# Sign Regulations in Blue Ash, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Blue Ash, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/blue-ash
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/blueash/latest/blueash_oh/0-0-0-8199)

## At a glance

Blue Ash, Ohio regulates 8 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Ground Sign - Building Identifications in the Downtown Zoning District (DT) zoning district are capped at 6 feet tall, 40 square feet, and 12 feet wide (Sec. 1143.04(b)(2)A). Most commercial signs in Blue Ash require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District (R) | 1 | — | 10 square feet | — |
| Commercial District (BAN, BAS, DT, SP) | 2 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| Downtown Zoning District (DT) | 5 | 30 inches | 40 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### Residential District (R)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Ground Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1143.03(c)(2) |

### Commercial District (BAN, BAS, DT, SP)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Wall Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | 1 per entry | Per non-emergency entry from the exterior of the building. | — | 1143.03(d)(1) |
| Temporary Ground Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1143.03(d)(2) |

### Downtown Zoning District (DT)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Retail Tenant | 30 inches | — | — | — | 1 per tenant space | Exterior access | — | 1143.04(b)(1)A |
| Wall Sign - Non-Retail Tenant | — | — | — | — | — | Interior access | — | 1143.04(b)(1)B |
| Ground Sign - Building Identification | 6 feet | 40 square feet | 12 feet | — | 1 per lot per street frontage | Per lot per street frontage | — | 1143.04(b)(2)A |
| Ground Sign - Tenant Identification | 6 feet | 25 square feet | 6 feet | — | 1 per lot per street frontage | Per lot per street frontage | — | 1143.04(b)(2)A |
| Entrance and Exit Sign | 3 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per driveway | Adjacent to driveways | — | 1143.04(b)(2)B |

## Prohibited signs in Blue Ash

- All signs not expressly permitted under these regulations are prohibited.
- Beacons, pennants, streamers, ribbons, spinners, wind signs, bench signs are prohibited.
- Strings of lights not permanently mounted to a rigid background are prohibited.
- Flashing or rotating signs are prohibited.
- Inflatable signs and tethered balloons are prohibited.
- Signs posted on utility poles, trees, benches, support pylons, fences and light standards are prohibited.
- Signs with shapes, contents or words imitating official traffic control signs or devices are prohibited.
- Signs that hide, obstruct or conceal traffic and street signs and signals are prohibited.
- Signs at or near intersections that obstruct free and clear vision of any streets are prohibited.
- Signs on unoccupied buildings/structures are prohibited.
- Signs that advertise or identify any activity, business, organization, product or service no longer conducted on the premises are prohibited.
- Any sign mounted on or affixed to a vehicle or trailer for the purpose of attracting public attention is prohibited.
- Signs illuminated with floodlights that shine into the public right-of-way and constitute a traffic safety hazard are prohibited.
- LED light strips or neon strips installed on the exterior of a building or within the interior of a building and intended to be visible from the exterior are prohibited.
- Pole signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.

## Signs exempt from permit in Blue Ash

- Temporary signs do not require a permit.
- On-premise, non-illuminated, incidental signs on private property that contain no commercial messages are exempt.
- Public notices or other governmental signs required by local, county, state or federal law or regulation are exempt.
- On-premise street address numbers, not to exceed twelve inches in height, are exempt.
- Signs inside buildings not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the lot line or parcel on which the sign is located are exempt.
- Scoreboards on athletic fields are exempt.
- Works of art that do not include a commercial message are exempt.
- Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message, but only between November 1st and January 15th in BAN, BAS, SP, and DT Districts are exempt.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Electronic message signs shall be allowed only by approval of the Planning Commission.
- All applications for sign permits shall be accompanied by a sketch or drawing showing the size, manner of anchoring and the location of the sign to be erected on the premises.

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

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