# Sign Regulations in Rye, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Rye, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/rye
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/6974235#6974235)

## At a glance

Rye, New York regulates 19 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Central Business District zoning district are capped at 5 ft (monument); 10 ft (pole/post-and-arm) tall and 20 sq ft per face, with a 10 ft to side or rear property line (not abutting street) setback (Sec. § 165-9B(4), § 165-8B(4), § 165-5(E)). Most commercial signs in Rye require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Central Business District | 14 | 14 ft | 70 sq ft maximum aggregate area for all wall, window, awning, and freestanding signs; Maximum 3 signs | — |
| Neighborhood Business Districts (B-1, B-3, B-4, B-5, B-6, MC) | 13 | 10 ft (memorial/historic); 3 ft if 15 ft or less from street, 4 ft if more than 15 ft (nonconforming) | 70 sq ft maximum aggregate area for all wall, window, awning, and freestanding signs; Maximum 3 signs | — |
| Residential Districts | 5 | 10 ft (memorial/historic); 3 ft if ≤15 ft from street, 4 ft if >15 ft (nonconforming) | 20 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | — | — |

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

### Central Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign (Structure-mounted, Residential/Memorial/Historic) | — | 1 sq ft per residence; 20 sq ft maximum, whichever is smaller | — | — | 1 per residence | Structure-mounted | — | § 165-9A(1), § 165-7A(1), § 165-5(G), § 165-5(B)(3)(a) |
| Identification Sign (Freestanding Monument/Post-and-Arm, Residential) | 3 ft if 15 ft or less from street; 4 ft if more than 15 ft from street | 1 sq ft per residence; 20 sq ft maximum, whichever is smaller | — | — | 1 | Freestanding (Monument or Post-and-Arm) | — | § 165-9A(1), § 165-7A(2), § 165-5(G), § 165-5(B)(3)(a) |
| Real Estate Sign | 4 ft (freestanding) | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Affixed or freestanding, 1 per street frontage | — | § 165-9A(1), § 165-7A(3), § 165-5(L)(2) |
| Identification Sign (Freestanding Monument/Post-and-Arm, Multifamily/Memorial/Historic/Nonconforming) | 10 ft (memorial/historic); 3 ft if 15 ft or less from street, 4 ft if more than 15 ft (nonconforming) | 12 sq ft (memorial/historic); 20 sq ft (nonconforming) / 6 sq ft per street frontage (nonconforming) | — | — | 1 (memorial/historic); 1 per street frontage (nonconforming) | Freestanding (Monument/Post-and-Arm) | — | § 165-9B(1), § 165-7B(1), § 165-5(G)(4)(b)(c) |
| Identification Sign (Affixed to Structure, Nonconforming Use) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Affixed to structure | — | § 165-9B(1), § 165-7B(2), § 165-5(G)(4)(c) |
| Freestanding Sign | 5 ft (monument); 10 ft (pole/post-and-arm) | 20 sq ft per face | — | 10 ft to side or rear property line (not abutting street) | 1 per property | Freestanding (monument, pole, post-and-arm) | — | § 165-9B(4), § 165-8B(4), § 165-5(E) |
| Business Identification Sign | — | 70 sq ft maximum aggregate area for all wall, window, awning, and freestanding signs; Maximum 3 signs | — | — | 3 (maximum aggregate wall, window, awning, and freestanding) | Various (wall, window, awning, freestanding) | — | § 165-9B(3), § 165-8B(3), § 165-5(D), § 165-5(J), § 165-5(B)(3) |
| Projecting Sign | 14 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Attached to facade, perpendicular, readable from both sides | — | § 165-9B(3), § 165-5(K) |

### Neighborhood Business Districts (B-1, B-3, B-4, B-5, B-6, MC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign (Structure-mounted, Residential/Memorial/Historic) | — | 1 sq ft per residence; 20 sq ft maximum, whichever is smaller | — | — | 1 per residence | Structure-mounted | — | § 165-8A(1), § 165-7A(1), § 165-5(G), § 165-5(B)(3)(a) |
| Identification Sign (Freestanding Monument/Post-and-Arm, Residential) | 3 ft if 15 ft or less from street; 4 ft if more than 15 ft from street | 1 sq ft per residence; 20 sq ft maximum, whichever is smaller | — | — | 1 | Freestanding (Monument or Post-and-Arm) | — | § 165-8A(1), § 165-7A(2), § 165-5(G), § 165-5(B)(3)(a) |
| Real Estate Sign | 4 ft (freestanding) | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Affixed or freestanding; 1 per street frontage | — | § 165-8A(1), § 165-7A(3), § 165-5(L)(2) |
| Identification Sign (Freestanding Monument/Post-and-Arm, Multifamily/Memorial/Historic/Nonconforming) | 10 ft (memorial/historic); 3 ft if 15 ft or less from street, 4 ft if more than 15 ft (nonconforming) | 12 sq ft (memorial/historic); 20 sq ft (nonconforming) / 6 sq ft per street frontage (nonconforming) | — | — | 1 (memorial/historic); 1 per street frontage (nonconforming) | Freestanding (Monument/Post-and-Arm) | — | § 165-8B(1), § 165-7B(1), § 165-5(G)(4)(b)(c) |
| Identification Sign (Affixed to Structure, Nonconforming Use) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Affixed to structure | — | § 165-8B(1), § 165-7B(2), § 165-5(G)(4)(c) |
| Freestanding Sign | 5 ft (monument); 10 ft (pole/post-and-arm) | 20 sq ft per face | — | 10 ft to side or rear property line (not abutting street) | 1 per property | Freestanding (monument, pole, post-and-arm) | — | § 165-8B(4), § 165-5(E) |
| Business Identification Sign | — | 70 sq ft maximum aggregate area for all wall, window, awning, and freestanding signs; Maximum 3 signs | — | — | 3 (maximum aggregate wall, window, awning, and freestanding) | Various (wall, window, awning, freestanding) | — | § 165-8B(3), § 165-5(D), § 165-5(J), § 165-5(B)(3) |
| Wall Sign | — | Primary: 30 sq ft; Side/Rear: varies by facade length | — | — | 2 | Building wall, attached or painted | — | § 165-8B(5), § 165-5(N) |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign (Structure-mounted, One-family, Two-family, Multifamily, Memorial/Historic) | — | 1 sq ft per residence; 20 sq ft maximum, whichever is smaller | — | — | 1 per residence | Structure-mounted | — | § 165-7A(1),(2), § 165-7B(1), § 165-5(G), § 165-5(B)(3)(a) |
| Identification Sign (Freestanding Monument/Post-and-Arm, One-family, Two-family) | 3 ft if 15 ft or less from street; 4 ft if more than 15 ft from street | 1 sq ft per residence; 20 sq ft maximum, whichever is smaller | — | — | 1 | Freestanding (Monument or Post-and-Arm) | — | § 165-7A(2), § 165-5(G), § 165-5(B)(3)(a) |
| Real Estate Sign | 3 ft (freestanding) | 12 inches height x 18 inches width | — | — | 1 | Affixed or freestanding, 1 | — | § 165-7A(3), § 165-5(L)(2) |
| Identification Sign (Structure-mounted, Nonconforming Use) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Affixed to structure | — | § 165-7B(2), § 165-5(G)(4)(c) |
| Identification Sign (Freestanding Monument/Post-and-Arm, Multifamily/Memorial/Historic/Nonconforming) | 10 ft (memorial/historic); 3 ft if ≤15 ft from street, 4 ft if >15 ft (nonconforming) | 12 sq ft (memorial/historic); 6 sq ft per street frontage (nonconforming) | — | — | 1 (memorial/historic); 1 per street frontage (nonconforming) | Freestanding (Monument/Post-and-Arm) | — | § 165-7B(1), § 165-5(G)(4)(b)(c) |

## Prohibited signs in Rye

- All signs not specifically permitted are prohibited.
- Off-premises signs or signs not related to the use of the premises upon which signs are located.
- Signs in a public right-of-way.
- Signs mounted to extend above a parapet wall.
- Signs mounted or painted on a roof.
- Billboards.
- Portable signs, sandwich boards, wheel-mounted signs.
- Construction, contractor and/or professional signs at construction sites.
- Signs mounted on or otherwise affixed to any tree, stone or other natural object.
- Signs mounted on or otherwise affixed to utility poles or fences.
- Signs in motion: promotional decorations, banners, pennants, ribbons, balloons, streamers, spinners or similar moving, fluttering, revolving or noise-making devices.
- Signs that may be confused with or obstruct the view of any traffic sign or signal or obstruct a sight distance at any street intersection.
- Existing signs which do not meet the requirements of this chapter must be brought into conformance and approved by the Board of Architectural Review by December 31, 2003.
- Unshielded neon; flashing, rotating, or intermittent illumination, except time and temperature signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Rye

- Identification sign affixed to structure for one-family, two-family or multifamily residence, memorial or historic structure (in residential districts).
- Identification sign that is a freestanding monument sign or post-and-arm sign for one-family or two-family residence (in residential districts).
- Real estate sign (in residential districts).
- Temporary signs (in neighborhood business districts).
- Informational signs (in neighborhood business districts).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Signs requiring a sign permit shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered or maintained only after approval by the Board of Architectural Review as to design, colors, materials, illumination, location and size.
- No sign permit shall be issued by the Building Inspector until approval has been granted by the Board of Architectural Review.
- Any sign that is not specifically listed as exempt requires approval by the Board of Architectural Review and must have a sign permit from the Building Department.
- Applications for permits for signs, awnings, marquee-type awnings and canopies affixed to any structure or erected in connection with any structure must be reviewed and approved (or disapproved) by the Board of Architectural Review.
- If a sign permit application is disapproved, the applicant may appeal the decision pursuant to Chapter 53, §53-10.

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

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