Sign Regulations in Florence, Kentucky
Florence, Kentucky has specific sign regulations covering 47 sign types across 13 zoning districts. Regulated sign types include Building Mounted Sign, Projecting Sign, Freestanding Sign (Monument). Height restrictions apply. Permits are required for most commercial signs. Use PermitPal to get instant access to the complete regulations.
Data last verified: April 17, 2025
Sign Regulation Overview for Florence, Kentucky
Sample Sign Requirements in Florence
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Setback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building Mounted Sign | — | 32 sq ft for institutional use (agricultural districts only). Prohibited elsewhere. | — |
| Freestanding Sign (Monument) | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Entrance Sign (Monument) | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (1 sign) or 50 sq ft (2 signs), Agricultural and Recreation and Residential Planned Development Districts per Sec. 3408.7.A.3 | — |
* Sample data shown. Actual requirements may vary by zone. Use PermitPal for complete, location-specific regulations.
PermitPal Coverage for FlorenceFull Coverage
Sign Types Covered
47
- Building Mounted Sign
- Projecting Sign
- Freestanding Sign (Monument)
- Entrance Sign (Monument)
- +2 more types
Zoning Districts
13
Different zoning districts with specific sign regulations
Data Includes
- Permit requirements
- Height restrictions
- Illumination rules
Official Resources for Florence
Other Cities in Kentucky
Frequently Asked Questions
In Florence, monument signs are limited to 8 ft. Height limits vary by zoning district and sign type. Use PermitPal to get exact requirements for your specific location.
To get a sign permit in Florence, submit an application to the local building or planning department with sign dimensions, location, and design specifications. Our data confirms permits are required for most commercial signs. Processing typically takes 1-4 weeks. PermitPal helps you identify specific requirements and prepare complete applications.
In Florence, regulated sign types include Building Mounted Sign, Projecting Sign, Freestanding Sign (Monument), Entrance Sign (Monument), and 2 more types. Most commercial signs require permits. Temporary signs and certain small signs may be exempt. Use PermitPal for specific exemptions.
Sign setback requirements in Florence vary by zone and sign type, typically ranging from 5-15 feet from property lines. Use PermitPal for specific setback requirements at your location.
Digital and LED signs in Florence are regulated with specific requirements for brightness, animation, and message duration. Florence has documented illumination rules in our database. Use PermitPal to see the exact requirements for electronic message centers.
AI-Powered Research
Ready to Research Florence Sign Permits?
Stop spending hours searching through municipal codes. Get instant access to Florence, Kentucky sign regulations with PermitPal's AI-powered platform.
No credit card required · Get results in seconds
Florence, Kentucky Sign Rules at a Glance
Florence, Kentucky regulates 47 sign types across 13 zoning districts. Sandwich Board/A-frame Signs in the Union Commercial (UC), Union Town Center (UTC), Union Neighborhood Office (UNO), Union Town Overlay (UTO) zoning district are capped at 36 in tall, 24 in. wide x 36 in. high (6 sq ft per face), and 24 in wide (Sec. Sec. 3407.3.A.2.h). Most commercial signs in Florence require a permit.
Detailed Sign Ordinance Requirements for Florence, Kentucky
Sign Rules by Zoning District in Florence (13 zones)
| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Districts (A-1, A-2), Recreation District (R), Conservation District (CONS) | 6 | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (1 sign) or 50 sq ft (2 signs), Agricultural and Recreation and Residential Planned Development Districts per Sec. 3408.7.A.3 | — |
| Residential Suburban Estate District (RSE), Residential Suburban District (RS), Suburban Residential-1 District (SR-1), Suburban Residential-2 District (SR-2), Suburban Residential-3 District (SR-3), Urban Residential-1 District (UR-1), Urban Residential-2 District (UR-2), Urban Residential-3 District (UR-3), Manufactured Home Park District (MHP), Residential Single-Family District (R-1F) | 3 | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (1 sign) or 50 sq ft (2 signs) | — |
| Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4) | 9 | 6 ft | 100 sq ft (C-1); up to 200 sq ft (C-2, C-3, C-4, Unincorporated Boone County, City of Union, City of Walton); 150 sq ft (City of Florence) | — |
| Office District (O-1, O-1A, O-2), Industrial District (I-1, I-2, I-3, I-4), Employment Planned Development District (EPD) | 3 | 10 ft | 150 sq ft | — |
| Public Facility District (PF), Airport District (A), Residential Planned Development (RPD) | 2 | 10 ft | 150 sq ft | — |
| Florence Main Street (FMS) | 7 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft per elevation | — |
| Walton Downtown (WD), Small Community Overlay (SC) | 4 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Union Commercial (UC), Union Town Center (UTC), Union Neighborhood Office (UNO), Union Town Overlay (UTO) | 7 | 36 in | 60 sq ft (1 sign); 30 sq ft (2 signs) | — |
| Historic District (H), Planned Development District (PD), Employment Planned Development District (EPD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Houston-Donaldson Overlay (HDO) | 9 | 15 ft (≤200 ft of frontage), 20 ft (>200 ft of frontage) | 250 sq ft | — |
| Parkway Corridor/Overlay District (PO) | 1 | 12 ft | — | — |
| Mall Road Overlay District (MR) | 5 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Graves Road - Residential (GR-R), Graves Road - Commercial (GR-C), Graves Road - Business Park (GR-BP) | 4 | 20 ft | Match Section 3408.7 (typically 100 sq ft for 1 sign or 50 sq ft for 2; 10 ft high) | — |
Zone-by-Zone Sign Requirements in Florence(sample of 3 of 13 zones)
Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4)
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Mounted Sign (Primary Elevation) | — | — | — | — | 1 per facade, up to 3 per building | Facade directly on or with visibility from any roadway or marginal access street | — | Unlock | Sec. 3408.1.B, 3408.1.C |
| Building Mounted Sign (Subordinate Elevation) | — | — | — | — | 1 per facade, up to 3 per building | Facade directly on or with visibility from any roadway or marginal access street | — | Unlock | Sec. 3408.1.B, 3408.1.D |
| Freestanding Sign (Monument/Architectural - Individual Parcel) | C-1: max 10 ft; C-2, C-3, C-4: up to 30 ft based on frontage (see ordinance for height table) | 100 sq ft (C-1); up to 200 sq ft (C-2, C-3, C-4, Unincorporated Boone County, City of Union, City of Walton); 150 sq ft (City of Florence) | — | — | 1 per parcel | One per parcel, regardless of number of businesses/frontages | — | Unlock | Sec. 3408.6.A.2, 3408.6.A.3 |
| Freestanding Sign (Monument/Architectural - Shopping Center/Multi-Use) | C-1: max 10 ft; C-2, C-3, C-4: up to 30 ft based on frontage (see ordinance for height table) | 100 sq ft (C-1); up to 200 sq ft (C-2, C-3, C-4, Unincorporated Boone County, City of Union, City of Walton); 150 sq ft (City of Florence) | — | — | 1 per development | One per project/development | — | Unlock | Sec. 3408.6.A.2.b, 3408.6.A.3.b |
| Directional Sign (Entrance) | 5 ft | 6 sq ft (entrance), 10 sq ft (internal) | — | — | 1 per entrance | At each entrance or internal for traffic | — | Unlock | Sec. 3408.3 |
| Drive-Through Menu Board Sign - Large | 6 ft | 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 per drive-through lane | Next to drive-through | — | Unlock | Sec. 3408.4.B |
| Drive-Through Menu Board Sign - Small | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per drive-through lane | Next to drive-through | — | Unlock | Sec. 3408.4.B |
| Electronic Message Board/Screen | — | — | — | Distance from residential zones based on sign size (see Sec. 3408.5) | — | On freestanding and monument signs | — | Unlock | Sec. 3408.5 |
Union Commercial (UC), Union Town Center (UTC), Union Neighborhood Office (UNO), Union Town Overlay (UTO)
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Monument Entrance Sign | 6 ft | 50 sq ft (1 sign); 25 sq ft (2 signs) | — | — | 1 at 50 sq ft, or 2 at 25 sq ft | At major entry points; outside vehicular sight triangle; at least 5 ft from property line and in landscaped area | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.3.A.2.a |
| Business Monument Entrance Sign | 6 ft | 60 sq ft (1 sign); 30 sq ft (2 signs) | — | — | 1 at 60 sq ft, or 2 at 30 sq ft | At major entry points; outside vehicular sight triangle; at least 5 ft from property line, in landscaped area | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.3.A.2.b |
| Monument Identification Sign (Individual businesses/uses) | 6 ft | 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business/place of worship/school/etc. | Outside sight triangle, at least 5 ft from property line; in landscaped area | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.3.A.2.c |
| Off-premise Monument Community Sign | 4 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | Up to 4 per intersection | At intersections with at least one arterial or collector street | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.3.A.2.d |
| Building Mounted Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per facade (up to 3 per building), or per tenant | Each facade for commercial/office uses | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.3.A.2.e, 3407.3.A.3.a |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | (See above) | From facade | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.3.A.2.f |
| Sandwich Board/A-frame Sign | 36 in | 24 in. wide x 36 in. high (6 sq ft per face) | 24 in | — | 1 per establishment | On premise within 20 ft of business; not to impede pedestrian flow | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.3.A.2.h |
Houston-Donaldson Overlay (HDO)
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center Main Entrance) | 15 ft (≤200 ft of frontage), 20 ft (>200 ft of frontage) | 200 sq ft | — | — | 1 per main entrance | Main public street entrance | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.5.A.1.a.I.i, iii |
| Monument Sign (Shopping Center Secondary Entrance) | 8 ft | 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 per secondary entrance | Secondary vehicular entry points | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.5.A.1.a.I.ii |
| Building Mounted Sign (Anchor Tenant >40,000 sq ft) | — | 250 sq ft | — | — | Max 2 per tenant | Each facade facing public street or main driveway | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.5.A.1.a.II.i |
| Building Mounted Sign (Tenant ≤40,000 sq ft) | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | Max 2 per tenant | Each facade facing public street or main driveway | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.5.A.1.a.II.ii |
| Freestanding Commercial Lot/Outlot Monument Sign | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot/outlot | One per lot/outlot facing public street or main driveway | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.5.A.1.a.III.i |
| Office/Industrial Park Entrance Monument Sign | 10 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance | At each park entrance from public street | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.5.A.2.I.i |
| Monument Sign (Individual Office/Industrial Lot) | 8 ft | 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On individual lots, must match principal building materials | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.5.A.2.II.i |
| Building Mounted Sign (Office/Industrial >40,000 sq ft) | — | 250 sq ft | — | — | Max 2 per tenant | Each facade facing public street/main driveway | — | Unlock | Sec. 3407.5.A.2.III.iii |
PermitPal covers all 13 zoning districts in Florence — full sign requirements for every zone, plus illumination rules, size formulas, and permit requirements for every sign type — with a free account.
See all 13 zones for Florence — start freeProhibited Signs in Florence
- It is unlawful to fasten, place, paint, or attach any sign, handbill, poster, advertisement, or notice of any kind in or upon any curbstone, lamp post, utility pole, hydrant, bridge, culvert, public drinking fountain, public trash container, courtesy benches, rest room, bus stop kiosk or shed, station building, tree, or any portion of public sidewalk, street, or sign, except as specifically allowed.
- No sign shall be located so that it obstructs access to or from a doorway, fire escape, or required escape window.
- No sign shall be located so that it blocks the free air flow through windows in residential units.
- No sign located within a clear sight triangle shall obstruct the vision of motorists or pedestrians.
- No building mounted sign shall extend above the top of the wall of the building, including parapets and architectural extensions.
- No sign may be placed in the public right-of-way or any easement without written permission from the easement holder.
- No sign shall project over a public right-of-way unless the sign owner has obtained an encroachment permit.
- No illuminated sign or lighting device shall be flashing, intermittent, rotating, moving, or direct light in such a way as to constitute a traffic hazard or nuisance.
- No sign shall employ any parts or elements which revolve, rotate, whirl, spin, or otherwise make use of motion so as to constitute a traffic hazard or nuisance.
- Building mounted signs shall not overhang the edge or corner of the wall or section of wall on which they are mounted (except projecting signs).
- No prohibited sign types may be erected in any zoning district.
- Signs containing expressions protected by the First Amendment are permitted but do not permit increases in number or area beyond what is otherwise allowed.
- Signs must conform to building code requirements.
- Prohibited sign types in all districts include: abandoned signs and support structures; banners, pennants, posters, ribbons, flags for advertising purposes, streamers, spinners, strings of lights, or other similar moving devices, temporary signs of like nature (except as permitted for temporary advertising); signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs or signals; signs attached to trees, telephone poles, street lights, public benches, bus stops, or placed on public property or right-of-way; signs placed on vehicles or trailers for the primary purpose of supplementing or replacing on-site signage (does not apply to lettering on vehicles in normal business use); portable signs (except sandwich boards/A-frames in specific districts); hot air balloons, spot lights or search lights; new billboards; animated, revolving, and moving signs (except certain electronic message boards); signs larger than 32 square feet on vacant lots in nonresidential districts; roof signs; signs using sound or noise-making devices; any other sign not specifically permitted by these regulations.
Exempt Signs in Florence
- Signs installed in a building or enclosed space and not legible from the public right-of-way or other property.
- Signs with a sign area less than four (4) square feet and less than four (4) feet in height (if free standing), that are not separately illuminated or legible from the public right-of-way or other property.
- Signs on mass transit vehicles operating in or passing through the county.
- Signs conforming to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and bearing no commercial message.
- Signs installed by employees or officials of the legislative body or a state or federal agency in the course of their governmental duties.
- Signs required by a state or federal statute.
- Signs required by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
- Signs installed by public utilities in their rights-of-way or on their facilities and bearing no commercial message other than information necessary to identify the use or provide contact information.
- Signs installed by a transit company with franchise or other right to operate in the county, installed along its route and relating to schedules or other information about the route.
- Address numbers used for identifying a building are not counted toward allowed sign area.
- Temporary political signs placed outside a public street right-of-way (must be removed within one week after final election).
- Building mounted signs containing no commercial message and not larger than four (4) square feet in area.
- Cultural decorations or displays of a non-commercial nature, mounted on private property, which pertain to cultural observances.
- Cornerstones, foundation stones, and memorial signs/tablets cut into or inlaid in masonry or constructed of bronze or other incombustible materials, not exceeding six (6) square feet and not separately illuminated.
- Symbols with no commercial message integrated into the architecture of a building.
- Gravestones in lawful cemeteries.
- Official flags of cities, the county, commonwealth, or any nation bearing no advertising material (plus one fabric flag per lot up to 15 square feet on permanent pole).
- Height bar/vertical clearance directional signs with no commercial message.
- Sandwich board/A-frame signs permitted in certain districts (Florence Main Street, Walton Downtown, Small Community Overlay).
- Any sign four (4) square feet or less, integrated into/on a coin operated machine, vending machine, gasoline pump, or ATM.
- One temporary sign announcing construction of building, subdivision, or subdivision phase, kept up to 60 days plus construction period if no permanent sign is erected. Size/height limitations by district.
- One temporary sign (max 50 sq. ft.) announcing a special public or institutional event, on-site 30 days prior, removed one day after event.
- Temporary special event directional signage for community events, allowed seven days prior and removed one day after event.
- One real estate sign per road frontage, size/height limits depending on district; open house/sold signs with further time limits.
- Signs advertising sale of agricultural goods produced on premises, 16 sq. ft. or less.
- Banners displayed at public/private K-12 schools relating to academic or student achievements and/or activities (not required to obtain a Temporary Advertising Display Permit; does not apply to banners advertising commercial purposes, fundraisers, or sales).
Sign Plan & Submission Notes for Florence
- A sign permit is required for all signs unless specifically exempted in Section 3404.
- For any project or development where multiple signs are part of a proposal, or when a variance, conditional use permit, exception, or special use permit is sought, discretionary review is required, focusing on structural, locational, and non-communicative aspects of the sign.
- Applications for special sign districts must include a design plan (to scale), computation of maximum area, height and number of signs, allocation among tenants (if applicable), color schemes, and location of all present and future signs.
- Creation of a Special Sign District follows the procedure for a Zoning Map Amendment and must comply with the design plan and criteria described in Section 3410.
- For Master Sign Districts (Section 3407.6 Parkway Corridor), a Sign Permit application must be submitted with drawings showing location, height, square footage, and materials. A Commercial Building Permit must also be submitted. Sign permits are also required for all face changes.
- In the Houston-Donaldson (HDO) District (Section 3407.5), proposals not meeting standard requirements must be reviewed through Design Review, Concept Development Plan, Variance, or Special Sign District application processes.
- For any sign permit application, the property owner’s signature or consent is required.
- Signs associated with Special Sign Districts or Planned Developments may follow approved plans or may be brought into compliance with Article 34.
- Any application for a conditional use permit involving electronic message boards (per Article 3408.5) must include all required information described in Section 3405, as well as identification of all thoroughfares from which the sign will be visible.
Source: other municipal code