# Sign Regulations in Fort Walton Beach, Florida

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Fort Walton Beach, Florida (FL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/florida/fort-walton-beach
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-17
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/FL/Fort_Walton_Beach/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CH1GEPR_1.06COENCI_1.06.06RESICI)

## At a glance

Fort Walton Beach, Florida regulates 13 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Real Estate Signs in the R-1E, R-1, R-2, YC zoning district are capped at 6 feet tall and 32 sq. ft., with a Minimum 10 feet from street curb or edge of pavement setback (Sec. 5.03.03 - Provisionally Exempt Signs). Most commercial signs in Fort Walton Beach require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 200 feet | — | — |
| R-1E, R-1, R-2, YC | 2 | 8 feet | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| CF, CG, MX-1, MX-2, CTP, MB | 8 | 24 feet | 150 sq. ft. | — |
| R-2, YC | 1 | 12 feet | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| DDOD | 2 | — | 4 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Not in public right-of-way | — | 5.03.05 - Temporary Signs |
| Flagpole | 200 feet | — | — | — | — | Minimum 3 feet from side/rear property line; Minimum 5 feet from front property line | — | 5.03.07 - Flagpoles |

### R-1E, R-1, R-2, YC

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | 6 feet | 32 sq. ft. | — | Minimum 10 feet from street curb or edge of pavement | 1 per street frontage | On property offered for sale or rent | — | 5.03.03 - Provisionally Exempt Signs |
| Construction Sign | 8 feet | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On property with valid building permit | — | 5.03.03 - Provisionally Exempt Signs |

### CF, CG, MX-1, MX-2, CTP, MB

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | 6 feet | 32 sq. ft. | — | Minimum 20 feet from street curb or edge of pavement | 1 per street frontage | On property offered for sale or rent | — | 5.03.03 - Provisionally Exempt Signs |
| Construction Sign | 8 feet | 32 sq. ft. (combined) | — | — | — | On property with valid building permit | — | 5.03.03 - Provisionally Exempt Signs |
| Wall Sign | 24 feet | — | — | — | 1 per facade per tenant | — | — | 5.03.06 - Permissible Permanent On-Site Signs |
| Awning Sign | 2 feet | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5.03.06 - Permissible Permanent On-Site Signs |
| Projecting/Perpendicular Sign | 3 feet | 6 sq. ft. | 4 feet | — | 1 per tenant | — | — | 5.03.06 - Permissible Permanent On-Site Signs |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5.03.06 - Permissible Permanent On-Site Signs |
| Monument or Ground Sign | 12 feet in MX-1 | 150 sq. ft. | — | Front — 5 feet; Driveway — 10 feet; Intersection — 50 feet | 1 per street frontage | — | — | 5.03.06 - Permissible Permanent On-Site Signs |
| Monument or Ground Sign (CTP) | 24 feet in MX-2, MB, CG, CF, CTP, and REC | 150 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per access point | — | — | 5.03.06 - Permissible Permanent On-Site Signs |

## Prohibited signs in Fort Walton Beach

- No person shall move, erect, post, construct, paint, alter, or maintain a sign except in compliance with the standards and requirements set forth in Section 5.03.00.
- Off-premises signs, except in the CTP district.
- Portable signs.
- Snipe signs, including temporary signs stuck in the ground and signs attached to utility poles, trees, rocks, or other natural objects.
- Signs with visible moving, revolving, or rotating parts, flashing or oscillating lights, or visible mechanical movement of any description or other apparent visible movement achieved by electrical, electronic, or mechanical means.
- Any sign which constitutes a traffic hazard or a detriment to traffic safety by reason of its size, location, movement, content, coloring, or method of illumination.
- Signs or sign structures that interfere in any way with free use of any fire escape, emergency exit, or standpipe.
- 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.
- Abandoned signs.
- Signs erected on public property, with the exception of signs erected by public authority for public purposes.
- Any other signs that are not specifically permitted or exempted as set forth in Section 5.03.00.

## Signs exempt from permit in Fort Walton Beach

- Regulatory, statutory, traffic control, or directional signs erected on public property by or with permission of the State of Florida, the United States, or the City.
- Legal notices and official instruments.
- Signs incorporated into machinery or equipment by a manufacturer or distributor, which identify or advertise only the product or service dispensed by the machine or equipment, such as signs customarily affixed to vending machines, newspaper boxes, and gasoline pumps.
- Advertising and identifying signs located on taxicabs, buses, trailers, trucks, or vehicle bumpers.
- Public warning signs to indicate the dangers of swimming, animals, or similar hazards.
- 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.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A local development permit is required for any sign that is not exempt from the standards and provisions of Section 5.03.00.
- Pennants shall be identified in a sign plan.

## 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 5 zoning districts in Fort Walton Beach — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Fort+Walton+Beach+FL&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-fort-walton-beach

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