# Sign Regulations in Dover, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Dover, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/dover
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/dover/latest/dover_oh/0-0-0-25752)

## At a glance

Dover, Ohio regulates 16 sign types across 2 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 7 feet tall and 50 square feet, with a 15 feet from any lot line, 25 feet from any residential district line, 5 feet from any street right of way setback (Sec. 1331.03(b)(2)). Most commercial signs in Dover require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (2 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 15 | 7 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| B-1 Local or Community Shopping Center, B-2 Highway or General Business, M-1 Restricted Industrial, M-2 General Industrial | 1 | In excess of 7 feet | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sandwich Board Sign | — | 8 square feet | — | — | One per business per street frontage | Business districts only | — | 1331.03(b)(1) |
| Ground Sign | 7 feet | 50 square feet | — | 15 feet from any lot line, 25 feet from any residential district line, 5 feet from any street right of way | — | Business district | — | 1331.03(b)(2) |
| Real Estate Ground Sign | 5 feet | 8 square feet | — | At least 5 feet from any right of way | — | At least 5 feet from any right of way | — | 1331.03(b)(3) |
| Temporary Project Ground Sign | 7 feet | 32 square feet | — | No closer than 5 feet from any right of way and lot line | — | No closer than 5 feet from any right of way and lot line | — | 1331.03(b)(4) |
| Permanent Subdivision Ground Sign | 7 feet | 32 square feet | — | At least 5 feet from the right of way and lot line | — | At least 5 feet from the right of way and lot line | — | 1331.03(b)(5) |
| Public, Charitable, Religious or Educational Facility Ground Sign | 7 feet | 50 square feet | — | At least 5 feet from any right of way and lot line | — | At least 5 feet from any right of way and lot line | — | 1331.03(b)(6) |
| Directional Ground Sign | 3 feet | 3 square feet | — | No closer than 5 feet from any right of way and lot line | — | No closer than 5 feet from any right of way and lot line | — | 1331.03(b)(7) |
| Identification Ground Sign | 7 feet | 32 square feet | — | No closer than 5 feet from any right of way and lot line | — | No closer than 5 feet from any right of way and lot line | — | 1331.03(b)(8) |

### B-1 Local or Community Shopping Center, B-2 Highway or General Business, M-1 Restricted Industrial, M-2 General Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | In excess of 7 feet | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1331.03(c) |

## Prohibited signs in Dover

- Signs are prohibited on utility poles, hydrants, bridges, walls, trees and foliage.
- Signage is prohibited off-site for any business, unless utilizing an existing billboard.
- The use of trucks, trailers or semi-trailers, or job site trucks, trailers or semi-trailers as an advertising device at any location within the City is prohibited unless it is used as a temporary vehicle necessary for an ongoing work project at that location.
- Pole or pylon signs exceeding seven feet in height that are supported by or suspended from a freestanding column or columns, including billboards are prohibited.
- Advertising signs cannot revolve, rotate, spin, flash, scroll, etc, to attract attention.
- Permanent banners, ribbons, streamers, strings of lights, air balloons and like advertising are prohibited.
- Painted signage applied to building surfaces is prohibited, with the exception of recreations of historic painted signage on building surfaces, which shall be treated as art.

## Signs exempt from permit in Dover

- Seasonal businesses are exempt from the provision requiring removal of abandoned signs unless the business has permanently ceased operation.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Allowance for all freestanding signs in excess of seven feet in height shall be applied for, reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission in accordance with the Master Sign procedure.
- The applicant shall prepare and submit to the Planning Commission a Master Sign Program, which shall set forth the design intent of such Program and shall govern all signs at the subject business center.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Dover, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Dover+OH&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-dover

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