# Sign Regulations in Mountain Home, Idaho

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Mountain Home, Idaho (ID)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/idaho/mountain-home
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Mountain Home, Idaho regulates 40 sign types across 7 zoning districts. On Premises Sign: Rent, Lease, Sales in the C-2 Central Business District zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 16 sq. ft. per sign, with a 5 ft setback (Sec. 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart). Most commercial signs in Mountain Home require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, Limited Office (LO/R) | 7 | Wall: No higher than wall; Monument: Up to 8 ft; Pole: 10 ft; Schools/Hospitals: 20 ft | Up to 35 sq. ft. (by conditional use - site plan required) | — |
| C-1 Neighborhood/Commercial | 10 | 20 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| C-2 Central Business District | 14 | 20 ft | Maximum 40 sq. ft. | — |
| C-3 General Commercial District | 11 | 40 ft | 400 sq. ft. | — |
| C-4 Heavy Commercial, I-1 Light Industrial | 11 | 40 ft | 400 sq. ft. | — |
| I-2 Heavy Industrial | 10 | 40 ft | 400 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 20 | — | 50% of window area | — |

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

### C-2 Central Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On Premises Sign: Rent, Lease, Sale | 6 ft | 16 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line or fascia | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Construction Sign | 10 ft | 32 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Projecting Sign | Not to exceed building height | 20 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On wall of building fronting street | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Under Canopy Sign | Suspended below canopy | 4 sq. ft. (12" x 4') | 4 ft | — | 1 per street frontage | 12" below canopy | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Freestanding Pole Sign | 20 ft | Maximum 40 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft | 1 per business | 10 ft behind property line (center of sign) | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | Up to 8 ft | Maximum 20 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | 1 per business | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Directional Business Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | 3 per business | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| PUD/Subdivision Identification Sign (Monument) | Up to 8 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |

### C-3 General Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On Premises Sign: Rent, Lease, Sale | 10 ft | 16 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line or fascia | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Nameplate | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per unit | Fascia | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Construction Sign | 10 ft | 32 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Freestanding Pole Sign | 25 ft | Maximum 60 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft | 1 per business; conditional use for 2 or more | 10 ft behind property line (center of sign) | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | Up to 8 ft | Maximum 20 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | — | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| I-84 Frontage Freestanding Sign | 40 ft | 400 sq. ft. | — | 100 ft | 1 per I-84 frontage | 100 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| PUD/Subdivision Identification Sign (Monument) | Up to 8 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Directional Business Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | 3 per business | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |

### C-4 Heavy Commercial, I-1 Light Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On Premises Sign: Rent, Lease, Sale | 10 ft | 32 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line or fascia | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Nameplate | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per unit | Fascia or wall | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Construction Sign | 10 ft | 64 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Freestanding Pole Sign | 25 ft | Maximum 75 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft | 1 per business; conditional use for 2 or more | 10 ft behind property line (center of sign) | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | Up to 8 ft | Maximum 30 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | — | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| I-84 Frontage Freestanding Sign | 40 ft | 400 sq. ft. | — | 50 ft | 1 per I-84 frontage | 50 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| PUD/Subdivision Identification Sign (Monument) | Up to 8 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |
| Directional Business Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft | 3 per business | 5 ft behind property line | — | 9-13-5 Sign Regulations Use Chart |

## Prohibited signs in Mountain Home

- Signs placed on any street right of way, curb, sidewalk, post, pole, power pole, hydrant, bridge or tree, except official public notices posted by a public officer.
- Signs which, by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed as a traffic control sign, signal, or device, or the light of an emergency or road equipment vehicle; or which obstruct the visibility of any traffic or street sign or signal device.
- Off-premises signs and billboard signs advertising a business which is conducted elsewhere, except as specifically permitted elsewhere in the code.
- Roof signs.
- No sign or sign foundation shall encroach or project beyond the property line except as otherwise provided for in this code.
- Any on-premises sign located on property which becomes vacant and unoccupied for a period of six (6) months or more shall be deemed to have been abandoned and must be removed.
- No signs allowed in the vision triangle, except at a height of less than three feet (3') and greater than twelve feet (12') to the bottom of a sign display surface or sign area. Sign structures above three feet in height having a projected width of greater than one foot shall not be permitted in the vision triangle.
- No sign or sign structure may be maintained in violation of this chapter or of the conditions and limitations of any sign permit.
- Flashing (the same copy flashing on and off repeatedly) is prohibited on animated and message center signs.
- No political sign shall be posted in a public right of way nor posted on a utility pole.
- Portable signs and A-frame signboards must not impair pedestrian or vehicular traffic in the public right of way.
- All unlawful signs not removed after appropriate notice may be subject to removal by the city at the owner’s expense.
- Signs that endanger public safety (e.g., defective, insecure, or hazardous) are declared unlawful and must be removed or repaired.

## Signs exempt from permit in Mountain Home

- Directional or institutional signs which do not in any way advertise a business; signs identifying restrooms, public telephones, walkways, parking lot entrance and exit signs, or similar.
- Governmental signs for the control of traffic or other regulatory purposes, or signs of public service companies indicating danger, erected by or on the order of a public officer.
- Flags or emblems of any nation, organization of nations, state, city, religious, fraternal, or civic organization.
- Merchandise, pictures or models of products or services incorporated in a window display, works of art with no product identification, or scoreboards on athletic fields.
- Holiday decorations and signs of a primarily decorative nature, customary and associated with national, local or religious holidays, not displayed for more than sixty (60) consecutive days or more than sixty (60) days in a year, with clear vision triangle maintained.
- House/addressing numbers (within specified size limits) and mailbox names/addresses.
- Building/addressing numbers for commercial buildings (within specified size limits).
- Interior signs not visible from the public right of way.
- "No Trespassing" or "No Dumping" signs, not to exceed 1.5 square feet per sign, maximum four per lot.
- Memorial signs or tablets, building names and dates inlaid into masonry or as part of the building.
- Occupant signs not exceeding one per dwelling unit indicating name or location or identification of home/professional office (except as limited by zoning).
- Picket signs.
- Plaques or nameplate signs of not more than two square feet, fastened flat to the building.
- Political and campaign signs (not destructive to public property; not on public right of way or utility pole).
- Public notices posted by public officials in the performance of duties.
- Public signs required or specifically authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute, or ordinance.
- Real estate and open house signs (one per lot or parcel, removed within seven days after sale, rental, or lease).
- A-frame signboards in commercial and industrial zones (one per business, within size and location limits, non-obstructing).
- Temporary signs not exceeding six square feet for outdoor temporary sales, grand openings, or events of civic, philanthropic, educational, or religious organizations (posted for no more than 60 days).
- Warning signs informing of danger, containing no advertising, removed upon subsidence of danger.
- Window signs in commercial or industrial districts, provided permanent signs do not exceed 50 percent of the window area.
- Portable signs (on a chassis), one per business, non-obstructing.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All shopping centers and planned unit developments (PUDs) must develop a signage plan as part of their preliminary application, specifying the size, location, shape, structure, and need for signs within the project.
- For animated or message center signs, a sign permit shall not be issued until a site plan and/or final plat has been approved by the city for development of the property and after issuance of a building permit for a building on the property.
- Applications for conditional use permits (for certain sign types such as off-premises, billboard signs, group identification signs, or public/quasi-public use) may require plans and drawings as noted in the Schedule of Signs Permitted.
- Site plan and drawings are required for signs associated with public/church schools and hospitals (per conditional use).

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

---

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