# Sign Regulations in Tavares, Florida

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Tavares, Florida (FL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/florida/tavares
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/FL/Tavares/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=APLADERE_APXALADERE_CH21SIRE)

## At a glance

Tavares, Florida regulates 20 sign types across 12 zoning districts. Ground Sign (Subdivision/Development Entrance)s in the Residential Single-Family (RSF-E, RSF-A, RSF-1, RSF-2) zoning district are capped at 10 ft (main entrance), 4 ft (secondary entrance) tall and 60 sq ft per face (main entrance), 20 sq ft per face (secondary entrance), with a 15 ft from all property and ROW lines (main entrance, unless on wall). See Ch. 21-15(A)(1); 5 ft from ROW for standard subdivision sign (Ch. 21-12). setback (Sec. Ch. 21-15(A)(1), Ch. 21-12, Ch. 21-15(A)(2)). Most commercial signs in Tavares require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (12 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Single-Family (RSF-E, RSF-A, RSF-1, RSF-2) | 6 | 10 ft (main entrance), 4 ft (secondary entrance) | 60 sq ft per face (main entrance), 20 sq ft per face (secondary entrance) | — |
| Residential Multi-Family (RMF-2, RMF-3) | 2 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Residential Manufactured Home Park (RMH-P) | 2 | 10 ft (main entrance), 4 ft (secondary entrance) | As per residential subdivision: 60 sq ft per face at main entrance, 20 sq ft at secondary. Adopt most restrictive if not specifically stated. | — |
| Residential Manufactured Home Subdivision (RMH-S) | 2 | 10 ft (main), 4 ft (secondary) | As per subdivision: 60 sq ft per face main, 20 sq ft per face secondary | — |
| Planned Development District (PD) | 2 | Up to 10 ft (residential); see PD ordinance for commercial | If not otherwise specified in the PD ordinance, signs must meet the most restrictive standard zoning district for the underlying use (typically: 60 sq ft per face, 10 ft tall for subdivision, or as per CD or C-1/C-2 for commercial components) | — |
| Mixed Use District (MU) | 5 | Wall: NA, Freestanding: 8 ft | 120 sq ft (per building face) | — |
| Commercial Downtown District (CD) | 5 | Wall: NA; Freestanding: 8 ft | 120 sq ft | — |
| General Commercial District (C-1) | 3 | 12 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Commercial District (C-2) | 4 | 35 ft | 400 sq ft | — |
| Light Industrial District (I) | 4 | 35 ft | 400 sq ft | — |
| Public Facilities District (PFD) | 2 | 8 ft | 50 sq ft per face | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 35 ft | 50 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 12 zones)

### Residential Single-Family (RSF-E, RSF-A, RSF-1, RSF-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Subdivision/Development Entrance) | 10 ft (main entrance), 4 ft (secondary entrance) | 60 sq ft per face (main entrance), 20 sq ft per face (secondary entrance) | — | 15 ft from all property and ROW lines (main entrance, unless on wall). See Ch. 21-15(A)(1); 5 ft from ROW for standard subdivision sign (Ch. 21-12). | 2 per main entrance, 1 per secondary entrance | At main/secondary entrance to a subdivision or development; minimum 15 ft setback from property/ROW lines except for entrance wall signs; see citation for detail | — | Ch. 21-15(A)(1), Ch. 21-12, Ch. 21-15(A)(2) |
| Wall Sign (Subdivision Entrance) | per wall height | 60 sq ft per face (main entrance) | — | May be on property line if mounted on wall/gate | 2 at main entrance | On entrance wall or gate at subdivision/development entrance | — | Ch. 21-15(A)(1) |
| Home Occupation Wall Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 | At home occupation, residential use | — | Ch. 21-14(B)(4) |
| Bed and Breakfast Sign (Wall or Freestanding) | — | 4 sq ft (wall), 6 sq ft (freestanding) | — | — | 1 | At bed & breakfast in RSF zones | — | Ch. 21-15(B) |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | 5 ft from road ROW, 10 ft from side lot lines | 2 | 5 ft from road ROW, 10 ft from side property lines | — | Ch. 21-15(C), Ch. 21-16 |
| Construction Sign (under construction) | — | 5 sq ft | — | 10 ft from property line, 25 ft from ROW | 1 per parcel under construction | 10 ft from property line, 25 ft from ROW | — | Ch. 21-15(C)(2) |

### Mixed Use District (MU)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 4 ft (plus base up to 2 ft in landscape planter) | 24 sq ft per face | — | Not specifically listed; Minimum 5 ft in most non-residential; ensure not in ROW | 1 per parcel or abutting ROW | 1 ground sign per parcel or per abutting ROW | — | Ch. 21-21(B); Ch. 21-6(A) |
| Wall Sign | — | 120 sq ft (per building face) | — | — | — | Per building face visible from ROW | — | Ch. 21-21(C) |
| Shingle Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building or per business (if 10 ft apart) | Above the entrance or street-facing window of the business | — | Ch. 21-21(D) |
| Directory Sign | Wall: NA, Freestanding: 8 ft | 6 sq ft (wall), 8 ft height x 4 ft width (freestanding) | Wall: NA, Freestanding: 4 ft | — | 1 per building | Pedestrian area (wall); or freestanding on site | — | Ch. 21-21(F) |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | 5 ft from road ROW, 10 ft from side lines | 2 | 5 ft from ROW, 10 ft from side lines | — | Ch. 21-16 |

### Commercial Downtown District (CD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 4 ft (base may be in landscape planter to 6 ft total) | 24 sq ft per face | — | Not specifically listed; generally 5 ft from ROW | 1 per parcel/ROW | 1 per parcel or per abutting right-of-way | — | Ch. 21-21(B) |
| Wall Sign | — | 120 sq ft | — | — | — | Per building face viewable from ROW | — | Ch. 21-21(C) |
| Shingle Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building or per business (10 ft apart) | Above entrance or street-facing window of business | — | Ch. 21-21(D) |
| Directory Sign | Wall: NA; Freestanding: 8 ft | 6 sq ft wall/tenant; 6 sq ft total on wall; or freestanding: 8 ft tall/4 ft wide max | Freestanding: 4 ft | — | 1 per building | Wall (pedestrian area), or freestanding | — | Ch. 21-21(F) |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | 5 ft from road ROW, 10 ft from side lot lines | 2 | 5 ft from road ROW, 10 ft from side lines | — | Ch. 21-16 |

## Prohibited signs in Tavares

- Signs that are in violation of the Florida Building Code or The National Electrical Code as adopted by the City.
- Any temporary sign within the right-of-way of any street or public way.
- Any sign, that in the opinion of the City Administrator or designee is abandoned.
- Snipe 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 traditional barber poles.
- Signs with lights or illuminations that flash, move, rotate, scintillate, blink, flicker, or vary in intensity or color, except for time-temperature-date signs and LED signs as provided for in Section 21-19.
- Strings of light bulbs used on commercially developed parcels, other than traditional holiday decorations.
- Wind signs, consisting of one or more banners, flags, pennants, ribbons, spinners, streamers or captive balloons, or other objects or material fastened in such a manner as to move upon being subjected to pressure by wind; except as permitted by Section 21-16.
- Signs that incorporate projected images, emit any sound intended to attract attention, or involve the use of live animals.
- Signs that emit odor or visible matter such as smoke or steam.
- Signs 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 reasonably be confused with or construed as, or conceal, a traffic control device.
- Signs that obstruct the vision of pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists traveling on or entering public streets and/or flooding light onto adjacent residentially zoned properties.
- Signs, within ten feet (10') of public right-of-way or one-hundred (100') feet of traffic control lights, that contain red or green lights that might be confused with traffic control lights.
- Signs 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.
- Signs that contain a mechanism that causes unreasonable interference with radio, television or other communication signals.
- Searchlights.
- Signs painted, pasted, or printed on any sidewalk, flagstone, curbstone, pavement or any portion of any street within a Public Right-of-Way except house numbers and traffic pavement control markers.
- Signs other than Governmental Signs erected on public property, or on private property (such as private utility poles) located on public property.
- Signs which are located in or over any lakes, rivers, canals, or other bodies of water within the City, except Governmental Signs.
- Vehicle signs with a total sign area on any vehicle in excess of ten (10) square feet, when the vehicle is parked more than sixty (60) minutes, is within 100 feet of right-of-way, and is not regularly used in the conduct of the business advertised.
- Portable signs, except for those utilized by governmental agencies for public safety purposes.
- Signs, flyers or handbills of any kind attached or against any tree along any street, avenue or thoroughfare.
- Roof signs.
- Pole signs.
- Billboard signs, except as provided for in Section 21-17.
- Signs affixed to benches or waste receptacles located within the City Right-of-Way.

## Signs exempt from permit in Tavares

- One (1) shingle sign having a face area of not more than two and one-half square feet (2 ½'), located over a show window or door of a business establishment.
- Paper signs located on the interior show windows only of commercial establishments.
- Temporary signs as outlined in Section 21-16.
- Governmental Signs.
- House identification, address numbers or bronzed or cut masonry nameplates attached to a building face that do not exceed two (2) square feet.
- Signs incorporated onto machinery or equipment by a manufacturer or distributor, such as signs customarily affixed to vending machines, newspaper racks, telephone booths, and gasoline pumps.
- Signs carried by a person.
- Repainting or otherwise changing the copy of a sign that does not alter any other portion of the sign or sign structure.
- Painted signs, subject to area calculations and compliance with section 21-6.
- Window signs that cover less than forty (40) percent of the window.
- Murals are exempt from permitting; however, murals visible from the public right-of-way must be approved by City Council.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A site plan is required for the issuance of any sign permit. The site plan shall illustrate the proposed location of the sign on the property and building as well as location and size of all other existing signage on the property. (Section 4-37(B)(1))
- Before a permit shall be granted for the construction of a sign, the erector shall submit a construction drawing containing the area dimensions, height and necessary information to enable the Building Official to determine that such sign meets all requirements of the Florida Building Code and other codes adopted by the City. (Section 4-37(B)(2))
- No sign permit is required for signs listed as exempt in Section 21-5.
- A variance to the dimensional and location requirements of sign regulations may be requested per Chapter 4 when literal enforcement would result in unnecessary hardship. (Section 21-22)
- Change in use, additions, or expansions of a structure or parking area by twenty-five percent (25%) or more require all signage to conform to current regulations. (Section 21-19(A)(7))
- Nonconforming signs must comply with requirements if the sign is substantially altered, replaced, or if use changes, per Section 21-19.
- Master sign plans are not specifically termed or referenced in the ordinance, but a comprehensive site plan showing all existing and proposed signage is required for permitting.

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

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