# Sign Regulations in Taylor, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Taylor, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/taylor
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MI/Taylor/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COORTAMI_APXAZO_ART18SI)

## At a glance

Taylor, Michigan regulates 26 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding signs (ground or monument)s in the Nonresidential districts zoning district are capped at 8 ft. tall and 32 sq. ft. per face (50 sq. ft. if multitenant sign), with a Minimum 10 ft from any public street right-of-way; At least 100 ft from any residential district setback (Sec. Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a; section 18.06(b)(4)). Most commercial signs in Taylor require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonresidential districts | 7 | Must not be higher than height of the building; bottom must be at least 15 ft. above ground if within 4 ft. of surface serving automobiles | 33% of awning surface OR 40 sq. ft. (marquee) | — |
| I-1, I-2 | 1 | As established for buildings in the district; 45 ft if adjacent to interstate; bottom at least 15 ft from ground if within 4 ft. of a surface serving automobiles | 300 sq. ft. per sign face, max 2 sign faces | — |
| SLU in residential districts | 2 | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. per face, 50 sq. ft. if multitenant sign | — |
| All districts | 8 | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 35 ft. | 50 sq. ft. per flag | — |

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

### Nonresidential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning, canopy or marquee signs | Must not be higher than height of the building, bottom shall be at least 8 ft. from ground | 33% of awning surface OR 40 sq. ft. (marquee) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On awning, canopy, or marquee. Marquee signs only on theater buildings. | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a; section 18.06(b)(1) |
| Changeable message signs (Including electronic reader boards) | 8 ft. | 25 sq. ft., counted as part of the allowed sq. footage of a freestanding sign | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On site in Nonresidential district | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a; section 18.06(b)(3) |
| Freestanding signs (ground or monument) | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. per face (50 sq. ft. if multitenant sign) | — | Minimum 10 ft from any public street right-of-way; At least 100 ft from any residential district | 1 per street frontage (plus 1 extra if 300+ ft. of frontage and minimum 100 ft. apart from another sign) | Nonresidential districts and at least 100 ft from any residential district; along lot lines with street frontage. | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a; section 18.06(b)(4) |
| Portable signs (menu/sandwich board, poster panels, A-frames) | 4 ft. | 3 sq. ft. | — | Not in right-of-way; at least 2 ft from curb; maintain at least 5 ft wide sidewalk for pedestrian traffic. | 1 per street frontage | On site, not in right-of-way, at least 2 ft from curb, at least 5-ft clear sidewalk for pedestrian traffic | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a; section 18.06(b)(5) |
| Projecting signs | Must not be higher than height of the building; bottom must be at least 15 ft. above ground if within 4 ft. of surface serving automobiles | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per public entrance | Nonresidential districts, at public entrance, projecting from building wall | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a; section 18.06(b)(6) |
| Wall signs | Shall not exceed height of building | 10% of wall up to 100 sq. ft.; up to 140 sq. ft. (see additional requirements for increases) | — | — | No explicit maximum; multi-tenant buildings: one per tenant with individual access | Building wall | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a; section 18.06(b)(7), Table 18.06.b |
| Window signs | — | 25% of glass surface | — | — | — | Window | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a; section 18.06(b)(8) |

### All districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Community special event signs | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per event | All districts | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a |
| Construction signs | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | All districts | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a |
| Entranceway signs | 6 ft. | 25 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per entrance | At the entrance | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a |
| Garage sale or open house signs | 3 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage on site plus 2 off-premises | On site (plus 2 off-premises signs with permission) | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a |
| Grand opening, special sale and promotional signs | 6 ft. (ground sign); for wall sign, not higher than building | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | All districts | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a |
| Political signs | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | — | All districts | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a |
| Real estate: sale or lease of individual business, dwelling unit or lot | 3 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | All districts | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a |
| Real estate: development signs | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | All districts | — | Sec. 18.06, Table 18.06.a |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Device signs | — | 3 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per vending machine, gas pump or ice container | On gas pumps, ice containers or vending machines | — | Sec. 18.04(a) |
| Employment signs | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. (all such signs combined) | — | — | — | At the place of business where posted | — | Sec. 18.04(b) |
| Flags | 35 ft. | 50 sq. ft. per flag | — | — | 3 per lot | Any property | — | Sec. 18.04(c) |
| Historical signs | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Building or premises designated historic | — | Sec. 18.04(d) |
| Identification signs | — | 1 sq. ft. (exempt from total area); signs in excess of 1 sq. ft. count toward total allowed sign area | — | — | — | Buildings, for house number, owner name, occupant, or building name | — | Sec. 18.04(e) |
| Incidental signs | — | 2 sq. ft. (all such signs combined) | — | — | — | On premises of the business (credit card, hours, bathrooms, etc.) | — | Sec. 18.04(f) |
| Nameplate signs | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Attached to exterior building wall | — | Sec. 18.04(h) |
| Warning signs | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Publicly authorized warnings, such as no trespassing/electric current/animals | — | Sec. 18.04(j) |

## Prohibited signs in Taylor

- Any sign not expressly permitted.
- Pennants, spinners, streamers, and banners bearing any logo, product name, business name or other advertising, and balloons, except those temporarily attached to automobiles or temporarily displayed as part of a special sale, promotion or community event.
- An unlicensed or inoperable stationary or abandoned motor vehicle, trailer or watercraft parked on public or private property used specifically for signage and not for the intended use of the vehicle. No commercial vehicle may be parked on a business or industrial premises for a time period exceeding 48 hours for the intended purpose of advertising a product or serving as a business sign.
- Signs that blink, flash or are animated by lighting in any fashion that would cause such signs to have the appearance of traffic safety signs or lights, or municipal vehicle warnings from a distance.
- Signs having moving members or parts or appearance of movement.
- Signs that advertise a product that is no longer made, an event that has already occurred, or that advertises a business that has closed.
- Portable signs except where expressly allowed in this article.
- A sign erected above the roofline of a building.
- Signs attached to any utility pole, light standard, bench, street tree or any public facility.
- Signs that make use of the words 'stop,' 'look,' 'go,' 'slow,' 'caution,' or 'danger' or any other words, phrases, symbols, or characters, in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic. Signs that in any way simulate or could be confused with the lighting of emergency vehicles or traffic signals; there shall be no red, yellow, or green illumination on any sign located in the same line of vision as a traffic control system, nor interference with vision clearance along any highway, street, or intersection of two or more streets.
- Signs that prevent free and unobstructed access to any door, window, fire escape, or other required exit.
- Signs located in such a manner as to obstruct or otherwise interfere with an official traffic sign, signal or device or obstruct or interfere with a driver's view of approaching, merging or intersecting traffic. Signs located in, encroaching upon or overhanging public rights-of-way.
- String lights used for commercial purposes, other than holiday decorations.
- Structurally unsafe signs, including those that are structurally unsafe, constitute a hazard to safety or health due to inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, or abandonment, are capable of causing electric shock, or not kept in good repair (such as having broken parts, missing letters, or nonoperational lights).
- Signage painted on exterior walls.
- Signs which contain words, lettering, photographs, silhouettes or drawings, or pictorial representations of any specified anatomical area or sexually explicit activity as defined in this ordinance.
- Signs advertising use or items which are illegal by state, federal or municipal law.
- Use of glaring undiffused lights or bulbs.
- Illumination by bare bulbs, neon, luminous tubing or flames is prohibited, except that bare bulbs are permitted on theater marquees.
- Signs shall not be illuminated by lights that are not steady, stationary, and shielded, except as specifically permitted.
- Signs shall not be attached to a stand pipe or fire escape.
- Signs shall not obstruct or intrude upon architectural features of a building.
- Signs must be constructed to prevent roosting or nesting of birds.

## Signs exempt from permit in Taylor

- Permanent signs on gas pumps, or ice containers indicating only the contents, not exceeding three square feet in area, limit of one sign per vending machine, gas pump, or ice container.
- Help wanted signs soliciting employees for the business where posted, not exceeding six square feet with a maximum height of four feet.
- Flags of any type, maximum of three flags per lot, each not exceeding 50 square feet and 35 feet in height.
- Historical markers including plaques or signs designating a building or premises as historic, not exceeding 12 square feet.
- Identification signs solely designating house number, owner name, occupant, or building name (not counted in total sign area if one square foot or less, otherwise counted as part of total sign area).
- Incidental signs (small signs, emblems, or decals) informing the public of the address, goods, facilities, or services available on the premises, not exceeding two square feet in total.
- Any sign located completely within an enclosed building and not visible from the outside.
- Nameplate signs identifying occupants or professional/home occupation, not exceeding two square feet, and attached to an exterior wall.
- Traffic, directional or other regulatory signs, legal notices, danger signs and such temporary emergency or nonadvertising signs or private traffic control signs which conform to the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and as may be approved by the city that bear no advertising including logos.
- Publicly authorized warning signs, such as no trespassing, warning of electrical currents or animals, not exceeding two square feet.
- Ordinary servicing or repainting of an existing sign message, cleaning of a sign, or changing of the message on the sign where the sign is designed for such changes (such as lettering on a marquee or numbers on a gasoline price sign) does not require a new permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Site plan review is required for billboards in accordance with article 19, site plan review.
- Whenever the principal building on a site with a nonconforming sign is modified, or there is a change in use requiring site plan review and approval, the nonconforming sign shall be removed.
- Applications for sign permits must include two blueprints or drawings of the plans and specifications and method of construction and attachments to the building or in the ground.
- Development services department may require approval of the structural design by a registered engineer.
- For all sign permit applications, the development services department may require any other information deemed necessary to show full compliance with city laws and ordinances.

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

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