# Sign Regulations in Albany, Indiana

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Albany, Indiana (IN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/indiana/albany
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Albany, Indiana regulates 13 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Wall Signs in the Income Property Districts, Multiple-Family Residence Districts, Neighborhood Commercial Districts, General Commercial Districts, Special Reserve Districts zoning district are capped at No part of any wall sign above 6 ft. over roof or parapet tall and 30 sq. ft. (Sec. § 155.05(D)(2)(b-e), § 155.05(C)(1-2)). Most commercial signs in Albany require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zone Areas | 1 | — | 1 sq. ft. | — |
| Income Property Districts, Multiple-Family Residence Districts, Neighborhood Commercial Districts, General Commercial Districts, Special Reserve Districts | 4 | No part of any wall sign above 6 ft. over roof or parapet | 30 sq. ft. | — |
| Industrial Districts, Industrial Reserve Districts | 3 | Not to extend more than 6 ft above roof line | Total net area 300 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 6 ft. | 800 sq. in. (5.56 sq. ft.) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Income Property Districts, Multiple-Family Residence Districts, Neighborhood Commercial Districts, General Commercial Districts, Special Reserve Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | No part of any wall sign above 6 ft. over roof or parapet | 30 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per legal business | Exterior wall of building; one per legal business | — | § 155.05(D)(2)(b-e), § 155.05(C)(1-2) |
| Freestanding Sign | Not above roof line of building served by the sign | — | — | See table: 5 sq ft or less: 10 ft; >5–14.9 sq ft: 15 ft; 15–49.9 sq ft: 30 ft; 50–99.9 sq ft: 40 ft; 100+ sq ft: 60 ft | 1 per 200 linear feet of frontage (if common extended frontage) | On premises, not within easements or rights-of-way (unless special written permission from Planning Commission) | — | § 155.05(C)(3), § 155.05(C)(6-7), § 155.05(D)(2)(e), § 155.05(C)(8) |
| Rooftop Sign | Shall not extend more than 6 ft above roof line | — | — | — | — | On roof | — | § 155.05(C)(1,4,5) |
| Business Sign | — | 30 sq ft (aggregate per business) | — | — | — | On premises of the business | — | § 155.05(D)(2)(a,b) |

### Industrial Districts, Industrial Reserve Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Signs | — | Total net area 300 sq. ft. | — | — | 2 per user/owner | On premises | — | § 155.05(E), § 155.05(C)(2) |
| Freestanding Sign | No part may be erected to a height greater than the roof line of any building located on site and served by the sign | — | — | 5 sq ft or less: 10 ft; >5–14.9 sq ft: 15 ft; 15–49.9 sq ft: 30 ft; 50–99.9 sq ft: 40 ft; 100+ sq ft: 60 ft | — | On premises; not within easements or rights-of-way (unless special permission from Planning Commission) | — | § 155.05(C)(3), § 155.05(C)(6-7), § 155.05(C)(8) |
| Rooftop Sign | Not to extend more than 6 ft above roof line | — | — | — | — | On roof | — | § 155.05(C)(1,4,5) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (For Sale or For Rent) | — | 800 sq. in. (5.56 sq. ft.) | — | — | — | — | — | § 155.05(F)(1) |
| Construction/Development Sign | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | — | — | § 155.05(F)(2) |
| Temporary Event Sign (Public Interest) | — | 100 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On premises of the event | — | § 155.05(F)(3) |
| Subdivision Sale Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per subdivision | Within recorded subdivision sign easement | — | § 155.05(F)(4) |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign | 6 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per side per major entrance | Each side of major entrance to subdivision | — | § 155.05(F)(6) |
| Political Advertisement Sign | — | 25 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On private property | — | § 155.05(F)(5) |
| Portable Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 155.05(B)(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Albany

- No sign will be permitted without the issuance of a valid permit issued by the Albany Planning Commission.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained at any location where, by reason of its position, wording, illumination, size, shape or color, it may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic control sign, signal or device.
- No sign shall contain or make use of any phrase, symbol, shape, form or character in a manner that interferes with, misleads, or confuses moving traffic.
- Portable signs without a message are prohibited.
- All signs not expressly permitted by this section are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Albany

- Signs not exceeding one square foot in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, and/or names of occupants of premises or home service.
- Flags and insignia of any government.
- Legal notices, identification, or directional signs erected by or by order of local governmental bodies.
- Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property, but bearing no advertising matter, including logos.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign will be permitted without the issuance of a valid permit issued by the Albany Planning Commission.
- Portable signs require notification to the Planning Commission stating location and duration that the sign will be in place.
- No free standing sign shall be erected or maintained on or within any easement or right-of-way, public or private, without special permission in writing from the Albany Planning Commission.
- Albany Planning Commission is responsible for permitting and enforcement.

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

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