# Sign Regulations in Little Rock, Arkansas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Little Rock, Arkansas (AR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/arkansas/little-rock
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-15
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/ar/little_rock/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH36ZO_ARTXSI)

## At a glance

Little Rock, Arkansas regulates 23 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Institutional and office zones - O1, O2, O3 zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 64 sq ft, with a 5 ft from any property line/right-of-way setback (Sec. Sec. 36-553 (a)(2), (b)). Most commercial signs in Little Rock require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 6 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Residential one- and two-family zones - R2, R3, R4 | 3 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Multifamily zones - MF12, MF18, MF24, MF6 | 4 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Institutional and office zones - O1, O2, O3 | 5 | 6 ft | 64 sq ft | — |
| Industrial zones - I1, I2, I3 | 9 | 45 ft | 72 sq ft | — |
| Commercial zones - C1, C2, C3, C4 | 10 | 36 ft | 160 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Institutional and office zones - O1, O2, O3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 64 sq ft | — | 5 ft from any property line/right-of-way | 1 per premises (plus 1 on additional frontage if corner or multiple street frontages) | Per premises | — | Sec. 36-553 (a)(2), (b) |
| Wall or Mansard Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Per occupancy | — | Sec. 36-553 (a)(2)a, (b) |
| Under-canopy or Projecting Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property line/right-of-way | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy | — | Sec. 36-553 (a)(2)b, (b) |
| Freestanding Sign (Additional Per Street Frontage) | 6 ft | Same as other freestanding signs | — | 5 ft | 1 additional on each additional frontage | Additional frontage for corner/multi-frontage lots | — | Sec. 36-553 (a)(3), (b) |
| Wall Sign (Additional Per Street Frontage) | — | Same as other wall signs | — | — | 1 additional on each additional frontage | Additional frontage for corner/multi-frontage lots | — | Sec. 36-553 (a)(3), (b) |

### Industrial zones - I1, I2, I3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 30 ft | 72 sq ft | — | 5 ft from any property line/right-of-way | 1 per premises (plus 1 additional on each additional frontage) | Per premises | — | Sec. 36-554 (a)(2), (b) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy | — | Sec. 36-554 (a)(2)b, (b) |
| Marquee Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy | — | Sec. 36-554 (a)(2)b, (b) |
| Under-canopy or Projecting Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property line/right-of-way | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy | — | Sec. 36-554 (a)(2)c, (b) |
| Freestanding Sign (Additional Per Street Frontage) | 30 ft | Same as other freestanding signs | — | 5 ft | 1 additional on each additional frontage | Additional frontage for multi-frontage lots | — | Sec. 36-554 (a)(3), (b) |
| Wall Sign (Additional Per Street Frontage) | — | Same as other wall signs | — | — | 1 additional on each additional frontage | Additional frontage for multi-frontage lots | — | Sec. 36-554 (a)(3), (b) |
| Billboard (I-2) | 45 ft | — | — | 50 ft from ROW; at least 1,000 ft from another billboard site | — | I-2 zone, within 660 ft of expressway/freeway or within 300 ft of any arterial designated by master street plan | — | Sec. 36-556 (a) |
| Billboard (I-3) | 45 ft | — | — | 50 ft from ROW; at least 1,000 ft from another billboard site | — | I-3 zone, within 660 ft of expressway/freeway or within 300 ft of any arterial designated by master street plan | — | Sec. 36-556 (a) |

### Commercial zones - C1, C2, C3, C4

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 36 ft | 160 sq ft | — | 5 ft from any property line/right-of-way | 1 per premises (plus 1 additional on each additional frontage) | Per premises | — | Sec. 36-555 (a)(2), (b) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy | — | Sec. 36-555 (a)(2)b |
| Marquee Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy | — | Sec. 36-555 (a)(2)b |
| Under-canopy or Projecting Sign | — | 15 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property line/right-of-way | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy | — | Sec. 36-555 (a)(2)c, (b) |
| Freestanding Sign (Additional Per Street Frontage) | 36 ft | Same as other freestanding signs | — | 5 ft | 1 additional on each additional frontage | Additional frontage for multi-frontage lots | — | Sec. 36-555 (a)(3), (b) |
| Wall Sign (Additional Per Street Frontage) | — | Same as other wall signs | — | — | 1 additional on each additional frontage | Additional frontage for multi-frontage lots | — | Sec. 36-555 (a)(3), (b) |
| Billboard (C-3) | 35 ft | — | — | 25 ft from ROW; at least 1,000 ft from another billboard site | — | C-3 zone, within 660 ft of expressway/freeway or within 300 ft of any arterial designated by master street plan | — | Sec. 36-556 (a) |
| Billboard (C-4) | 35 ft | — | — | 45 ft from ROW; at least 1,000 ft from another billboard site | — | C-4 zone, within 660 ft of expressway/freeway or within 300 ft of any arterial designated by master street plan | — | Sec. 36-556 (a) |

## Prohibited signs in Little Rock

- Abandoned signs are prohibited in all districts.
- Banners, pennants, festoons, searchlights are prohibited in all districts, except as allowed in special provisions.
- Signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs or signals are prohibited in all districts.
- Snipe signs or signs attached to trees, telephone poles, fences, public benches, or placed on public property or public right-of-way are prohibited in all districts.
- Vehicular signs are prohibited in all districts.
- Trailer or temporary signs that do not meet the standards for freestanding permanent signs are prohibited in all districts.
- Roof signs, or any sign that is not mounted on a vertical surface, are prohibited in all districts.
- Rotating signs are prohibited in all districts.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited in all districts except as specifically permitted elsewhere in this article.
- It is unlawful for any person to erect, place or maintain a sign in the city except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
- No sign shall be suspended by nonrigid attachments that will allow the sign to swing in a wind.
- No signs shall be erected, constructed or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, required exit, window or door opening used as a means of egress.
- No sign shall be attached in any form, shape or manner which will interfere with any opening required for ventilation, except as allowed by building or fire codes.
- No sign shall be installed closer than twenty-four (24) inches horizontally or vertically from any electrical conductor or public utility guy wire.
- No sign regulated by this chapter may utilize an exposed incandescent lamp with an external reflector and without a sunscreen or comparable diffusion.
- No sign may use any exposed incandescent lamp in excess of three hundred (300) watts.
- No sign may utilize any revolving beacon light.
- No sign may utilize any device that allows oscillating, rotating or flashing lights.
- No sign may utilize animation manifesting either kinetic or illusionary motion occasioned by a natural manual, mechanical, electrical or other means.
- No sign may utilize the illusion of movement by means of a preprogrammed repetitious sequential switching action in which illuminated elements of the sign are turned off or on to visually simulate motion.
- Trailer signs and temporary signs are specifically prohibited except as allowed by this chapter.
- No sign shall be erected upon any city right-of-way or upon city property, unless expressly permitted.
- Signs placed, erected, or found in the city right-of-way, or upon city property, in violation, are subject to immediate removal.
- All signs must be in accordance with applicable building, electrical, traffic, fire, and safety codes.

## Signs exempt from permit in Little Rock

- Official traffic or government signs.
- The copy and message of signs.
- Window displays.
- Product dispensers.
- Scoreboards on athletic fields.
- Flags of any nation, government, or noncommercial organization.
- Gravestones.
- Barber poles.
- Religious symbols.
- Commemorative plaques.
- The display of street numbers.
- Any display or construction not defined as a sign.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Requests for variances greater than 20 percent of height or area requirements must be made to the board of zoning adjustment.
- Application for a sign permit requires submission of specifications and scale drawings showing the materials, design, dimensions, structural supports and electrical components of the proposed sign; and building or structure elevation drawings must be submitted when applications are for building-mounted signs.
- All sign permit applications must include a detailed, to-scale and legible drawing indicating proposed sign locations and existing/proposed structures.
- Alteration of billboards requires obtaining an alteration permit.
- Annual events permit or special event permit applications for banners and devices must be submitted for review and approval, and must include required information for the administrator’s review.
- Sign permits are required for most types of signs, except as specifically exempted in the chapter (such as certain organization, construction, directional, nameplate, political, public notice, real estate, incidental, and time & temperature 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 6 zoning districts in Little Rock — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Little+Rock+AR&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-little-rock

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