# Sign Regulations in Radcliff, Kentucky

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Radcliff, Kentucky (KY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/kentucky/radcliff
- **Data last verified:** 2026-01-08
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kQWeiwcO0AzRbO_uorR5TNPb7S87xkU5/view)

## At a glance

Radcliff, Kentucky regulates 32 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Roof Sign – Commercial/Industrial Establishments in the Commercial District (Comm., C-H, C) and Industrial District (Indus., I-H) (excluding Shopping Centers) zoning district are capped at May not extend more than 10 ft beyond highest point of building; may not extend beyond edge of roof. tall and ≤250 sq ft, with a Must not project into ROW beyond building line (§28.4(F)). setback (Sec. §28.6(D); §28.2(4)). Most commercial signs in Radcliff require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | — | ≤250 sq ft of displayed surface area | — |
| Residential Districts (R-H, R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6, R-7) | 6 | Signature entrance max overall height 15 ft; light fixtures and guardhouses may extend an additional 4 ft (total 19 ft including those elements). | ≤32 sq ft | — |
| Commercial District (Comm., C-H, C) and Industrial District (Indus., I-H) (excluding Shopping Centers) | 6 | May not extend more than 10 ft beyond highest point of building; may not extend beyond edge of roof. | ≤300 sq ft and ≤30% of facia or wall area | — |
| Shopping Centers | 6 | — | Per facing: ≤300 sq ft per street frontage for all ground signs combined. | — |
| Tourism Overlay Zone | 1 | — | Area of face must be between 200 sq ft and 300 sq ft (inclusive). | — |
| Urban Agriculture (AG) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned Unit Development (P.U.D.) | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Various Exempt On-Premise Signs (Real Estate, Nameplate, Construction, etc.) | — | Varies by exempt sign type: real estate ≤16 sq ft; residence name/address ≤2 sq ft; public building/church ≤32 sq ft; architect/engineer/contractor construction sign ≤32 sq ft; civic club/church wayfinding ≤8 sq ft; directional ≤3 sq ft per sign; drive-in menu/operating instruction sign: lettering ≤1.5 in high; unlighted yard sale signs ≤4 sq ft; legal notices ≤4 sq ft; election signs: no size stated. | — | — | Directional signs: max 6 per premises; civic club/church off-site ID: 1 at closest arterial plus 1 at city limits; all other exempt sign quantities handled by text (e.g., one civic/club sign at each allowed location). | All are on-premise signs unless otherwise specified: real estate on the premises; public building/church signs on their premises; architect/engineer/contractor signs on construction site; civic club/church wayfinding signs on private property at closest major or minor arterial to location and at city limits; directional signs on premises for on-premises service facility; election signs on private property only; yard sale signs in residential areas; promotional banners on building or under roofline/awning of business. | — | §28.3(A)-(P) |
| All Signs – Illumination and Operation | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §28.4(A), (C)-(E); §28.8(A)-(B) |
| All Signs – Location and Right-of-Way Restrictions | — | — | — | — | — | No sign shall be located on or project over any public right-of-way. Noncommercial public-service announcement signs may be suspended across public streets or other public places with written permission (≤14 days). No attachment of signs to utility poles/stanchions/supports constructed primarily for utilities or other purposes. | — | §28.4(F), (G), (H) |
| All Signs – Maintenance and Removal (General) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §28.4(I), (Q) and subsections; §28.9(A)-(B) |
| All Signs – Off-Premise Sign Prohibition (Non-Billboard) | — | — | — | — | — | Off-premise signs are prohibited within city corporate limits except those exempt under §28.3 and billboards in Tourism Overlay Areas per §28.10. | — | §28.4(J) |
| Temporary Sign (Business Opening / Special Event) | — | — | — | — | — | Must be placed on the property where the special event is being held. | — | §28.2(6); §28.4(L); §28.8(A)-(B) |
| Ground Sign – Shared Structure for Multiple Businesses (Non-Shopping Center) | — | — | — | — | All permitted ground signs for these businesses must be on a single common structure; individual business ground signs not allowed separately. | Applies to businesses located on same lot, within same structure, or sharing common street frontage that are not classified as shopping centers (§28.2(F)). | — | §28.4(M) |
| Temporary Sign – Large Project Identification (Shopping Center Area or Residential Subdivision Under Construction) | — | ≤250 sq ft of displayed surface area | — | — | One per planned shopping center area or residential subdivision (by context). | On premises of the planned shopping center area or residential subdivision under construction. | — | §28.4(P) |

### Commercial District (Comm., C-H, C) and Industrial District (Indus., I-H) (excluding Shopping Centers)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign – Commercial/Industrial Establishment | — | Per sign facing: ≤250 sq ft | — | No encroachment into ROW; must respect vision triangle: within triangle defined by 25 ft along each intersecting street from intersection with connecting base line, nothing may impede vision. | 1 ground sign per street frontage for each establishment, subject to overall limit of 4 total signs per establishment and common-structure rule for certain multi-tenant situations. | On premises of commercial or industrial establishment. Number of ground signs based on street frontage: 1 ground sign per street frontage. Must not encroach within ROW. Must not be placed in vision triangle as defined (25 ft along each intersecting street from intersection, connected by a line). | — | §28.6(A); §28.4(F), (M); vision triangle language following §28.6(E) |
| Wall Sign – Commercial/Industrial Establishment | — | ≤300 sq ft and ≤30% of facia or wall area | — | Must not project into ROW; must comply with general prohibition on signs over ROW (§28.4(F)). | Up to 3 wall signs per establishment, subject to 4-sign total cap. | On building facia or wall of the commercial/industrial establishment, in area below roof line. | — | §28.6(B); §28.2(5) |
| Projection Sign – Commercial/Industrial Establishment | — | ≤50 sq ft | May not extend more than 10 ft outward from building. | Must not extend over traffic/delivery areas; must not project into public ROW (§28.4(F)). | 1 projection sign per establishment (within 4-sign cap). | Attached to vertical portion of building and extending beyond building surface, on premises of commercial/industrial establishment. | — | §28.6(C); §28.2(3) |
| Roof Sign – Commercial/Industrial Establishment | May not extend more than 10 ft beyond highest point of building; may not extend beyond edge of roof. | ≤250 sq ft | — | Must not project into ROW beyond building line (§28.4(F)). | 1 roof sign per establishment (within 4-sign cap). | On roof of commercial/industrial building, supported principally by roof structure, on premises. | — | §28.6(D); §28.2(4) |
| Inflatable Device Sign – Commercial/Industrial Establishment | Must not be extended to such a vertical height that, if blown over by wind, it would extend beyond property line. | — | — | Must be located so that its potential fall radius does not cross property line; must not impede visibility in vision triangle. | 1 inflatable advertising device per establishment (within 4-sign cap). | On premises of the business, secured to solid surface so that if it fell, it remains within property boundaries. | — | §28.6(E); §28.2(7); §28.3(O) |
| Total Sign Allowance per Commercial/Industrial Establishment | — | — | — | — | Maximum 4 signs per business or industry establishment. | On premises of the business or industrial establishment within Commercial or Industrial zoning districts, excluding shopping centers. | — | Introductory paragraph of §28.6; §28.4(M) |

### Shopping Centers

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall or Facia Sign – Individual Tenant (Shopping Center) | — | Primary sign: Base max 125 sq ft for each structure up to 50 ft width + 1 sq ft per additional foot of width; subject to 30% of facade area cap. Additional street exposure signs: ≤125 sq ft each. | — | — | Per tenant: 1 primary wall/facia sign per structure plus 1 additional wall/facia sign per street exposure (other than primary), each subject to size limits. | On facade of tenant’s building/structure within shopping center. Additional signs only on facades exposed to other streets. | — | §28.7(A) |
| Under-Canopy / Ceiling-Hung Sign – Covered Sidewalk (Shopping Center) | — | ≤15 sq ft per displayed surface area; 2 faces allowed (total two 15 sq ft faces). | — | Must not violate ROW encroachment rule or vision safety requirements; implied adequate headroom similar to projection signs, though not explicitly specified. | 1 under-canopy/ceiling-hung sign per business with covered sidewalk frontage. | Hung from ceiling of completely covered sidewalk, outside tenant space, oriented at 90 degrees to storefront. | — | §28.7(B) |
| Ground Sign – Shopping Center Main Identification (On-Premises) | — | Per facing: ≤300 sq ft per street frontage for all ground signs combined. | — | Must comply with general no-ROW encroachment and vision triangle rules. | Base: 1 per 300 ft of frontage (rounding up for any fraction). Additional: 1 extra sign on each street frontage exceeding 200 ft. Overall sign face area per frontage limited to 300 sq ft per facing. | On premises of shopping center, along its street frontages. Additional ground signs allowed per each 300 ft of frontage and extra sign on streets with frontage >200 ft. | — | §28.7(C) (first and second paragraphs prior to off-premise clause) |
| Ground Sign – Shopping Center Off-Premises Identification | — | Off-premise shopping center sign: ≤300 sq ft of facing | — | Must comply with general ROW and vision triangle limitations at its location. | 1 off-premise ground sign per shopping center. | Off-premises, but within 2,500 ft of shopping center, adjacent to major or minor street artery providing direct access to center. | — | §28.7(C) (sentences beginning “In addition the shopping center may have one (1) ground sign located off premises…” and following) |
| Tenant Ground Sign Component – Individual Business within Shopping Center | — | — | — | Same as main shopping center ground sign. | 1 ground sign component per business within the shopping center (on shared structure). | On shopping center’s on-premises ground sign structure(s). | — | §28.7(C) (last sentence: “Each business shall be permitted one (1) ground sign as component to the shopping center sign.”) |
| Real Estate / Construction Sign – Shopping Center Premises | — | Private sale/rental/lease sign: ≤12 sq ft. Additional building-under-construction sign: ≤32 sq ft. | — | — | 1 private sale/rental/lease sign per premises and, for a building under construction, 1 additional construction-related sign. | On the premises within shopping center to which it pertains (on the building under construction or property for sale/rent/lease). | — | §28.7(D); §28.3(A), (E) cross-reference |

## Prohibited signs in Radcliff

- Signs shall not obstruct the vision necessary for traffic safety (applies to all exempt on-premise signs per 28.3).
- No sign or lights shall contain or make use of any word, phrase, symbol, shape, form or character in such manner as to stop, slow, endanger or to turn traffic (28.4.C).
- No rotating sign shall exceed six (6) rounds-per-minute (RPMs) and no direct intermittent beam of light shall rotate or revolve (28.4.D).
- Illumination for signs must be by internal lighting or from an exterior source where the beam of light from any source is concealed from the view of motorists (28.4.E).
- No sign shall be located on or project over any public right-of-way (28.4.F).
- No signs, placards, posters or notices shall be attached to poles, stanchions or supports constructed primarily for utilities and other purposes or functions (28.4.H).
- Off-premise signs are prohibited within the corporate limits of the City of Radcliff, except those signs listed in Section 28.3 (Exemptions) and billboards regulated in Section 28.10 (28.4.J).
- Any sign erected before the issuance of a required sign permit is in violation of the ordinance (28.4.K and 28.8.A).
- Temporary signs for businesses other than a business opening or a new business waiting to open are prohibited without a written permit and may not exceed seven (7) days in duration per permit (28.4.L).
- Businesses on the same lot, in the same structure, or sharing common street frontage that are not classified as shopping centers are prohibited from having separate ground signs; all permitted ground signs must be on a common structure (28.4.M).
- Permanent signs may not use banner-type materials, hand‑painted materials, or wood support posts unless wood posts are encased with a decorative vinyl or aluminum sleeve (28.4.N).
- Signs may not be placed in the vision triangle of any street intersection or any ingress/egress area onto any street, nor may anything be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow so as to impede vision in that triangle (28.6, paragraph after E).
- Obsolete signs, including all sign supports, that no longer give a current description of the business or services available on the premises must be removed unless they meet the listed structural exemptions in 28.4.Q.1–3; non‑professional plywood signs attached to poles, walls, or roofs must be removed (28.4.Q and 28.4.Q.3).
- Billboards within the city that predate the applicable sign regulations are nonconforming and may not be established anew except as allowed in the Tourism Overlay Area (28.4.J, last sentence).
- Billboards must not use wood poles, supports, or framing; billboards must be of all‑metal construction (28.10.B.2).
- No billboard may be smaller than 200 square feet or larger than 300 square feet (28.10.B.3).
- No billboard shall be placed closer than 1000 feet from any existing or approved billboard (28.10.B.4).
- Non‑advertising inflatable devices are prohibited unless written approval is obtained from the Enforcement Officer (28.3.O).

## Signs exempt from permit in Radcliff

- Temporary unlighted real estate signs not exceeding sixteen (16) square feet that advertise the sale, rental, lease, or auction of the property and are placed only on the premises for sale, rental, lease, or auction are exempt from the provisions of this chapter, provided they do not obstruct traffic vision (28.3.A).
- Signs painted or stenciled on the interior or exterior of a window are exempt, provided they do not obstruct traffic vision (28.3.B).
- Residential name-and-address signs not exceeding two (2) square feet are exempt, provided they do not obstruct traffic vision (28.3.C).
- Public building or church signs not exceeding thirty‑two (32) square feet are exempt, provided they do not obstruct traffic vision (28.3.D).
- Construction site signs not exceeding thirty‑two (32) square feet that denote the architect, engineer, or contractor, which must be removed within five (5) days after completion, are exempt, provided they do not obstruct traffic vision (28.3.E).
- Traffic or other municipally‑owned or state‑owned signs, legal notices, railroad crossing, danger, or emergency signs are exempt (28.3.F).
- Non‑advertising decorative lights and signs for the holiday season are exempt (28.3.G).
- Directional on‑premises signs not exceeding six (6) in number and three (3) square feet of facing per sign, used for on‑premises service facility directions, are exempt (28.3.H).
- Signs denoting operating instructions or menus for drive‑in theaters, drive‑in restaurants, and drive‑through car washes, where lettering does not exceed 1.5 inches in height, are exempt (28.3.I).
- Unlighted yard signs not exceeding four (4) square feet that advertise the availability for sale of personal property in residential areas are exempt (28.3.J).
- Commercial or manufacturer’s special promotional banners affixed flush against the building or hanging under the roofline or awning where the promotion is held, and displayed no longer than thirty (30) days, are exempt (28.3.K).
- Election signs for candidates or ballot issues placed on private property and removed no later than ten (10) days after the election date are exempt, but such signs are not permitted within any public right‑of‑way or on any city property (28.3.L).
- Legal notices not exceeding four (4) square feet to protect private property or caution of possible danger are exempt (28.3.M).
- One sign advertising civic clubs and churches within city limits, not exceeding eight (8) square feet, may be placed on private property at the closest major or minor arterial to its location, with Enforcement Officer approval; another such sign may be placed at the city limits; both are exempt (28.3.N).
- Non‑advertising inflatable devices are exempt when written approval from the Enforcement Officer is obtained (28.3.O).
- Any City of Radcliff sign is exempt (28.3.P).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs in all zoning districts must have a sign permit from the City of Radcliff; a permit is required before erection, and applications must include detailed sketches and be submitted by the owner and/or sign company to the Planning & Zoning Office (28.4.K, 28.8.A).
- Sign permit applications must be made on forms provided by the Planning & Zoning Office; the Enforcement Officer examines specifications and premises for compliance with this chapter (28.8.B).
- The Enforcement Officer makes an administrative review of all sign permit applications and sketches, considering public safety, community aesthetics, and professional design standards (28.4.N).
- The Board of Adjustment has responsibility for administrative review of all decisions of the Enforcement Officer related to signs; appeals follow KRS 100.257, 100.261, and 100.263 (28.4.O).
- Temporary business signs (beyond those for initial opening or a new business waiting to open) require a written permit; such permits are valid for seven (7) days only, and signs must be professionally designed and produced and placed on the property where the special event is held (28.4.L).
- During construction of any planned shopping center area or residential subdivision, a temporary identification/sales sign up to 250 square feet may be permitted until construction is complete or most units are sold/leased; this is subject to discretionary approval by the Enforcement Officer (28.4.P).
- Applicants wishing to construct a billboard in a Tourism Overlay Area must receive approval from the Planning Commission, and must submit: a to‑scale general site layout including proposed landscaping, scaled drawings of the billboard and lighting, the distance from existing billboards, and photographs of the area (28.10, 28.10.A.1–4).
- The Planning Commission evaluates billboard applications in Tourism Overlay Areas using criteria including location within an approved overlay area, all‑metal construction, size, spacing from other billboards, compatibility with adjacent areas, and landscaping; each application is reviewed on its own merit (28.10.B.1–6).
- An approved billboard permit from the Planning Commission is valid for six (6) months; if the billboard is not constructed within that period, the applicant must restart the process and resubmit to the Planning Commission (28.10.C).

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/kentucky/radcliff