# Sign Regulations in Richmond, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Richmond, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/richmond
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MI/Richmond/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXAZOOR_ART13SI)

## At a glance

Richmond, Michigan regulates 17 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Construction Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 feet tall and 24 square feet, with a 10 feet from street right-of-way. setback (Sec. Sec. 13.04.C). Most commercial signs in Richmond require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 6 feet | 32 square feet per zoning lot (except: temp window signs up to 100% window area) | — |
| Single-family residential, two-family residential, and manufactured housing park districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-T, R-4) | 2 | 6 feet | 24 square feet | — |
| Multiple-family residential, office, business, industrial, and parking districts (RM-1, O, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1, I-2, P) | 2 | 6 feet | 24 square feet for all signs | — |
| B-1 (local business), B-2 (downtown business), B-3 (general business), Office (O, OS-1), Industrial District (I-1, I-2), Parking District (P) | 8 | up to 12 feet (with wide ROW +2 ft modifier) | up to 60 square feet (base +20 sq ft for lots with 500+ ft frontage or 3+ non-residential uses or abutting wide ROW) | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Non-Commercial Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Not within or over any street right-of-way, except as authorized by city council. | — | Sec. 13.03.A |
| Building Directory Sign | — | 3% of signable area of building | — | — | — | Street level facade, separate from other permitted signs. | — | Sec. 13.04.B |
| Construction Sign | 6 feet | 24 square feet | — | 10 feet from street right-of-way. | 1 per street frontage | Minimum 10 feet setback from any street right-of-way. | — | Sec. 13.04.C |
| Temporary Sign (not otherwise regulated - e.g. balloon, festoon, banner) | Max of principal building or max permitted in district, whichever is less | 32 square feet per zoning lot (except: temp window signs up to 100% window area) | — | 5 ft from all street rights-of-way (unless mounted flat to wall/window) | — | Not in or over street right-of-way unless city council approved. Minimum 5 ft setback from all street rights-of-way. | — | Sec. 13.04.E |
| Memorial Sign / Tablet / Marker | — | — | — | — | — | Cut into masonry or constructed of bronze or incombustible material. | — | Sec. 13.03.D.3 |
| Flag/Pennant (official/non-profit/organizer) | — | — | — | — | — | On lot or over street (city approval required for over public streets). | — | Sec. 13.03.D.4 |
| Governmental/Public Access/Incidental/Traffic Safety Sign | — | — | — | — | — | As appropriate for official purpose. | — | Sec. 13.03.D.5-6 |
| No Trespassing or Similar Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 1 per side of lot fronting public street | Entirely upon private property. | — | Sec. 13.03.D.8 |

### Single-family residential, two-family residential, and manufactured housing park districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-T, R-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Non-Commercial Sign | 6 feet | 21 square feet for all signs | — | — | — | Not in right-of-way. | — | Sec. 13.03.A.1 |
| Site Entry Feature Sign | 6 feet | 24 square feet | — | 10 feet from ROW/curbline; 5 feet from sidewalk/path. | 1 per side of entrance | At entrance to subdivision or development; outside of right-of-way or corner clearance area. | — | Sec. 13.04.A |

### B-1 (local business), B-2 (downtown business), B-3 (general business), Office (O, OS-1), Industrial District (I-1, I-2), Parking District (P)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 10% of signable area of space occupied by the use | — | — | 1 per street level facade; see additional rear sign provision | Street level facade, within signable area, not above parapet or on roof. | — | Sec. 13.05; Table 16-1; Sec. 13.05.B |
| Awning Sign | Awning sign: 7.5 ft above ground min | 8 inches height, 33% of valance area | — | — | 1 per use | Awning valance at street level facade. | — | Sec. 13.05; Table 16-1; Sec. 13.05.B.3 |
| Projecting Sign | 8 feet above ground min | 20 square feet per sign face | — | — | 1 per use | Street level facade, projects from wall; metal anchors/support; see projection note below. | — | Sec. 13.05; Table 16-1; Sec. 13.05.B.4 |
| Window Sign | — | 15% of street level window area | — | — | 1 per use | Within the window, at street level. | — | Sec. 13.05; Table 16-1 |
| Ground Sign (default, see modifiers) | 10 feet (modifiers may apply) | 40 square feet per sign face (modifiable downward/upward per table) | — | Setback from street right-of-way and buildings at least equal to actual sign height. | 1 per zoning lot (additional signs with lot frontage or multi-use per modifiers) | Not within corner clearance area; setback from right-of-way/buildings at least equal to sign height. | — | Sec. 13.06.A, 13.06.B |
| Ground Sign (Office/Local Business Modifier) | 8 feet (10 ft -2 ft for modifier) | 32 square feet per sign face (base 40 sq ft -8 sq ft for modifier) | — | Setback from street right-of-way/buildings equal to sign height. | 1 per zoning lot (see modifiers) | See Base Ground Sign above. | — | Sec. 13.06.B |
| Ground Sign (Large Lot/Frontage Modifier) | up to 12 feet (with wide ROW +2 ft modifier) | up to 60 square feet (base +20 sq ft for lots with 500+ ft frontage or 3+ non-residential uses or abutting wide ROW) | — | Setback equal to sign height. | Up to 2 per lot if frontage/lot criteria met | See base ground sign. | — | Sec. 13.06.B |
| Portable Sign (Sandwich Board/A-frame) | 5 feet | 15 square feet | 3 feet | — | 1 per principal non-residential use | Immediately adjacent to public entrance, may be on public sidewalk with city planner approval. | — | Sec. 13.03.C |

## Prohibited signs in Richmond

- Signs that resemble and could be confused with an official highway, traffic or government sign, signal or traffic control device; or that obscure a sign, signal or traffic control device displayed by public authority to provide traffic instruction, direction or public information.
- Signs painted on or attached to trees, utility poles, streetlights, fences, streetlights or similar locations.
- Signs placed upon or across any public right-of-way or upon any city property, except as expressly authorized by this article or the city council.
- Signs that incorporate string lights; flashing, moving or intermittent lights of changing degrees or intensity; exposed incandescent bulbs; animation; or unshielded luminous tube lighting.
- Exterior string lights accessory to a non-residential use, other than holiday decoration or when used as an embellishment to landscape plant materials.
- Signs that have any visible moving parts, mechanical movement, rotation, or other apparent visible movement achieved by electrical or mechanical means or by action of normal wind currents; and signs that discharge any audible sound, odor or visible matter.
- Roof signs, and signs that obstruct window or door openings, inhibit ingress or egress, or interfere with building ventilation.
- Signs displayed without required permits or outside of permitted size, location or time period limitations.
- Non-accessory and off-premises signs, including billboard signs per section 13.07 (billboards), except as otherwise provided for in this article.
- Abandoned or unlawful signs, displays of obscene material on any sign, and any other sign not expressly permitted by this article.
- Animated copy (flashing, moving, or revolving text and images) is prohibited.
- Illumination of temporary signs shall be prohibited.
- No sign may extend above any parapet or be placed upon any roof surface.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained so as to prevent ingress or egress from any door, window or fire escape.
- No sign of any kind shall be attached to a standpipe, fire escape or other means of ingress or egress.
- Signs shall not be designed or maintained in a manner that would confuse or mislead motorists or pedestrians, create traffic or pedestrian hazards, obstruct free and clear vision or interfere with any traffic control device.
- Signs shall not impair the use of adjacent properties.
- Signs accessory to residential uses may not be internally illuminated.
- Luminous tube lighting (neon, fluorescent or similar) shall not be directly visible from any street right-of-way or adjacent lot.
- Billboard signs are prohibited within the City of Richmond.

## Signs exempt from permit in Richmond

- Painting, servicing, cleaning or minor repairs to an existing sign, provided that the sign is restored to its original design and all work is in compliance with applicable structural and electrical codes, and the requirements for such signs specified in this article.
- One window sign accessory to a permitted non-residential use, not exceeding two square-feet in area, which may be illuminated.
- Memorial signs, tablets or markers cut into any masonry surface or constructed of bronze or other incombustible material.
- Flags bearing the official design of a nation, state, municipality, educational institution, award or non-profit organization, including pennants installed by the city on or over public streets for aesthetic or promotional purposes.
- Signs of a duly constituted governmental body; signs required to be maintained by law or governmental order, rule or regulation; signs identifying public access, municipal facilities and similar official markers; and incidental signs displayed for the direction, safety or convenience of the public.
- Traffic safety and control signs that conform to the requirements of the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
- Changes to sign copy within an approved changeable copy area.
- Posting of not more than one 'No Trespassing' sign or similar notice per side of a lot with frontage on a public street, provided that each sign is no more than two square-feet in area and located entirely upon private property.
- Incidental signs carried by or affixed to clothing worn by persons; and incidental signs on vehicles, trailers, portable liquid propane tanks, and similar transitory devices that are associated with and regularly used in the course of conducting the principal use located on the premises.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permit applications must include a plot plan showing all existing and proposed signs on the zoning lot. If building-mounted signs are proposed, elevation drawings of all buildings on the site must be provided showing all existing and proposed building-mounted signs.
- Specifications and drawings showing the materials, design, dimensions, structural supports, electrical components, and method of illumination are required with a permit application.
- Where a proposed sign would encroach into the county or state road right-of-way, copies of permits or approvals from the county road authority or Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) must be provided.
- The city planner or building official may require any other information to show full compliance with this ordinance, and may require a signed removal agreement, bond, or other acceptable surety to guarantee the future removal of a sign.
- Applications for exceptions from one or more provisions of this article (such as variances) may be filed with the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA), which conducts a public hearing for such requests.
- Painted wall signs are subject to planning commission approval.
- Site entry features with signage require planning commission approval for location and design.
- Certain sign encroachments into the public right-of-way require city council approval and, where applicable, encroachment agreements may be needed from state or county road authorities.

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

---

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