# Sign Regulations in McCordsville, Indiana

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

- **Jurisdiction:** McCordsville, Indiana (IN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/indiana/mccordsville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

McCordsville, Indiana regulates 23 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the Office Commercial District (CO) zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 36 sq ft, with a Minimum 10 ft from right-of-way setback (Sec. § 154.148(A)(2); Appendix E). Most commercial signs in McCordsville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District (R1, R2, RE, R4, R5), Old Town District (OT) | 6 | 12 ft above grade | 32 sq ft | — |
| Multi-Family Residential District (MF1, MF2) | 3 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Neighborhood Commercial District (CN) | 7 | 10 ft (5-20 acres); 16 ft (20+ acres) | 100 sq ft | — |
| Office Commercial District (CO) | 9 | 10 ft / 16 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Regional Commercial District (CR) | 10 | 10 ft / 16 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Industrial District (I1, I2) | 10 | 10 ft / 16 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Public/Semi-Public District (P) | 5 | 6 ft | 50% of permitted sign area | — |
| Town Center District (TC) | 8 | 10 ft / 16 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### Office Commercial District (CO)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | Façade of structure facing public street | — | § 154.148(A)(3); Appendix E |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft | 36 sq ft | — | Minimum 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 per frontage, max 2 per lot | Max 1 per roadway frontage | — | § 154.148(A)(2); Appendix E |
| Awning Sign | — | Counts toward wall sign area | — | — | Counts towards wall sign total | On awnings on façade | — | § 154.148(A)(4) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business/building | Projecting from building | — | § 154.148(A)(5) |
| Window Sign | — | 10% of window area, letters max 3 in | — | — | — | On window | — | § 154.142(F); Appendix E |
| Unified Center Sign | 10 ft / 16 ft | 100 sq ft (5-20 acres); 150 sq ft (20+ acres) | — | — | 1 per center | Ground-mounted, monument style | — | § 154.148(A)(1); Appendix E |
| Changeable Copy Sign | — | 50% of aggregate sign area | — | — | — | Component of permitted sign | — | § 154.148(A)(6); Appendix E |
| Fuel Station LED Price Sign | — | 2 sq ft per side, per dispenser | — | — | Max 2 sq ft per side per dispenser | On fuel dispenser | — | § 154.148(A)(8); Appendix E |

### Regional Commercial District (CR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | Façade of structure facing public street | — | § 154.148(A)(3); Appendix E |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft | 36 sq ft | — | Min 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 per frontage, max 2 per lot | Max 1 per public roadway frontage; min 10 ft from ROW | — | § 154.148(A)(2); Appendix E |
| Awning Sign | — | Counts toward wall sign area | — | — | Counts towards wall sign total | On awnings on façade | — | § 154.148(A)(4) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business/building | On building, projecting outward | — | § 154.148(A)(5) |
| Window Sign | — | 10% of window area, letters max 3 in | — | — | — | On window | — | § 154.142(F); Appendix E |
| Unified Center Sign | 10 ft / 16 ft | 100 sq ft (5-20 acres); 150 sq ft (20+ acres) | — | — | 1 per center | Ground-mounted monument sign | — | § 154.148(A)(1); Appendix E |
| Changeable Copy Sign | — | 50% of aggregate permitted sign area | — | — | — | Component of sign | — | § 154.148(A)(6); Appendix E |
| Fuel Station LED Price Sign | — | 2 sq ft per side, per dispenser | — | — | Max 2 sq ft per side per dispenser | On dispenser | — | § 154.148(A)(8); Appendix E |

### Industrial District (I1, I2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | Façade of structure facing public street | — | § 154.148(A)(3); Appendix E |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft | 36 sq ft | — | Min 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 per frontage, max 2 per lot | Max 1 per public roadway frontage | — | § 154.148(A)(2); Appendix E |
| Awning Sign | — | Counts toward wall sign total | — | — | Counts towards wall sign total | On awnings on façade | — | § 154.148(A)(4) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business/building | On building | — | § 154.148(A)(5) |
| Window Sign | — | 10% of window area, max 3 in letters | — | — | — | On window | — | § 154.142(F); Appendix E |
| Unified Center Sign | 10 ft / 16 ft | 100 sq ft (5-20 ac); 150 sq ft (20+ ac) | — | — | 1 per center | Ground-mounted, monument style sign | — | § 154.148(A)(1); Appendix E |
| Changeable Copy Sign | — | 50% of aggregate sign area | — | — | — | Component of allowable sign | — | § 154.148(A)(6); Appendix E |
| Fuel Station LED Price Sign | — | 2 sq ft per side per dispenser | — | — | Max 2 sq ft per side per dispenser | On fuel dispenser | — | § 154.148(A)(8); Appendix E |

## Prohibited signs in McCordsville

- Individual pole signs or individual free-standing signs are prohibited.
- Portable signs, including those involving any element of human movement, are prohibited unless expressly permitted.
- Animated signs that utilize flashing lights, motion picture, laser, or visual projection of images or copy in conjunction with any business or advertisement are prohibited.
- Signs that emit audible sound, odor, or visible matter are prohibited.
- Signs that purport to be, are an imitation of, or resemble an official traffic sign or signal or which bear the words 'Stop', 'Slow', 'Caution', 'Danger', 'Warning', or similar words are prohibited.
- Signs that may be construed as a light of an emergency or road equipment vehicle are prohibited.
- Signs that hide any traffic or roadway sign, signal, or device from view, or that interfere with the sight visibility standards as defined by this chapter, are prohibited.
- Signs that are located in any planned right-of-way, including those posted on utility poles or street signs, are prohibited unless otherwise expressly permitted. Only projecting signs specifically permitted and approved by the Town Council may encroach on public rights-of-way if otherwise lawful.
- Signs that obstruct any door, fire escape, stairway, or any opening intended for entrance or exit for any structure are prohibited.
- Signs placed on vehicles or trailers parked on public or private property primarily for the purpose of displaying the sign are prohibited (excluding vehicles for deliveries or sales/service calls, and vehicles customarily used for transport when parked at a residence during non-business hours).
- Posters, placards, and other similar signs attached to light poles, gas station canopy supports, trees, and elsewhere outdoors that are not included as permitted temporary or permanent signs are prohibited.
- Permanent roof-mounted signs or signs mounted to a wall and extending higher than the wall of the structure are prohibited.
- Inflatable signs are prohibited.
- People signs (signs held by people, not attached to a building or ground, within the right-of-way) are prohibited.
- Properties without a primary structure shall not be permitted a permanent sign.
- It is unlawful to erect, construct, enlarge, move or convert any sign without first obtaining a sign permit as required, except where exempted.
- All signs and their components must be kept in good repair and in a safe, neat, clean, attractive, and structurally sound condition.
- Any sign structure must be removed by the property owner if the property is unused for six months or longer; a sign face is considered abandoned if the use it relates to is not in operation for at least 30 days.
- No sign may have direct or reflected light that creates a traffic hazard or spills onto adjacent properties (with specific foot-candle limits at property lines).
- No sign may compete with or obstruct the visibility of the signage of an adjacent property that is in compliance with the chapter.

## Signs exempt from permit in McCordsville

- Minor permanent wall signs made of stone, concrete, bronze, precious metals, brick, or similar material, integral to the structure, with size limits per zoning district and one per frontage per building.
- Minor ground signs, permanent in manner, in commercial, industrial, and Town Center zoning districts, subject to area, height, illumination, and setback limits, with a maximum of three per property.
- Public signs erected by or on the order of public officials in performance of public duty (e.g., safety, no trespassing, traffic signs; memorial plaques; historical interest; directional signs to public facilities), with Administrative Officer approval.
- Utility marker signs necessary to mark cables and lines for public and private utilities unless deemed hazardous.
- Emergency signs used/authorized by relevant departments or required by law at places of employment.
- Window signs not exceeding 10% of the window area and with individual letters no greater than three inches in size.
- Yard signs (lightweight, non-durable, short-term), subject to area, height, placement, frequency, and display time limits, not illuminated, and not placed within right-of-way or private street. Additional for-sale/lease sign allowed on certain residential properties.
- Supplementary wall signs in residential and Old Town districts, attached to the primary structure, size and display time limited, and not illuminated.
- Private directional traffic signs and pavement markings in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
- Permanent pond safety signs for all newly constructed ponds with specific size, material, placement, and content requirements, installed/maintained by developer or association.
- A-frame signs (one per occupied tenant space in commercial, industrial, or Town Center zones, with size, height, display hours, and setback restrictions, not to be displayed with other temporary signage).
- Specific ground sign exemption as referenced in § 154.145(A)(3).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Anyone wishing to vary from the sign standards is required to obtain a development standards variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
- Subdivision entrance signs, landscaping, and decorative walls must be shown on development plans, site plans, and subdivision plats.
- Projecting signs encroaching on public rights-of-way must be specified as permitted and approved by the Town Council.
- A permit is required to erect, construct, enlarge, move, or convert any sign unless specifically exempted.
- Temporary signs (except certain exempt categories) require a permit for each use; extensions may require administrative or BZA approval.
- Any further extension of temporary sign permits, beyond administrative extension, requires approval of the Board of Zoning Appeals.
- A master sign plan is implicitly required for unified developments (e.g., unified development signs for sites 5 acres or larger), as all signage for the development must be as prescribed and as part of an overall approved plan.
- Subdivision entry signs and features must be included in submitted development/site/subdivision plans for approval.

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

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