# Sign Regulations in Lafayette, Indiana

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lafayette, Indiana (IN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/indiana/lafayette
- **Data last verified:** 2024-12-12
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.lafayette.in.gov/3469/GIS-Zoning-Maps)

## At a glance

Lafayette, Indiana regulates 11 sign types across 13 zoning districts. Home Occupation (freestanding)s in the R1s zoning district are capped at 5 ft. tall, 6 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 9 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 15 sq.ft. (45-55 mph), and Not specified wide (Sec. 4-8-4, 4-8-6). Most commercial signs in Lafayette require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (13 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R1s | 7 | 5 ft. | 6 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 9 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 15 sq.ft. (45-55 mph) | Yes |
| R2s | 6 | 5 ft. | 20 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 30 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 50 sq.ft. (45-55 mph) | Yes |
| R3s | 5 | 12 ft. | 20 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 30 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 50 sq.ft. (45-55 mph) | Yes |
| R4W | 5 | 12 ft. | 30 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 45 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), Not applicable (45-55 mph), Not applicable (56+ mph) | Yes |
| Rural | 8 | 24 ft. | 40 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 60 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 100 sq.ft. (45-55 mph), 160 sq.ft. (56+ mph) | Yes |
| MR, OR, NB | 3 | 18 ft. | 40 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 60 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 100 sq.ft. (45-55 mph), 160 sq.ft. (56+ mph) | Yes |
| MRU, NBU | 3 | 18 ft. | 30 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 45 sq.ft. (31-44 mph) | Yes |
| GB | 4 | 24 ft. | 40 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 60 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 100 sq.ft. (45-55 mph), 160 sq.ft. (56+ mph) | Yes |
| HB | 3 | 36 ft. | 40 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 60 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 100 sq.ft. (45-55 mph), 160 sq.ft. (56+ mph) | Yes |
| CB | 3 | 12 ft. | 40 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 60 sq.ft. (31-44 mph) | Yes |
| CBW | 2 | See 4-8-6 | Calculated (see 4-8-7-b) | Yes |
| I1, I2, I3 | 4 | 50 ft. | 300 sq. ft. per face | Yes |
| A, AA, AW, FP | 5 | 24 ft. | 40 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 60 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 100 sq.ft. (45-55 mph), 160 sq.ft. (56+ mph) | Yes |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 13 zones)

### R1s

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation (freestanding) | 5 ft. | 6 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 9 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 15 sq.ft. (45-55 mph) | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4, 4-8-6 |
| Freestanding | 5 ft. | 6 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 9 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 15 sq.ft. (45-55 mph) | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | Yes | 4-8-4, 4-8-6 |
| Building Marker | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Home Occupation (building) | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Incidental | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Event Oriented | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not within the right-of-way of any public street, or in the vision triangle formed by the intersection of streets, alleys or driveways. | Yes | 4-8-4, 4-8-9 |
| Gateway | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | Yes | 4-8-4 |

### R2s

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation (freestanding) | 5 ft. | 20 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 30 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 50 sq.ft. (45-55 mph) | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4, 4-8-6 |
| Freestanding | 5 ft. | 20 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 30 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 50 sq.ft. (45-55 mph) | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | Yes | 4-8-4, 4-8-6 |
| Building Marker | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Home Occupation (building) | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Incidental | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Event Oriented | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not within the right-of-way of any public street, or in the vision triangle formed by the intersection of streets, alleys or driveways. | Yes | 4-8-4, 4-8-9 |

### Rural

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Marker | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Incidental | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Home Occupation (building) | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4 |
| Integrated Center Incidental | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | Yes | 4-8-4, 4-8-7 |
| Rural Outdoor | 5 ft. | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | On property zoned A, AA, or AW. | Yes | 4-8-4, 4-8-12 |
| Home Occupation (freestanding) | 24 ft. | 40 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 60 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 100 sq.ft. (45-55 mph), 160 sq.ft. (56+ mph) | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | No | 4-8-4, 4-8-6 |
| Freestanding | 24 ft. | 40 sq.ft. (up to 30 mph), 60 sq.ft. (31-44 mph), 100 sq.ft. (45-55 mph), 160 sq.ft. (56+ mph) | Not specified | — | — | Not specified | Yes | 4-8-4, 4-8-6 |
| Event Oriented | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | — | Not within the right-of-way of any public street, or in the vision triangle formed by the intersection of streets, alleys or driveways. | Yes | 4-8-4, 4-8-9 |

## Prohibited signs in Lafayette

- Signs on utility poles not permitted under 4-8-16
- Signs prohibited by state law or regulation
- All signs not expressly permitted under this ordinance nor exempted under 4-8-16 are prohibited

## Signs exempt from permit in Lafayette

- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state or local law, regulation, or ordinance
- Any sign inside a building
- Strings of lights with no commercial message
- Traffic control signs on private property, such as STOP, YIELD, and similar signs, the face of which meet the standards of the Indiana Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and which contain no commercial message of any sort

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

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