# Sign Regulations in Johnston, Iowa

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Johnston, Iowa (IA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/iowa/johnston
- **Data last verified:** 2025-02-20
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/johnston-ia/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=5441&keywords=wall%27s%2Cwalled%2Cwalling%2Cwalls%2Cwalls%27%2Cwall%2Csign%27s%2Csigned%2Csigning%2Csigns%2Csigns%27%2Csign#secid-5435)

## At a glance

Johnston, Iowa regulates 10 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Non-Residential Zoning Districts (A-R, CD, C-1, C-2, C-3, E-1, E-2, M-1, M-2, MU-1, MU-2) zoning district are capped at 10 feet tall and 80 square feet, with a Minimum front yard setback of 15 feet from the right-of-way line, and a setback of 10 feet from all other property lines setback (Sec. Section 187.05.3.A). Most commercial signs in Johnston require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zoning Districts (RE, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5) | 8 | 10 feet | 40 square feet | Yes |
| Non-Residential Zoning Districts (A-R, CD, C-1, C-2, C-3, E-1, E-2, M-1, M-2, MU-1, MU-2) | 8 | 10 feet | 80 square feet | Yes |
| C-3 | 10 | 65 feet | 150 square feet | Yes |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential Zoning Districts (RE, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 10 feet | 40 square feet | — | Minimum front yard setback of 15 feet from the right-of-way line, and a side yard setback of 10 feet from the property line | — | Minimum front yard setback of 15 feet from the right-of-way line, and a side yard setback of 10 feet from the property line | Yes | Section 187.05.1.D |
| Wall Sign | — | 5% of the total square footage of any wall area or 30 square feet, whichever is less | — | — | — | Principal building facing street frontage | Yes | Section 187.06.2.A |
| Marquee/Awning/Canopy Sign | — | Part of the maximum building sign area | — | — | — | On marquee, awning, or canopy | Yes | Section 187.06.1.A |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of the surface area of any individual ground floor window | — | — | — | On windows | Yes | Section 187.06.2.D |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | Yes | Section 187.06.1.A |
| Temporary Building Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setbacks: 1 foot from any property line, 2 feet from the back of sidewalk or trail | — | Affixed to a principal structure or fence | Yes | Section 187.07.2 |
| Temporary Ground Sign | 5 feet | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setbacks: 1 foot from any property line, 2 feet from the back of sidewalk or trail | — | Ground-mounted | Yes | Section 187.07.2 |
| Temporary Window Sign | — | 32 square feet or 25% of the building’s window square footage, whichever is less | — | — | — | In a window | Yes | Section 187.07.2 |

### Non-Residential Zoning Districts (A-R, CD, C-1, C-2, C-3, E-1, E-2, M-1, M-2, MU-1, MU-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 10 feet | 80 square feet | — | Minimum front yard setback of 15 feet from the right-of-way line, and a setback of 10 feet from all other property lines | One monument sign per street frontage; additional sign for every 300 feet of street frontage exceeding 600 feet | Minimum front yard setback of 15 feet from the right-of-way line, and a setback of 10 feet from all other property lines | Yes | Section 187.05.3.A |
| Wall Sign | — | 5% of the total square footage of any wall area | — | — | — | Principal building facing street frontage | Yes | Section 187.06.3.B |
| Marquee/Awning/Canopy Sign | — | Part of the maximum building sign area | — | — | — | On marquee, awning, or canopy | Yes | Section 187.06.1.A |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of the surface area of any individual ground floor window | — | — | — | On windows | Yes | Section 187.06.3.D |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | Yes | Section 187.06.1.A |
| Temporary Building Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setbacks: 1 foot from any property line, 2 feet from the back of sidewalk or trail | — | Affixed to a principal structure or fence | Yes | Section 187.07.2 |
| Temporary Ground Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setbacks: 1 foot from any property line, 2 feet from the back of sidewalk or trail | — | Ground-mounted | Yes | Section 187.07.2 |
| Temporary Window Sign | — | 32 square feet or 25% of the building’s window square footage, whichever is less | — | — | — | In a window | Yes | Section 187.07.2 |

### C-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 10 feet | 80 square feet | — | Minimum front yard setback of 15 feet from the right-of-way line, and a setback of 10 feet from all other property lines | One monument sign per street frontage; additional sign for every 300 feet of street frontage exceeding 600 feet | Minimum front yard setback of 15 feet from the right-of-way line, and a setback of 10 feet from all other property lines | Yes | Section 187.05.3.A |
| Interstate Oriented Monument Sign | 65 feet | 150 square feet | — | Minimum setback of 50 feet from all property lines | One interstate oriented monument sign per lot | Within 1,000 feet of the centerline of Interstate 35/80 right-of-way | Yes | Section 187.05.3.B |
| Highway Oriented Monument Sign | 30 feet | 100 square feet | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet from all property lines | One highway oriented monument sign per lot | Direct frontage onto State Highway 141 | Yes | Section 187.05.3.C |
| Wall Sign | — | 5% of the total square footage of any wall area | — | — | — | Principal building facing street frontage | Yes | Section 187.06.3.B |
| Marquee/Awning/Canopy Sign | — | Part of the maximum building sign area | — | — | — | On marquee, awning, or canopy | Yes | Section 187.06.1.A |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of the surface area of any individual ground floor window | — | — | — | On windows | Yes | Section 187.06.3.D |
| Temporary Building Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setbacks: 1 foot from any property line, 2 feet from the back of sidewalk or trail | — | Affixed to a principal structure or fence | Yes | Section 187.07.2 |
| Temporary Ground Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setbacks: 1 foot from any property line, 2 feet from the back of sidewalk or trail | — | Ground-mounted | Yes | Section 187.07.2 |

## Prohibited signs in Johnston

- No sign shall be allowed except as permitted by this Chapter.
- No sign shall be located so that the safety of a moving vehicle or pedestrian will be impaired by obscuring a driver’s or pedestrian’s vision.
- No amplified sound, animation, dynamic elements, or attachments, including, but not limited to, balloons, inflatables, ribbons, streamers, pennants, or speakers, shall be allowed.
- Hazardous signs, including those that are structurally unsafe, constitute a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation or abandonment, are not kept in good repair, or are capable of causing electrical shocks.
- Signs that constitute a traffic hazard, such as those obstructing free and clear vision at intersections or confusing traffic signals.
- Signs that constitute an obstruction to free ingress or egress through any door, window, or fire escape.
- Signs that display obscene, indecent, or immoral matter.
- Signs on or over public right-of-way without City approval.
- Prohibited attachment to a standpipe or fire extinguisher.
- Signs with visible moving parts or mechanical movement.
- Signs with moving, flashing, pulsating, or high-intensity lights.
- Temporary signs except those specifically allowed by this Chapter.
- Off-premise signs except those permitted in Section 187.05.
- Pole signs.
- Roof signs.
- Vehicle signs.
- Unlawful signs installed, erected, or maintained in violation of this Chapter.

## Signs exempt from permit in Johnston

- Signs affixed to a building wall that do not exceed one (1) square foot in area, provided there are not more than three (3) such signs located on any building wall.
- Signs located within the confines of a building, except those defined as window signs.
- Bulletin boards not over eight (8) square feet in area.
- Traffic or other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, danger, and such temporary emergency or non-commercial signs as may be installed or approved by the City.
- Property address information visible from the street for public safety purposes.
- Temporary signs which meet the regulations contained within this Chapter.
- Flags or flagpoles which meet the regulations contained within this Chapter.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Johnston, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Johnston+IA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-johnston

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