# Sign Regulations in Lowell, Arkansas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lowell, Arkansas (AR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/arkansas/lowell
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-06
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/AR/Lowell/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH16LADECO_ARTVIISI)

## At a glance

Lowell, Arkansas regulates 11 sign types across 2 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 10 feet tall and 75 square feet, with a Minimum 15 feet from curb, street edge, or sidewalk, whichever is greater setback (Sec. Sec. 16-620(1)). Most commercial signs in Lowell require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (2 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 10 feet | 200 square feet OR 20% of wall area, whichever is less | — |
| interstate sign district | 1 | 35 feet (base); maximum 65 feet if multiple businesses advertised | 200 square feet (per sign) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential) | 10 feet | 75 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from curb, street edge, or sidewalk, whichever is greater | One per nonresidential lot; two for double frontage lots | One ground-mounted monument sign per nonresidential lot; lots with double frontage may have up to two signs | — | Sec. 16-620(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential/Entrance) | — | 80 square feet per entrance | — | — | — | Developer of subdivision: at each entrance; Multifamily (6+ units): on each street frontage. | — | Sec. 16-620(6) |
| Wall Sign | — | 200 square feet OR 20% of wall area, whichever is less | — | — | One per building face | One per building face | — | Sec. 16-620(2) |
| Banner | — | 32 square feet (single banner) / 30 square feet (per banner, multiple banners option) | — | — | One per business per structure (higher limit for multi-tenant complexes) | Affixed to structure/building face (one surface per structure) | — | Sec. 16-532 |
| Portable Sign | — | 55 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from curb, street edge, or sidewalk, whichever is greater | One per site or business establishment | — | — | Sec. 16-622 |
| Temporary Sign (Real Estate) | 6 feet | 32 square feet per sign face, 64 square feet total sign area | — | No mandatory setback | — | Advertising the real property upon which the sign is placed | — | Sec. 16-621(a) |
| Temporary Sign (Other) | — | 32 square feet | — | No mandatory setback | — | — | — | Sec. 16-621(b)-(c) |
| Fuel Price Informational Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | One per gas grade | — | — | Sec. 16-530(8) |

### interstate sign district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (On-premises) (interstate sign district) | 35 feet (base); maximum 65 feet if multiple businesses advertised | 200 square feet (per sign) | — | Minimum 5 feet from any property line | Unspecified, but each business may only be advertised on one sign | On premises, not closer than five feet from any property line | — | Sec. 16-624(b) |

## Prohibited signs in Lowell

- Any sign found to be unsafe, insecure, or a menace to the public, and which continues in a state of structural, mechanical or cosmetic disrepair for 30 calendar days after written notice, except for signs that present a clear and imminent threat to public safety, which may be summarily removed.
- Any sign which hinders the normal flow of pedestrian traffic or interferes with or obstructs an adequate and safe line of visual sight along public ways for the motoring public, or at any location where, by reason of the position, shape, or color, it may be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device; or which uses words, phrases, symbols, or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
- Any abandoned sign (advertising a business not conducted, or a product not sold or available, for a period of 60 consecutive days) must be removed immediately by the sign owner or lessee, or the property owner.
- Any sign erected on a roof.
- Off-premises signs and outdoor advertising signs are prohibited in all areas, except as specifically provided for condemned or relocated signs under eminent domain and certain nonconforming signs.
- Signs illuminated by flashing or blinding lights are prohibited.
- No exposed reflective-type bulbs or incandescent lamp exceeding 15 watts shall be used on the exterior surface of any sign or device so as to expose the face of the bulb, light or lamp to any public structure or adjacent property.
- Signs in a state of structural, mechanical, or cosmetic disrepair such that they do not meet construction standards or are a visual blight or eyesore clearly visible from the public right-of-way.
- Any sign not in compliance with any part of this article and not exempt from compliance.
- It is unlawful to erect or operate devices on signs which are illuminated by flashing or blinding lights or by lights that fluctuate in intensity or illumination.
- No sign shall be installed without first obtaining a sign permit, except as exempted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lowell

- Bulletin boards not exceeding 16 square feet in surface area for public, charitable, or religious institutions located on the premises of the institution.
- Signs denoting a public, charitable or religious institution, incorporating no further information, when located on the premises of the institution.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and dates of erection when cut into any masonry surface or constructed on bronze or other noncombustible material and which contain no advertising material.
- Traffic or other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, warning signs placed by proper authority, and such temporary informational and nonadvertising signs as may be approved by the city building inspector.
- Private traffic directional signs directing traffic movement onto a premises or within any premises.
- All temporary signs, but not portable signs, provided such signs comply with the requirements of section 16-621.
- Street banners advertising a public entertainment or event, if specially approved by the city council and only for locations and times designated by the city council, during and for 14 days before the event, but to be displayed no more than 48 hours after said event.
- Fuel price informational signs, limited to one sign per gas grade; maximum size four square feet.
- Director maps not to exceed 16 square feet.
- Time and temperature displays, without advertising, provided all other requirements of the article are met.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required before any person erects, repairs, alters, or relocates a sign within the city, except as exempted by ordinance.
- A separate permit is required for each sign.
- Application for a sign permit must include specifications, plans, location, permissions, and other technical details as required by the building inspector.
- Signs not installed according to the permit must be brought into compliance or removed.
- Certain special allowances (such as off-premises sign relocation or digital billboard conversion) will require a sign permit.
- Appeals and variances (such as for banners exceeding allowed area/placement or use of signs not otherwise permitted) require application for a variance hearing before the board of adjustment.
- Approval by the appropriate city official and a permit is required prior to construction or location of any sign in the interstate sign district.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Lowell, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Lowell+AR&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-lowell

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