# Sign Regulations in Gulfport, Florida

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Gulfport, Florida (FL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/florida/gulfport
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/FL/Gulfport/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH22ZO_ARTXVIISIAD)

## At a glance

Gulfport, Florida regulates 34 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Temporary Sign (Single-family and Duplex Residences)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 6 sq ft per sign; 10 sq ft total per lot, with a At least 10 feet from roadway; at least 3 feet from public sidewalk setback (Sec. Sec. 22-17.09(c)(1),(d)). Most commercial signs in Gulfport require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 42 in | 60 sq ft per sign (individual); 100 sq ft total (aggregate on lot) | — |
| Open space zoning district (OS) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Single-family residential zoning district (R-1A), Single-family residential zoning district (R-1), One- and two-family residential zoning district (R-2), Multiple-family residential zoning district (R-3), High-rise multiple-family residential zoning district (R-4), Mobile home residential zoning district (R-MH) | 3 | 6 ft | 96 sq ft per sign | — |
| Commercial limited zoning district (CL-1), Commercial retail zoning district (CL-2), Commercial general zoning district (CG) | 5 | 42 in | Frontage <50 ft: 24 sq ft; 50-99 ft: 52 sq ft; 100-199 ft: 72 sq ft; 200+ ft: 96 sq ft total per frontage | — |
| Institutional zoning district (I) | 2 | Not above soffit | 40 sq ft total per lot | — |
| Public zoning district (P) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned unit development zoning district (PUD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Waterfront redevelopment district zoning district (WRD) - All internal areas, Waterfront redevelopment overlay district (WROD), Commercial limited area (WRD-CL), Mixed use limited area (WRD-MUL), Mixed use area (WRD-MU), Resort facilities area (WRD-RF), Residential low medium area (WRD-RLM), Recreation/open space area (WRD-R/OS), Public facilities area (WRD-PF) | 16 | 15 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| 49th Street redevelopment master overlay district (49thMOD), Commercial/mixed use overlay district (CMUOD), Tangerine Parkway overlay district (TPOD), Live-work overlay district (LWOD) | 3 | — | No more than 50% of window area at same floor level | — |
| Conservation overlay district (COD) | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Single-family and Duplex Residences) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft per sign; 10 sq ft total per lot | — | At least 10 feet from roadway; at least 3 feet from public sidewalk | 2 per lot | Must be on private property; at least 10 feet from any roadway and 3 feet from any public sidewalk | — | Sec. 22-17.09(c)(1),(d) |
| Temporary Sign (Three- and Four-family Residences) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft per sign; 16 sq ft aggregate total | — | At least 10 feet from roadway; at least 3 feet from public sidewalk | 4 per lot | Must be on private property; at least 10 feet from any roadway and 3 feet from any public sidewalk | — | Sec. 22-17.09(c)(2),(d) |
| Temporary Sign (Other Lots) | 6 ft | 60 sq ft per sign (individual); 100 sq ft total (aggregate on lot) | — | At least 10 feet from roadway; at least 3 feet from public sidewalk | — | Must be on private property; at least 10 feet from any roadway, 3 feet from any public sidewalk | — | Sec. 22-17.09(c)(3),(d) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property | — | Sec. 22-17.09(a)(1) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 42 in | — | 30 in | Not within 3 ft of travel lane, parking, or within visibility triangle; 4 ft unobstructed pedestrian access if in right-of-way | 1 per licensed business | Private property adjacent to the business. If not feasible, may be placed in public right-of-way or sidewalk (must leave at least 4 ft for pedestrian access). Not within 3 ft of travel lane, parking, or in visibility triangle. | — | Sec. 22-17.11(k) |

### Commercial limited zoning district (CL-1), Commercial retail zoning district (CL-2), Commercial general zoning district (CG)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (CL-1, CL-2) | 15 ft | Frontage <50 ft: 24 sq ft; 50-99 ft: 52 sq ft; 100-199 ft: 72 sq ft; 200+ ft: 96 sq ft total per frontage | — | See above; refer to code Sec. 22-17.10(a) | 1 per frontage; 2 if 200+ ft frontage | Private property only; minimum distances from side property line per frontage length: <50ft-10ft; 50-99ft-15ft; 100-199ft-20ft; 200+ft-50ft; see code for corner lot exemption | — | Sec. 22-17.10(a) |
| Freestanding Sign (CG) | 20 ft | Frontage <50 ft: 24 sq ft; 50-99 ft: 52 sq ft; 100-199 ft: 72 sq ft; 200+ ft: 96 sq ft | — | See above; refer to code Sec. 22-17.10(a) | 1 per frontage; 2 if 200+ ft frontage | Private property, with same setback and spacing as above | — | Sec. 22-17.10(a) |
| Wall Sign | Not above soffit of building | See formula | — | — | — | On building | — | Sec. 22-17.10(b) |
| Projecting Sign | — | Calculated by formula | — | — | — | Attached to building face; projects more than 12 inches from surface | — | Sec. 22-17.11(b) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 42 in | — | 30 in | See general sign regulations | 1 per business | Private property adjacent to business or in right-of-way under restrictions listed | — | Sec. 22-17.11(k) |

### Waterfront redevelopment district zoning district (WRD) - All internal areas, Waterfront redevelopment overlay district (WROD), Commercial limited area (WRD-CL), Mixed use limited area (WRD-MUL), Mixed use area (WRD-MU), Resort facilities area (WRD-RF), Residential low medium area (WRD-RLM), Recreation/open space area (WRD-R/OS), Public facilities area (WRD-PF)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (CL area) | 15 ft | 96 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property | — | Sec. 22-5.08(j)(2), Table |
| Wall Sign (CL area) | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | — | Building | — | Sec. 22-5.08(j)(2), Table |
| Projecting Sign (CL area) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | On building | — | Sec. 22-5.08(j)(2), Table |
| Wall Sign (MU area) | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | On building | — | Sec. 22-5.08(j)(2), Table |
| Projecting Sign (MU area) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | On building | — | Sec. 22-5.08(j)(2), Table |
| Freestanding Sign (RF area - ground sign only) | 10 ft | 48 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property | — | Sec. 22-5.08(j)(2), Table, note |
| Freestanding Sign (MU area, in specific circumstances) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business/lot | Private property in MU area | — | Sec. 22-5.08(j)(3) |
| Wall Sign (Waterfront Redevelopment Overlay District/WROD, RLM) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On private property | — | Sec. 22-5.08(b)(8)g.; Sec. 22-5.08(j)(2), Table |

## Prohibited signs in Gulfport

- All signs not specifically allowed by Article XVII are prohibited in the city.
- Signs with visible moving, revolving, or rotating parts or visible mechanical movement, except for traditional barber poles, are prohibited.
- Signs with optical illusion of movement or design that presents a pattern capable of giving the illusion of motion or changing copy are prohibited.
- Signs with lights or illuminations that flash, move, rotate, scintillate, blink, flicker, or vary in intensity or color (except those only displaying time and temperature) are prohibited.
- Signs that emit audible sound, odor, or visible matter such as smoke or steam are prohibited.
- All roof signs, other than integral roof signs, are prohibited.
- Off-site signs are prohibited, except institutional direction signs for which a permit has been issued.
- Wind signs (banners, flags, pennants, ribbons, spinners, streamers, captive balloons, or similar objects fastened to move with wind) are prohibited, except for official or organizational flags and 'open' flags as specified.
- Signs that obstruct the vision of pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists are prohibited.
- Signs that are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or impair vision of any motorist, cyclist, or pedestrian, or be a nuisance to property occupants, are prohibited.
- Portable signs are prohibited, except sandwich board signs and certain vehicle signs.
- Beacons (searchlights) used to advertise or promote a business or to attract customers are prohibited.
- Signs painted, pasted, or printed on any curbstone, flagstone, pavement, sidewalk, or street are prohibited, except house numbers and traffic control signs.
- Signs in violation of the building or electrical codes adopted by the city are prohibited.
- Signs or structures that interfere with the use of fire escape, emergency exit, standpipe, or that obstruct required window ventilation are prohibited.
- Signs that resemble any official sign or marker or which might conflict with traffic signals or signs, or could be construed as such, are prohibited.
- Signs erected on, over or across public property, including rights-of-way, are prohibited (unless erected by government, permitted institutional direction signs, or permitted temporary signs for public/charitable events).
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- No person shall erect, alter or relocate, within the city, any sign (unless exempted), without first obtaining a sign permit.
- No sign or supporting equipment shall be placed in or upon a public right-of-way or public easement, except as otherwise provided in this article.
- Signs obstructing sight lines (within 25 feet of corners and 10 feet of driveways/alleys) between 2 and 8 feet in height are prohibited.
- No sign shall be of such size, location, movement, content, color, or illumination that may be reasonably confused with or construed as a traffic-control device.
- No sign shall be in violation of the provisions of the building, electrical and other codes adopted by the city.

## Signs exempt from permit in Gulfport

- No sign permit shall be required for the erection, alteration, repair or relocation of public notices or warnings required by law.
- No sign permit is required for traffic control signs on private property meeting DOT standards and containing no commercial message.
- No permit is required for signs not designed or located so as to be visible from any street or adjoining property.
- Signs of four (4) square feet or less and signs including no letters, symbols, logos or designs in excess of two (2) inches in vertical or horizontal dimension (provided such signs/combination of signs are not otherwise prohibited) are exempt from permitting.
- Decorative flags and bunting for community celebrations or commemorations, when authorized by city council for a prescribed period, are exempt from permitting.
- Memorial signs embedded or constructed in masonry or made of bronze or permanent incombustible material are exempt from permitting.
- Signs incorporated into machinery or equipment by manufacturer/distributor identifying or advertising only the product/service dispensed (e.g., vending machines, newspaper racks, booths, pumps) are exempt from permitting.
- Signs on vehicles regularly and customarily used for business transportation are exempt from permits.
- Temporary political election signs complying with the article are exempt from permits.
- Real estate signs that comply with provisions of the article are exempt from permits.
- Identification signs installed by the city are exempt from permits.
- The American flag is exempt from sign permitting.
- Each business in a commercial zoning district (except WRD) may display one 'open' flag sign during business hours, subject to placement and maintenance requirements, without a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any and all signs erected, placed, established, displayed, painted, created, altered, or maintained in the city shall be in compliance with the standards, procedures, exemptions, and other requirements of Article XVII (Signs and Advertising).
- A sign permit application must include a drawing showing the design and location of the sign and other information as required to ensure compliance.
- Site plan review (Article VII) is required for all signs associated with site plan proposals for new development (except for specific exemptions such as single-family or duplex dwellings, and certain cases meeting criteria in 22-7.08).
- Master sign plans are not expressly referenced, but site plan applications for new developments must include 'plans and designs for signs, if any' (22-7.03).
- Signs associated with conditional uses, multi-family dwellings, or commercial developments may require additional site plan, conditional use, or public hearing approvals as per Articles V, VII, and VIII.
- Approval of conditional uses may require a public hearing and site plan review that includes proposed exterior lighting and signs (22-7.09, 22-8.05).
- Signs for new, altered, or relocated commercial structures require a sign permit and must comply with site plan and building code requirements.
- In certain overlay districts and redevelopment areas, sign regulations are modified, and sign applications must include scaled, rendered graphical representations with all colors, materials, and copy (see 49thMOD, WROD, and WRD in Article V).
- Sandwich board signs on private property do not require a special plan but must comply with placement, size, and operational requirements.
- If a building permit is required for construction or alteration of a building or structure, and signs are part of the construction, sign details are required as part of the construction plans and site plan review.
- No sign plan or site plan review is required for signs falling under general exemptions (see above), but all signs are subject to compliance with the substantive requirements of Article XVII.

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

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