# Sign Regulations in Artesia, New Mexico

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Artesia, New Mexico (NM)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-mexico/artesia
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Artesia, New Mexico regulates 9 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding or Ground Sign (Greater Than 3 ft High)s in the C Districts, M Districts zoning district are capped at Greater than 3 feet tall, with a Set back from property line according to building lines setback (Sec. 9-11-3(C)(2)). Most commercial signs in Artesia require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R Districts, S Districts | 3 | — | 15 square feet | — |
| C Districts, M Districts | 4 | Less than 3 feet | — | — |
| PUD | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### R Districts, S Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bulletin Board | — | 15 square feet | — | — | 1 per church, public or semipublic building, hospital or institution | On-site at churches, public and semipublic buildings, hospitals, and institutions | — | 9-11-2(A) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises for lease or sale | — | 9-11-2(B) |
| Nameplate | — | 1 square foot | — | — | — | — | — | 9-11-2(B) |

### C Districts, M Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Projecting Sign (State Highway Right of Way) | — | — | — | Supporting structure must be outside the right of way | — | May project over state highway right of way to one foot (1') behind back of curb; all supporting structures must be outside right of way | — | 9-11-3(A) |
| Projecting Sign (Public Property Overhang) | — | — | — | No supporting structure outside property line | — | Extends over public property per clearance: 8 ft clearance = 2 ft overhang; 10 ft clearance = 4 ft overhang; 12 ft clearance = to 1 ft behind back of curb | — | 9-11-3(B) |
| Freestanding or Ground Sign (Less Than 3 ft High) | Less than 3 feet | — | — | — | — | May be located anywhere on lot | — | 9-11-3(C)(1) |
| Freestanding or Ground Sign (Greater Than 3 ft High) | Greater than 3 feet | — | — | Set back from property line according to building lines | — | Must conform with established building lines | — | 9-11-3(C)(2) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign (Independent Structure) | — | — | — | — | — | Any zone | — | 9-11-1(A)-(C) |

## Prohibited signs in Artesia

- No sign shall be erected as an independent structure without submission of a sketch including dimensions, materials, nature of construction, and location.
- A permit shall not be issued for any sign found to be unsafe, insecure, a menace to the public, or creating dangerous situations by obstructing vision.
- No person shall deface, injure, tamper with, remove, relocate, or willfully destroy or impair the usefulness of a parking permit area designation sign.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sketch of the proposed sign must be submitted to the building inspector/code enforcement officer before erection of any sign constituting an independent structure.
- Staff review of construction drawings may be required by the building inspector/code enforcement officer; associated inspection fees apply.

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

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