# Sign Regulations in Murfreesboro, North Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Murfreesboro, North Carolina (NC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-carolina/murfreesboro
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/NC/Murfreesboro/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTISELACH_TIT7TRCO_CH1INGE_ARTIIITRCODE_S7-73OBREWHSIREEN)

## At a glance

Murfreesboro, North Carolina regulates 15 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Development Identification Signs in the R-20 Residential District (R-20), R-20-MH Residential District (R-20-MH), R-15 Residential District (R-15), R-15-MH Residential District (R-15-MH), R-10 Residential District (R-10), R-6 Residential District (R-6), Mobile Home Park District (MHP) zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 16 sq ft per display surface (Sec. Sec. 15-533(b)(4)a.2.(ii)). Most commercial signs in Murfreesboro require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-20 Residential District (R-20), R-20-MH Residential District (R-20-MH), R-15 Residential District (R-15), R-15-MH Residential District (R-15-MH), R-10 Residential District (R-10), R-6 Residential District (R-6), Mobile Home Park District (MHP) | 6 | 6 ft | 25 sq ft | — |
| Historic District (H) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Historic Commercial District (HC) | 1 | — | As per R-20 district, see above | — |
| Historic Residential District (HR) | 1 | — | As per R-15 district, see above | — |
| Central Business District (C-1) | 2 | — | 36 sq ft or 10% of building facade, whichever is less | — |
| Highway Commercial District (C-2) | 1 | 25 ft | 75 sq ft (or 20% of building facade) per sign; up to total of 100 sq ft for all signs per establishment. Up to 3 signs allowed per establishment. | — |
| Office and Institutional District (O-I) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Light Industrial District (I-L), Heavy Industrial District (I-H) | 1 | 30 ft above natural grade level | 50 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 72 sq in | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### R-20 Residential District (R-20), R-20-MH Residential District (R-20-MH), R-15 Residential District (R-15), R-15-MH Residential District (R-15-MH), R-10 Residential District (R-10), R-6 Residential District (R-6), Mobile Home Park District (MHP)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Development Identification Sign | 6 ft | 16 sq ft per display surface | — | — | One sign per access | One freestanding sign at each principal point of access to the development | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(4)a.2.(ii) |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | Wall sign per lot | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(4)a.2.(iii) |
| Nonresidential Use Sign | — | 16 sq ft per display surface | — | — | One per zoning lot | One freestanding or wall sign per zoning lot | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(4)a.2.(iv) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | 5 ft from any property line | — | On the property proposed for sale or rent | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(1)l. |
| Church and Community Identification Sign | — | 25 sq ft | — | 5 ft from any property line | — | On private property | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(1)2. |
| Announcement Sign - Home Occupation / Professional | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | One per professional or home occupation | On the wall of the building | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(1)k. |

### Central Business District (C-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | — | 36 sq ft or 10% of building facade, whichever is less | — | — | — | Yard space of establishment | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(4)c.1 |
| Wall Sign | — | 36 sq ft or 10% of facade (whichever is less) | — | — | — | Face of building | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(4)c.3-5 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Political Sign | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(1)b. |
| Small Directional / Convenience Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On property as needed | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(1)i. |
| Address Sign | — | 72 sq in | — | — | — | On premises | — | Sec. 15-533(b)(1)j. |

## Prohibited signs in Murfreesboro

- No rooftop signs or billboards and no portable signs are permitted.
- Animated, rotating or other moving or apparently moving signs are prohibited.
- No sign or billboard shall be located within 50 feet of any residentially zoned lot.
- No flashing sign shall be located within 300 feet of any residentially zoned lot.
- No sign or billboard may obstruct the view of, cause confusion or otherwise interfere with any authorized traffic sign, signals, or other safety devices.
- No sign, or part thereof, shall be located within a clear-vision area.
- No sign shall make use of the terms 'stop,' 'slow,' 'caution,' 'danger' or similar terms in a manner as is likely to be confused with traffic signs.
- No sign or light shall be erected so that by its location, color, nature or message it is likely to be confused with or obstruct the view of traffic signals or signs or is likely to be confused with the warning lights of an emergency or public safety vehicle.
- Except as used to display time and temperature, no sign shall contain flashing lights.
- Signs which are no longer functional or are abandoned shall be removed or relocated by the owner within 30 days following the dysfunction.

## Signs exempt from permit in Murfreesboro

- Governmental signs, such as traffic or similar regulatory devices, legal notices or warnings.
- Political signs for upcoming campaigns no larger than 40 square feet and posted no more than 60 days prior and must be removed 14 days after any primary, general or special elections.
- Flags or emblems not used as commercial advertising.
- Temporary signs, totaling not over two square feet of surface area on any lot not used as commercial advertising, and for a period not to exceed 14 days in any quarter calendar year.
- Temporary off-site signs advertising a commercial activity such as a grand opening, going out of business sale, significant change in business situation, etc., with owner's consent, allowed up to 90 days (not allowed in the historic district).
- Memorial plaques, cornerstones, historical tablets and similar devices.
- Noncommercial signs posted in conjunction with doorbells or mailboxes and not exceeding eight square inches in surface area.
- Sign required by law to be posted, unless specifically prohibited, limited or restricted.
- Small un-illuminated signs, not exceeding two square feet in surface area, displayed strictly for the direction, safety or convenience of the public.
- Address signs, not exceeding 72 square inches in surface area and showing only the numerical address designation of the premises.
- Small un-illuminated announcement signs concerning the practice of a profession, an incidental home occupation or authorized occupation (not over two square feet, mounted flat to main wall).
- Temporary un-illuminated real estate signs not over six square feet in area, displayed on the property for sale or rent and no closer than five feet to any property line.
- Signs for church and community identification no larger than 25 square feet in area located on private property but no closer than five feet to any property line.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The application for a building permit for a sign or for a building which includes a sign shall be accompanied by a drawing which shows the size, location, and design of all proposed signs. That drawing shall become part of the application. Any sign not covered by the requirements of this section must be approved by the planning board and the town council using the intent and standards of this section.
- Site plan requirements for commercial, multi-family, and other specified developments require the location of on-site advertising sign and the distance of the sign from the closest property line to be shown as part of the site plan to be reviewed by the planning board and the town council.
- All applications for signs (and conditional uses in any district) are evaluated under the specific criteria and may require a site plan as part of the application to ensure compliance with ordinance.

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

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