# Sign Regulations in Paducah, Kentucky

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Paducah, Kentucky (KY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/kentucky/paducah
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/KY/Paducah/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH126ZO_ARTIIIGERE_S126-76SIRE)

## At a glance

Paducah, Kentucky regulates 44 sign types across 18 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Multi-family)s in the Residential and Mixed-Use Zones (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, NSZ, NCCZ, MU) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 32 square feet, with a 10 feet front yard setback (Sec. Sec. 126-76(n)(2)a).

## Sign rules by zoning district (18 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | 30 inches | 4 square feet per sign | — |
| Residential and Mixed-Use Zones (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, NSZ, NCCZ, MU) | 11 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Mixed-Use Zone | 1 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| Professional, commercial and industrial zones (B-1, B-2, B-3, HBZ, M-1, M-2, M-3, HM, POP, A-1) | 11 | 25 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| Historic Downtown area (B-2-T, H-1, H-2) | 6 | 36 inches | 50 square feet generally; for facades >50 ft: 1.5 sq ft per linear foot (max 100 sq ft) | — |
| Downtown Business Zone (B-2) | 2 | 36 inches | 6 square feet | — |
| General Business, Highway Business, Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial Zones (B-3, HBZ, M-1, M-2, M-3) | 6 | 90 feet | 700 square feet | — |
| Planned Unit Development (PUD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| R-1 | 3 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| R-2, R-3, R-4 | 9 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| NSZ, NCCZ, MU | 4 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| B-1 | 7 | 25 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| B-2 | 3 | 25 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| B-2-T | 4 | — | 50 sq ft (1.5 sq ft per linear ft for facades > 50 ft; max 100 sq ft) | — |
| H-1, H-2 | 4 | — | 50 sq ft (1.5 sq ft/linear ft of street frontage for facades >50ft, max 100 sq ft) | — |
| B-3, HBZ, M-1, M-2, M-3 | 4 | 90 ft | 700 sq ft | — |
| HM, POP, A-1 | 3 | 25 ft | 75 sq ft | — |
| POP | 1 | 25 ft | 75 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 18 zones)

### Residential and Mixed-Use Zones (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, NSZ, NCCZ, MU)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Marker | — | 1 square foot | — | — | 2 per parcel | On front of building or residence or on post (max 48" high, 4" wide), or on mailbox side | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Multi-family) | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | 10 feet front yard | 1 per multi-family dwelling | Front yard, 10 feet setback | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(2)a |
| Wall Sign (Multi-family) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 per multi-family dwelling | — | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(2)b |
| Wall Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 1 square foot | — | — | 1 per home occupation | — | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(4); Sec. 126-73(2)(d) |
| Subdivision Monument Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per entrance | At entrance to residential subdivision | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(5) |
| Freestanding Sign (Religious, Educational, Cemeteries) | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | 10 feet front yard | 1 per property | Front yard, 10 feet setback | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(6)a |
| Message Board (Religious, Educational, Cemeteries) | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per property | May be on freestanding sign; total height of message board and sign may not exceed 8 ft | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(6)c |
| Freestanding Sign (Commercial Use in R-4, NSZ, NCCZ, MU) | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | 10 feet front yard | 1 per commercial use | Front yard, 10 feet setback | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(7)a |

### Professional, commercial and industrial zones (B-1, B-2, B-3, HBZ, M-1, M-2, M-3, HM, POP, A-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 75 square feet | — | 5 feet | 1 per street frontage, plus 1 per 300 ft | Min. 5 feet setback | — | Sec. 126-76(o)(1)a |
| Monument Type Freestanding Sign | 8 feet | 60 square feet | — | 5 feet | — | Min. 5 feet setback | — | Sec. 126-76(o)(1)b |
| Wall/Canopy/Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 4 per building/tenant | — | — | Sec. 126-76(o)(2) |
| Message Board (attached to wall or freestanding) | 25 feet (if combined with wall/freestanding sign) | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 | Combined with wall or freestanding sign | — | Sec. 126-76(o)(3) |
| Drive-Thru Facility Sign | 8 feet | 55 square feet | — | — | per lane/window | — | — | Sec. 126-76(o)(4) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Per street frontage | — | Sec. 126-76(o)(5) |
| Theater Marquee Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 126-76(o)(6) |
| Subdivision Monument Sign | 10 feet | 48 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per entrance | At entrance to commercial/industrial subdivision | — | Sec. 126-76(o)(8) |

### R-2, R-3, R-4

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Marker | — | 1 square foot | — | — | 2 per parcel | On front of building/residence or on 48" high/4" wide post, or on mailbox | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Multi-family) | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per multi-family dwelling | Front yard, setback 10 feet | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(2)a |
| Wall Sign (Multi-family) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 per multi-family dwelling | — | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(2)b |
| Wall Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 1 square foot | — | — | 1 per home occupation | — | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(4); 126-73(2)d |
| Subdivision Monument Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per entrance | At subdivision entrance | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(5) |
| Freestanding Sign (Buildings for Religious/Educational Activities or Cemeteries) | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per property | Front yard, setback 10 feet | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(6)a |
| Wall Sign (Buildings for Religious/Educational Activities or Cemeteries) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 per property | — | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(6)b |
| Message Board (Buildings for Religious/Educational Activities or Cemeteries) | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per property | May be on freestanding sign (total max. height 8 ft) | — | Sec. 126-76(n)(6)c |

## Prohibited signs in Paducah

- Signs that interfere with the free use of building entrances and exits, including emergency exits.
- Signs that impede light and ventilation otherwise required by City ordinance, code or regulation.
- Signs in a public right-of-way other than those allowed in this chapter.
- Signs within a sight visibility triangle that conflict with section 126-65 of the Paducah Zoning Ordinance.
- Signs on vehicles or trailers that are parked or located so they can be seen from a street right-of-way and for the primary purpose of displaying the sign. This includes vehicles or trailers parked on the same property for a continuous period exceeding seventy-two (72) hours.
- Air-inflated signs.
- Strobe lights, animated signs, moving signs, attention attracting devices or beacons.
- Signs painted directly onto structures.
- Obsolete signs.
- Any sign or sign structure determined by the City to be structurally unsafe or a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation or abandonment.
- Obscene signs.
- Mobile signs.
- Roof signs.
- Streamers, pennants and similar signs or devices, except when attached to an allowed temporary sign.
- Signs that emit any noise or odor.
- Freestanding signs that overhang any part of a building.
- Abandoned signs.
- Advertising signs exceeding six (6) square feet in area.
- Feather flags.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained where by reason of its position, illumination, size, shape or color; it may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with any traffic-control sign, signal or device.
- No internally illuminated sign or electronic message sign shall be allowed within fifty (50) feet of property in any residential zone.
- No sign shall be placed in any public right-of-way except as provided herein.
- No sign shall be attached to any tree, fence or utility pole except by a governmental body or agency.
- No sign, including exempt signs, may be posted within a street right-of-way without written approval from the Director of Engineering or designee.
- No sign shall be displayed, erected, relocated or altered unless all necessary permits have been issued by the City of Paducah, except for certain exempt signs.
- All signs must be adequately maintained including proper alignment, continued readability, and preservation of the sign with paint or other preservatives; electronic message signs must be free of burned-out lights.
- All signs placed upon private property must have the written consent of the property owner or the owner's agent.
- No electronic message sign or electronic message boards shall be allowed in any residential zone, except for the Mixed-Use Zone under specified conditions.

## Signs exempt from permit in Paducah

- Government signs that are placed by government officers in the performance of their professional/elected duties.
- Temporary or permanent signs erected by public utility or construction companies in the performance of their professional duties.
- Vehicle signage when painted directly on a vehicle or attached magnetically.
- Temporary signage as defined in subsection (g) (includes construction signs, political signs, real estate signs, etc.), subject to the limitations and conditions listed for temporary signs.
- Historical markers.
- Government flags.
- Signs carried by a person.
- One warning sign per street frontage with a maximum area of three (3) square feet.
- Window signs which obscure a maximum of twenty-five (25) percent of transparent or translucent surfaces.
- Signs preempted from regulation by state or federal law.
- Identification signs.
- Ghost signs.
- Incidental signs.
- Signs required by federal, state or local agency for emergency information, owner contact, warning, or safety instructions up to six (6) square feet on cellular antenna towers.
- Signs which substitute noncommercial speech in lieu of commercial speech, without additional permitting or approval (substitution clause).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any sign regulated by this chapter (except as specifically exempted) requires a permit from the City of Paducah; application is submitted to the Fire Prevention Division.
- Sign proposals in Historic Zones (H-1, H-2, NSZ) require approval from the Historic and Architectural Review Commission (HARC).
- Applicants must submit a site plan and/or building elevations drawn to scale for awning/canopy permits.
- Any mural in the H-1, H-2, or NSZ zones on private property must obtain approval from the Historic Architecture Review Commission; murals in a public right-of-way must obtain approval from the Creative and Cultural Council.
- If a proposed sign in the Mixed-Use (MU) Zone is larger than allowed under adopted covenants, the sign must be referred to the Planning Commission as part of an Amendment to a Development Plan.
- Applications for cellular antenna towers must include a site development plan signed and sealed by a professional engineer or surveyor, as part of the uniform application process.
- Sign plans/site plans may be required for planned unit developments (PUD), as per underlying zone requirements.
- Applications for awning/canopy permits must include a site plan and/or building elevations showing locations and setbacks.
- Approval and design of all lots or portions of lots being developed for vehicular parking containing at least four spaces, or at least one loading/unloading area, must have design approval from the Planning Department and Department of Engineering before issuance of a building permit (this may impact signage associated with parking areas).
- Conditional use permits for signs or uses may have conditions imposed by the Board of Adjustment, and these may include sign-related requirements.

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

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