# Sign Regulations in Grand Haven, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Grand Haven, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/grand-haven
- **Data last verified:** 2026-01-14
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/mi/grand_haven/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH40ZO_ARTVIISI_S40-701GESTALSI)

## At a glance

Grand Haven, Michigan regulates 25 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the NMU, OS, CB, B, WF, WF-2, CC zoning district are capped at 6 ft. tall and 32 sq. ft., with a 1/2 of required front yard setback. setback (Sec. Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table)). Most commercial signs in Grand Haven require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | ≤ 42 inches | ≤ 50% of traditional stationary sign area (must be secondary to stationary sign) | — |
| LDR, MDR, MFR, DR, NS, S, E, OT | 7 | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| NMU, OS, CB, B, WF, WF-2, CC | 12 | ≤ 42 inches | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| C | 13 | ≤ 42 inches | ≤ 100 sq. ft. per sign | — |
| TI, I | 13 | ≤ 42 inches | ≤ 100 sq. ft. per sign | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### NMU, OS, CB, B, WF, WF-2, CC

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | ≤ 60 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | No limit | On building facade. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table); Sec. 40-701.L; Sec. 40-701.F.1 (CB neon) |
| Awning Sign | — | ≤ 60 sq. ft. per sign (counted toward sign area) | — | — | No limit | On building awning. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table); Sec. 40-708.A–B |
| Projecting Sign | — | ≤ 12 sq. ft. | — | — | No limit | Attached to building; may project over public ROW only in CB and NMU (not in OS, B, WF, WF-2, CC) with encroachment permit & insurance. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table - permitted type); Sec. 40-701.E(1)-(2); Sec. 40-704.H(4); Sec. 40-701.F.1 |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 per frontage | On site; 1 per frontage. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table) |
| Ground Sign (US-31 Frontage ≥ 90 ft) | 6 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 per frontage | Lots of record with at least 90 ft of frontage on US-31. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table) |
| Pole Sign (US-31 Frontage ≥ 90 ft) - In lieu of Ground Sign | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 (in lieu of allowed ground sign) | Lots of record having at least 90 ft of frontage on US-31. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table); Sec. 40-701.N; Sec. 40-701.J |
| Sandwich Board Sign | ≤ 42 inches | ≤ 6 sq. ft. | ≤ 30 inches | Exempt from front setback rule. | — | ≤ 24 inches from storefront/entrance it serves; cannot block pedestrian access; may be within public ROW when requirements met. | — | Sec. 40-707; Sec. 40-704.H(7) |
| Gas Station Canopy Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | 2 (one per side of canopy) | On gas station canopy fascia. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table) |

### C

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | ≤ 100 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | No limit | On building facade. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table: 100 sq. ft. in C); Sec. 40-701.L |
| Awning Sign | — | ≤ 100 sq. ft. per sign (counted toward sign area) | — | — | No limit | On building awning. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table: 100 sq. ft. in C); Sec. 40-708.B |
| Projecting Sign | — | ≤ 12 sq. ft. | — | — | No limit | Attached to building; projecting over public ROW in C is governed by general prohibition exceptions (only CB, NMU, OT, S explicitly allowed over ROW). | — | Sec. 40-701.E; Sec. 40-704.H(4) |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 per frontage | On site; 1 per frontage. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table) |
| Ground Sign (US-31 Frontage ≥ 90 ft) | 6 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 per frontage | Lots with ≥ 90 ft frontage on US-31. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table) |
| Pole Sign (US-31 Frontage ≥ 90 ft) - In lieu of Ground Sign | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 (in lieu of one ground sign) | Lots with ≥ 90 ft frontage on US-31. | — | Sec. 40-705; Sec. 40-701.N; Sec. 40-701.J |
| Sandwich Board Sign | ≤ 42 inches | ≤ 6 sq. ft. | ≤ 30 inches | Exempt from front setback. | — | ≤ 24 inches from storefront/entrance; cannot block pedestrians; may be in public ROW if requirements met. | — | Sec. 40-707; Sec. 40-704.H(7) |
| Gas Station Canopy Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | 2 | On canopy fascia. | — | Sec. 40-705 |

### TI, I

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | ≤ 100 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | No limit | On building facade. | — | Sec. 40-705 (Non-Residential Districts table: 100 sq. ft. in TI and I); Sec. 40-701.L |
| Awning Sign | — | ≤ 100 sq. ft. per sign (counted toward sign area) | — | — | No limit | On building awning. | — | Sec. 40-705; Sec. 40-708.B |
| Projecting Sign | — | ≤ 12 sq. ft. | — | — | No limit | Attached to building. | — | Sec. 40-701.E; Sec. 40-704.H(4) |
| Ground Sign | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 per frontage | On site; 1 per frontage. | — | Sec. 40-705 |
| Ground Sign (US-31 Frontage ≥ 90 ft) | 6 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 per frontage | Lots with ≥ 90 ft frontage on US-31. | — | Sec. 40-705 |
| Pole Sign (US-31 Frontage ≥ 90 ft) - In lieu of Ground Sign | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback: 1/2 of required front yard setback. | 1 (in lieu of one ground sign) | Lots with ≥ 90 ft frontage on US-31. | — | Sec. 40-705; Sec. 40-701.N; Sec. 40-701.J |
| Sandwich Board Sign | ≤ 42 inches | ≤ 6 sq. ft. | ≤ 30 inches | Exempt from front setback. | — | ≤ 24 inches from storefront/entrance; cannot block pedestrian access; may be in ROW if requirements met. | — | Sec. 40-707; Sec. 40-704.H(7) |
| Gas Station Canopy Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | 2 | On canopy fascia. | — | Sec. 40-705 |

## Prohibited signs in Grand Haven

- Obsolete signs that do not relate to an existing business or products/services available on the site are prohibited in any district.
- Signs that are illegal under applicable federal/state/local laws or ordinances, or inconsistent with the standards of this ordinance, are prohibited.
- Signs that are not clean and in good repair, or that are out of compliance with applicable building and electrical codes, are prohibited.
- Air-filled balloons, air dancer signs, and lighter-than-air signs are prohibited.
- Signs not securely affixed to a supporting structure are prohibited.
- Non-official signs that attempt to regulate/warn/direct traffic, that interfere with or resemble official traffic signs/signals/devices, or that may obstruct a motorist’s vision are prohibited.
- Signs for minor home occupations are prohibited.
- Signs located in, projecting into, or overhanging within a public right-of-way or dedicated public easement are prohibited, except for the specified allowances (official traffic signs; public transit signs; public utility informational signs; projecting/marquee/suspended signs as permitted in CB, NMU, OT, and S districts; emergency warning signs; temporary signs/banners/directional signs approved by the city council; and sandwich board signs meeting ordinance requirements).
- Truck or trailer-mounted signs (including billboard trucks) or signs attached to vehicles used primarily for display are prohibited; identification of a business/products/services on vehicles used and parked in the normal course of business is allowed.
- Illumination prohibitions applicable to all illuminated signs: lighting shall not be flashing, blinking, intermittent, or on-and-off; illumination must be arranged so no direct light sources are visible to motorists/pedestrians or adjacent properties; external lighting must be downward facing/shielded or directed to illuminate only the sign face; internal sign faces must be opaque so individual lamps are muted and only the sign face is illuminated; backlit bulbs/light sources shall not be visible.
- A sign shall not extend above the roof line of the building to which it is attached.
- No sign shall be located where it obstructs the clear vision corner (per section 40-307).
- Signage or copy is not permitted on coverings around pole supports.
- Projecting/suspended signs over sidewalks/walkways shall not project more than 48 inches from the building face, shall not exceed 12 square feet in area, and must maintain at least 9 feet of clearance over the walkway.
- Wall signs shall not project more than 6 inches from the wall and shall not exceed 90% of the width of the wall to which they are attached.
- Pole signs: the lowest edge of the sign face may not be closer than 10 feet to natural grade.

## Signs exempt from permit in Grand Haven

- Public notices, traffic control, or warnings required by valid federal, state, or local law/regulation/ordinance.
- Property address and owner identification signs up to 1 square foot in area.
- Signs wholly located within a building and not visible from outside (window signs are not included in this exemption).
- Holiday lights and decorations that contain no commercial message.
- Works of art that do not contain a commercial message.
- Minor signs, subject to: a) maximum 6 sq ft area and 6 ft height; b) may be located on adjacent property with written approval from the adjacent owner; c) drive-through minor signs may be up to 48 sq ft and 6 ft height; d) signs on gas pumps shall not exceed 3 sq ft.
- Governmental historical designation signs.
- Window signs, provided window sign coverage does not exceed 25% of window area per building elevation.
- Special event signage on public property.
- City wayfinding signs consistent with the accepted graphic identity and approved by the city manager, on public or private property.
- Temporary yard signs: a) limited to one per street frontage; b) additional signs allowed during the period from 30 days prior to an election to 7 days after the election, and during declared emergencies per section 40-111.01.E; c) size limits: max 3 sq ft on residential property and 12 sq ft on nonresidential property (size limits do not apply during declared emergencies per section 40-111.01.E).
- Temporary yard signs on residential or commercial construction sites: a) limited to one per street frontage; b) maximum area 12 sq ft in residential districts and 32 sq ft in nonresidential districts; c) maximum height 10 ft; d) minimum 1 ft setback from any property line/right-of-way; e) confined to the construction site; f) must be removed within 14 days after issuance of the occupancy permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Special purpose signs require submittal of a basic site plan under section 40-115; the planning commission may consider approval if the sign does not exceed permitted area in the underlying district.
- Temporary signs, banners, or directional signs within the public right-of-way must be approved by the city council, which will establish sign area standards and a display period.
- Projecting or suspended signs extending over a public street/sidewalk/alley require an encroachment permit (renewed every 3 years) and a public liability insurance policy naming the city as an additional insured; if insurance is canceled, the sign must be removed.
- Nonconforming landmark signs may be fully replaced in kind only upon a planning commission determination that the sign meets landmark criteria (exemplary technology/craftsmanship/design; integrated into significant architecture; or extraordinary aesthetic quality/creativity/innovation).
- Except for exempt signs, a land use permit is required for all new signs or sign replacements (section 40-702, cross-referencing section 40-111.02).

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

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