# Sign Regulations in Cloverdale, Indiana

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

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

## At a glance

Cloverdale, Indiana regulates 41 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Monument Sign (Individual building site ≤2.5 acres)s in the Office and industrial districts, Office and industrial zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 75 sq ft, with a 0.5 ft per ft height above grade from lot line (§ 156.194 B.3c) setback (Sec. § 156.196 (C)). Most commercial signs in Cloverdale require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 24 | 40 in | 64 sq ft | — |
| Residential districts | 3 | 6 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Historic Central Business District | 9 | 20 ft or top of building, whichever is lower | 130 sq ft | — |
| Office and industrial districts, Office and industrial | 8 | 20 ft or top of building, whichever is lower | 300 sq ft max per sign | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Garage Sale Sign | 40 in | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises of sale | — | § 156.193 (A)(19) |
| Auction Sign | 40 in | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Permitted only between 5pm Friday and 6pm Sunday | — | § 156.193 (A)(20) |
| Construction Sign | 10 ft | 32 sq ft each | — | — | 2 | On site of construction | — | § 156.193 (A)(16) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential Property) | 6 ft | 9 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage | On premises | — | § 156.193 (A)(15)(a) |
| Real Estate Sign (Unimproved Property, 0-10 acres) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage | On subject property | — | § 156.193 (A)(15)(b) |
| Real Estate Sign (Unimproved Property, 11+ acres) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage | On subject property | — | § 156.193 (A)(15)(b) |
| Real Estate Sign (Nonresidential, 0-10 acres) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage | On subject property | — | § 156.193 (A)(15)(c) |
| Real Estate Sign (Nonresidential, 11-20 acres) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage | On subject property | — | § 156.193 (A)(15)(c) |

### Historic Central Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 ft or top of building, whichever is lower | 65 sq ft max per sign | — | — | 1 per building face | One per building face fronting public street or highway | — | § 156.196 (B) |
| Monument Sign (Individual building site) | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (B) |
| Monument Sign (Shopping center/multitenant <2.5 acres) | 8 ft | 80 sq ft | — | — | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (B) |
| Monument Sign (Shopping center/multitenant/single-use >2.5 acres) | 8 ft | 130 sq ft | — | — | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (B) |
| Monument Sign (Lot fronts two streets) | — | — | — | — | 1 per street front | 1 per street front | — | § 156.196 (B) |
| Pole Sign (Individual building site) | 12 ft | 65 sq ft | — | — | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (B) |
| Pole Sign (Shopping center/multitenant <2.5 acres) | 12 ft | 80 sq ft | — | — | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (B) |
| Pole Sign (Shopping center/multitenant/single-use >2.5 acres) | 12 ft | 130 sq ft | — | — | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (B) |

### Office and industrial districts, Office and industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 ft or top of building, whichever is lower | 300 sq ft max per sign | — | — | 1 per building face | One per building face fronting public street or highway | — | § 156.196 (C) |
| Monument Sign (Individual building site ≤2.5 acres) | 6 ft | 75 sq ft | — | 0.5 ft per ft height above grade from lot line (§ 156.194 B.3c) | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (C) |
| Monument Sign (Multi-tenant ≤2.5 acres) | 10 ft | 100 sq ft | — | 0.5 ft per ft height above grade from lot line (§ 156.194 B.3c) | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (C) |
| Monument Sign (Multi-tenant/single use >2.5 acres) | 12 ft | 150 sq ft | — | 0.5 ft per ft height above grade from lot line (§ 156.194 B.3c) | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (C) |
| Monument Sign (Lot fronts two streets) | — | — | — | 0.5 ft per ft height above grade from lot line (§ 156.194 B.3c) | 1 per street front | 1 per street front | — | § 156.196 (C) |
| Pole Sign (Individual building site ≤2.5 acres) | 12 ft | 90 sq ft | — | 0.5 ft per ft height above grade from lot line (§ 156.194 B.3c) | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (C) |
| Pole Sign (Multi-tenant ≤2.5 acres) | 12 ft | 125 sq ft | — | 0.5 ft per ft height above grade from lot line (§ 156.194 B.3c) | 1 | 30 ft separation from any other sign | — | § 156.196 (C) |
| Pole Sign (Lot fronts two streets) | — | — | — | 0.5 ft per ft height above grade from lot line (§ 156.194 B.3c) | 1 per street front | 1 per street front | — | § 156.196 (C) |

## Prohibited signs in Cloverdale

- Commercial billboards, poster boards, and other signs located on vacant lots or displaying information not related to a business or enterprise on the same premises, except as permitted by state or federal regulations.
- Commercial signs not advertising a bona fide business conducted or product sold on the property, except as permitted by state or federal regulations.
- Roof signs, except as authorized elsewhere.
- Signs which move or create the appearance of movement by natural or artificial means, including fluttering, swinging, rotating, oscillating, or flashing/running lights, with exceptions for permitted temporary promotional signs and time/temperature signs.
- Signs imitating traffic signs or incorporating words like 'STOP,' 'DANGER,' 'WARNING,' 'CAUTION,' or 'GO SLOW,' unless part of a business name (exception for parking lot accessory signs).
- Portable or wheeled signs that are permanently converted into signs.
- Signs placed on parked vehicles, boats, or trailers where the apparent purpose is to advertise or direct the public to a business or activity (on or off premises).
- Inflatable images such as balloons, except as specifically authorized.
- Miscellaneous advertising devices, unless they conform to ordinance provisions.
- Signs displaying obscene matter.
- Obsolete signs containing inaccurate or outdated information.
- Pennants, streamers, portable signs, and festoon lights, except as specifically authorized.
- Signs hung across any street, alley, or within a public right-of-way, except as specifically authorized.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained at street intersections to obstruct clear vision for vehicles/pedestrians.
- No sign shall block or restrict ingress/egress from doors, windows, or fire escapes; no signs attached to standpipes or fire escapes.
- No sign may have more than two sign faces.
- No sign painted directly on an exterior wall, fascia, parapet, fence, or chimney, except for certain already-existing maintained signs or as special exceptions in the HCB District.
- No sign may violate any state or federal regulations, and signs may not exceed 35 feet above ground level.
- No person shall place, paste, print, or affix any sign, poster, handbill, or advertisement to any trees, light standards, telephone poles, or other supporting structures in any public right-of-way.
- No sign may project above the roof or parapet edge or exceed 20 feet in height (whichever is lower), except as otherwise permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cloverdale

- Public service signs used for safety relative to the repair or maintenance of streets, sidewalks, or utilities in a public right-of-way.
- Address numbers not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Signs and public notices erected/required by governmental bodies or authorized for a public purpose, including official traffic signs.
- Signs identifying facilities like telephone, restrooms, etc., with no advertising matter.
- Flags of any country, state, or unit of local government; flagpoles limited to 30 feet in residential and 40 feet in nonresidential districts.
- Corporate flags flown with the US flag, not larger than 24 square feet.
- Memorial plaques/cornerstones not exceeding two square feet and permanently affixed.
- Notice/bulletin boards for public, charitable, religious or similar institutions, not exceeding 16 square feet and not visible from public rights-of-way.
- Time and temperature signs (except in the Historic Central Business District), not exceeding 18 square feet.
- Historical identification signs for property designated by government as historical site/landmark, not exceeding 12 square feet.
- Informational matter on vending machines, entry doors, or display windows/doors (e.g., 'Push', 'Pull', hours of operation, credit cards, etc.).
- No trespassing, warning, or similar signs regulating use of property, not exceeding two square feet.
- Private traffic direction signs on premises, not exceeding four square feet in area and four feet high.
- Service station informational signs, subject to specific mounting, area, and placement limitations.
- Real estate signs (sale, lease, rent, open house), subject to area, number, location, and removal timing requirements.
- Construction signs (not more than two per site, up to 32 sq ft per sign), must be removed within 14 days of occupancy permit.
- Temporary window signs in commercial districts (up to two per window, not to exceed 40% of window area, no single sign for more than 14 days).
- Political signs, subject to removal timelines, location, and area restrictions.
- Garage sale signs (up to six days per year, not more than four sq ft, only on the premises).
- Auction signs, only between certain hours, no larger than four sq ft or 40 inches tall.
- Changing the copy of a sign, bulletin board, display encasement, marquee, or maintenance (no structural change), or changing interchangeable letters, does not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required for the erection, construction, alteration, or relocation of any sign unless exempt under § 156.193.
- Every permit application for a monument sign shall be accompanied by a landscape plan (see §156.194(H)).
- Applications for sign permits must be filed with the Zoning Administrator, and must include plans, specifications, sketches, and other specified information.
- Localized alternative sign regulation plans (Master Sign Plan) may be established for commercial shopping centers, office parks, universities, colleges, medical centers, and multi-building campuses, subject to approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals; such plans must be filed and approved per procedure, and, if approved, supersede standard regulations for the area covered.
- If a sign requires electrical wiring, the permit application must also be approved by the Building Inspector.
- Permits become void if work is not completed within one year.
- If a special exception is sought for alternative sign regulations, a detailed plan and adherence are required as part of the Board of Zoning Appeals' approval process.

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

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