# Sign Regulations in Benton, Arkansas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Benton, Arkansas (AR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/arkansas/benton
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-15
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.bentonar.org/media/CommunityDevelopment/Benton%20Sign%20Regulations%20-%20Ordinance%2042%20of%202020.pdf)

## At a glance

Benton, Arkansas regulates 24 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Monument Sign (Subdivision/Neighborhood ID)s in the Residential Zones (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, TC1, TC2, TC3, PUD) zoning district are capped at 6 ft. tall and 48 sq. ft., with a Cannot extend into clear view zone or street right-of-way. setback (Sec. Section 3.02 Table; Section 2.13). Most commercial signs in Benton require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |
| Residential Zones (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, TC1, TC2, TC3, PUD) | 3 | 6 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — |
| Commercial Zones (C1, C2, C3), Office Zones (S), Industrial Zones (LI, HI), PUD | 14 | 10 ft. | 96 sq. ft. per side | — |
| Downtown Zones (TC1, TC2, TC3) | 10 | ≤20% of total building height | 48 sq. ft. | — |
| Interstate Zone (C2, C3, property adjacent to I-30) | 3 | ≤50 ft. above adjacent interstate lane elevation, max 75 ft. above grade | Up to 672 sq. ft. per face, but not to exceed nearest on-premise sign size | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Residential Zones (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, TC1, TC2, TC3, PUD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign (Subdivision/Neighborhood ID) | 6 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — | Cannot extend into clear view zone or street right-of-way. | 1 per external street frontage | May be on street property line as long as it does not extend into the clear view zone. | — | Section 3.02 Table; Section 2.13 |
| Monument Sign (Apartment/Condo Complex Entrance) | 6 ft. | 36 sq. ft. | — | Cannot extend into clear view zone or street right-of-way. | 1 per entrance | May be on street property line as long as it does not extend into the clear view zone. | — | Section 3.02 Table |
| Wall Sign (Permitted Non-Residential Use) | — | — | — | Must not be placed in street right-of-way. | 1 | May abut street property line as long as it does not extend into clear view zone. | — | Section 3.02 Table |

### Commercial Zones (C1, C2, C3), Office Zones (S), Industrial Zones (LI, HI), PUD

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Banner Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. per side | — | Outside right-of-way | 1 per 25 ft. frontage | Affixed at approved location on site/building face; not on fences, railings, trees, roofs, or property line poles. | — | Sections 3.03, 2.10 |
| A-Frame Sign | 3 ft. | — | 2 ft. | — | — | On sidewalk immediately in front of the business; not in street right-of-way; must leave 36 inches walkable width. | — | Section 3.03 Table |
| Monument/Pylon/Two-pole Sign (Lots ≤5 acres) | 8 ft. | 64 sq. ft. per side | — | Not in clear view zone | 1 per street frontage | May abut property line if not in clear view zone. | — | Section 3.03 Table; Section 2.12 |
| Monument/Pylon/Two-pole Sign (Lots >5 and <20 acres) | 10 ft. | 64 sq. ft. per side | — | Not in clear view zone | 1 per street frontage | May abut property line if not in clear view zone. | — | Section 3.03 Table; Section 2.12 |
| Monument/Pylon/Two-pole Sign (Lots >20 acres) | 10 ft. | 96 sq. ft. per side | — | Not in clear view zone | 1 per street frontage | May abut property line if not in clear view zone. | — | Section 3.03 Table; Section 2.12 |
| Monument Sign (TC Zones) | 6 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — | Not in clear view zone | 1 per street frontage | May abut property line if not in clear view zone. | — | Section 3.03 Table |
| Off-premise Directional Sign | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. per side | — | Outside public right-of-way; ≥100 ft. from nearest off-premise directional sign. | — | Located outside public right-of-way; with property owner's permission. | — | Section 3.03 Table |
| Under Canopy Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per occupancy or entrance | ≥7 ft. clearance to grade. One sign for each separate occupancy or entrance. | — | Section 3.03 Table |

### Downtown Zones (TC1, TC2, TC3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument/Pylon/Two-pole Sign (special conditions) | 6 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — | Not in clear view zone. | 1 per street frontage | — | — | Section 3.04 Table |
| Banner Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. per side | — | — | 1 per tenant/business | Not within street right-of-way. | — | Section 3.04 Table |
| A-Frame Sign | 3 ft. | — | 2 ft. | — | — | On a sidewalk immediately in front of the business, in public right-of-way allowed if 36 in. walkable sidewalk is maintained. | — | Section 3.04 Table |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Must advertise business to which attached. No off-premises wall signs. | — | Section 3.04 Table |
| Under Canopy Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per occupancy or entrance | ≥7 ft. clearance to grade. May project beyond front property line, but not within 6 inches of pavement. | — | Section 3.04 Table |
| Projecting Sign (Blade Sign) | — | — | — | — | 1 per occupancy or entrance | May project up to 8 ft. from side; ≥10 ft. clearance to grade over pedestrian walkway, ≥14 ft. over vehicular ROW; may project beyond property line but not closer than 6 in. to pavement. | — | Section 3.04 Table |
| Window Sign | — | ≤25% window area | — | — | — | On or within 12 in. of window, visible from ROW, not animated/blinking/electronic message. | — | Section 3.04 Table |
| Roof Sign | ≤20% of total building height | — | — | — | — | Attached to roof | — | Section 3.04 Table |

## Prohibited signs in Benton

- Abandoned signs are prohibited in all districts.
- Single pole signs are prohibited except for on or off-premise interstate billboard signs as described in Section 3.05.
- Festoons and search lights are prohibited.
- Signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs or signals are prohibited.
- Snipe signs or signs attached to fences, trees, telephone poles, public benches, streetlights located in public right-of-way and placed on any public property or within 8 feet of the paved surface are prohibited.
- Permanent sale or come-on signs are prohibited.
- Obscene signs are prohibited.
- Inflatable signs over ten (10) feet tall by ten (10) feet wide by ten (10) feet deep, or 1000 cubic feet are prohibited (except for a permitted one-time annual special event).
- Billboards are prohibited unless otherwise permitted in the ordinance.
- No sign may be placed or protrude into the highway right-of-way; no part of a sign may be in a street or highway right-of-way.
- Bench signs are prohibited.
- Multi-faced signs which are three or more by definition are prohibited.
- LED/EDM signs are not allowed in residential districts or within 1,500 feet of any residential district except for those constructed prior to this ordinance on Military Road; EDM, EMD, changeable electronic messaging center and/or display signs are not allowed in any zone except in commercial zones under specific restrictions; EDM/EMD signs cannot be placed in windows. Fuel pricing LED signs allowed (see Section 2.07).
- Billboards and off-premise signs are prohibited unless authorized according to Section 2.11.
- Portable arrow signs are prohibited.
- Off-premise advertising signs may not exist outside the Interstate Zone.
- Off-premise advertising or any special event or business sign may not be temporarily or permanently placed on retaining walls, fences, barriers, poles, in yards or areas along a street except as specified in Section 2.03.
- Off-premise advertising signs in residential zoned districts are prohibited (directional signs allowed only in special situations as defined).
- Flashing, animated, moving, blinking, reflecting, revolving, etc., type signs are prohibited (see Definitions within 7.4).
- Multiple banner signs are not allowed except as authorized in Section 2.10.
- Mobile electronic signs are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Benton

- Construction signs (non-illuminated, within size limits) are exempt from permit requirements and must be removed within 30 days of completing construction.
- On-premise directional/informational signs of 6 square feet or less are exempt from permit requirements.
- Nameplates of 2 square feet or less, non-illuminated, attached to a building or supported by a post and arm structure (one per occupancy), are exempt from permit requirements.
- Political signs are exempt from permit requirements (see Section 2.03.1 for details).
- Public signs or notices, or any sign relating to an emergency (such as safety, danger, traffic, or official logo signs) are exempt from permit requirements.
- Directional or informational signs required for public facilities are exempt from permit requirements.
- Window signs covering less than 25% of total window area and which are static (e.g., stick-on, paper, or painted) are exempt from permit requirements, provided they are not LED/EDM/animated/blinking/electronic message boards.
- Incidental signs (for no consequence, total per site ≤4 sq ft, see 3.03 and 7.04) are exempt from permit requirements.
- Real estate signs (within size/placement limits) for residential sales, lease, or rental are exempt from permit requirements, as are open house signs per restrictions.
- Real estate signs for commercial, industrial, and multi-family premises (within size/placement limits) are exempt from permit requirements.
- Historical markers as recognized by local, state or federal authorities are exempt from permit requirements.
- Signs created by landscaping are exempt from permit requirements.
- Temporary signs and banners of a non-commercial nature (such as for going out-of-business, vacancy or 'help wanted') are exempt from permit requirements if on the same parcel, within 24 sq ft, framed, maintained, and fixed in location.
- Sign face changes not requiring any change to the structure are exempt from permit requirements (except EDM/EMD face structure is considered a modification).
- A-Frame signs as allowed in Section 3 are exempt from permit requirements.
- Inflatable signs less than ten (10) feet high, ten (10) feet wide, ten (10) feet deep, or 1000 cubic feet are exempt from permit requirements.
- Yard/garage sale signs are exempt from permit requirements (see Section 2.04 for specifics).
- Special event signs may be placed no more than two weeks prior to an event and must be removed within three days after; must be on private property with permission; must not block traffic or be within the ROW.
- Temporary off-premise advertising signs placed on residential property for no more than 30 days (e.g., for roofing contractors, fences, etc.) are exempt from permit requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Plans for the sign, drawn to scale showing the proposed location of the sign in relation to other signs on the site and all dimensions, must be provided as part of a complete sign permit application (see Section 6.01).
- A complete color scheme, specifications, sign area computations, elevations, and a site plan indicating current and future sign locations are required for sign permit review (see Section 6.01).
- Development Review Committee (DRC) approval is required for all new or replacement Billboards and On or Off Premise signs.
- Any building with more than one tenant, on a common parcel, must coordinate a single on-site sign (pylon or monument type) for all tenants, and must obtain appropriate sign permits for new or changed building/site signs (see Section 1.03).
- A variance for a sign (not related to size area, but for height, location, type, etc.) requires a formal application, review by Community Development, and possibly review by the Board of Adjustment (see Section 6.07).
- Painted, vinyl, or wrap signs covering a portion or total of a retaining wall or building wall, or exceeding allowable advertisement size, must seek special approval from the Planning Commission and, if exceeding allowable square feet, must obtain a variance (see Definitions: Painted or Vinyl on Retaining Wall or Building Wall or Wrap Signs).

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

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