# Sign Regulations in Shawnee, Kansas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Shawnee, Kansas (KS)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/kansas/shawnee
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/KS/Shawnee/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CD_TIT17ZO_CH17.05SICO)

## At a glance

Shawnee, Kansas regulates 17 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Incidental Sign (Perimeter)s in the Agricultural District (AG) zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall and 2 sq ft per face, with a 20 ft min setback (Sec. 17.05.090.B; Table 17.05.090-1). Most commercial signs in Shawnee require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural District (AG) | 11 | 7 ft | 50 sq ft per face | — |
| Residential Low Intensity (RLI) (CE, RE, RS, R-1, PSF, PSF-AR) | 11 | 7 ft | 50 sq ft per face | — |
| Residential High Intensity (RHI) (DU, RGA, RMD, RHR, PUDMR) | 11 | 7 ft | 50 sq ft per face | — |
| Commercial (C) (PO, CN, CH, PUDOC, PUDBP, PUDGU, CH(O)) | 11 | 12 ft | 150 sq ft | — |
| Urban/Commercial (UC) (TSQ, PUDMX) | 14 | 8 ft | 150 sq ft | — |
| Industrial (I) (PI) | 10 | 7 ft (<100k), 15 or 20 ft for larger | 50 sq ft (<100k), up to 100/150/20 for MT per table | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 1-2 Family: 25 ft; Others: 30 ft | 1-2 Family: N/A; Others: 24 sq ft max per flag | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Agricultural District (AG)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 7 ft | 50 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per street frontage, exceptions for multi-tenant as per table | Nonresidential uses only | — | 17.05.060.A; Table 17.05.060-1 |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per frontage/tenant; 1 additional for public entrance facing parking/drive | Nonresidential uses only; Each frontage; 1 per tenant | — | 17.05.070.B; Table 17.05.070-1 |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per frontage/tenant | Nonresidential uses only | — | 17.05.070.C; Table 17.05.070-2 |
| Subdivision Entry Sign | 7 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | 2 per entrance | At entry to subdivision (not commercial entries) | — | 17.05.060.B; Table 17.05.060-2 |
| Incidental Sign (Perimeter) | 4 ft | 2 sq ft per face | — | 20 ft min | 1 per entrance | Within 15 ft of entrance to public street, min 20 ft setback from property line | — | 17.05.090.B; Table 17.05.090-1 |
| Incidental Sign (Interior) | 7 ft | 10 sq ft per face | — | — | 10 per acre | Interior to property, behind setback | — | 17.05.090.B; Table 17.05.090-1 |
| Temporary Sign (Perimeter) | 4 ft | 4 sq ft per face | — | 5 ft min | 1 per plot (perimeter) | Perimeter of plot; min 5 ft setback from property line | — | 17.05.090.C; Table 17.05.090-2 |
| Temporary Sign (Interior) | 7 ft | 20 sq ft per face | — | — | 5 per acre (interior) | Interior location on plot | — | 17.05.090.C; Table 17.05.090-2 |

### Residential Low Intensity (RLI) (CE, RE, RS, R-1, PSF, PSF-AR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 7 ft | 50 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per frontage; see exceptions | Nonresidential uses only | — | 17.05.060.A; Table 17.05.060-1 |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per frontage/tenant; 1 additional for public entrance as allowed | Nonresidential uses only; 1 per tenant per frontage | — | 17.05.070.B; Table 17.05.070-1 |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per frontage/tenant | Nonresidential uses only | — | 17.05.070.C; Table 17.05.070-2 |
| Subdivision Entry Sign | 7 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | 2 per entrance | Entry to subdivision (residential) | — | 17.05.060.B; Table 17.05.060-2 |
| Incidental Sign (Perimeter) | 4 ft | 2 sq ft per face | — | 20 ft min | 1 per entrance | Within 15 ft of entrance to public street | — | 17.05.090.B; Table 17.05.090-1 |
| Incidental Sign (Interior) | 7 ft | 10 sq ft per face | — | — | 10 per acre | Interior to property | — | 17.05.090.B; Table 17.05.090-1 |
| Temporary Sign (Perimeter) | 4 ft | 4 sq ft per face | — | 5 ft min | 1 per plot (perimeter) | Perimeter of plot | — | 17.05.090.C; Table 17.05.090-2 |
| Temporary Sign (Interior) | 7 ft | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | 5 per acre (interior) | Interior to property | — | 17.05.090.C; Table 17.05.090-2 |

### Urban/Commercial (UC) (TSQ, PUDMX)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign - Multi-Tenant Buildings over 100,000 sf | 7 ft, up to 20 ft over 150,000 sf | 50 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per frontage | Per street frontage | — | 17.05.060.A; Table 17.05.060-1 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 sq ft (secondary only) | 18 in (secondary only) | — | See additional requirements | Per ground floor use with separate entrance on any exterior wall wall sign is permitted | — | 17.05.070.G; Table 17.05.070-6 |
| Marquee Sign | — | 150 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Above primary entrance | — | 17.05.070.F; Table 17.05.070-5 |
| Subdivision Entry Sign | 7 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | 2 per entrance | Permitted (see Table) | — | 17.05.060.B; Table 17.05.060-2 |
| Incidental Sign (Perimeter) | 4 ft | 2 sq ft per face | — | 20 ft min | 2 per entrance | Within 15 ft of entrance | — | 17.05.090.B; Table 17.05.090-1 |
| Incidental Sign (Interior) | 7 ft | 20 sq ft per face | — | — | 20 per acre | Interior | — | 17.05.090.B; Table 17.05.090-1 |
| Temporary Sign (Perimeter) | 4 ft | 4 sq ft per face | — | 5 ft min | 1 per plot | Perimeter, min 5 ft setback | — | 17.05.090.C; Table 17.05.090-2 |
| Temporary Sign (Interior) | 8 ft | 20 sq ft per face | — | — | 5 per acre | Interior | — | 17.05.090.C; Table 17.05.090-2 |

## Prohibited signs in Shawnee

- No person may erect, operate, display, or otherwise use any sign that this Chapter prohibits.
- No person may erect, operate, display, or otherwise use any sign at a time, place, or manner that this Chapter prohibits.
- Signs required by state or federal law are not prohibited, but signs prohibited by state or federal law are not authorized.
- A person may not erect, operate, display, or otherwise use the following types of signs unless specifically allowed: abandoned signs, billboards, digital billboards, moving signs, pole signs, portable signs, roof signs, signs in the right-of-way, snipe signs, and any other sign or device not expressly allowed by this Chapter.
- Signs may not overhang or project over the public right-of-way except as specifically allowed.
- Signs must comply with the Building Code and all other regulatory requirements.
- No person may place or install a sign within the right-of-way of any public road except as specifically allowed.
- No person may place or install a sign in the required sight distance triangle at intersections except as specifically allowed.
- Permanent signs that have been abandoned for more than six months must be removed by the property owner.
- Signs that are unsafe, unsecure, a menace to the public, or otherwise in violation of this Chapter are subject to removal.
- Illuminated signs must not operate at brightness levels greater than 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light at the property line.
- Rotating beams, flashing beacon lights, blinking, flashing, or intermittent illumination or lighting sequences, or those simulating motion, are prohibited on any sign.
- Illuminated signs must not be illuminated by flashing, intermittent, or moving lights, or by projected images.
- The illumination source for a sign or building must be shielded from ground-level view (with certain exceptions).
- Electronic message centers may only display static content, remain fixed for at least one minute, may not include flashing/scrolled/varying-intensity content, and may not have a white background.
- Vehicles may not be used primarily as signs (determined by specific factors) and must not display prohibited sign types.
- Temporary signs, paper signs, fabric signs, electronic message signs, and those using sandbags or other temporary anchors are prohibited if not compliant.
- Signs must not blink, flash, or display intermittent lighting sequences.
- Sign maintenance must be upheld; defective, damaged, or poorly maintained signs are prohibited.
- Signs must not obscure windows, doors, or architectural features (except as specifically allowed).

## Signs exempt from permit in Shawnee

- This Chapter does not apply to indoor signs.
- This Chapter does not apply to government signs.
- This Chapter does not apply to traffic control devices.
- Signs required by state or federal law are exempt.
- Integral signs less than four (4) square feet in sign area embedded, extruded, or carved into the material of a building façade or permanently attached as noted are exempt from wall sign regulations.
- Repair, routine maintenance, or repainting of a conforming or legally nonconforming sign does not require a sign permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Master sign plans are not required for planned unit developments (PUDs) or other projects, but an owner or developer may present a master sign plan for review and comment by the Planning Commission as part of the Site Plan Approval.
- In PUDs, the master sign plan, where submitted, must comply with number, area, height, and design requirements for the applicable sign district at the time of application.
- If a master sign plan does not address certain sign standards, the sign code standards apply to those features.
- Previously approved master sign plans (prior to Jan 1, 2022) are not enforced by the City, but may be enforced by private agreement; the City will evaluate current applications based on this Chapter.
- The Planning Commission considers master sign plans and modifications as part of Site Plan Approval, following criteria in Chapter 17.56.
- Applicants seeking to deviate from the sign code must apply for a modification permit, reviewed by the Planning Commission.
- Certain sign types or features (e.g., marquee signs, murals/painted wall signs on primary façades, modifications, master sign plans) require Planning Commission approval before permits are issued.

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

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