# Sign Regulations in Bardstown, Kentucky

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Bardstown, Kentucky (KY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/kentucky/bardstown
- **Data last verified:** 2025-01-23
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/bardstownky/latest/bardstown_ky/0-0-0-4752)

## At a glance

Bardstown, Kentucky regulates 35 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Less than 10,000 sq ft, <200 ft frontage)s in the Commercial and Industrial Areas zoning district are capped at 7 ft or 20 ft tall and 50 sq ft (7 ft height) or 30 sq ft (20 ft height), with a 10 ft from rear and side property lines setback (Sec. § 98.11(C)(2)(b)1.a). Most commercial signs in Bardstown require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial and Industrial Areas | 17 | 25 feet | 75 sq ft (7 ft height) or 45 sq ft (20 ft height) | Yes |
| Residential Areas | 7 | 20 feet | 50 square feet for 7 feet height; 30 square feet for 20 feet height | Yes |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 25 feet | 50 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Commercial and Industrial Areas

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Banner | 7 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | One sign per principal use | Ground-mounted or building-mounted | Yes | § 98.11 SIGNS REQUIRING PERMITS (C)(1) |
| Construction Sign | 7 feet | 8 square feet for lots less than two acres; 32 square feet for lots greater than two acres | — | — | One per contractor and one per financial institution | On the site of the construction project | No | § 98.08 SIGNS NOT REQUIRING PERMITS (G) |
| Freestanding Sign (Less than 10,000 sq ft, <200 ft frontage) | 7 ft or 20 ft | 50 sq ft (7 ft height) or 30 sq ft (20 ft height) | — | 10 ft from rear and side property lines | 1 | Minimum 10 ft setback from rear and side property lines | Yes | § 98.11(C)(2)(b)1.a |
| Freestanding Sign (Less than 10,000 sq ft, >200 ft frontage) | 7 ft or 20 ft | 50 sq ft (7 ft height) or 30 sq ft (20 ft height) | — | 10 ft from rear and side property lines | 2 | Minimum 10 ft setback from rear and side property lines | Yes | § 98.11(C)(2)(b)1.b |
| Freestanding Sign (More than 10,000 sq ft, <200 ft frontage) | 7 ft or 20 ft | 75 sq ft (7 ft height) or 45 sq ft (20 ft height) | — | 10 ft from rear and side property lines | 1 | Minimum 10 ft setback from rear and side property lines | Yes | § 98.11(C)(2)(b)1.c |
| Freestanding Sign (More than 10,000 sq ft, >200 ft frontage) | 7 ft or 20 ft | 75 sq ft (7 ft height) or 45 sq ft (20 ft height) | — | 10 ft from rear and side property lines | 2 | Minimum 10 ft setback from rear and side property lines | Yes | § 98.11(C)(2)(b)1.d |
| Ground-Mounted Sign | 20 feet | 50 square feet for 7 feet height; 30 square feet for 20 feet height | — | 10 feet from rear and side property lines | One per development with less than 10,000 square feet and less than 200 feet of frontage | Ground-mounted | Yes | § 98.11 SIGNS REQUIRING PERMITS (C)(2)(b)(1) |
| Pole Sign | 20 feet | 50 square feet for 7 feet height; 30 square feet for 20 feet height | — | 10 feet from rear and side property lines | One per development with less than 10,000 square feet and less than 200 feet of frontage | Ground-mounted | Yes | § 98.11 SIGNS REQUIRING PERMITS (C)(2)(b)(1) |

### Residential Areas

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | One sign per building | Attached to the referenced building | No | § 98.08 SIGNS NOT REQUIRING PERMITS (A) |
| Subdivision Identification Sign | 8 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | One sign per each side of a subdivision entrance. | One sign per each side of a subdivision entrance. | Yes | § 98.11(A)(1) |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One sign per home occupation. | Attached to the building. | Yes | § 98.11(A)(5) |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet | 50 square feet for 7 feet height; 30 square feet for 20 feet height | — | 10 feet from rear and side property lines | One per development with less than 10,000 square feet and less than 200 feet of frontage | Ground-mounted | Yes | § 98.11 SIGNS REQUIRING PERMITS (C)(2)(b)(1) |
| Ground-Mounted Sign | 20 feet | 50 square feet for 7 feet height; 30 square feet for 20 feet height | — | 10 feet from rear and side property lines | One per development with less than 10,000 square feet and less than 200 feet of frontage | Ground-mounted | Yes | § 98.11 SIGNS REQUIRING PERMITS (C)(2)(b)(1) |
| Incidental Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | Not specified | On-site | No | § 98.08 SIGNS NOT REQUIRING PERMITS (K) |
| Monument Sign | 20 feet | 50 square feet for 7 feet height; 30 square feet for 20 feet height | — | 10 feet from rear and side property lines | One per development with less than 10,000 square feet and less than 200 feet of frontage | Ground-mounted | Yes | § 98.11 SIGNS REQUIRING PERMITS (C)(2)(b)(1) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| House or Building Identification Signs | — | 4 square feet | — | — | One | Attached to the building | — | § 98.08(A) |
| National, State, Local, and Corporation Flags | 25 feet | 25 square feet (residential) or 60 square feet (commercial/industrial) | — | — | One | Principal building of the facility | — | § 98.08(C) |
| Civic, Philanthropic, Educational, or Religious Organizational Event Signs | 7 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | One | Site of the campaign, drive, or event | — | § 98.08(D) |
| Real Estate Signs | 7 feet | 8 square feet (≤5 acres) or 32 square feet (>5 acres) | — | — | One | Premises being sold or rented | — | § 98.08(E) |
| Auction Signs | 7 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | One | Premises of the auction | — | § 98.08(F) |
| Construction Signs | 7 feet | 8 square feet (<2 acres) or 32 square feet (>2 acres) | — | — | One per contractor and one per financial institution | Site of the construction project | — | § 98.08(G) |
| Community or Identification Signs | 7 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | — | Commercial or industrial district within ¼ mile of Bardstown corporate limits | — | § 98.08(I) |
| Subdivision or Development Signs | 7 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | One per subdivision entrance | Subdivision entrance | — | § 98.08(L) |

## Prohibited signs in Bardstown

- No sign shall be placed in a manner visible from any public street, alley, right-of-way, sidewalk, or other public easement, except as provided herein, nor shall any sign be placed in or extend over street, right-of-way, roadway, sidewalk, public or private utility or access or other easement, or alley, except as provided herein and with the approval of the appropriate agency or utility.
- All signs shall be constructed and placed so as not to obstruct the vision of the public at any street, alley, or driveway.
- No sign shall be allowed to be illuminated, except as expressly provided herein.
- No sign shall be allowed to revolve, rotate, or move, unless otherwise expressly provided herein.
- No sign shall be allowed if the Sign Administrator finds that the sign is constructed or designed in a manner which may cause the sign to be confused with a traffic sign or other traffic control device.
- Visual elements, as defined in § 98.05, are prohibited in all circumstances, whether added to a sign or simply displayed on a property, unless otherwise allowed in this chapter.

## Signs exempt from permit in Bardstown

- Traffic signs, public notices or warnings required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance.
- Holiday lights and decorations on residential lots with no commercial message, logo, or symbol.
- Traffic control signs on private property, such as stop, yield, and similar signs, and which contain no commercial message, logo, or symbol.
- Temporary civic, philanthropic, educational, or religious organizational event signs within a public right-of-way provided they meet certain conditions.
- Public or semi-public athletic field signs which indicate sponsorship of the teams or announce or relate to activities that occur therein provided they meet certain conditions.
- Interior window signs which are not permanently painted or otherwise permanently affixed to the window.

## Full detail

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

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