any sign face | — | On structure; may not project into ROW; must respect visibility triangles if near intersections | 1 temporary wall-mounted sign per building façade | On building walls in commercial/industrial districts | — | SLCC 18.80.050(A)-(C); Table No. 17 (Commercial / industrial districts – Wall-mounted) |
| Off-Site Freestanding Sign (C-2 and L-I Only) | 35 ft maximum sign height; minimum 10 ft vertical clearance from street grade of nearest driving lane to lowest part of sign face | 300 sq. ft. maximum sign face area | — | Minimum of 55 ft from arterial street centerline or 15 ft from ROW line, whichever is greater; also must respect general prohibition on signs in ROW and visibility triangle rules. | Limited by spacing: 600-ft radius separation; maximum 4 off-site signs per linear mile along a given street | Only on parcels zoned General Commercial (C-2) or Light Industrial (L-I) that front along a major arterial or minor arterial street, as classified by the City General Plan | — | SLCC 18.80.070(B)-(D) |

## Prohibited signs in San Luis

- Visual distractions, impediments to traffic visibility, and competition with traffic control devices are prohibited for all signs.
- Any addition, enlargement, or alteration of a nonconforming sign or sign structure that would increase the degree of nonconformity is prohibited.
- Portable signs as defined by the chapter are prohibited.
- Balloons or any inflatable device exceeding four feet in diameter are prohibited (except as allowed and limited under temporary signage provisions).
- Swinging signs are prohibited.
- Signs which rotate more than six revolutions per minute are prohibited.
- Banners are prohibited, other than for identifying a special event as allowed under the temporary signage provisions.
- Any sign attached to a stand pipe or fire escape is prohibited.
- Any sign which impedes access to any door, window, or fire escape is prohibited.
- Unauthorized signs on public property are prohibited.
- Any sign which facsimilates traffic control devices or emergency vehicles by reason of shape, color, or other feature is prohibited.
- Any on-site sign attached to an off-site installation which increases the existing sign face area is prohibited.
- Any off-site sign attached to an on-site sign installation is prohibited.
- Any other type of signage which does not comply with the regulations and provisions of the title is prohibited.
- No sign may be located within any existing or prospective public street right-of-way, nor may any portion of a sign or sign structure overhang such right-of-way, except as specifically allowed by the San Luis City Code or Arizona Revised Statutes.
- Lighting for temporary sign installations is prohibited.
- Off-site signage is prohibited on parcels not zoned C-2 (General Commercial) or L-I (Light Industrial) and/or that do not front a major or minor arterial street, as required by the off-site signage section.
- Off-site signage is prohibited less than 150 feet from the nearest property line of any residential zoning district.
- Off-site signage is prohibited in any block where the front one-third of any lot or parcel used for residential purposes comprises 50% or more of the block frontage.
- Off-site signage is prohibited less than 1,500 feet from the exterior boundary of any federal, state, county, or municipal historic park, monument, or district.
- Off-site signage is prohibited on Main Street south of Co. 22nd Street.
- No off-site sign may be erected on the wall or roof of any building; all off-site signs must be freestanding.
- Variances or conditional use permits may not be granted to permit erection of signs prohibited by SLCC 18.80.020(D) or 18.80.060.
- No variance may be granted that increases the degree of nonconformity of any existing signage.
- Any sign that endangers public safety (e.g., materially dangerous, electrically or structurally defective) is subject to removal and may not continue in that condition.

## Signs exempt from permit in San Luis

- Flags of a nation, state, or other governmental entity are exempt from the requirements of the sign chapter.
- Government signs for street names, traffic control, or other regulatory purposes of the government are exempt from the requirements of the sign chapter.
- Holiday decorations are exempt from the requirements of the sign chapter.
- Signage located wholly within the interior of any building or other enclosure and not visible from any public right-of-way or adjoining property is exempt from the requirements of the sign chapter, although such installations remain subject to electrical, structural, and other applicable building code requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A building/sign plan is required as part of every sign permit application: each application must include plan(s) drawn to scale showing sign dimensions, height, existing sign area on the property (permanent and temporary, on-site and off-site) and locations, the proposed sign location relative to property lines, curbs, curb cuts, and sidewalks, the method of attachment, illumination, and structural support (with calculations if required), and the exact site location by address or legal description.
- A permit from the City of San Luis Building Safety Division is required for all permanent signs and sign structures, including any new exterior sign installation (painting or other attachment to building, wall, roof, fence, or other outdoor surface).
- A permit is required for temporary sign installations that exceed 32 square feet in sign face area or exceed six feet in height; installers of any temporary sign exceeding 10 square feet in area must at least register the sign’s location with the Department of Planning and Zoning, and must state the removal date on the permit application where a permit is required.
- Electrical permits are required, in addition to the sign permit, for any sign or sign structure illuminated by electrical means.
- Permit issuance is conditioned on payment of a permit fee (based on valuation) and a plan check fee (65% of the permit fee); a special investigation and additional fee are required if work begins before the permit is issued.
- For any sign installation that requires a permit, the building permit number must be permanently affixed to the sign; for temporary signs not requiring a permit, the sign owner’s telephone number must be affixed.
- Variances from sign design standards (such as setback, size, height, location, spacing, number of signs, and manner of keeping) must be requested from the Board of Adjustment; the Board cannot approve variances for prohibited sign types or to increase the degree of nonconformity.
- Appeals of interpretations by the Zoning Administrator regarding signage, and appeals of orders for removal of abandoned signage, are heard by the Board of Adjustment.
- Requests for variances from structural or mechanical building code requirements relating to signs, or appeals from interpretations of the Building Official, are heard by the appropriate board (e.g., Board of Appeals or Planning and Zoning Commission) under their adopted procedures.
- A conditional use permit (reviewed and approved by the City Council under SLCC 18.15.040) is required to allow any sign projecting above the roofline of a building.

## 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 San Luis — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=San+Luis+AZ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-san-luis

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