# Sign Regulations in Kansas City, Missouri

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Kansas City, Missouri (MO)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/missouri/kansas-city
- **Data last verified:** 2026-02-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/mo/kansas_city/codes/zoning_and_development_code?nodeId=ZODECOKAMI_400_SERIESDEST_88-445SI)

## At a glance

Kansas City, Missouri regulates 84 sign types across 12 zoning districts. Sidewalk Signs in the Business Districts (B1, B2, B3, B4) zoning district are capped at 4 ft min 2.5 tall, 10 sq ft, and 2.5 ft wide, with a Within 2 ft wall setback (Sec. 88-445-07 Table). Most commercial signs in Kansas City require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (12 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | — | — | — |
| Residential Districts (R-80, R-10, R-7.5, R-6, R-5, R-2.5, R-1.5, R-0.75, R-0.5, R-0.3, AG-R) | 22 | 42 inches | 100 square feet | — |
| Office District (O) | 16 | 26 feet from top of highest parapet | 300 square feet (on interstate frontage) | — |
| Business Districts (B1, B2, B3, B4) | 18 | 35 feet | 300 square feet | — |
| Downtown Districts (DC, DX, DR) | 18 | 35 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| Manufacturing Districts (M1, M2, M3, M4) | 18 | 35 | 300 | — |
| Pedestrian-Oriented Overlay District (PO) | 4 | 3 ft free; 8 wall | 12 sq ft perpendicular; 40 sq ft radial | — |
| Westport Overlay District | 9 | 6 feet from parapet | 30 square feet | — |
| UR District | 18 | 35 | 300 | — |
| MPD District | 16 | 26 | 300/32 | — |
| SC District | 18 | 35 | 300 | — |
| KCIA District | 18 | 35 | 300 | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 12 zones)

### Residential Districts (R-80, R-10, R-7.5, R-6, R-5, R-2.5, R-1.5, R-0.75, R-0.5, R-0.3, AG-R)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Detached or Semi-Attached House | — | 80 square inches | — | Corner: not forward of diagonal 20 ft; Interior: 5 ft from ROW | 1 per entrance | At each entrance (excluding garage) to dwelling unit | — | 88-445-06-A.2.a |
| Interim Sign - Detached or Semi-Attached House | 4 feet | 8 square feet | — | Same as general residential | 1 | — | — | 88-445-06-A.2.b |
| Interim Sign - Noncommercial Additional - Detached or Semi-Attached House | 4 feet | 8 square feet each (total 16 square feet per lot) | — | Same as general residential | Multiple (total area limit) | — | — | 88-445-06-A.2.c |
| Incidental Sign - Multi-Unit | 36 inches | 2 square feet | — | Same as general residential | 1 per driveway | Per driveway | — | 88-445-06-A.3.b |
| Monument Sign - Institutional and Office Uses | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — | Same as general residential | 1 per street frontage | Per street frontage | — | 88-445-06-A.4.a |
| Incidental Sign - Institutional and Office Uses | 42 inches | 6 square feet | — | 10 feet from all property lines | 1 per driveway | Per driveway; 10 ft setback from property lines | — | 88-445-06-A.4.c |
| Monument Sign - Residential Entrance | 6 feet (sign face; structure up to 25 feet by project plan) | 32 square feet | — | Same as general residential | 1 per street entrance | At each street entrance | — | 88-445-06-A.6 |
| Interim Identification Sign - Subdivision Development | 15 feet | 100 square feet | — | 15 feet from pavement edge | Multiple, spaced 1000 ft | Within development or 2000 ft; 15 ft from pavement; not in sight triangle; at least 1000 ft apart | — | 88-445-06-A.7 |

### Business Districts (B1, B2, B3, B4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign - Development District | 8 feet | 75 square feet | — | 10 feet | 2 per entrance; 1 per frontage | On major thoroughfare | — | 88-445-07 Table; 88-445-08-A |
| Monument Sign - Individual Buildings min 100 ft Frontage | 6 feet | 30 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per street frontage | — | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Oversized Monument Sign - Min 15 Acres | 24 feet | 200 square feet | — | 20 feet | 1 per major frontage (B3, B4) | Per major street frontage; on major thoroughfare | — | 88-445-07 Table; 88-445-08-B |
| Oversized Monument Sign - Min 15 Acres Adjacent Limited Access Highway | 35 feet | 300 square feet | — | 20 feet | 1 per major frontage (B3, B4) | Per major frontage | — | 88-445-07 Table; 88-445-08-B |
| Incidental Sign | 3/8 ft | 6/2 sq ft | — | 10 ft | As required | Same | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Sidewalk Sign | 4 ft min 2.5 | 10 sq ft | 2.5 ft | Within 2 ft wall | 1 per business | Same | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Interim Sign - Developer | 15/8 ft | 300/32 sq ft | — | 10 ft | Same | Same | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Special Event Temporary Sign | 6 ft | 40 sq ft free | — | 10 ft | 1 per frontage | Same | — | 88-445-07 Table |

### Downtown Districts (DC, DX, DR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign - Development District | 8 feet | 75 square feet | — | 10 feet | 2 per entrance; 1 per frontage | Major thoroughfare | — | 88-445-07 Table; 88-445-08-A |
| Monument Sign - Individual min 100 ft | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 10 ft | 1 per frontage | — | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Monument Sign - Individual min 200 ft | 6 ft | 50 sq ft | — | 10 ft | 1 per frontage | — | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Menu Board | 8 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 10 ft | 2/1 | — | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Oversized Monument Sign - Min 15 Acres | 24 ft | 200 sq ft | — | 20 ft | 1 per major | Major frontage | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Oversized Monument Sign - Adjacent Highway | 35 ft | 300 sq ft | — | 20 ft | 1 per major | — | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Roof Sign | 26 ft | — | 50% or 20 | — | 1 | Same | — | 88-445-07 Table |
| Sidewalk Sign | 4 min 2.5 | 10 | 2.5 | 2 ft wall | 1 per bus | — | — | 88-445-07 Table |

## Prohibited signs in Kansas City

- animated signs
- banners, except as specifically allowed as special event temporary signs elsewhere in this chapter; pennants; and wind-blown signs
- portable signs
- vehicle signs; for purposes of this section, a vehicle parked containing a commercial message or image and regularly parked on the street side of any business and not regularly and customarily used in the business
- signs on benches
- signs on trees
- signs on utility poles (not within the right-of-way), other than signs installed by the utility and related to the utility facility
- signs blocking required means of egress from a building
- signs within the public right-of-way or on public property, except signs posted in accordance with this chapter, or projecting signs as allowed by this chapter
- any sign that is not exempt from this chapter, not established as a lawful nonconforming sign, or not expressly allowed by this chapter is a prohibited sign

## Signs exempt from permit in Kansas City

- any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance, or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction
- any sign not visible from a right-of-way or from any property other than the property on which it is located
- traffic control signs on private property, such as Stop, Yield, and similar signs, the faces of which meet standards set forth in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and which contain no commercial message of any sort
- numbers, letters and symbols or other configurations not representing a commercial message which are etched as metal or masonry cornerstone plates or imbedded into the facade of any building or other structure

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A signage plan must be submitted in conjunction with the review and approval of development plans, according to the review procedure of 88-517. When development plan review is required, signage shall be shown and approved as part of the plan.
- A signage plan must be submitted in conjunction with the review and approval of final UR or MPD development plan.
- A signage plan must be submitted in conjunction with the review and approval of site plans, according to the review procedure of 88-530.
- A signage plan must be submitted in conjunction with the review and approval of special use permits, according to the review procedure of 88-525.
- A signage plan must be submitted in conjunction with the review and approval of any overlay or special purpose districts.
- A signage plan must be submitted in conjunction with a sign permit application.
- Signage plans must include specifications for type of signs (wall or monument), size (sign area and dimensions), materials, type of illumination, landscaping, in accordance with any required plan, and location, as well as any other standards necessary for proper development.
- No sign may be erected in contravention of the design standards.
- Minor modifications to signage shown on final development plans, development plans, site plans, or special use approvals, or replacement signage, may be approved by the city planning and development director according to 88-570.
- For those development districts which have received approval prior to the effective date of this ordinance, a signage plan as provided above may be submitted at any time prior to the issuance of a permit for a sign. Minor modifications or replacement signage may be approved by the city planning and development director.
- A Council Approved Signage Plan may be approved by the city council after recommendation of the city plan commission for any property zoned B3, B4, D, UR, M, MPD, SC, or KCIA having a minimum of 10 contiguous acres of area, except that the minimum zoning and acreage requirement shall not apply to property within the downtown loop and except that the minimum acreage requirement shall not apply to any property located along an interstate highway within one mile of a sports complex stadium.
- An applicant may apply for a Council Approved Signage Plan for any lot zoned R containing a minimum of 15 acres, or for any lot (or any two contiguous lots under common ownership) containing a minimum of 10 acres, located adjacent to an arterial (as shown on the major street plan) to allow the installation of a noncommercial digital sign face on one otherwise allowable monument sign, in accordance with 88-445-06-A.4., and further subject to the standards of 88-445-11-E.
- A signage plan portraying signs necessary for the proper identification of the facilities within a hospital may be approved by special use permit.
- A special use permit is required for oversized monument signs.

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

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