# Sign Regulations in Ray, North Dakota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Ray, North Dakota (ND)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-dakota/ray
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/ND/Ray/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH30TR_ARTIVVESIWELO_DIV2TRRO_S30-131CHPOMASI)

## At a glance

Ray, North Dakota regulates 9 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Identification Sign (Neighborhood/Entrance/Permitted/Conditional Use)s in the Agricultural District (AG), Residential 1 (R-1), Residential 2 (R-2), Residential 3 (R-3) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 32 square feet, with a Minimum five feet from any property line setback (Sec. Sec. 34-160(g), Table 34-160.1). Most commercial signs in Ray require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural District (AG), Residential 1 (R-1), Residential 2 (R-2), Residential 3 (R-3) | 5 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Highway Commercial (HC), General Commercial and Industrial (GCI) | 3 | 24 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Central Business District (CBD) | 2 | 6 inches above roof parapet (maximum vertical projection) | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | Varies (e.g., 4 ft directional, 6 ft barber pole) | Varies by sign type (e.g., construction up to 32 sf; political 10 sf residential/32 sf other; directional 12 sf/face; barber pole 6 sf) | — |

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

### Agricultural District (AG), Residential 1 (R-1), Residential 2 (R-2), Residential 3 (R-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate (Single-Family) | — | 4 square feet | — | — | One per single-family occupancy | On dwelling; not blocking windows or egress | — | Sec. 34-160(g), Table 34-160.1 |
| Nameplate (Multi-Family) | — | 10 square feet | — | — | One per multiple-family occupancy | On dwelling; not blocking windows or egress | — | Sec. 34-160(g), Table 34-160.1 |
| Identification Sign (Neighborhood/Entrance/Permitted/Conditional Use) | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | Minimum five feet from any property line | Two per neighborhood entrance, or per permitted/conditional use | Must be placed minimum five feet from any property line; not blocking windows or egress | — | Sec. 34-160(g), Table 34-160.1 |
| Child Care Facility Sign (Residential Zone) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One | — | — | Sec. 34-162(4) |
| Bed and Breakfast Wall Sign | — | 8 square feet | — | — | One | Wall of bed and breakfast building | — | Sec. 34-153(e) |

### Highway Commercial (HC), General Commercial and Industrial (GCI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 24 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | One per principal building | One per principal building; landscaping at base required; architecturally related to building design | — | Sec. 34-160(h), Table 34-160.2 |
| Wall/Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | One per principal building | On wall/awning of principal building | — | Sec. 34-160(h), Table 34-160.2 |
| Projecting Sign | 6 inches above roof parapet (maximum vertical projection) | — | 8 feet (maximum projection from wall) | — | One per principal building | Projecting from wall of principal building | — | Sec. 34-160(h), Table 34-160.2 |

### Central Business District (CBD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall/Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | One per principal building | On wall/awning of principal building | — | Sec. 34-160(h), Table 34-160.3 |
| Projecting Sign | 6 inches above roof parapet (maximum vertical projection) | — | 8 feet (maximum projection from wall) | — | One per principal building | Projecting from wall of principal building | — | Sec. 34-160(h), Table 34-160.3 |

## Prohibited signs in Ray

- Signs that exceed the limitations of these standards.
- Signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs or signals.
- Any sign attached to a utility pole or structure, street light, tree, fence, fire hydrant, bridge, curb, sidewalk, park bench or other location on public property except as otherwise provided (excludes informational signs required by utility companies).
- Any sign placed in any public right-of-way except for signs erected by the city or other authorized entity.
- Signs which have been unlawfully or illegally erected and/or maintained.
- Any strobe lights or searchlights, animated, rotating, flashing, blinking signs or signs displaying video.
- Signs that constitute a traffic hazard or nuisance that are detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the public.
- Any sign which emits audible sound, odor, smoke, steam, laser, or hologram light.

## Signs exempt from permit in Ray

- Official traffic or government signs.
- The copy or message of signs.
- Signs not intended to be viewed from a public right-of-way.
- Window displays.
- Product dispensers and point of purchase displays (i.e., newspaper dispensers).
- Scoreboards on athletic fields.
- Flags of any nation, government, or noncommercial organization.
- Gravestones.
- Commemorative plaques.
- The display of street numbers.
- Any display or construction not defined as a sign.
- Signs used by religious institutions, libraries, nonprofit public service organizations, museums or civic organizations.
- Construction and neighborhood identification signs, provided they do not exceed 32 square feet in size, one construction sign per contractor, and one neighborhood identification sign per entrance.
- Directional/informational signs less than four feet in overall height and maximum of 12 square feet in area per face.
- Holiday decorations and signs, and seasonal banners and pennants erected by authorized entities.
- Nameplates and address signs.
- Political signs provided they do not exceed 10 square feet in residential districts or 32 square feet in other districts, are not erected more than 45 consecutive days prior to the pertinent election or referendum and are removed within 14 days following such election or referendum, and are placed only on private property.
- Real estate signs provided they do not exceed 10 square feet for residential properties and 32 square feet for all other structures or properties for sale, lease or rent, and are removed within one week after closing.
- Window signs, displays, and painted/vinyl or other substance window lettering.
- Signs that cannot be read from the public right-of-way (e.g., a menu board at a drive-through).
- Temporary banners, pennants, balloons, tethered objects, strings of flags, streamers, inflated objects or any device intended as an attractant and that may be affected by the movement of the air, not displayed more than two weeks.
- Portable signs including, but not limited to, portable reader board, sandwich boards, A-frame, tire or tire rim, costumed character, stuffed animal, strings of lights arranged in the shape of a product, arrow or message.
- Holiday decorations and community signs, banners and pennants for events of city-wide, civic, or public benefit as authorized by the city commission.
- Signs identifying private property or hazards.
- Barber pole signs not exceeding six feet in height and six square feet in area, attached to a building.
- Works of art including wall graphics, murals, carvings and sculptures with no advertising matter and which are not used in connection with a promotion, goods or services or as an advertising device.
- Temporary signs advertising a special, one-time event such as a garage sale, not to exceed four square feet, and must be removed within two days of the event.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All new signs require a zoning conformance permit and a certificate of compliance unless otherwise exempted.
- A signage plan may be required as part of a preliminary plat application under subdivision procedures.
- A master plan is required when only a portion of contiguous land under single ownership is proposed for subdivision; it may include a signage plan if part of the phased development.
- Major new commercial, industrial, or subdivision development may require site plan review, which can include signage details.
- Variances and conditional use permits involving signs require submission of a narrative/site plan as part of the application.

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

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