# Sign Regulations in Paw Paw, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Paw Paw, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/paw-paw
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MI/Paw_Paw/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH42ZO_ARTVISI)

## At a glance

Paw Paw, Michigan regulates 13 sign types across 11 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the R-1, R-2 (for uses other than dwellings) zoning district are capped at 10 ft tall and Total: 32 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 24 sq ft, with a 5 ft — front lot line; 15 ft — all other lot lines setback (Sec. Sec. 42-436(a) Table). Most commercial signs in Paw Paw require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (11 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | Up to 50% of the maximum allowed sign area for the permitted sign type on the lot. | — |
| R-1, R-2 (for uses other than dwellings) | 2 | 10 ft | Total: 32 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 24 sq ft | — |
| RM, RMH (for uses other than dwellings) | 2 | 10 ft | Total: 50 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 24 sq ft | — |
| B-1, RO (for uses other than dwellings) | 2 | 15 ft | Total: 120 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 80 sq ft | — |
| B-2 (for uses other than dwellings) | 3 | 30 ft | Total: 200 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 100 sq ft | — |
| CBD (for uses other than dwellings), DOD | 1 | — | — | — |
| RA — PUD | 1 | — | — | — |
| I-1, I-2 (for uses other than dwellings) | 2 | 25 ft | Total: 300 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 120 sq ft | — |
| P (for uses other than dwellings) | 2 | 10 ft | 8 sq ft per sign | — |
| Residential Districts | 2 | 5 ft | 24 sq ft per sign | — |
| Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts | 5 | 50 ft | 600 sq ft total surface as viewed from a single location | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 11 zones)

### R-1, R-2 (for uses other than dwellings)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 10 ft | Total: 32 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building per street frontage | 1 per building per street frontage. Additional signage oriented toward secondary frontage for buildings with multiple frontages. | — | Sec. 42-436(a) Table |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 ft | Total: 32 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 24 sq ft | — | 5 ft — front lot line; 15 ft — all other lot lines | 1 per parcel per street frontage; additional sign with 40 ft additional frontage | 1 per parcel per street frontage. A minimum of 40 ft of street frontage is required for an additional sign. | — | Sec. 42-436(a) Table |

### B-2 (for uses other than dwellings)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 30 ft | Total: 200 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per storefront per street frontage | 1 per storefront per street frontage. Additional signage oriented toward secondary frontage for buildings with multiple frontages. | — | Sec. 42-436(a) Table |
| Freestanding Sign | 30 ft | Total: 200 sq ft per parcel; Max per sign: 100 sq ft | — | 5 ft — all lot lines | 1 per parcel per street frontage; additional sign with 40 ft additional frontage | 1 per parcel per street frontage. A minimum of 40 ft of street frontage is required for an additional sign. | — | Sec. 42-436(a) Table |
| Projecting Sign | 30 ft | Max per sign: 20 sq ft (subject to more in Section 42-259 B.4) | — | 5 ft — all lot lines | 1 per storefront per street frontage | 1 per storefront per street frontage | — | Sec. 42-436(a) Table |

### Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial/Industrial Development Entrance Sign | 5 ft | 75 sq ft per sign | — | 10 ft from abutting street R.O.W. | 1 per entrance, max 2 per development | At each entrance to a commercial/industrial park/development (max two per development) | — | Sec. 42-436(c) |
| Highway Sign | 50 ft | 200 sq ft per sign | — | 10 ft from I-94 R.O.W.; 1 ft per ft of sign height from any residential district | 1 per qualifying parcel | Within 200 feet of I-94 right-of-way in B-2, I-1, and I-2 districts | — | Sec. 42-436(d) |
| Billboard | — | 600 sq ft total surface as viewed from a single location | — | 100 ft from abutting street R.O.W., 50 ft from interior boundaries, 500 ft from residence. | No more than 1 per 1,500 linear ft on same side of highway | Not within 500 feet of a residence, 100 feet from abutting street right-of-way, or 50 feet from interior lot lines. Not more than one billboard may be erected within 1,500 linear feet on the same side of a state or interstate highway. | — | Sec. 42-436(e) |
| Directional Sign | 3 ft | 2 sq ft per sign | — | Within 5 ft of driveway/sidewalk | 1 per driveway | At each driveway; within five feet of a driveway or sidewalk | — | Sec. 42-436(f) |
| Temporary Sign (Commercial/Industrial) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 for first 66 ft, plus 1/additional 30 ft frontage | Allowed on lots with minimum frontage per rules | — | Sec. 42-437(b) |

## Prohibited signs in Paw Paw

- Signs shall be allowed only in accordance with the provisions of this article and any other applicable provisions of this chapter.
- Signs shall be placed, constructed and erected in accordance with good construction practices and shall be maintained in good condition and repair.
- Except as otherwise allowed by this article, all signs shall be constructed of permanent materials and shall be permanently attached to the ground or a building/structure by direct attachment to a rigid wall, frame or structure.
- Signs requiring electrical service shall be constructed and operated in compliance with the electrical code in effect within the village.
- Signs shall be placed only on private property except for lawful signs of governmental bodies or agencies. A sign shall not extend beyond any lot lines of the property on which it is located.
- No sign or sign structure shall be placed, constructed or erected in any location or manner where it may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.
- No rotating light or flashing illumination resembling a police or emergency light shall be used on or in connection with any sign.
- Signs may be illuminated only in accordance with the provisions of this article.
- No sign shall be erected, constructed, relocated or altered, unless specifically exempted by this article, until a sign permit has been obtained from the village.
- The following specific signs are prohibited in all zoning districts: Abandoned signs; Inflatable signs and balloon signs, except as allowed by Section 42-437; Animated signs; Banners and pennants, except as allowed by Section 42-437; Home occupation signs; Portable signs, except as allowed by Section 42-437; Roof signs; Rotating signs; Signs on vehicles not used during the normal course of business which are parked or located for the primary purpose of displaying the advertising copy; Signs with flashing, moving, oscillating or blinking lights, including window signs; Temporary signs, except as allowed by Section 42-437.
- It is a violation to install, create, erect or maintain any sign that does not fully comply with the requirements of this article.

## Signs exempt from permit in Paw Paw

- Barber poles, animated or not, which are appurtenant to the barber business and affixed directly to the wall of the exterior of the occupied space.
- Decorative signs or displays used temporarily for holidays, patriotic occasions or public, governmental or charitable purposes or events.
- Public signs.
- Memorial signs.
- Nameplates, provided any such nameplate does not exceed 216 square inches in area and is located at a property entrance or wall of a principal residence.
- Signs identifying buildings or sites designated as historic landmarks or centennial farms by state or federal agencies.
- Window signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit mention is made in the provided sections of a required master sign plan or sign plan for general sign permitting. There are references to sign permit applications (Sec. 42-441), which require detailed drawings that demonstrate the design, structure, dimensions and location of each sign, and that a single application may include multiple signs on the same lot.

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

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