# Sign Regulations in Troy, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Troy, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/troy
- **Data last verified:** 2025-09-03
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://troymi.gov/Departments/City%20Attorney/Code%20and%20Charter/Code%20Table%20of%20Contents/CH085.pdf)

## At a glance

Troy, Michigan regulates 19 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Ground Sign (Non-single family use)s in the R-1 One Family Residential District (R-1), RT One Family Attached Residential District (RT) zoning district are capped at 12 ft. tall and 100 sq. ft., with a 10 ft. from right-of-way setback (Sec. 85.02.05 C 1.a). Most commercial signs in Troy require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1 One Family Residential District (R-1), RT One Family Attached Residential District (RT) | 4 | 25 ft. (flag pole) | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| MF Multiple-Family District (MF), UR Urban Residential District (UR), MHP Manufactured Housing District (MHP), C-F Community Facilities District (C-F) | 3 | 30 ft. (flag pole) | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| O Office District (O), OM Office Mixed Use District (OM), R-C District (R-C) | 4 | 30 ft. (flag pole) | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| CB Community Business District (CB), GB General Business District (GB), PV Planned Vehicle Sales District (PV) | 4 | 30 ft. (flag pole) | 50 sq. ft. (0 ft. setback) or 100 sq. ft. (20 ft. setback) | — |
| IB Integrated Industrial and Business District (IB) | 4 | 30 ft. (flag pole) | 50 sq. ft. (0 ft. setback) or 100 sq. ft. (20 ft. setback) | — |
| BB Big Beaver District (BB), MR Maple Road District (MR), NN Neighborhood Node District (NN) | 5 | 30 ft. (flag pole) | 50 sq. ft. (0 ft. setback) or 100 sq. ft. (20 ft. setback) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 42 inches | Maximum 100 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### R-1 One Family Residential District (R-1), RT One Family Attached Residential District (RT)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Non-single family use) | 12 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. from right-of-way | One per non-single family use | On premises for non-single family use | — | 85.02.05 C 1.a |
| Ground Sign (Development Entrance) | 12 ft. | 100 sq. ft. total for both signs | — | 10 ft. from right-of-way | Maximum two | At one, two, or multiple family housing development entrances | — | 85.02.05 C 1.b |
| Temporary Sign (Construction) | 10 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | — | One per development under construction | On premises under construction | — | 85.02.05 C 1.c |
| Flag | 25 ft. (flag pole) | 15 sq. ft. per flag | — | — | Maximum two flags, one pole | On premises | — | 85.03.05 A |

### BB Big Beaver District (BB), MR Maple Road District (MR), NN Neighborhood Node District (NN)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Primary) | 10 ft. (0 ft. setback) or 20 ft. (20 ft. setback) | 50 sq. ft. (0 ft. setback) or 100 sq. ft. (20 ft. setback) | — | 0 ft. for 50 sq. ft. sign; 20 ft. for 100 sq. ft. sign | One per building | On premises for each building | — | 85.02.05 C 6.a, Table 85.02.05 |
| Ground Sign (Secondary, Major Thoroughfare) | 10 ft. | 36 sq. ft. | — | — | One additional per building | On premises if site fronts a major thoroughfare. | — | 85.02.05 C 6.b |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | Any number (subject to 10% total area limit per tenant) | On face of area occupied by the tenant | — | 85.02.05 C 6.c, 6.d |
| Wall Sign or Projecting Sign (Pedestrian-scaled) | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | One per tenant | One per tenant, exterior | — | 85.02.05 C 6.e |
| Flag | 30 ft. (flag pole) | 15 sq. ft. per flag | — | — | Maximum four flags, two poles | On premises | — | 85.03.05 B |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Electronic Message Sign (EMS) Ground Sign | Per ground sign maximum in each zone | 50 sq. ft. (EMS portion); subject to maximum allowed for ground sign in each zone | — | Ground sign setback per zone | Only one per premise | Ground sign only, on premises | — | 85.03.06 |
| Temporary Sign | 42 inches | Aggregate 14 sq. ft. per site; individual sign maximum 6 sq. ft. | — | 20 ft. from edge of roadway; comply with corner clearance area | Aggregate total not to exceed 14 sq. ft. | Not attached to utility poles; not within public right-of-way; must be at least 20 ft. from edge of roadway | — | 85.03.02 |
| Temporary Sign (Construction on uses other than one/two family dwellings) | 10 ft. | 10% of front area of structure | — | — | — | On premises (not one/two-family dwellings) | — | 85.03.02, Exception a |
| Temporary Sign (Vacant Land for Sale/Lease) | 10 ft. | Maximum 100 sq. ft. | — | — | One sign per parcel | On vacant land for sale/lease | — | 85.03.02, Exception b |
| Road Closure Construction Sign (Ground or Wall) | 10 ft. (ground sign) | 36 sq. ft. | — | Ground signs outside right-of-way | One per owner/tenant per affected building | Adjacent to road lane closed for 30+ days due to construction | — | 85.03.03 |
| Flag (General) | 25 ft. (res), 30 ft. (nonres) | 15 sq. ft. per flag | — | — | Residential: max two flags, one pole; Nonresidential: max four flags, two poles | On premises | — | 85.03.05 A, B |
| Flag (Vehicle sales/service establishment) | No higher than 2 ft. above vehicle height at grade | 1 sq. ft. | — | — | One per vehicle | Attached to vehicles on display for sale/rent at vehicle sales/service establishments | — | 85.03.05 C |
| Sign on Motor Vehicle | — | — | — | — | One per property (except for dealership lots) | On vehicle per owner’s residential/nonresidential property; auto dealership lots | — | 85.03.04 |

## Prohibited signs in Troy

- No sign shall be located in, project into, or overhang a public right-of-way or dedicated public easement, except as specifically provided for government-established signs, approved city event banners, or certain development identification signs under agreement with the City Council.
- Signs higher than 30 inches are prohibited in the triangular area formed at the intersection of any two street right-of-way lines by a straight line drawn between said right-of-way lines at a distance along each line of 25 feet from their intersection (corner clearance areas).
- Roof projecting signs are prohibited.
- No signs may be attached to or placed upon a building in such a manner as to obstruct any fire escape.
- No pole, cable, or support of any nature shall be placed on any publicly owned property, street right-of-way, or proposed street right-of-way.
- No advertising device may simulate or imitate in size, color, lettering, or design any traffic sign or signal, or other official traffic elements, in a manner that interferes with, misleads, or confuses traffic.
- Flashing or intermittent illumination of signs is prohibited.
- Off premise signs displaying commercial messages are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- No sign may be erected, constructed, maintained, enlarged, altered, moved, or converted contrary to or in violation of any provision of this chapter.
- No sign shall be erected so that any part, including cables, guys, etc, will be within six feet of any electrical conductor, light pole, street lamp, traffic light, or other public utility pole or standard.
- No open spark or flame may be used for display purposes unless specifically approved by the Zoning Administrator.
- Signs that revolve shall make no more than four complete revolutions per minute.
- No sign may create a hazard, be illuminated so as to adversely affect driver visibility, or be installed in a manner causing unsafe conditions.
- Electronic Message Signs (EMS) must not display brightness that impairs vision or endangers public safety.
- EMS shall not use effects such as dynamic frame effect, scrolling, travel, dissolve, or fade, nor exhibit any characteristics of movement or flashing.
- EMS shall not include any audio message.
- No signs may be attached to a motor vehicle, trailer, or other mobile structure where the primary use is to provide a base for such sign or constitute the sign itself (except as otherwise allowed for identification signs, auto dealerships, or under specific conditions on private property).
- Temporary signs shall not be attached to utility poles or located in the public right-of-way.
- All temporary signs must not interfere with, obstruct, confuse, or mislead traffic and must not be placed or constructed so as to create a hazard of any kind.

## Signs exempt from permit in Troy

- Sign permits are not required for street signs erected by the City, State or Federal Government for street direction or traffic control.
- Sign permits are not required for signs located on the interior of buildings.
- Sign permits are not required for signs not visible from any adjacent right-of-way and which do not exceed thirty-six square feet.
- Sign permits are not required for small ground signs for uses other than one and two family dwellings, as long as the signs are not more than two square feet in area.
- Sign permits are not required for temporary signs as set forth in Section 85.03.02.
- Sign permits are not required for flags that are allowed by Section 85.03.05.
- Flags adopted by the federal, state, or local government, and displayed as described in Section 85.03.05, do not require permits.
- Signs on motor vehicles allowed under Section 85.03.04 do not require permits.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Applications for sign permits must include plans and specifications for the proposed sign and its method of construction and attachment to the building or placement in the ground.
- The Zoning Administrator may require additional information, including stress sheets and calculations signed and sealed by a registered professional engineer or architect to demonstrate compliance with structural safety and wind pressure regulations.
- If denied a permit or other administrative remedy, any person may appeal to the Board of Appeals and request a variance, which will involve a public hearing and notification to nearby property owners.
- No explicit requirement for a Master Sign Plan or Sign Plan is stated in the provided sections, but comprehensive plans/specifications and site layout may be required in permit applications (especially for Special Event Signs and as determined necessary by the Zoning Administrator).

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

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