# Sign Regulations in Bremen, Indiana

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

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

## At a glance

Bremen, Indiana regulates 36 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Subdivision Entrance Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 3 ft tall and 30 sq ft (Sec. §153.06(D)). Most commercial signs in Bremen require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AG–Agricultural District, GU–Government Use District | 7 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| R–12 Residential District, R–8 Residential District, R–6 Residential District, MF Residential District, Residential sections of PUD developments | 5 | — | 100 sq ft | — |
| DD–Downtown Business District | 3 | — | 64 sq ft | — |
| WBD–West Business District, GB–General Business District, IP–Industrial Park District, GI–General Business District | 7 | — | ≤ 40% of the portion of the facade that is 10 ft above grade | — |
| HPO–Historic Preservation District | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 14 | 35 ft (max 85 ft above highway grade with Board of Appeals variance if obstruction) | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### R–12 Residential District, R–8 Residential District, R–6 Residential District, MF Residential District, Residential sections of PUD developments

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All signs permitted in AG–Agricultural District and GU–Government Use District | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §153.13(B)(1) |
| Development Sign (Construction Site) | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | — | On construction site | — | §153.13(B)(2) |
| Identification Sign (Real Estate Development - Single Sign) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | At principal entrance(s) | — | §153.13(B)(3) |
| Identification Sign (Real Estate Development - Dual Signs) | — | 16 sq ft each | — | — | 2 | At each principal entrance | — | §153.13(B)(3) |
| Institutional Bulletin | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §153.13(B)(4) |

### WBD–West Business District, GB–General Business District, IP–Industrial Park District, GI–General Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All signs permitted in AG–Agricultural District, GU–Government Use District, R–12, R–8, R–6, MF Residential District, and Residential sections of PUD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §153.13(D)(1) |
| Double Face On-Premises Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On premises | — | §153.13(D)(2) |
| Single Face On-Premises Sign | — | ≤ 40% of the portion of the facade that is 10 ft above grade | — | — | — | Building facade, 10 feet above grade | — | §153.13(D)(3) |
| Identification Sign (Planned Shopping Center/Industrial Park - First 200 ft Frontage) | — | — | — | — | 1 for first 200 ft | One freestanding sign for first 200 ft | — | §153.13(D)(4) |
| Identification Sign (Planned Shopping Center/Industrial Park - Additional) | — | — | — | — | 1 per additional 300 ft | One additional freestanding sign for every 300 ft additional frontage | — | §153.13(D)(4) |
| Freestanding Sign (Aggregate) | — | — | — | — | — | Freestanding | — | §153.13(D)(5) |
| Revolving Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §153.12 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign | 3 ft | 30 sq ft | — | — | One per entrance side | At subdivision entrance, integral to entrance or building complex | — | §153.06(D) |
| For Sale/For Rent Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | ≥10 ft from adjacent zoning lots | 1 per lot | On lot for sale or rent | — | §153.06(E) |
| Freestanding Sign (0-50 ft lot width) | 25 ft | — | — | ≥10 ft from right-of-way (≥5 ft with variance); no extension into right-of-way | — | ≥10 ft from right-of-way line (exception: ≥5 ft with variance for obstructions) | — | §153.07(A)-(C) |
| Freestanding Sign (≥51 ft lot width or limited access highways) | 35 ft (max 85 ft above highway grade with Board of Appeals variance if obstruction) | — | — | ≥10 ft from right-of-way or ≥50 ft from limited access highway right-of-way | — | ≥10 ft from right-of-way (≥5 ft with variance) or ≥50 ft from right-of-way along limited access highways | — | §153.07(B)(1)-(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (Directional) | 3 ft | — | — | ≥5 ft from right-of-way | — | ≥5 ft from right-of-way | — | §153.07(B)(3), (C)(3) |
| Marquee or Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | One per entrance | One per building entrance, must not extend beyond outer edge of marquee/canopy | — | §153.08 |
| Projecting Sign | 8 ft above parapet wall of building | — | — | — | See frontage formulas | One per ground floor use (additional for larger frontages); additional regulations apply for corner and street frontage | — | §153.09 |
| Roof-Mounted Sign | 6 ft; not higher than highest point of roof | — | — | — | — | On roof | — | §153.10 |

## Prohibited signs in Bremen

- No sign shall be erected until an improvement location permit is issued by the Building Commissioner.
- Portable and mobile signs shall not be permitted, except under a temporary sign permit.
- Signs which are structurally unsafe, as determined by the Building Commissioner, are prohibited.
- Signs obstructing free ingress or egress from a required exit, or which prevent light or ventilation as required in local codes and ordinances, are prohibited.
- Signs which by reason of size, location, content, coloring or illumination violate municipal and state highway standards are prohibited.
- Signs, words, phrases, symbols, colors or characteristics which may mislead, interfere with or confuse traffic are prohibited.
- Signs erected on or attached to any sidewalk, street or highway right-of-way, curb, curbstone, hydrant, lamppost, tree, barricade, temporary walkway, telephone, telegraph or electric light pole, other utility pole, public fence or on a fixture of the fire alarm or police system, except public information signs, are prohibited.
- Signs which involve revolving or rotating beams of light are prohibited.
- No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic-control device, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official traffic-control device or any sign or signal.
- No person shall place or maintain, nor shall any public authority permit upon any highway, any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising.
- No person shall construct, attach or otherwise display any yard or garage sale sign on any public street or street right-of-way within the limits of the town, nor attach such sign to any stop sign, street sign, telephone or utility pole or other permanent installation of any utilities company.
- No person shall construct, attach or otherwise install any yard or garage sale sign on any private property of any third person without first obtaining the consent of the owner or occupant of the real estate upon which such sign is constructed, attached or installed.
- A person may not drive a motor vehicle with a sign, poster, sunscreening material or other nontransparent material upon the front windshield, side wings or side or rear windows of the vehicle that obstructs the driver’s clear view of the highway or an intersecting highway, except as otherwise exempted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Bremen

- Governmental signs or public right-of-way signs are exempt from sign provisions.
- Public service and governmental signs on private property are allowed if authorized by the Commission.
- Traffic regulatory, warning, direction and information signs are allowed if approved or required by the Commission in business and manufacturing districts and must comply with federal standards.
- Historical markers and tablets may be displayed on private or public property if approved by the Commission.
- This section shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection upon private property adjacent to highways of signs giving useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signs.
- This section does not apply to the display of a decal required by the United States Department of Defense on military vehicles, vehicles owned or used by persons in the service of the armed forces, or vehicles authorized by the military police of the armed forces.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit reference to master sign plan, sign plan, or required variance meeting for a sign plan in the provided text. However, requests for variances (e.g., for freestanding sign setbacks or heights) must be approved by the Board of Appeals as noted in §§ 153.07(B)(2)(b) and 153.07(C)(1).
- Special signs not covered in the ordinance must be considered on an individual basis by the Commission and authorized only upon showing of a special demonstrated need.

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

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