# Sign Regulations in Tucumcari, New Mexico

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Tucumcari, New Mexico (NM)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-mexico/tucumcari
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/NM/Tucumcari/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT17UNDECO_CH17.03SI)

## At a glance

Tucumcari, New Mexico regulates 19 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial Zone District (C-1, C-2) zoning district are capped at 36 ft tall and 300 sq ft, with a Minimum 5 feet from property line; not in clear sight triangle; not hazard to vehicles or pedestrians (see 17.03.020.C) setback (Sec. 17.03.040.B.4.a). Most commercial signs in Tucumcari require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| Agricultural Zone District (A-1) | 2 | 12 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Residential Zone District (R-1, R-2, R-3) | 3 | 6 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Zone District (C-1, C-2) | 3 | 75 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Zone District (I-1) | 4 | 60 ft | 450 sq ft per sign face | — |
| Commercial Zone District (C-1, C-2) and Industrial Zone District (I-1) (for Off-Site Signs Only) | 1 | 36 ft | 450 sq ft per sign face | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Holiday Decoration Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17.03.010.B.1.a |
| Sign Inside Structure (Not Visible From Outside) | — | — | — | — | — | Indoors only, must not be visible from outside | — | 17.03.010.B.1.c |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On or within a window | — | 17.03.010.B.1.d |
| Traffic Control Sign (NMDOT Standard) | — | — | — | — | — | Must comply with NMDOT standards | — | 17.03.010.B.1.f |
| Building Address Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building, for emergency services identification | — | 17.03.010.B.1.g |
| Non-illuminated Monument, Citation, or Commemorative Tablet | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property | — | 17.03.010.B.1.h |
| Temporary Sign (<=3 signs, <=6 sq ft each, <=75 days) | — | 6 sq ft per sign | — | — | Up to 3 per parcel | — | — | 17.03.040.A.2 |
| Temporary Sign (>3 signs or >6 sq ft each, <=75 days) | — | 1.5 sq ft per linear foot of building frontage or 6 sq ft, whichever is greater (per sign) | — | — | More than 3 per parcel | — | — | 17.03.040.B.1 |

### Commercial Zone District (C-1, C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 36 ft | 300 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 feet from property line; not in clear sight triangle; not hazard to vehicles or pedestrians (see 17.03.020.C) | 1 per 250 ft street frontage (minimum 1 sign allowed) | On commercial property along street frontage | — | 17.03.040.B.4.a |
| Building Mounted Sign | — | 2 sq ft per linear ft building frontage (per side) | — | — | — | On building (per frontage) | — | 17.03.040.B.4.b |
| Freeway Sign | 75 ft | 300 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 feet from property line; not in clear sight triangle; not hazard to vehicles or pedestrians (see 17.03.020.C) | 1 per eligible parcel (replaces a freestanding sign) | Parcel must be within 500 ft of US Interstate or US Highway 54 right-of-way; for businesses primarily serving travelers | — | 17.03.040.B.4.c |

### Industrial Zone District (I-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 36 ft | 300 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 feet from property line; not in clear sight triangle; not hazard to vehicles or pedestrians (see 17.03.020.C) | 1 per 250 ft street frontage (minimum 1 sign allowed) | On industrial property along street frontage | — | 17.03.040.B.5.a |
| Building Mounted Sign | — | 2 sq ft per linear ft building frontage (per side) | — | — | — | On building (per frontage) | — | 17.03.040.B.5.b |
| Freeway Sign | 60 ft | 300 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 feet from property line; not in clear sight triangle; not hazard to vehicles or pedestrians (see 17.03.020.C) | 1 per eligible parcel (replaces a freestanding sign) | Parcel must be within 500 ft of US Interstate right-of-way; for businesses primarily serving or utilizing interstate | — | 17.03.040.B.5.c |
| Off-Site Sign (Billboard) | 36 ft | 450 sq ft per sign face | — | Minimum 20 ft from property line | No more than 1 billboard per 600 ft | Within 500 ft of I-40; only in C-1 and I-1 zones | — | 17.03.040.C.1 |

## Prohibited signs in Tucumcari

- Signs that are similar to official traffic control signs that create confusion or interfere with the effectiveness of official traffic control signs.
- Signs that include flashing or revolving lights, beacons, or simulate flashing or revolving lights or beacons through mechanical means, within fifty (50) feet of a residential district.
- Building mounted signs that are mounted on or extend above the roof or parapet of a building.
- Nongovernmental or nonpublic utility related signs in the public right-of-way.
- Signs on undeveloped property, except billboards and on-site real estate signs.
- Any sign, except official government notices, erected without the property owner's permission.
- Signs that are a danger to public safety by placement and/or state of maintenance.

## Signs exempt from permit in Tucumcari

- Holiday decorations.
- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation or ordinance.
- Any sign inside a structure that is not visible from outside the structure.
- Any sign placed on or within a window.
- Works of art that do not convey a commercial message.
- Traffic control signs that meet the NMDOT standards.
- Building address signs for the purpose of identifying the building to emergency services personnel.
- Non-illuminated monuments, citations, or commemorative tablets on private property that indicate the name of a building, dates of construction, and similar historic information concerning a structure, provided such sign does not exceed six square feet.
- Public monuments.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit requirement for a master sign plan or comprehensive sign plan is mentioned.
- Minor sign variance (up to 10%) may be granted by the director for any sign not requiring a conditional use permit upon demonstration of unusual site circumstances.
- Major sign variance (over 10%) requires processing as a variance in accordance with Section 17.01.090(B)(2).
- All new signs require compliance with the ordinance and a sign permit except for specifically listed exemptions.
- Conditional use permit is required for off-site signs (billboards).

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

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