# Sign Regulations in McComb, Mississippi

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

- **Jurisdiction:** McComb, Mississippi (MS)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/mississippi/mccomb
- **Data last verified:** 2025-09-14
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/WA/McCleary/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT12STSIPUPL_CH12.16PACERE_12.16.010SIPOSTPR)

## At a glance

McComb, Mississippi regulates 24 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Permanent Business Sign (Freestanding/Pole)s in the Neighborhood Business (C-1); Highway Commercial (C-2), Central Business District Overlay (SCD) zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 150 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including any message board area, with a Minimum 5 ft from front, side, and rear property lines to the leading edge of the sign setback (Sec. Sec. 6-77(a)(1)–(6); Sec. 6-82). Most commercial signs in McComb require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (including message board) | — |
| Neighborhood Business (C-1); Highway Commercial (C-2), Central Business District Overlay (SCD) | 14 | 30 ft | 350 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including message board | — |
| Planned Commercial (C-PL); Business/Professional Office (B-PO) | 8 | 30 ft | 350 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including message board | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Traffic/Directional/Parking/Delivery Sign (On-site) | 3 ft | 4 sq ft (per sign face) | — | Minimum 2 ft front and side setback | — | Wall-mounted or ground-mounted | — | Sec. 6-77(i) |
| Political Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft (per face) | — | — | — | Allowed on private property in all zoning districts with owner permission; prohibited on governmental buildings/adjacent lawns, public utility poles, and public right-of-way | — | Sec. 6-79(a) |
| Real Estate Sign - Single-/Two-Family Developed Lot (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft (per face) | — | — | One per street frontage | On-site; 1 per street frontage lot | — | Sec. 6-79(b)(1), (4) |
| Real Estate Sign - Open House (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One | On the lot to which it applies | — | Sec. 6-79(b)(2), (4) |
| Real Estate Sign - Undeveloped Tract ≥ 2 acres (Temporary) | — | 32 sq ft (one face) | — | — | — | On-site | — | Sec. 6-79(b)(3), (4) |
| Holiday Display (Temporary) | — | 32 sq ft (per 'Special displays' definition) | — | — | — | Allowed in all zoning districts | — | Sec. 6-79(c); Sec. 6-74 (Special displays definition) |
| Banner (Temporary) - With Permit | — | 32 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way | 1 banner per permit | Restricted to principal facade (front) or secondary facade (side) of a building; not within 5 ft of right-of-way; not across public or private streets | — | Sec. 6-80(a)–(c) |
| Church Sign (Ground) | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (including message board) | — | Minimum 15 ft from property line | — | Ground-mounted | — | Sec. 6-77(h); Sec. 6-82 |

### Neighborhood Business (C-1); Highway Commercial (C-2), Central Business District Overlay (SCD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Business Sign (Freestanding/Pole) | 30 ft | 150 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including any message board area | — | Minimum 5 ft from front, side, and rear property lines to the leading edge of the sign | 1 per lot; up to 2 per lot if frontage on a public right-of-way exceeds 300 ft | Freestanding on lot | — | Sec. 6-77(a)(1)–(6); Sec. 6-82 |
| Permanent Business Sign - Multitenant (2–4 Businesses) - Option 1 | 30 ft | 250 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including message board | — | Minimum 5 ft from any property line (to leading edge) | One sign structure serving the multitenant complex | Freestanding on lot | — | Sec. 6-77(b)(1)a–e; Sec. 6-82 |
| Permanent Business Sign - Multitenant (5+ Businesses) - Option 2 | 30 ft | 350 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including message board | — | Minimum 5 ft from any property line (to leading edge) | One sign structure serving the multitenant complex | Freestanding on lot | — | Sec. 6-77(b)(2)a–g; Sec. 6-82 |
| Projecting Sign | Not to exceed the top of the second story of the structure | 40 sq ft per facing | — | — | Maximum 1 per structure | Affixed to building; lowest point at least 10 ft above ground; may not project over a public right-of-way; may not project more than 5 ft beyond building line | — | Sec. 6-77(f)(1)–(5); Sec. 6-82 |
| Ground Sign (Monument/Low Ground-Mounted) | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (including message board) | — | Minimum 15 ft from property line | — | Ground-mounted on the lot | — | Sec. 6-77(g); Sec. 6-82 |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of total window area | — | — | — | At the window of a building with the face parallel to and within 12 inches of the building wall | — | Sec. 6-77(e); Sec. 6-74 (Sign, window definition) |
| Wall Sign - Rear Entrance Directional | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | One additional sign (where conditions are met) | Posted above or to the side of a rear entrance that is not visible from another sign for the establishment | — | Sec. 6-77(c)(1); Sec. 6-82 |
| Secondary Facade Wall Sign - Option 1 | — | 10% of the area of the first two stories of the secondary facade | — | — | One secondary facade wall sign | Secondary facade of the building | — | Sec. 6-77(d); Sec. 6-82 |

### Planned Commercial (C-PL); Business/Professional Office (B-PO)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Business Sign (Freestanding/Pole) | 30 ft | 150 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including any message board area | — | Minimum 5 ft from front, side, and rear property lines to the leading edge of the sign | 1 per lot; up to 2 per lot if frontage on a public right-of-way exceeds 300 ft | Freestanding on lot | — | Sec. 6-77(a)(1)–(6); Sec. 6-82 |
| Permanent Business Sign - Multitenant (2–4 Businesses) - Option 1 | 30 ft | 250 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including message board | — | Minimum 5 ft from any property line (to leading edge) | One sign structure serving the multitenant complex | Freestanding on lot | — | Sec. 6-77(b)(1)a–e; Sec. 6-82 |
| Permanent Business Sign - Multitenant (5+ Businesses) - Option 2 | 30 ft | 350 sq ft per side (each of two sides), including message board | — | Minimum 5 ft from any property line (to leading edge) | One sign structure serving the multitenant complex | Freestanding on lot | — | Sec. 6-77(b)(2)a–g; Sec. 6-82 |
| Projecting Sign | Not to exceed the top of the second story of the structure | 40 sq ft per facing | — | — | Maximum 1 per structure | Affixed to building; lowest point at least 10 ft above ground; may not project over a public right-of-way; may not project more than 5 ft beyond building line | — | Sec. 6-77(f)(1)–(5); Sec. 6-82 |
| Ground Sign (Monument/Low Ground-Mounted) | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (including message board) | — | Minimum 15 ft from property line | — | Ground-mounted on the lot | — | Sec. 6-77(g); Sec. 6-82 |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of total window area | — | — | — | At the window of a building with the face parallel to and within 12 inches of the building wall | — | Sec. 6-77(e); Sec. 6-74 (Sign, window definition) |
| Outdoor Advertising Sign (Billboard) - C-PL ONLY | 30 ft | 300 sq ft (sign area only; structural components/trim excluded from area measurement) | — | 25 ft front; 15 ft side; 15 ft rear (to leading edge of sign) | — | On-premises within C-2 or C-PL districts; off-premises advertising allowed only in these districts | — | Sec. 6-78(1)–(6); Sec. 6-81 |
| Going-Out-of-Business Sign (Temporary) - C-PL ONLY | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | At the business going out of business | — | Sec. 6-80(d) |

## Prohibited signs in McComb

- Portable signs, including freestanding changeable or removable letter signs, are prohibited citywide; portable signs are not grandfathered and must be removed within 90 days of ordinance approval.
- Placing signs in the public right-of-way is prohibited except for city, county, state, or federal regulatory signs.
- Banners, service/bay entrance sign banners, advertising banners (except as otherwise provided), streamers, posters, ribbons, light strings/lightbulbs/light bands, spinners, pennants, attention-getting devices that move, blinking/electronic/flashing signs (except time, temperature, and date signs), signs exhibiting changing natural or artificial light or color effects, festoon lighting, and non-neon signs with bare, unshielded lights or tubes visible from a public street or private residence (unless attached to the business) are prohibited.
- Snipe signs or signs attached to trees, fences, public utility poles, standpipes, gutter drains, or fire escapes are prohibited, except for warning signs issued by government officials or public utilities.
- Abandoned or defunct signs (including their supports) are prohibited; property owners must remove them within 90 days after the effective date of the ordinance.
- Hazardous signs that prevent free ingress or access from any door, window, fire escape, driveway, or that interfere with utility lines are prohibited.
- Roof signs, or any sign erected upon, against, or directly above a roof or on top of or above the parapet of a building, are prohibited.
- Signs that emit an audible sound or odor are prohibited.
- Signs whose size, location, movement, content, coloring, or illumination may be confused with or construed as a traffic control sign/device, or the lights of an emergency or road equipment vehicle, are prohibited.
- Signs that are illegal under federal or state laws or regulations are prohibited.
- Signs that hide or interfere with traffic flow or with any street sign, signal, or device are prohibited.
- Signs or advertising devices attached to or located on a parked vehicle or trailer on public right-of-way, public property, or private property for the basic purpose of advertising or directing people are prohibited (does not apply to allowed signs/lettering on buses, taxis, or vehicles operating during the normal course of business).
- No sign may be located so that it substantially interferes with motorists’ necessary view at intersections or when entering/exiting public streets, private roads, or driveways.
- No sign may be erected so that by its location, color, size, shape, nature, or message it would obstruct the view of or be confused with official traffic signs; no sign may be constructed, erected, moved, enlarged, illuminated, or altered except in accordance with this article.
- No person may damage, trim, destroy, or remove any trees, shrubs, or other vegetation within the public right-of-way to increase or enhance the visibility of any sign.

## Signs exempt from permit in McComb

- Traffic, directional (entrance/exit), parking, and delivery signs do not require a permit; they may be wall- or ground-mounted, may be illuminated, must not exceed 4 square feet in area, 3 feet in height, and must maintain at least 2 feet front/side setbacks; they are allowed in addition to other permitted signs and are not counted toward aggregate sign area.
- Temporary political signs: permitted in all zoning districts without a permit (an administrative fee of $50 applies for all signs collectively); may be placed no earlier than 60 days before the election and must be removed within 10 days after; not allowed on governmental buildings/lawns, utility poles, or in the public right-of-way; allowed on private property with owner permission; maximum 6 square feet per face; city may remove improperly placed signs and candidates are responsible for litter charges.
- Temporary real estate (for sale or lease) signs: permitted in all zoning districts without a permit; one on-site unlighted sign per street frontage for single- or two-family lots up to 6 square feet per face; one on-lot 'open house' sign up to 6 square feet; for undeveloped tracts of 2 acres or more, one face up to 32 square feet; all such signs must be removed within 7 days after closing.
- Temporary holiday displays: permitted in all zoning districts without a permit; may be installed no more than 60 days before the holiday and must be removed within 15 days after.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No master sign plan or sign plan requirement is stated in the provided ordinance text.
- A variance is defined, but the article does not specify any sign types or circumstances that require a variance meeting; the planning commission is defined to approve matters under this article and to review appeals from decisions of the city code inspector.
- Certain approvals/permits are required, but they are not 'sign plans': (a) permits are required to erect or relocate any permanent business or outdoor sign structure; (b) banner permits are issued by the director of inspections and zoning; (c) alterations/maintenance of nonconforming signs require a permit; (d) multitenant permanent sign alternatives require approval by the code inspector.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for McComb, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=McComb+MS&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-mccomb

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