# Sign Regulations in Lansing, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lansing, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/lansing
- **Data last verified:** 2025-07-16
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://library.municode.com/IL/Lansing/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIILAUSFIBURERE_CH56ZO_ARTXIIISI)

## At a glance

Lansing, New York regulates 18 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Commercial Signs in the Residential Sign District (R1, R2, L1) zoning district are capped at 18 sq ft (Sec. §210-6A). Most commercial signs in Lansing require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Sign District (R1, R2, L1) | 5 | 9 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Agricultural Sign District (R3, RA) | 4 | — | 48 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Sign District (B1, B2, IR) | 6 | — | 48 sq ft | — |
| Planned Development Area | 1 | — | — | — |
| Business and Technology Park Planned Sign Area, Research Park Planned Sign Area, Shopping Mall Planned Sign Area, Contiguous Business Planned Sign Area | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | — | 32 sq ft | — |

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

### Residential Sign District (R1, R2, L1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial Sign | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | No more than two commercial activity signs per premises, subject to general requirements (§210-5I(1)) | On-premises | — | §210-6A |
| Residential-Based Business Sign | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | Only one residential-based business sign per premises (§210-5I(2)) | On-premises | — | §210-6B |
| Multifamily Dwelling/Residential Complex Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | One per entrance | At entrance | — | §210-6C |
| Institution Sign | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §210-6D |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential-Based Business) | 9 ft | — | — | — | Only one residential-based business sign per premises | On-premises | — | §210-5G |

### Commercial Sign District (B1, B2, IR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial Sign | — | 48 sq ft | — | — | No more than two commercial activity signs per premises, subject to general requirements (§210-5I(1)) | On-premises | — | §210-8A |
| Residential-Based Business Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | Only one residential-based business sign per premises (§210-5I(2)) | On-premises | — | §210-8B |
| Multifamily Dwelling/Residential Complex Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | At entrance | — | §210-8C |
| Shopping Center or Plaza Sign | — | 48 sq ft | — | — | — | Shopping center/plaza entrance | — | §210-8D |
| Institution Sign | — | 48 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §210-8E |
| Electronic Message Display Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §210-5D, §210-5C |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Exempt Sign - Tourist-Oriented/Directional/Informational | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §210-4A(1) |
| Exempt Sign - Construction Project Sign (Commercial District) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §210-4A(2) |
| Exempt Sign - Construction Project Sign (Other Districts) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §210-4A(2) |
| Exempt Sign - For Sale/Lease/Rental (Commercial District) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §210-4A(3) |
| Exempt Sign - For Sale/Lease/Rental (Other Districts) | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §210-4A(3) |
| Exempt Sign - Temporary Signs (All Districts) | — | 16 sq ft total | — | — | — | — | — | §210-4A(4) |
| Exempt Sign - Political Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §210-4A(5) |
| Wayfaring Sign | — | As determined by Town Board case-by-case | — | — | — | Located at/near intersections, preferably public ROW or property | — | §210-4A(12) |

## Prohibited signs in Lansing

- Except for wayfaring signs issued pursuant to a sign permit, no billboards or off-premises signs are permitted or allowed in any sign district or area of the Town without a use variance.
- Except for wayfaring signs, or unless otherwise allowed by this chapter, or unless a permit has been obtained by any governmental or public authorities, no signs may be located within any public right-of-way unless approved through a site plan review process or pursuant to a variance.
- No freestanding sign for residential-based businesses located within a residential sign district shall exceed nine feet in height.
- No other freestanding sign shall exceed 15 feet in height.
- Signs located or mounted upon the exterior of any building or structure shall not extend above the fascia or be mounted on the roof.
- No planned sign area may be sited within any residential sign district.
- For all commercial activity signs and other commercial and business signs, no more than two signs shall be allowed per each premises unless expressly otherwise permitted by this chapter, a variance is granted, or unless within a planned sign area.
- For residential-based business signs, only one sign is allowed per each premises.
- All sign square footage calculations and all numerical, dimensional, and area references in this chapter shall apply to each sign; and all non-temporary signs collectively shall not exceed any numerical, dimensional, or area references as stated in this chapter.
- All illuminated signs: shall not be lit from one hour after sunset until sunrise (unless they are business identification signs during normal business hours); must employ only light emitting a constant intensity, comply to the reasonable extent possible with dark-sky requirements, and not emit light exceeding 0.3 footcandles at night.
- No illuminated sign shall contain flashing, intermittent, rotating, or moving light, or have the appearance of flashing, moving, or scrolling (static images may change only every 15 seconds or longer).
- Illuminated sign light may not be directed upward, at/into any public right-of-way (creating glaze or distracting reflected light), or at adjacent occupied buildings (creating glare or distracting reflected light).

## Signs exempt from permit in Lansing

- Tourist-oriented signs and directional and informational signs, not exceeding six square feet and not containing commercial activity designations.
- Construction project signs that do not exceed 32 square feet in commercial sign districts or 12 square feet in any other districts, and are temporary or removed within 30 days of substantial completion or certificate of occupancy.
- On-premises signs advertising the sale, lease, or rental of the premises, not exceeding 32 square feet in commercial sign districts or nine square feet in any other districts, and removed within 30 days after the sale, lease, or rental.
- Temporary signs (including banners, flags, pennants, streamers, ribbons, mobile or portable signs), not exceeding 16 square feet in total area, not emplaced for more than 30 days, and removed within seven days of event end (and not re-emplaced within 30 days).
- Political signs not exceeding 32 square feet in all sign districts.
- Signs erected and maintained by any governmental agency or required by law, ordinance, or governmental regulation.
- Flags, emblems, or symbols of a nation, governmental body, or school.
- Memorial tablets or historical markers erected by any governmental agency.
- Signs or temporary signs for public safety, when allowed or deemed necessary by the Enforcement Officer.
- Signs or decorations in celebration of national holidays, days of observance, or significant events, provided they are not a public nuisance or hazard and contain no names, trademarks, or logos related to commercial activity.
- Traditional residential accessory signs (e.g., signs promoting a college, temporary event signs, family crests, historical location signs).
- Wayfaring signs owned, installed, and maintained by the Town or a governmental authority granted a sign permit, meeting additional specified requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All non-exempt signs require a sign permit. Where required by chapter or Enforcement Officer determination, certain signs may also be subject to site plan review.
- All illuminated signs are subject to site plan review.
- Electronic message display signs are allowed only in commercial sign districts and are subject to site plan review.
- Signs to be located within a public right-of-way (except wayfaring signs or unless otherwise allowed) must be approved through a site plan review process or by variance, and also require applicable approvals/permits from governmental authorities.
- For all planned sign areas (as defined in §210-10), a sign development plan must be submitted and approved through site plan review by the Planning Board.
- Change or modification to an approved sign development plan for a planned sign area requires review and site planning approval from the Planning Board.
- For a sign application that requires site plan approval, the Enforcement Officer refers it to the Planning Board. Permit is only issued if/after site plan approval.
- For a sign application that requires variance, the Enforcement Officer refers it to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Permit is only issued if/after variance is granted.
- All planned sign areas must be classified by the Enforcement Officer and must have an approved sign development plan, reviewed and approved by the Planning Board under site plan review.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/lansing