# Sign Regulations in Wayne, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Wayne, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/wayne
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Wayne, Michigan regulates 20 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Monument only)s in the Storefront (SF), Mixed-Use (MU), Community Business (B1) zoning district are capped at 6 ft. tall and 48 sq. ft., with a 7 ft. from planned ROW setback (Sec. 1222.08, Table). Most commercial signs in Wayne 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 | 5 | 5 ft. | 12 sq. ft. per side | — |
| One-Family Residential (R1, R1A, R1B, R1C), Two-Family Residential (R2), Multiple-Family Residential (MF), River Valley (RV), Planned Residential Development (PRD) | 4 | 6 ft. | 30 sq. ft. | — |
| Storefront (SF), Mixed-Use (MU), Community Business (B1) | 9 | 6 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — |
| Regional Business (B2), Industrial Business (IB) | 9 | Pole: 20 ft.; Monument: 8 ft. | Pole: 50 sq. ft.; Monument: 60 sq. ft.; Multi-tenant: 75 sq. ft. | — |
| Light Industrial (I1), Heavy Industrial (I2) | 7 | 8 ft. | 60 sq. ft. (single tenant); 75 sq. ft. (multi-tenant) | — |

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

### Storefront (SF), Mixed-Use (MU), Community Business (B1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Monument only) | 6 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — | 7 ft. from planned ROW | 1 per building (possible 2 for qualifying corner lots) | No closer than 7 ft. to planned ROW | — | 1222.08, Table |
| Wall Sign (Standard) | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant (see Footnotes) | 1 per tenant | — | 1222.08, Table; Footnotes A & B |
| Wall Sign (Secondary, Multi-Frontage Entrance) | — | — | — | — | 1 per eligible tenant | For tenants with frontage and second public entrance on two streets | — | 1222.08, Footnote B |
| Wall Sign (Directory) | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per multi-tenant building | For multi-tenant buildings, at shared main entrance | — | 1222.08, Table |
| Wall Sign (Public Alleyway) | — | — | — | — | 1 per eligible building/tenant | 1 per building/tenant with public access to a functional public alleyway | — | 1222.08, Table |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of the window area | — | — | — | First floor only | — | 1222.08, Table |
| Canopy/Awning/Marquee Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant | An integral permanent part of canopy/awning/marquee | — | 1222.08, Table |
| Projecting Sign | — | 10 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per tenant/entrance | 1 per tenant and/or public entrance | — | 1222.08, Table |

### Regional Business (B2), Industrial Business (IB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Pole or Monument) | Pole: 20 ft.; Monument: 8 ft. | Pole: 50 sq. ft.; Monument: 60 sq. ft.; Multi-tenant: 75 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. from ROW | 1 per building; option for 2 on qualifying corner lots | No closer than 10 ft. to existing or planned ROW | — | 1222.09, Table |
| Wall Sign (Standard) | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant | 1 per tenant | — | 1222.09, Table |
| Wall Sign (Additional on 2nd Street Frontage) | — | — | — | — | 1 extra per qualifying building | Buildings with frontage on more than 1 street | — | 1222.09, Table |
| Wall Sign (Directory) | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per qualifying building | For multi-tenant building with a shared main entrance | — | 1222.09, Table |
| Wall Sign (Public Alleyway) | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per eligible building/tenant | 1 per building/tenant with public access to a functional public alleyway | — | 1222.09, Table |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area | — | — | — | First floor only | — | 1222.09, Table |
| Canopy/Awning/Marquee Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant | Integral permanent part of canopy, awning, marquee | — | 1222.09, Table |
| Projecting Sign | — | 10 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per tenant/entrance | 1 per tenant and/or public entrance | — | 1222.09, Table |

### Light Industrial (I1), Heavy Industrial (I2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Monument only) | 8 ft. | 60 sq. ft. (single tenant); 75 sq. ft. (multi-tenant) | — | 10 ft. from ROW | 1 per building; 2 on eligible corner lots | May be in front yard, no closer than 10 ft. to existing/planned ROW | — | 1222.10, Table |
| Ground Sign (Industrial Park Entrance) | 6 ft. | 30 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. from ROW | 1 per entrance | 1 per vehicular entrance from a public street, in front yard, no closer than 10 ft. to ROW | — | 1222.10, Table |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant | 1 per tenant | — | 1222.10, Table |
| Wall Sign (Directory) | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per qualifying building | For multi-tenant building with shared main entrance | — | 1222.10, Table |
| Canopy/Awning/Marquee Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant | Integral part of canopy/awning/marquee | — | 1222.10, Table |
| Projecting Sign | — | 10 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per tenant/entrance | 1 per tenant and/or public entrance | — | 1222.10, Table |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1222.10; 1222.11 |

## Prohibited signs in Wayne

- Any sign not expressly permitted.
- Signs which by reason of their position, shape, illumination, location, or color obstruct the vision of drivers or pedestrian traffic.
- Signs which incorporate flashing, moving, oscillating, and/or blinking lights.
- Exterior pennant strings, flutter flags, spinners, banners, and streamers.
- Any obscene, indecent, or immoral content.
- Any sign or object, including inflatable objects, which has any visible motion, moving or animated parts or image, whether movement is caused by machinery, wind, or otherwise, except for permitted digital message signs and exempt flags.
- Any sign structure or frame that no longer contains a sign.
- Roof signs or signs which project above the roof line.
- Signs that prevent ingress and egress from any door, window, or fire escape; no sign can be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Any sign erected on any property, public or private, without the consent of the property owner.
- Any sign which simulates or imitates in size, color, lettering, or design any traffic sign or signal, or which interferes with or confuses drivers.
- Off-premises signs, including billboards or vehicle business signs.
- Tube lights, whether LED, neon, or any other type of light, including those that line windows and doors.
- Signs which are structurally or electrically unsafe, including but not limited to rust, non-functional wiring, leaning, danger of toppling, detaching from wall, danger of falling, and visible damage.
- Signs which have deteriorated to the point of being a blight, including unreadable messages, peeling paint, broken parts, and burnt out lighting.
- No signs can be located within clear vision triangles at intersections or driveways (must maintain clear corner vision).
- No sign can be placed, strung, or located within the right-of-way.
- Temporary signs may not be illuminated.
- Signs cannot impede or endanger pedestrian or automobile traffic.
- Illumination by bare bulbs or flames is prohibited (except as specifically permitted).
- Daylight fluorescent pigments, paints, or reflective color materials that give the appearance of changing color or brilliant luminescent colors are prohibited.
- Prohibited materials for signs include sheet plastic, plastic substrates, interior grade woods, unlaced plywood, sheet metal, and neon.
- Projecting signs cannot contain an electrical component.
- No person shall attach a sign to a tree in a public right of way except upon written permission.
- No person shall place any sign in or upon a public right of way without permission from the Director of the Department of Engineering and Building.
- No balloons or streamers may be attached to an "A"-Frame sign.

## Signs exempt from permit in Wayne

- Government signs, including those identifying public facilities, government buildings, parks, and temporary government signs for decoration or seasonal events or holidays.
- Highway and street signs, and signs authorized by a road agency for infrastructure improvements.
- Address numbers, with a numeral height no greater than twelve-inches.
- Historic markers under the authority of a local, state, or federal organization.
- Essential service signs and signs required by law.
- Placard/building markers no larger than two-square feet in area.
- Flags, subject to: not in right-of-way; pole max height 30 ft; 1 flag per lot in residential, 3 in other districts; max size 60 sq. ft.
- Directional signs, up to four-square feet in area and four-feet in height.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Within a project, buildings, or clusters of buildings that have more than one tenant must submit a master sign plan with the sign permit application.
- The master sign plan must include the location, area, height, color, and font of all ground and wall signs, including the area designated for individual tenant signs.
- Elevations of ground signs must be included in the master sign plan.
- The sign plan must establish a common theme or design, use similar construction methods, and be compatible in color, size, and scale.
- A master sign plan is a requirement for permitting when a property or building contains multiple tenants.

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

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