# Sign Regulations in Apalachicola, Florida

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Apalachicola, Florida (FL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/florida/apalachicola
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/FL/Apalachicola/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=SPBLADECO_CH113SIRE)

## At a glance

Apalachicola, Florida regulates 20 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Real Estate Sign (Option 1 - Residential Use)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall and 4 square feet, with a At least 5 feet from street right-of-way or attached to structure setback (Sec. Sec. 113-27(11)). Most commercial signs in Apalachicola 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 | 10 | 4 feet | 25% of total window area | — |
| Residential Districts (R1, R2, R3, R4, OR) | 2 | 8 feet | 12 square feet | — |
| Business and Commercial Zones (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, RF) | 9 | 8 feet including any base or pole | 200 square feet | — |

_3 additional zoning districts are covered in PermitPal (free account)._

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of total window area | — | — | — | On or within windows | — | Sec. 113-28(1); Sec. 113-29 |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Throughout the city, subject to restrictions | — | Sec. 113-28(2), Sec. 113-30 |
| Election Sign (Temporary Political Sign) | — | — | — | — | — | Not in public right-of-way | — | Sec. 113-27(1) |
| Public Warning Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 113-27(7) |
| Memorial Sign/Building Name Tablet | — | — | — | — | — | Cut into masonry surface or attached to building | — | Sec. 113-27(5) |
| Real Estate Sign (Option 1 - Residential Use) | 4 feet | 4 square feet | — | At least 5 feet from street right-of-way or attached to structure | 1 per residential use | No closer than 5 feet from street right-of-way or attached to principal structure | — | Sec. 113-27(11) |
| Real Estate Sign (Option 2 - Nonresidential Use) | — | 12 square feet | — | At least 10 feet from street right-of-way or attached to structure | 1 per nonresidential use | No closer than 10 feet from street right-of-way or attached to principal structure | — | Sec. 113-27(11) |
| Bulletin Board (Public/Charitable/Educational/Religious) | — | — | — | Not less than 5 feet from property line (if not flat against building) | — | Flat against principal use structure or not less than 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 113-27(10) |

### Residential Districts (R1, R2, R3, R4, OR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 per home occupation | Wall of residence | — | Sec. 113-83(1) |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Permitted nonresidential uses - churches/synagogues) | 8 feet | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 per permitted nonresidential use | On site of permitted nonresidential use | — | Sec. 113-83(2) |

### Business and Commercial Zones (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, RF)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Facade Sign (Wall and Awning Signs) | The roofline | 5% of total building facade area (see formula) | — | — | Up to 3 per facade | On building facade | — | Sec. 113-84; Table |
| Marquee Sign | — | 200 square feet | — | — | 1 per building | On building (marquee) | — | Sec. 113-84; Table |
| Blade or Bracket Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per facade | Projects perpendicular from structure (blade) or hung beneath marquee (bracket) | — | Sec. 113-84; Table; Sec. 113-2 definitions |
| Projecting Sign | — | 8 square feet per sign face | — | — | — | Hung at 90-degree angle from building face; no higher than bottom of sills of first-level windows above first story in multi-story building | — | Sec. 113-85 |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area | — | — | — | On/within windows | — | Sec. 113-28(1); 113-84 Table |
| Sandwich or Board Sign | 3 feet | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 per ground floor facade | One per ground floor building facade frontage; may be placed in public ROW with permit | — | Sec. 113-84 Table; Sec. 113-82(5) |
| Freestanding Sign and/or Monument Sign | 8 feet including any base or pole | 200 square feet | — | — | 1 if 0-100 ft frontage, 2 if >100 ft | Frontage along street | — | Sec. 113-84 Table |
| Directory Sign (at off-street entrance) | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 per occupancy with off-street entrance | At off-street entrance, attached to building | — | Sec. 113-84(1) |

## Prohibited signs in Apalachicola

- All signs not expressly permitted under this article or exempt from regulation hereunder in accordance with this section are prohibited within the city limits.
- Banners, streamers, pennants, festoons and other wind signs, except as exempted herein.
- Temporary signs, except as exempted under the provisions of this article.
- Portable, trailer, and curb signs.
- Searchlights, strobe or flashing lights (except as required for public safety by state or local regulation).
- Strings of lights not permanently mounted to a rigid background, except those exempted under the provisions of this article.
- Illuminated tubing outlining property lines, open sale areas, doors, windows, or wall edges of any building.
- Internally-illuminated signs.
- Animated signs.
- Bench signs (unless approved by the city commission).
- Snipe signs.
- Roof signs of all types.
- Signs that emit audible sound, odor or visible matter such as smoke or steam.
- Signs that are painted, pasted, or printed on any curbstone, flagstone, pavement or any portion of any sidewalk or street.
- Signs erected on public property, or on private property (such as private utility poles) located on public property, other than signs erected by public authority for public purposes and signs authorized in writing pursuant to FS § 337.407.
- Signs displaying copy that is harmful to minors.
- Inflatable signs and tethered balloons.
- Any abandoned sign or sign structure.
- Signs that are in violation of the building or electrical code adopted by the city.
- Any sign that, when determined by the city building inspector, does or may constitute a safety hazard, including those which may create a vision impairment by obstructing the vision of pedestrians, cyclists or motorists traveling on or entering onto public streets.
- Signs that involve the use of live animals intended to attract attention.
- Signs or sign structures that interfere in any way with free use of any fire escape, emergency exit or standpipe, or that obstruct any window to such an extent that light or ventilation is reduced to a point below that required by any provision of this chapter or other ordinance of the city.
- Signs that resemble any official sign or marker erected by any governmental agency, or that by reason of position, shape or color would conflict with the proper functioning of any traffic sign or signal or be of a size, location, movement, content, color or illumination that may be reasonably confused with or construed as, or conceal a traffic control device.
- Nongovernmental signs that use the words 'stop,' 'look,' 'danger' or any similar word, phrase or symbol.
- Signs within ten feet of any public right-of-way or 100 feet of traffic control lights that contain red or green lights that might be confused with traffic control lights.
- Signs that are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or impair the vision of any motorist, cyclist or pedestrian using or entering a public way or that are a hazard or a nuisance to occupants of any property because of glare or other characteristics.
- Signs that contain any lighting or control mechanism that causes unreasonable interference with radio, television or other communication signals.
- Signs erected over or across any public street except as otherwise may be expressly authorized by this article and exempt governmental signs erected by or on the order of a public officer.
- Signs placed within public rights-of-way, except publicly-owned, authorized or maintained signs which serve an official public purpose.
- Signs which advertise any activity, service or product prohibited by the laws and regulations of the United States or the state or by ordinances or resolutions of the city.
- Dilapidated or neglected signs, including signs and sign structures that do not present a neat and orderly appearance, e.g., rust or holes, broken/missing parts, faded or flaking paint, non-operative illumination, or missing letters.
- Outdoor advertising signs.
- Off-premises advertising signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Apalachicola

- Legal notices and instruments, including temporary political signs announcing a campaign drive or event, provided such signs are not erected in a public right-of-way and are removed within five days following the event.
- Signs necessary to promote health, safety and welfare and other regulatory, statutory, traffic control or directional signs erected on public property with permission from the United States, the state, the county or the city.
- Temporary decorative flags, decorations, and bunting for a holiday celebration, convention or commemoration of significance to the entire community.
- Merchandise displays behind storefront windows so long as no part of the display contains flashing lights.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and dates of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other incombustible materials and attached to the surface of a building.
- Signs incorporated into machinery or equipment by a manufacturer or distributor, which identify or advertise only the product or service dispensed by the machinery or equipment, such signs customarily affixed to vending machines, newspaper racks, and gasoline pumps.
- Public warning signs no larger than four square feet to indicate the dangers of trespassing, unfriendly animals or similar hazards.
- Signs carried by a person.
- One sign per residential use indicating a resident's name, street address of the premises and/or an accessory use sign for an allowed home occupation and/or such sign for a permitted professional activity, provided such sign does not exceed two square feet.
- Bulletin boards for public, charitable, educational or religious institutions, located on the premises of said institution and placed flat against the structure or not less than five feet from the property line.
- One temporary non-illuminated real estate sign advertising only the sale, lease or rental of the premises or property upon which said sign is located, or one non-illuminated sign indicating a building is open for public inspection, within specified size and location requirements and removed within five days of sale/lease/rental.
- Window signs on or within windows relating to the business conducted within or to nonprofit civic or charitable organizations, provided that no more than 25 percent of any window area is utilized for such signs.
- Temporary signs as defined in section 113-30.
- Signs required by law, statute or ordinance.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A site plan must be submitted with the sign permit application, showing the location of the affected lot, buildings, and all existing and proposed signs.
- A complete list describing each existing sign on the premises, including type, copy, area, location, and installation date, is required with sign permit applications.
- A scale drawing of each proposed sign or revision, including specifics such as location, size, height, copy, structural details, materials, method of attachment, illumination, and views, is required for sign permit applications.
- Application for mural permits requires plans/specifications, graphic renderings, site location, and is subject to review by planning department and Planning & Zoning Board.
- Freestanding or monument signs are considered accessory structures and require a building permit, and must abide by zoning ordinances for accessory structures.
- Each business seeking to place a sandwich or sidewalk sign in the public right-of-way must obtain a sidewalk permit from the code enforcement officer and meet standards of this chapter.

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

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