# Sign Regulations in Bonners Ferry, Idaho

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Bonners Ferry, Idaho (ID)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/idaho/bonners-ferry
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Bonners Ferry, Idaho regulates 23 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the Commercial, Industrial zoning district are capped at 3 feet tall, 6 square feet per side, and 2 linear feet wide, with a Within 2 feet of business building; Minimum 4 feet clear sidewalk setback (Sec. 11-14-4I; 11-14-6D). Most commercial signs in Bonners Ferry require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential A, Residential AA, Residential B | 6 | 6 feet | 100 square feet (including development signs) | — |
| Commercial, Industrial | 13 | 30 feet | 300 square feet (maximum total sign area for all freestanding signs) | — |
| Medical | 11 | 30 feet | 300 square feet (total for all freestanding signs) | — |
| Downtown | 12 | 10 feet from highest point of building | 200 square feet (combined for freestanding/roof signs) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 35 feet | 6 square feet per side | — |

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

### Commercial, Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (<=10 ft) | 10 feet | 300 square feet (maximum total sign area for all freestanding signs) | — | 10 feet or equal to sign height, whichever is less | 1 per street frontage, max 2 per lot | On-premises, per street frontage | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Notes 3, 5, 7, 8 |
| Freestanding Sign (<=30 ft) | 30 feet | 300 square feet (maximum total sign area for all freestanding signs) | — | 10 feet or equal to sign height, whichever is less | 1 per 150 ft frontage or 30,000 sq ft, max 3 per lot | On-premises | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Notes 4, 5, 6, 8 |
| Wall/Affixed Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed to wall/building | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet per sign face | — | At least 2 feet horizontally from curb line | — | Wall/parapet | — | 11-14-6C; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 9 |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet per side | 2 linear feet | Within 2 feet of business building; Minimum 4 feet clear sidewalk | 1 per street frontage | On sidewalk within 2 feet of business building; cannot reduce sidewalk width below 4 feet | — | 11-14-4I; 11-14-6D |
| Temporary Sign | 5 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | 11-14-4H; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 14 |
| Small Sign | 5 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | 11-14-4E; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 14 |
| Development Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | — | — | Entryway to development | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 13 |

### Medical

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 30 feet | 300 square feet (total for all freestanding signs) | — | 10 feet or equal to sign height, whichever is less | 1 per 150 ft street frontage or 30,000 sq ft, up to 3 per lot | — | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Notes 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 |
| Wall/Affixed Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed to wall/building | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1 |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Awning | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 9 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet per sign face | — | At least 2 feet horizontally from curb line | — | Wall/parapet | — | 11-14-6C; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 9 |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet per side | 2 linear feet | Within 2 feet of business building; Minimum 4 feet clear sidewalk | 1 per street frontage | On sidewalk within 2 feet of business building; cannot reduce sidewalk width below 4 feet | — | 11-14-4I; 11-14-6D |
| Temporary Sign | 5 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | 11-14-4H; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 14 |
| Small Sign | 5 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | 11-14-4E; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 14 |
| Development Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | — | — | Entryway to development | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 13 |

### Downtown

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | — | 200 square feet (combined for freestanding/roof signs) | — | No minimum setbacks | 2 per building (combined total of freestanding or roof signs) | — | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 2 & 11 |
| Roof Mounted Sign | 10 feet from highest point of building | 200 square feet (combined with freestanding) | — | 3 feet from edge of exterior wall | Combined with freestanding signs; up to 2 per building | Roof | — | 11-14-6B; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 2 |
| Wall/Affixed Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed to wall/building | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet per sign face | — | At least 2 feet horizontally from curb line | — | Wall/parapet | — | 11-14-6C; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 10 |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet per side | 2 linear feet | Within 2 feet of business building; Minimum 4 feet clear sidewalk | 1 per street frontage | On sidewalk within 2 feet of business building; cannot reduce sidewalk width below 4 feet | — | 11-14-4I; 11-14-6D |
| Temporary Sign | 5 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | 11-14-4H; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 14 |
| Small Sign | 5 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | 11-14-4E; 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 14 |
| Development Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | — | — | Entryway to development | — | 11-14-8, Table 14.1, Note 13 |

## Prohibited signs in Bonners Ferry

- Signs which obstruct or interfere with vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
- Signs located in such a manner as to obstruct or otherwise interfere with an official traffic sign, signal or device, or obstruct or interfere with a driver's view of approaching, merging or intersecting traffic.
- Signs which simulate traffic control devices.
- Oscillating, flashing, rotating, flickering, or blinking lights are not allowed unless specifically permitted by this chapter.
- Signs on public property or attached to trees, utility poles, public benches or streetlights, unless authorized by the city or specifically permitted within this chapter.
- Signs shall not be constructed, installed, structurally altered, enlarged, or relocated except in conformity with this chapter and, if required, only after a sign permit is issued.
- No sign shall be structurally altered, enlarged, or relocated except in conformity to the provisions herein and only upon applying for and securing a permit, unless expressly authorized without a permit.
- Signs shall not project into the public right of way or public easements unless specifically permitted.
- Signs shall not exceed six square feet and shall not be located or allowed to project into any public right of way (applies to 'small signs').
- All signs hereafter erected shall conform to provisions of this chapter, and all other applicable provisions of other city ordinances.

## Signs exempt from permit in Bonners Ferry

- Directional or institutional signs which do not in any way advertise a business.
- Governmental signs for the control of traffic or other regulatory purposes, or signs of public service companies indicating danger, which are erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of public duty.
- Addressing numbers/mailboxes.
- Flagpoles that do not exceed a height of thirty five feet (35').
- Small signs, not exceeding six square feet in area or five feet in height, not illuminated or animated and not containing reader boards.
- Wayfinding signs.
- Window signs.
- Temporary signs.
- Sandwich board signs (A-frame), provided the ordinance conditions are met.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All building permits for applicable signs must be accompanied by construction quality plans stamped by an engineer certified in the state of Idaho.
- A permit is required for all signs except those expressly authorized without a permit.
- Sign permit applications require submission of a site plan depicting the locations of proposed signage, including setbacks from property lines, proposed landscaped areas, and existing remaining signage.
- Construction quality plans of the sign and supporting structures stamped by an Idaho-certified engineer must be included in the application.
- All signs requiring a permit must do so pursuant to section 11-14-10.
- Nonconforming signs may not be altered, converted, illuminated, enlarged, or moved unless brought into conformity, unless damaged by acts of nature or accident and approved by the city.
- It is highly recommended that all sign locations be reviewed by the city engineer prior to submission of the application. The city engineer may suggest modifications based on driver sight distances and other hazards.
- Removal or alteration of signs in case of safety issues may be ordered by the city administrator/engineer.
- No explicit reference to a master sign plan or required variance meeting is found in the provided ordinance text, but construction and site plans are routinely required as part of the permit application process.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/idaho/bonners-ferry