Sign Regulations in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida has specific sign regulations covering 42 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Regulated sign types include Temporary Sign - Freestanding (Non-Residential), Temporary Sign - Attached (Non-Residential), Attached Sign - Primary Facade. Height restrictions apply. Permits are required for most commercial signs. Use PermitPal to get instant access to the complete regulations.
Data last verified: April 30, 2026
Sign Regulation Overview for Clearwater, Florida
Sample Sign Requirements in Clearwater
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Setback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window Sign | — | Up to 25% of the total window area on any single facade; cumulative window sign area on any one facade may not exceed 50 sq ft | — |
| Flagpoles and Flags | Flagpoles may not exceed 35 ft in height | Each flag may not exceed 24 sq ft (one side of the flag is counted) | — |
| Flag Brackets/Stanchions and Flags | — | Each flag displayed from a flag bracket or stanchion may not exceed 24 sq ft | — |
* Sample data shown. Actual requirements may vary by zone. Use PermitPal for complete, location-specific regulations.
PermitPal Coverage for ClearwaterFull Coverage
Sign Types Covered
42
- Temporary Sign - Freestanding (Non-Residential)
- Temporary Sign - Attached (Non-Residential)
- Attached Sign - Primary Facade
- Attached Sign - Corner/Through Lot Additional Wall
- +2 more types
Zoning Districts
9
Different zoning districts with specific sign regulations
Data Includes
- Permit requirements
- Height restrictions
- Illumination rules
Official Resources for Clearwater
Other Cities in Florida
Frequently Asked Questions
Sign height limits in Clearwater vary by zone and sign type. Wall signs typically range from 25-40 feet, while monument signs are usually limited to 6-10 feet. Use PermitPal to get exact requirements for your property.
To get a sign permit in Clearwater, submit an application to the local building or planning department with sign dimensions, location, and design specifications. Our data confirms permits are required for most commercial signs. Processing typically takes 1-4 weeks. PermitPal helps you identify specific requirements and prepare complete applications.
In Clearwater, regulated sign types include Temporary Sign - Freestanding (Non-Residential), Temporary Sign - Attached (Non-Residential), Attached Sign - Primary Facade, Attached Sign - Corner/Through Lot Additional Wall, and 2 more types. Most commercial signs require permits. Temporary signs and certain small signs may be exempt. Use PermitPal for specific exemptions.
Sign setback requirements in Clearwater vary by zone and sign type, typically ranging from 5-15 feet from property lines. Use PermitPal for specific setback requirements at your location.
Digital and LED signs in Clearwater are regulated with specific requirements for brightness, animation, and message duration. Clearwater has documented illumination rules in our database. Use PermitPal to see the exact requirements for electronic message centers.
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Clearwater, Florida Sign Rules at a Glance
Clearwater, Florida regulates 42 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Temporary Sidewalk Sign (A-frame/Sandwich Board)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 3.5 feet (42 inches) tall, Not stated as sq ft; dimensions: max 2 ft wide × 3.5 ft tall (approx. 7 sq ft), and 2 feet wide, with a Maintain 4 ft clear path; not within sight visibility triangles setback (Sec. Section 3-1806.A; Table 3-1806.1a (including notes 1–3)). Most commercial signs in Clearwater require a permit.
Detailed Sign Ordinance Requirements for Clearwater, Florida
Sign Rules by Zoning District in Clearwater (9 zones)
| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Regulations For All Zones | 16 | Flagpoles may not exceed 35 ft in height | 50 sq ft per major entry | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts (LDR, LMDR, MDR, MHDR, HDR, MHP) | 7 | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 24 sq ft total sign face area | — |
| US 19 Zoning District | 11 | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 64 sq ft total on all faces across one or two signs, subject to the frontage/façade formula plus 15 sq ft | — |
| Commercial District (C) | 11 | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 64 sq ft total on all faces across one or two signs, subject to the frontage/façade formula plus 15 sq ft | — |
| Office District (O) | 11 | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 64 sq ft total on all faces across one or two signs, subject to the frontage/façade formula plus 15 sq ft | — |
| Institutional District (I) | 11 | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 64 sq ft total on all faces across one or two signs, subject to the frontage/façade formula plus 15 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Research and Technology District (IRT) | 11 | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 64 sq ft total on all faces across one or two signs, subject to the frontage/façade formula plus 15 sq ft | — |
| Tourist District (T) | 4 | Up to 6 ft tall | Not less than 24 sq ft and not more than 36 sq ft, subject to the formula | — |
| Downtown District (D) | 4 | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 16 sq ft per sign face (for back-to-back signs, 16 sq ft per side) | — |
Zone-by-Zone Sign Requirements in Clearwater(sample of 3 of 9 zones)
General Regulations For All Zones
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagpoles and Flags | Flagpoles may not exceed 35 ft in height | Each flag may not exceed 24 sq ft (one side of the flag is counted) | — | — | Up to 2 flags per flagpole; number of flagpoles per parcel as stated in additional requirements | On private property; number of flagpoles depends on parcel size/use | — | Unlock | Section 3-1805.D.1, D.3–D.5; Section 3-1805.G |
| Flag Brackets/Stanchions and Flags | — | Each flag displayed from a flag bracket or stanchion may not exceed 24 sq ft | — | — | Up to 2 flag brackets/stanchions per principal structure | Up to two flag brackets or stanchions may be attached or placed for each principal structure | — | Unlock | Section 3-1805.D.2; Section 3-1805.G |
| Drive-Through Menu Sign (Attached) | — | Up to 6 sq ft total sign face area | — | — | Attached menu signs: no more than the stated size; number not explicitly limited beyond location at entrance or window | At the entrance or service window of a restaurant drive-through lane | — | Unlock | Section 3-1805.J |
| Drive-Through Order Sign (Freestanding) | Up to 6 ft tall | Up to 24 sq ft total sign face area | — | — | One per drive-through lane/service point | Oriented toward vehicles utilizing drive-through service for placing or picking up orders | — | Unlock | Section 3-1805.J |
| Marina Wayfinding Sign (Government) | Up to 6 ft tall | Up to 6 sq ft per sign face | — | — | Up to 2 by default; more may be approved based on criteria | At marinas, coordinated with the city | — | Unlock | Section 3-1805.N.2 |
| Transit Shelter Advertising Sign | Up to 6 ft panel height for advertising panel | Each poster may not exceed 24 sq ft; overall panel up to 6 ft high by 4 ft wide | Up to 4 ft panel width for advertising panel | — | Citywide cap of 50 transit shelters with advertising | On approved transit shelters | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.5 |
| Temporary Sidewalk Sign (A-frame/Sandwich Board) | 3.5 feet (42 inches) | Not stated as sq ft; dimensions: max 2 ft wide × 3.5 ft tall (approx. 7 sq ft) | 2 feet | Maintain 4 ft clear path; not within sight visibility triangles | 1 per business (except up to 2 per parcel under construction-adjacent option) | In front of primary retail and restaurants within the linear footage of the storefront; also in the immediate vicinity of parking garages/lots and valet stands; allowed on public property/right-of-way | — | Unlock | Section 3-1806.A; Table 3-1806.1a (including notes 1–3) |
| School Freestanding Sign | 14 ft | 50 sq ft per major entry | — | — | 1 per major entry | On school grounds in any zoning district except the Downtown District. | — | Unlock | § 3-1807.C: On any school grounds in any zoning district, except the Downtown District, one freestanding sign per major entry, not more than 50 sq ft in total sign face area; height not to exceed 14 ft; installed in landscaped area at least 3 ft wide around entire base; must include address. |
US 19 Zoning District
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Sign - Freestanding (Non-Residential) | Up to 6 ft tall | Up to 16 sq ft per sign face (for back-to-back signs, 16 sq ft per side) | — | At least 5 ft from property lines and from edge of any paved street/road; maintain 15 ft radial spacing from other temporary freestanding signs | Up to 4 per parcel (with no more than 2 being commercial temporary signs; only 1 banner sign allowed and only for up to 30 days/year) | On private property; not on public property or in public right-of-way; not within sight visibility triangles | — | Unlock | Section 3-1806.A–B; Table 3-1806.1b (Non-Residential column, notes 1–6) |
| Temporary Sign - Attached (Non-Residential) | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 16 sq ft per sign face (for back-to-back attached signs, 16 sq ft per side) | — | Minimum yard setbacks do not apply to attached signs | Up to 4 per parcel (with commercial/banner limits as noted) | Affixed to a building or structure on private property; not on public property or in public right-of-way; not within sight visibility triangles | — | Unlock | Section 3-1806.A–B; Table 3-1806.1b (Non-Residential column, notes 1–6) |
| Attached Sign - Primary Facade | — | Up to 24 sq ft, or up to 3% of the primary facade but not more than 36 sq ft | — | — | One attached sign per building structure; in multi-tenant ground-floor buildings, one per tenant with a principal exterior entrance | On the primary building facade. For multi-tenant buildings, one attached sign per tenant with a principal exterior entrance. | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B (intro) and 3-1807.B.4.a |
| Attached Sign - Corner/Through Lot Additional Wall | — | As calculated by formula | — | — | One per street-facing wall on corner/through lots (in addition to primary facade sign allowance) | On each building wall (façade) abutting a street frontage for corner or through lots | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.4.b–c |
| Attached Sign - Rear Entrance Additional Sign | — | Up to 16 sq ft | — | — | One additional rear entrance sign per eligible business | Above or adjacent to a rear public entrance facing parking lots or a rear public entrance facing Clearwater Harbor or Mandalay Channel with boating access | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.4.e |
| Freestanding Sign - Standard Parcel | Up to 14 ft, and in all cases no taller than 1.5 times the width of the sign structure | Up to 24 sq ft by default; up to 36 sq ft if qualifying under the formula and design criteria | — | Minimum 5 ft from all property lines; must maintain sight visibility at intersections/driveways | One freestanding sign per parcel (two faces allowed) | On private property serving the parcel proposed for development | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.1.a, c–h; 3-1807.B.1.d–e (design criteria i–vi); 3-1805.E |
| Freestanding Sign - Corner or Through Lot (Option) | Up to 14 ft, and in all cases no taller than 1.5 times the width of the sign structure | Up to 64 sq ft total on all faces across one or two signs, subject to the frontage/façade formula plus 15 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 ft from all property lines; must maintain sight visibility at intersections/driveways | Option to erect two freestanding signs (one per street frontage) in lieu of one | One sign on each street frontage (if two signs are chosen) | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.1.b, c, e–h |
| Freestanding Sign - Elevated Roadway Frontage (US 19/McMullen Booth) (Option) | Permitted height up to 14 ft above the top of the adjacent barrier wall (for US 19 or McMullen Booth Road elevated roadways); if two barrier walls exist (frontage road vs. center of US 19), height may be up to 14 ft above the higher barrier wall | Subject to the same area limits/formulas as other freestanding signs for this zone | — | Minimum 5 ft from property lines; must maintain sight visibility | One qualifying freestanding sign with elevated-height allowance | Sites fronting an elevated roadway (including US 19 and McMullen Booth Road) with limited visibility | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.1.i |
Commercial District (C)
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Sign - Freestanding (Non-Residential) | Up to 6 ft tall | Up to 16 sq ft per sign face (for back-to-back signs, 16 sq ft per side) | — | At least 5 ft from property lines and from edge of any paved street/road; maintain 15 ft radial spacing from other temporary freestanding signs | Up to 4 per parcel (with no more than 2 being commercial temporary signs; only 1 banner sign allowed and only for up to 30 days/year) | On private property; not on public property or in public right-of-way; not within sight visibility triangles | — | Unlock | Section 3-1806.A–B; Table 3-1806.1b (Non-Residential column, notes 1–6) |
| Temporary Sign - Attached (Non-Residential) | Maximum mounting height 15 ft | Up to 16 sq ft per sign face (for back-to-back attached signs, 16 sq ft per side) | — | Minimum yard setbacks do not apply to attached signs | Up to 4 per parcel (with commercial/banner limits as noted) | Affixed to a building or structure on private property; not on public property or in public right-of-way; not within sight visibility triangles | — | Unlock | Section 3-1806.A–B; Table 3-1806.1b (Non-Residential column, notes 1–6) |
| Attached Sign - Primary Facade | — | Up to 24 sq ft, or up to 3% of the primary facade but not more than 36 sq ft | — | — | One attached sign per building structure; in multi-tenant ground-floor buildings, one per tenant with a principal exterior entrance | On the primary building facade. For multi-tenant buildings, one attached sign per tenant with a principal exterior entrance. | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B (intro) and 3-1807.B.4.a |
| Attached Sign - Corner/Through Lot Additional Wall | — | As calculated by formula | — | — | One per street-facing wall on corner/through lots (in addition to primary facade sign allowance) | On each building wall (façade) abutting a street frontage for corner or through lots | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.4.b–c |
| Attached Sign - Rear Entrance Additional Sign | — | Up to 16 sq ft | — | — | One additional rear entrance sign per eligible business | Above or adjacent to a rear public entrance facing parking lots or a rear public entrance facing Clearwater Harbor or Mandalay Channel with boating access | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.4.e |
| Freestanding Sign - Standard Parcel | Up to 14 ft, and in all cases no taller than 1.5 times the width of the sign structure | Up to 24 sq ft by default; up to 36 sq ft if qualifying under the formula and design criteria | — | Minimum 5 ft from all property lines; must maintain sight visibility at intersections/driveways | One freestanding sign per parcel (two faces allowed) | On private property serving the parcel proposed for development | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.1.a, c–h; 3-1807.B.1.d–e (design criteria i–vi); 3-1805.E |
| Freestanding Sign - Corner or Through Lot (Option) | Up to 14 ft, and in all cases no taller than 1.5 times the width of the sign structure | Up to 64 sq ft total on all faces across one or two signs, subject to the frontage/façade formula plus 15 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 ft from all property lines; must maintain sight visibility at intersections/driveways | Option to erect two freestanding signs (one per street frontage) in lieu of one | One sign on each street frontage (if two signs are chosen) | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.1.b, c, e–h |
| Freestanding Sign - Elevated Roadway Frontage (US 19/McMullen Booth) (Option) | Permitted height up to 14 ft above the top of the adjacent barrier wall (for US 19 or McMullen Booth Road elevated roadways); if two barrier walls exist (frontage road vs. center of US 19), height may be up to 14 ft above the higher barrier wall | Subject to the same area limits/formulas as other freestanding signs for this zone | — | Minimum 5 ft from property lines; must maintain sight visibility | One qualifying freestanding sign with elevated-height allowance | Sites fronting an elevated roadway (including US 19 and McMullen Booth Road) with limited visibility | — | Unlock | Section 3-1807.B.1.i |
PermitPal covers all 9 zoning districts in Clearwater — full sign requirements for every zone, plus illumination rules, size formulas, and permit requirements for every sign type — with a free account.
See all 9 zones for Clearwater — start freeProhibited Signs in Clearwater
- Feather/flutter signs; wind-activated signs; air-dancer/sky-dancer signs
- Bench signs
- Billboards
- Discontinued signs (unless brought into conformity within three months after notice)
- Electronic changeable message signs unless expressly allowed by this Division (or existing, legally nonconforming time/temperature or limited-frequency signs)
- Pavement markings, except street addresses
- Portable signs
- Roof and above-roof signs
- Sidewalk signs, except as provided in Section 3-1806
- Signs attached to or painted on piers or seawalls, other than official regulatory or warning signs
- Signs in or upon any river, bay, lake, or other body of water
- Permanent signs located on publicly owned land, public easements, or inside street rights-of-way (except government signs or authorized transit shelter signage)
- Signs that emit sound, vapor, smoke, odor, particles, or gaseous matter
- Signs with unshielded illumination or that reflect lighting onto public rights-of-way creating a traffic or pedestrian hazard
- Signs that move, revolve, twirl, rotate, flash, scintillate, blink, flutter, or appear to display motion in any way (including animated, multi-prism, tri-vision, floodlights, and beacon lights) unless expressly allowed or required by a governmental agency
- Signs that obstruct, conceal, hide, or obscure from view any traffic control device or official traffic signal
- Signs that present a traffic or pedestrian hazard, including those that obstruct visibility
- Signs attached to or placed on any tree or other vegetation
- Signs carried, waved, or otherwise displayed by persons on or visible from public rights-of-way when intended to draw attention for a commercial purpose (does not limit demonstrations, political rallies, and similar events)
- Snipe signs
- Three-dimensional objects used as signs
- Vehicle signs and portable trailer signs
- Any permanent sign not specifically described or enumerated as permitted within the zoning district classifications in the Community Development Code
- No sign shall be located within five feet of a property line (flexibility may be approved by the Community Development Coordinator if site constraints exist and sight visibility is not negatively impacted)
- No sign may have blinking, flashing, or fluttering lights or other illumination devices with changing light intensity, brightness, color, or direction; no colored lights that could be confused with traffic-control devices; illumination must not create traffic hazards and must be shaded/shielded or directed away from streets and adjacent properties
Exempt Signs in Clearwater
- Signs located entirely inside a building or enclosed space, other than window signs
- A sign on a car, other than a prohibited vehicle sign or signs
- Statutory signs
- Traffic control device signs
- Any sign not visible from a public street, sidewalk, right-of-way, or from a navigable waterway or body of water (this exemption does not apply to a commercial-use sign that is visible from an abutting residential use)
- Government signs
- Banners erected within the public right-of-way or on public property if part of a city banner program
Source: municode municipal code