# Sign Regulations in Arcadia, Florida

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Arcadia, Florida (FL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/florida/arcadia
- **Data last verified:** 2026-02-02
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/FL/Arcadia/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIIUNLADECO_ART8SI)

## At a glance

Arcadia, Florida regulates 15 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Temporary Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 feet in residential districts, 8 feet in nonresidential districts tall and 200 square feet total, with a 5 feet minimum setback (Sec. Section 8.10.00). Most commercial signs in Arcadia 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 | 6 | 12 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts (R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-2A, R-2B, R-3, R-4, MHP) | 4 | 8 feet | 200 square feet total | — |
| Non-Residential Zoning Districts (RPB, P-1, B-1, B-1A, B-2, B-3, C-1, M-1, M-2) | 10 | 8 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| Special Districts (Central Business District, Historic District) | 5 | 8 feet | 200 square feet | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Sign (Single Occupant) | — | 200 square feet | — | — | Up to 3 per side | Attached to any part of the exterior of a building, including walls, windows, doors, parapets, marquees, and roof slopes of 45 degrees or steeper | — | Section 8.12.00.A |
| Building Sign (Multiple Occupants) | — | 200 square feet per business | — | — | Not specified per occupant | Attached to any part of the exterior of a building, including walls, windows, doors, parapets, marquees, and roof slopes of 45 degrees or steeper | — | Section 8.12.00.B |
| Bracket Sign (In Lieu Option) | — | 60 square feet of projected sign face area | — | 5 feet from street side property line | 1 per business | Attached to building wall | — | Section 8.12.00.C |
| Marquee Sign (In Lieu Option) | — | 60 square feet of projected sign face area | — | 5 feet from street side property line | 1 per business | Attached to building wall | — | Section 8.12.00.C |
| Temporary Sign | 6 feet in residential districts, 8 feet in nonresidential districts | 200 square feet total | — | 5 feet minimum | Not limited except by area | Ground or building mounted; minimum 5-foot setback from property line except attached to fence/wall; not in clear visibility triangle | — | Section 8.10.00 |
| Automatic Computerized Message Sign | 12 feet | 116 square feet | — | — | 1 per parcel | On major thoroughfares; minimum 50 feet from residential district or dwelling; minimum 100 feet road frontage | — | Section 8.19.00 |

### Non-Residential Zoning Districts (RPB, P-1, B-1, B-1A, B-2, B-3, C-1, M-1, M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (35 mph or less, 2 lanes) | — | 48 square feet | — | 5 feet minimum from property lines | 1 per development | Supported by structures in or upon the ground, independent of building | — | Section 8.11.00 and Table 1 |
| Freestanding Sign (35 mph or less, 4 lanes) | — | 60 square feet | — | 5 feet minimum from property lines | 1 per development | Supported by structures in or upon the ground, independent of building | — | Section 8.11.00 and Table 1 |
| Freestanding Sign (More than 35 mph, 2 lanes) | — | 60 square feet | — | 5 feet minimum from property lines | 1 per development | Supported by structures in or upon the ground, independent of building | — | Section 8.11.00 and Table 1 |
| Freestanding Sign (More than 35 mph, 4 lanes) | — | 75 square feet | — | 5 feet minimum from property lines | 1 per development | Supported by structures in or upon the ground, independent of building | — | Section 8.11.00 and Table 1 |
| Bracket Sign (In Lieu Option) | — | 60 square feet of projected sign face area | — | 5 feet from street side property line | 1 per business | Attached to building wall | — | Section 8.12.00.C |
| Marquee Sign (In Lieu Option) | — | 60 square feet of projected sign face area | — | 5 feet from street side property line | 1 per business | Attached to building wall | — | Section 8.12.00.C |
| Temporary Sign | 8 feet | 200 square feet total | — | 5 feet minimum | Not limited except by area | Ground or building mounted; minimum 5-foot setback from property line except attached to fence/wall; not in clear visibility triangle | — | Section 8.10.00 |
| Temporary Inflatable Sign | Not to exceed zoning district height restriction | — | — | 1.5 times height | 1 | Ground-mounted; not attached to fences, landscaping, utility poles, or private light poles | — | Section 8.10.00.D |

### Special Districts (Central Business District, Historic District)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | From ground to top of sign | 25 square feet | — | 5 feet minimum from property lines | 1 per development | Supported by structures in or upon the ground, independent of building | — | Section 8.11.00.C and Table 1 |
| Building Sign (Single Occupant) | — | 200 square feet | — | — | Up to 3 per side | Attached to any part of the exterior of a building, including walls, windows, doors, parapets, marquees, and roof slopes of 45 degrees or steeper | — | Section 8.12.00.A and 8.11.00.C |
| Building Sign (Multiple Occupants) | — | 200 square feet per business | — | — | Not specified per occupant | Attached to any part of the exterior of a building, including walls, windows, doors, parapets, marquees, and roof slopes of 45 degrees or steeper | — | Section 8.12.00.B and 8.11.00.C |
| Temporary Sign | 8 feet | 200 square feet total | — | 5 feet minimum | Not limited except by area | Ground or building mounted; minimum 5-foot setback from property line except attached to fence/wall; not in clear visibility triangle | — | Section 8.10.00 |
| Temporary Inflatable Sign | Not to exceed zoning district height restriction | — | — | 1.5 times height | 1 | Ground-mounted; not attached to fences, landscaping, utility poles, or private light poles | — | Section 8.10.00.D |

## Prohibited signs in Arcadia

- Signs that violate the building code or electrical code.
- Any sign that presents safety, traffic or pedestrian hazards, including signs which obstruct visibility for those traveling on or entering public streets.
- Blank temporary signs.
- Signs with visible moving, revolving, or rotating parts or visible mechanical movement of any description or other apparent visible movement achieved by electrical, electronic, or mechanical means, except for governmental traffic devices and signs and except automatic computerized message signs.
- Signs with lights or illuminations that flash, move, rotate, scintillate, blink, flicker, or vary in intensity or color, to include animated signs and automatic changeable message devices except automatic computerized message signs.
- Signs that incorporate projected images, emit any sound that is intended to attract attention, or involve the use of live animals.
- Signs that emit audible sound, odor, or visible matter such as smoke or steam.
- Non-governmental signs that resemble any official sign or marker, erected by any governmental agency, in color, content, location, symbol or phrasing, that may be reasonably confused with or construed as, or conceal, a traffic-control device.
- Signs, within ten feet of 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, thereby creating a safety hazard for the public.
- 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. Searchlights used to promote business and attract customers are prohibited.
- Signs that contain any lighting or control mechanism that causes unreasonable interference with radio, television, or other communication signals.
- Signs erected on public property, without the permission of the appropriate public authority (such as private utility poles, rights-of-way, parks, streets, and other public properties), including snipe signs as defined in section 8.06.00, with the exception of those signs authorized in writing pursuant to F.S. § 337.407.
- Signs erected on public property, without the permission of the appropriate public authority (such as private utility poles, rights-of-way, parks, streets, and other public properties) located on public property, other than signs erected by the public authority for public purposes and signs authorized in writing pursuant to F.S. § 337.407.
- Signs erected over or across any public street except as may otherwise be expressly authorized by this Code.
- Vehicle signs with a total sign area on any vehicle in excess of ten square feet, when the vehicle: 1. Is parked for more than 60 consecutive minutes within 100 feet of any street right-of-way; 2. Is visible from the street right-of-way that the vehicle is within 100 feet of; and 3. Is not regularly used in the conduct of the business advertised on the vehicle. A vehicle used primarily for advertising, or for the purpose of providing transportation for owners or employees of the occupancy advertised on the vehicle, shall not be considered a vehicle used in the conduct of the business.
- Portable signs as defined by this Code.
- Roof signs as defined by this Code.
- Signs placed, posted, or erected upon land, or upon any structure or natural feature upon the land without the written consent of the owner of such land or the agent of such owner.
- Signs with obscene language, or obscene graphic representation of the human body.

## Signs exempt from permit in Arcadia

- Not more than one real estate sign, per property frontage road, advertising the sale, rental, or lease of only the premises on which the sign is located. Such signs shall not exceed 16 square feet in area, and five feet in height within residential areas and six feet in height within commercial areas. Signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of property exceeding this size and height shall not be considered as exempt signs.
- Signs noting the architect, engineer, or contractor for a development project when placed upon work under construction, provided the sign shall be removed within 15 days of completion of construction. Allow one applicable sign per frontage road and that signage could be a maximum of four by eight feet and a maximum of eight (8) feet in height.
- Signs as required by law to display building permits or other similar required public notices.
- Traffic signs, street name signs, legal notices of public meetings, danger signs, and temporary emergency signs, when erected by city, county, state, or federal authorities or at the specific direction of such authorities.
- No trespassing and private property signs not exceeding two square foot in area. Such signs shall not be displayed from or attached to trees, utility poles or any type of utility structure or equipment, including lift stations, fire hydrants, and the like.
- Vacancy or no vacancy signs not exceeding two square foot in area.
- Temporary political campaign signs announcing the candidacy of a candidate for public office not exceeding four square feet in area in residential zoning districts and 32 square feet in all other zoning districts may be placed wholly within the boundaries of any property, at the discretion or consent of the legal owner and/ or occupant of the property, provided such signs conform with all traffic, electrical, maintenance, fire and safety regulations of the city. The placing of political campaign signs on city property, other public property, or on public rights-of-way shall be prohibited. Political campaign signs displayed within motor vehicles conducting routine business activities on city or other public property shall not be prohibited, provided that no such vehicle shall be parked on city property, other public property, or on public rights-of-way for the sole purpose of displaying political campaign signs. Illegally placed political campaign signs shall be removed by the Code Enforcement Officer without notice to the candidate or abutting property owner or occupant. Political campaign signs shall be erected no earlier than six months prior to the date of the election for which they are posted and shall be removed within 72 hours after the date of such election. If such signs are not removed within this period of time, the city may remove such signs and may charge the candidate the actual cost for such removal. Collected funds shall be deposited into the city's general revenue. Failure to remove signs is a violation of this Code and is enforceable pursuant to F.S. ch. 162, as it now exists or as it may be amended in the future.
- Personal expression signs limited to one per lot or parcel, or in the case of multi-family uses, one per dwelling unit, expressing personal views or opinions not exceeding four square feet in area, providing such signs are otherwise in compliance with applicable local, state and federal laws. A personal expression sign can include a pole flag no larger than 20 square feet on a pole no taller than 25 feet.
- Religious symbols.
- Garage sale signs or open house signs within residential zoning districts, not exceeding four square feet in size, limited to two per site and located only at the location of such event. Such signs may be displayed one day before the garage sale or open house and shall be removed immediately after conclusion of the event. No garage sale sign or open house sign may be erected upon any public right-of-way.
- Signs placed within interior courtyards, the inside fence line of recreational fields and on golf courses, provided such signs are visible only to those persons visiting such place and are otherwise in compliance with this article.
- Address and street number signs not exceeding two square feet.
- Holiday and seasonal decorations shall not be construed as signs, providing that these contain no commercial advertising message.
- Flags where the aggregate sign area of such flags shall not count as chargeable square footage, provided that: a. No more than four flags may be displayed per parcel; and b. Each flag must be flown from a flagpole.
- On-premises temporary signs up to a total of 32 square feet per property.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Properties within special districts (central business district, historic district, and areas with mixture of land use types) may be subject to additional review during the permit process.
- Applicants requesting sign permits within recognized special districts, transitional zones, historic districts, or otherwise documented areas of unique development concerns within the City of Arcadia may be subject to reduced maximums as outlined within the accompanying table.

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

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