# Sign Regulations in Auburn, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Auburn, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/auburn
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Auburn, Michigan regulates 16 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Pole Sign)s in the Business and Industrial Zones zoning district are capped at 16 ft above grade of frontage street (base minimum 8 ft above grade to bottom of sign) tall and 50 sq ft per side, with a 10 ft minimum from street easement or right-of-way setback (Sec. § 154.093(B)(1)). Most commercial signs in Auburn require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business and Industrial Zones | 11 | 90 ft from average grade | 275 sq ft | — |
| Residential Zones (R-1, R-2) | 5 | 5 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Residential Zones (R-3, R-4) | 2 | — | 2 ft x 3 ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 3 ft from average grade | 4.5 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Business and Industrial Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Pole Sign) | 16 ft above grade of frontage street (base minimum 8 ft above grade to bottom of sign) | 50 sq ft per side | — | 10 ft minimum from street easement or right-of-way | 1, or 2 for eligible corner parcels | Minimum setback: not closer than 10 ft to any street easement or public right-of-way | — | § 154.093(B)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Ground Sign) | 6 ft above normal ground level | 50 sq ft per side | — | 8 ft minimum from street easement or right-of-way | 1, or 2 for eligible corner parcels | Minimum setback: not closer than 8 ft to any street easement or dedicated public right-of-way | — | § 154.093(B)(2) |
| Billboard Sign (High-Rise/Highway) | 90 ft from average grade | 275 sq ft | — | Varies; see additional_requirements | — | Allowed only within 735 ft from the state right-of-way for the westbound exit ramp from U.S. 10 to Garfield Road | — | § 154.093(B)(3) |
| Wall Sign (Standard) | — | 100 sq ft; may increase to maximum 150 sq ft with setbacks | — | > 50 ft from frontage street allows area increase (see above) | Total wall sign(s) capped by formula and maximum area | Affixed to wall of building; outside window signs (permanent) included | — | § 154.093(C) |
| Portable Sign | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — | Must meet height and setback requirements applicable to ground signs | Multiple signs may be described in one permit | — | — | § 154.093(E) |
| Temporary Sign (Building/Framed Wall Area) | — | 100 sq ft; may increase up to 150 sq ft with setback formula | — | > 50 ft from frontage street allows area increase (see above) | Cumulative sign area for each framed area | On building wall in specific framed area as stated in permit | — | § 154.093(F)(2)(a) |
| Temporary Sign (Between or on Non-Building Structures) | — | — | — | >90 ft from street for non-building structure | Per frontage; see formula | Attached to permanent structure other than building or fence; only if structure is more than 90 ft from street | — | § 154.093(F)(2)(b) |
| Directional Sign | 3 ft from average grade | 4.5 sq ft | — | 5 ft from easement/right-of-way | Up to 2 per access drive (entrance/exit) | At least 5 ft from easement and right-of-way. One sign per entrance and one per exit per access drive. | — | § 154.093(G) |

### Residential Zones (R-1, R-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation Sign | N/A | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Any wall | — | § 154.094 Table and (D) |
| Non-dwelling Use Sign (Permit Required) | 5 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Within required yard | — | § 154.094 Table |
| Small Freestanding Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Within required yard | — | § 154.094 Table |
| Wall Sign | Height of wall | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Any wall | — | § 154.094 Table |
| Political Sign/Poster | — | 2 ft x 3 ft | — | — | — | Subject to property owner approval and notification | — | § 154.094(C) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | 3 ft from average grade | 4.5 sq ft | — | 5 ft from easement or right-of-way | Up to 2 per access drive | At least 5 ft from easement and right-of-way | — | § 154.093(G) |
| Political Sign/Poster | — | 2 ft x 3 ft | — | — | — | Subject to property owner approval and notification | — | § 154.093(H) and § 154.094(C) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 2 ft x 3 ft (plus 'sold' sign up to 5 in x 16 in) | — | — | — | On property being sold | — | § 154.093(I) |

## Prohibited signs in Auburn

- Signs or billboards that advertise a commodity or service that is not available on the premises on which the sign is located are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Projecting wall signs exceeding eight square feet in area are prohibited.
- Abandoned signs, including the related sign structure, are prohibited. Once determined to be abandoned, structures supporting these signs cannot be reused unless brought into compliance with the sign regulations. Owners of abandoned signs shall be responsible for removing the sign’s message. If the status of an abandoned sign is challenged, the owner or lessee must provide documentation to the Zoning Enforcement Officer that a business is still being conducted on the premises. Proof that a business exists on paper is not sufficient.
- Signs using such words as 'stop', 'danger', or similar words, phrases, symbols or characters, in such a manner to interfere with, mislead or confuse the public in matters of public safety as determined by the city, are prohibited.
- Portable signs and temporary signs that fail to meet the height and setback requirements that apply to ground signs are prohibited.
- Electrified portable/temporary signs are prohibited when the power source is not in compliance with safety requirements as deemed applicable by the City Inspector.
- No signs, except those established and maintained by the city, county, state or federal governments, shall be located in, project into, or overhang a street right-of-way or dedicated public easement, including railroad rights-of-way.
- Signs that block the required clear vision areas for intersections are prohibited.
- Electronic message signs are prohibited when placement is judged by a public safety officer and City Administrator to be a public safety concern.

## Signs exempt from permit in Auburn

- Maintenance and repair of signs is required regardless of permit requirements, including replacement of defective parts, painting, and cleaning.
- Nonconforming signs may remain provided the structure is not enlarged or otherwise changed; maintenance is limited to replacement of defective parts, painting, and cleaning.
- Signs established and maintained by city, county, state, or federal governments are exempt from right-of-way prohibitions.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit application for pole signs, ground signs, high-rise or highway billboard signs, wall signs, unified development signs, portable signs, temporary signs, and directional signs requires submission of drawings of the sign structure, electrical circuits if applicable, foundation and materials, and other relevant details.
- Permit applications must detail intended dates or schedule for portable and temporary signs.
- Multiple signs and time periods may be described in a single permit for portable signs.
- Details of structure and dimensions are required for wall sign permit applications.
- Temporary sign permit applications must detail period of use and point of attachment to permanent structures.
- A permit is required for non-dwelling use signs in residential zones.
- No explicit mention of a master sign plan or sign plan submittal for multiple signs across a property, except where multiple portable signs and/or periods may be detailed in a single permit; variance and appeal procedures are handled by the Zoning Board of Appeals upon request.

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

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