# Sign Regulations in Burley, Idaho

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

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

## At a glance

Burley, Idaho regulates 18 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the All commercial zones, Commercial zoning districts, C-1, C-2 zoning district are capped at See 4-3-13(J) (up to 35 ft standard height; up to 80 ft in freeway zone w/ special conditions) tall and Single sign max 300 sq ft (600 sq ft if permitted to be 50 ft+, up to 800 sq ft total on premises with 500+ ft frontage and 5 acres min), with a Not beyond property line setback (Sec. 4-3-14(F), 4-3-13(J), 4-3-13(K)). Most commercial signs in Burley require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Area, Residential zoning districts | 4 | Not higher than the top of the wall | 100 sq ft | — |
| All commercial zones, Commercial zoning districts, C-1, C-2 | 14 | Not higher than 10 ft above attachment point on roof | 400 sq ft | — |
| All zoning districts, General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | Determined by commission | Determined by planning commission, at minimum needed to serve purpose | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential Area, Residential zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Office Sign - Flush Wall Mounted | Not higher than the top of the wall | — | — | — | One sign per street frontage per special use or business within a special use building | Allowed in all zoning districts authorizing use. | — | 4-3-5; 4-3-14(A)(2) |
| Professional Office Sign - Freestanding | — | 100 sq ft | — | Not closer than 8 ft to curb line or future curb line | One per street frontage, no more than two per premises | Allowed in all zoning districts allowing professional offices. | — | 4-3-5; 4-3-14(A)(3) |
| Religious/Educational Institutional Sign (Flush Wall Mounted) | Not higher than the eave of the building | 50 sq ft (residential areas) | — | — | One flush wall mounted and one freestanding per institution | Allowed in all zoning districts, but in residential districts only by special approval following notice to owners within 300 ft. | — | 4-3-14(K) |
| Religious/Educational Institutional Sign (Freestanding) | Not higher than the eave of the building | 50 sq ft (residential areas) | — | — | One flush wall mounted and one freestanding per institution | Allowed in all zoning districts, but in residential districts only by special approval following notice to owners within 300 ft. | — | 4-3-14(K) |

### All commercial zones, Commercial zoning districts, C-1, C-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Flush Wall Mounted Sign | Not higher than the top of the wall | 150 sq ft per sign | — | — | One for first 50 ft, plus one for each additional 50 ft of wall | Building wall facing or visible from a public way or parking area | — | 4-3-14(B) |
| Projecting Wall Mounted Sign | Not higher than the top of the wall; not lower than 8 ft above ground | No maximum | — | — | One per wall facing a public way or parking area | Building wall facing a public way or parking area | — | 4-3-14(C) |
| Roof Mounted Sign | Not higher than 10 ft above attachment point on roof | 200 sq ft | — | — | One per building | Roof of building | — | 4-3-14(D) |
| Freestanding Sign | See 4-3-13(J) (up to 35 ft standard height; up to 80 ft in freeway zone w/ special conditions) | Single sign max 300 sq ft (600 sq ft if permitted to be 50 ft+, up to 800 sq ft total on premises with 500+ ft frontage and 5 acres min) | — | Not beyond property line | — | On premises, not beyond property line | — | 4-3-14(F), 4-3-13(J), 4-3-13(K) |
| Service Directional Sign | Not higher than the top of the wall | Max 2 ft vertical dimension, cannot exceed width of door | Not to exceed width of door | — | One per bay/warehouse | Flush mounted above door of bay/warehouse | — | 4-3-14(I) |
| Bench Sign | 2 ft (seatback) | 12 sq ft (Face: 6 ft by 2 ft) | 6 ft | — | Maximum 4 per block | On bench designed for seating | — | 4-3-14(M) |
| A-Frame (Sandwich Board) Sign (Up to 100 ft frontage or sidewalk <12 ft) | 6 ft | — | 3 ft | At least 5 ft from curb | One per 100 ft of frontage | Must be in front of the business which is being advertised, adjacent to building, at least 5 ft from curb, on public sidewalk. | — | 4-3-14(N) |
| A-Frame (Sandwich Board) Sign (Over 100 ft frontage and sidewalk at least 12 ft) | 6 ft | — | 4 ft | At least 5 ft from curb | One per 100 ft of frontage | Must be in front of the business which is being advertised, adjacent to building, at least 5 ft from curb, on public sidewalk. | — | 4-3-14(N) |

### All zoning districts, General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Special Sign | Determined by commission | Determined by planning commission, at minimum needed to serve purpose | — | — | — | Allowed in all zoning districts | — | 4-3-14(H) |
| Temporary Special Event/Grand Opening/Holiday Signs | — | — | — | — | — | All premises/zones | — | 4-3-13(L) |
| Legal Notice/Real Estate/Meeting Announcement/Temporary Banners for Public Events | — | — | — | — | — | Various: on property for real estate, meeting, or public event banners/announcements | — | 4-3-9 |

## Prohibited signs in Burley

- No person shall affix any sign, notice, placard, bill, poster, card or advertisement upon any building, wall or part thereof without first obtaining permission from the owner, agent or occupant of the premises.
- No sign, transformer, or other mechanical or electrical device used in connection with sign or outline wiring is allowed to operate if it interferes with radio reception; if it cannot be silenced, it must be disconnected.
- All billboards, bulletin boards, or wall signs must be kept free of loose paper and not allow paste, glue, paint, wastepaper or other rubbish to be deposited behind or about the same.
- Obscene or immoral signs, or signs with pictures of murders, fights, or suggestive images tending to corrupt morals are prohibited where they can be seen from public places.
- Throwing any form of advertising matter (such as dodgers, handbills, circulars, samples) on any lawn, sidewalk, parking, street, or alley is prohibited; such materials must be delivered directly to a door or mailbox.
- No person shall affix any sign, placard, bill, or advertisement to any sidewalk, curb, lamppost, hydrant, shade tree, utility pole, post or fixture of the fire alarm or telegraph system, electric power poles, awnings, barrels, or boxes on the public street.
- No sign is allowed unless it conforms to the structural requirements of the building code and is specifically allowed in the code.
- No traffic-control sign or imitation thereof shall be erected except those approved by the city.
- No sign shall project beyond the property line except those allowed to project over a public right of way, and must not project closer than two feet to a vertical line from the curb (or planned curb).
- No sign shall be higher than thirty-five feet, except for a freeway zone where a high-rise up to eighty feet is permitted.
- No sign foundations shall encroach into a public right of way.
- No sign shall be flashing (electronic message centers and time/temperature signs are not considered flashing).
- No sign shall project into the right of way unless allowed by the ordinance.
- Signs inside buildings not visible from outside are not regulated by this code.

## Signs exempt from permit in Burley

- Posting of legal notices by public officers.
- Distribution of any newspaper of regular issue.
- Advertising by distribution of circulars or samples by a merchant for their own business by themselves or their employee, not hired solely for distribution.
- Signs of real estate firms advertising for sale or rent the property on which the signs are located.
- Announcement of meetings to be held upon premises where billboards, signs or bulletin boards are displayed.
- Placing of temporary banners or signs across streets, highways, sidewalks, or alleys for public events (like fairs, sports events, holiday celebrations), provided such banners/signs are at least twenty feet above the ground and suspended from buildings without the use of posts.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign is not allowed unless it conforms to the building code and is specifically allowed in the code; this may include submittal of information to ensure compliance, though the code does not mention a separate master sign plan requirement.
- Off-premises signs and outdoor billboards require a special permit and approval by the commission, including findings regarding location, spacing, and impact.
- Special signs (including those designating emergency facilities, building complexes, or providing historical/public information) require special approval by the commission.
- Religious and educational institutional signs in residential zoning districts are allowed only with special approval of the commission after notice to nearby property owners.
- Alteration or replacement of nonconforming signs, or moving nonconforming off-premises signs, requires prior approval from the administrator, with applications and findings of fact.
- Message centers require commission findings regarding safety, impact, and compatibility.
- Temporary special events signs may be displayed for limited durations without a permit or fee, subject to frequency and duration limits.
- For new or altered signs in residential areas, written consent from a majority of adjacent property frontages is required prior to permit issuance.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Burley, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Burley+ID&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-burley

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