# Sign Regulations in Meridian, Idaho

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Meridian, Idaho (ID)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/idaho/meridian
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/ID/Meridian/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT11UNDECO_CH1GERE_ARTBNOPRUSSTSI)

## At a glance

Meridian, Idaho regulates 19 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Subdivision Identification Signs in the Residential District (R-2, R-4, R-8, R-15, R-40, TN-R) zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 50 sq ft, with a Minimum 1 ft from street property line, 5 ft from rear/interior side. setback (Sec. 11-3D-5.B). Most commercial signs in Meridian require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | Must not project more than 2 inches from original vehicle body; interior sign max 2 sq ft exempt. | — |
| Residential District (R-2, R-4, R-8, R-15, R-40, TN-R) | 8 | 10 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| Limited Office District (L-O) | 8 | 12 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Neighborhood Business District (C-N), Community Business District (C-C), Mixed Employment District (M-E) | 8 | 15 ft (20 ft for >750 ft street frontage) | 100 sq ft (C-G, H-E see their respective sections) | — |
| General Retail and Service Commercial District (C-G), High Density Employment District (H-E) | 8 | 20 ft (35 ft if >750 ft frontage) | 200 sq ft | — |
| Traditional Neighborhood District (O-T, TN-C) | 8 | No sign above wall/canopy height (18 ft/roofline for projecting) | 80 sq ft | — |
| Industrial District (I-L, I-H) | 8 | 15 ft (standard; up to 20 ft for accessory use); up to 25 ft if >750 ft street frontage. | 150 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Residential District (R-2, R-4, R-8, R-15, R-40, TN-R)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Subdivision Identification Sign | 6 ft | 50 sq ft | — | Minimum 1 ft from street property line, 5 ft from rear/interior side. | Up to 2 per street entrance | At each street entrance to the development or subdivision. | — | 11-3D-5.B |
| Marketing Sign (Single-family/3 or less units) | 6 ft | 16 sq ft on common area lots abutting collector/arterial; 6 sq ft otherwise | — | See 11-3D-8A3 | Up to 3 per property abutting collector/arterial; 1 otherwise | On marketed residential property | — | 11-3D-6.B |
| Marketing Sign (Multifamily and Allowed Nonresidential) | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — | See 11-3D-8A3 | See General | On marketed residential property | — | 11-3D-6.C |
| Construction Sign | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | See 11-3D-8A3 | 3 per property | On construction site, residential | — | 11-3D-7.B |
| Business Identification Sign (Dwelling & Accessory Uses Only) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On property | — | 11-3D-8.B.1 |
| Business Identification Sign (Multifamily and Allowed Nonresidential Uses) | — | — | — | — | Per type below | On property | — | 11-3D-8.C |
| Wall Sign (Business Identification, Multifamily and Allowed Nonresidential) | No wall sign above the wall face | 10% of facade area | — | — | — | Over main public entrance (not above another tenant's entrance) | — | 11-3D-8C.1/11-3D-8A18 |
| Freestanding Sign (Business Identification, Multifamily and Allowed Nonresidential) | 8 ft (15 ft height, 80 sq ft area for >750 ft frontage, 1 per 750 ft frontage, in lieu of base standard) | 50 sq ft | — | At least 1 ft from street property line and 12.5 ft from rear or interior side. | 1 normal, 1 per 750 ft street frontage with increased size. | On property; must be set within a landscaped area (at least equal to sign background area) | — | 11-3D-8C.4 |

### Limited Office District (L-O)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Subdivision Identification Sign | District's maximum building height | 100 sq ft | — | At least 1 ft from street, 5 ft from rear or interior side. | 1 per street entrance | At each street entrance. | — | 11-3D-5.C.1/3 |
| Marketing Sign | 12 ft | 32 sq ft | — | See 11-3D-8A3 | — | On property | — | 11-3D-6.D |
| Construction Sign | 12 ft | 32 sq ft | — | See 11-3D-8A3 | 3 | On construction site | — | 11-3D-7.C |
| Business Identification Sign (General) | — | — | — | — | — | See sign type | — | 11-3D-8.D |
| Building Sign (Wall, Awning, Canopy, Hanging, Window, Projecting, Changeable copy) | No building sign above height of wall/canopy/awning. | 10% of facade area (all building signs) | — | — | Per facade | On/over tenant's main public entrance | — | 11-3D-8.D.1 & A (various) |
| Banner | — | 5 sq ft background area per sign | — | — | — | Attached to freestanding structure (e.g., parking light pole) | — | 11-3D-8.D.2 & A9 |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft | 4 sq ft | — | At least 1 ft from street, 12.5 ft from side/rear. | — | As allowed; must have automobile movement on site (associated with drive-through). | — | 11-3D-8.D.3 & A13 |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 50 sq ft (80 sq ft, 15 ft height if >750 ft frontage, 1 per 750 ft) | — | At least 1 ft from street, 12.5 ft from rear/interior. | 1 per 150 ft frontage (one allowed if <150 ft); 1 per 750 ft if extra size | On property within landscaped area >= sign area; not on vacant prop. | — | 11-3D-8.D.4 & A14 |

### Neighborhood Business District (C-N), Community Business District (C-C), Mixed Employment District (M-E)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Subdivision Identification Sign | District's maximum building height | 100 sq ft (C-G, H-E see their respective sections) | — | At least 1 ft from street, 5 ft from rear or interior side. | 1 per entrance | At each street entrance. | — | 11-3D-5.C/D |
| Marketing Sign | 12 ft | 32 sq ft | — | See 11-3D-8A3 | — | On property | — | 11-3D-6.D |
| Construction Sign | 12 ft | 32 sq ft | — | See 11-3D-8A3 | 3 | On site under construction | — | 11-3D-7.C |
| Business Identification Sign (General) | — | — | — | — | — | See below | — | 11-3D-8.E |
| Building Sign (Wall, Awning, Canopy, Hanging, Window, Projecting, Changeable copy) | No sign above wall/canopy/awning height | 10% of facade per facade (building signs) | — | — | Per facade | On main public entrance (tenant); see respective entry for specifics. | — | 11-3D-8.E.1/A (various) |
| Banner | — | 5 sq ft | — | — | — | Attached to freestanding structure, e.g., parking light pole, with freestanding sign permit | — | 11-3D-8.E.2/A9 |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft | 4 sq ft | — | At least 1 ft from street/12.5 ft from rear/side | — | On site with drive-through (vehicle movement). | — | 11-3D-8.E.3/A13 |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 ft (20 ft for >750 ft street frontage) | 70 sq ft (150 sq ft, 20 ft height if >750 ft street frontage; 1 per 750 ft in lieu of base) | — | 1 ft from street, 12.5 ft from rear/interior side. | 1 per 150 ft frontage (min 1/property), or per 750 ft if larger sign utilized. | On property, wholly within landscaped area >= sign's background area | — | 11-3D-8.E.4/A14 |

## Prohibited signs in Meridian

- Any sign not specifically allowed by this article as determined by the Director is prohibited.
- Any private signs on publicly owned property, including the public right-of-way, except as otherwise specifically permitted, in writing, by the authorized public agency, are prohibited.
- Any signs which because of color, wording, design, size, movement, location or illumination resemble or conflict with any traffic control device or with the safe and efficient flow of traffic are prohibited.
- Any sign displaying red, blue or blinking intermittent light likely to be mistaken for a warning or danger signal is prohibited.
- Any signs that emit any sound, odor or visible matter are prohibited.
- Any abandoned nonconforming signs are prohibited.
- Any benches with commercially available space for advertising, except that the transportation authority may place such benches at a designated bus stop, are prohibited.
- Any sign that includes strobing, revolving or flashing lights is prohibited.
- Any sign using a prohibited light source as set forth in Section 11-3A-11 is prohibited.
- Any signs within the clear vision triangle as set forth in Section 11-3A-3 are prohibited.
- Any signs advertising illegal activity are prohibited.
- Any signs that block the visibility of any other sign due to their location, size, and/or height within a fifty-foot radius are prohibited.
- Any roof signs are prohibited.
- Any sign within any stream or drainage canal or within a floodway is prohibited.
- Any sign not maintained in a safe condition is prohibited.
- Any sign advertising an establishment that sells a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia is prohibited.
- No signs taller than three (3) feet are permitted in the clear vision triangle, except for street/stop signs approved by the transportation authority.

## Signs exempt from permit in Meridian

- Public hearing notice signs as required by subsection 11-5A-6D.
- Conventional flags, emblems, or insignia of any national or political subdivision or corporation.
- Governmental signs for the control of traffic or other regulatory purposes, or signs of public service companies indicating danger, that are erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of public duty.
- Any sign erected by or under the authority of the City of Meridian for direction to places of general interest including, but not limited to, colleges, auditoriums, fairgrounds, hospitals, airports, parks, and playgrounds.
- Signs located within the interior of any business that are more than twelve (12) inches away from the window and that are not attached to the window glass.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection that are cut into masonry surface or inlaid so as to be part of the building.
- Public signs required or specifically authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance, that may be of any type, number, area, height above grade, location, illumination or animation as required by the law, statute or ordinance under which the signs are erected.
- Historical signs or markers.
- "No Trespassing" or "No Dumping" signs that do not exceed one and one-half (1.5) square feet in area per sign and that are located such that they do not exceed one (1) per one hundred (100) feet of the perimeter of the property. Special permission may be obtained from the director for additional signs where hazardous or public nuisance conditions exist.
- Signs related to temporary uses regulated by the provisions of title 3, chapter 4 of this code, shall not require a sign permit under the provisions of this title, but shall comply with any and all applicable provisions of title 3, chapter 4 of this Code.
- Any sign which is oriented only to the property which it is located and is not visible from the public right-of-way.
- Murals and artistic graphics, as defined, are not regulated by this Code.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Except as otherwise provided in this article, it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, construct, enlarge, move or convert any sign in the city, or cause the same to be done, without a sign permit.
- An application and fees shall be submitted to the director on forms provided by the Planning Department.
- The Director shall apply the standards listed in this article to review the sign permit request.
- No sign permit shall be issued for any property and/or business that has an outstanding notice of violation.
- The city's design guidelines shall apply in the evaluation of sign permit applications to ensure that signs meet or exceed the intent of the design guidelines.
- For projects requiring a sign permit approval, the applicant shall submit a sign permit application.
- A permit is required for most sign types, including but not limited to subdivision identification signs (11-3D-5A6), awning signs, canopy signs, changeable copy signs (unless exempted such as window signs), directional signs, freestanding signs, hanging signs, portable signs, projecting signs, wall signs.
- No sign permit for a freestanding sign shall be issued for any property and/or business without an existing structure or valid building permit for an allowed use within the applicable district. Freestanding business identification signs are prohibited on vacant property.
- Signs of limited duration require a limited duration sign permit prior to posting (unless handheld, which are exempt).
- Sign plan or permit not required for signs specifically exempted by 11-3D-2F (see general_exemptions).
- A sign plan is not referenced as a standalone document (such as a "master sign plan") in the sections provided, but compliance with the sign permit process is mandatory for most non-exempt signs.

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

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