# Sign Regulations in Kent, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Kent, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/kent
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/kent/latest/kent_oh/0-0-0-25505)

## At a glance

Kent, Ohio regulates 10 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the R-C, U zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall, 4 ft high, 3 ft wide, and 3 ft wide, with a Minimum 10 ft separation from other sandwich board signs setback (Sec. Section 1109.09(f)). Most commercial signs in Kent require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 4 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| O-R, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-3A, R-4 | 3 | 4 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| R-C, U | 10 | 8 ft | 50% of window area | — |
| C, C-D, N-C, IC-R, C-R | 8 | 8 ft | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| I-R, I | 10 | 8 ft | 50 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### R-C, U

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Banner or Pennant Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. or area of permanent sign if temporarily covering | — | — | One per lot | Safely secured to building, structure, pole, framing, or stake | — | Section 1109.09(c) |
| Blade Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback from intersections: 10 ft | — | Ground floor facade, except for businesses above ground level with direct exterior pedestrian access | — | Section 1109.09(b) |
| Changeable Sign and Electronic Message Center Sign (EMC) | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | One EMC per lot | Non-residential uses only; Limited to fuel pricing display at fuel station | — | Section 1109.09(i) |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — | Minimum front setback: 10 ft | One per street frontage or one per development | Along frontage adjoining a public street | — | Section 1109.09(d) |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | One per building address | Attached to building within 10 ft of entrance | — | Section 1109.09(j) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 ft | 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | Minimum 10 ft separation from other sandwich board signs | One per business | Directly in front of associated building or use, minimum 2 ft from curb | — | Section 1109.09(f) |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — | Minimum 10 ft from public right-of-way line | One per lot of 5 acres or less; Two per lot of 5 acres or more or with 3 or more businesses | Minimum 10 ft from public right-of-way line | — | Section 1109.09(k) |
| Wall Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | One per lot | Mounted on building housing the establishment advertised | — | Section 1109.09(g) |

### C, C-D, N-C, IC-R, C-R

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback from intersections: 10 ft | — | Ground floor facade, except for businesses above ground level with direct exterior pedestrian access | — | Section 1109.09(b) |
| Changeable Sign and Electronic Message Center Sign (EMC) | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | One EMC per lot | Non-residential uses only; Limited to fuel pricing display at fuel station | — | Section 1109.09(i) |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 50 sq. ft. | — | Minimum front setback: 10 ft | One per street frontage or one per development | Along frontage adjoining a public street | — | Section 1109.09(d) |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | One per building address | Attached to building within 10 ft of entrance | — | Section 1109.09(j) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 ft | 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | Minimum 10 ft separation from other sandwich board signs | One per business | Directly in front of associated building or use, minimum 2 ft from curb | — | Section 1109.09(f) |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — | Minimum 10 ft from public right-of-way line | One per lot of 5 acres or less; Two per lot of 5 acres or more or with 3 or more businesses | Minimum 10 ft from public right-of-way line | — | Section 1109.09(k) |
| Wall Sign | — | 1 sq. ft. per linear foot of building frontage to a maximum of 60 sq. ft. | — | — | One per lot | Mounted on building housing the establishment advertised | — | Section 1109.09(g) |
| Window Sign | — | 50% of window area | — | — | — | Non-residential zoning districts | — | Section 1109.09(h) |

### I-R, I

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Banner or Pennant Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. or area of permanent sign if temporarily covering | — | — | One per lot | Safely secured to building, structure, pole, framing, or stake | — | Section 1109.09(c) |
| Blade Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | Minimum setback from intersections: 10 ft | — | Ground floor facade, except for businesses above ground level with direct exterior pedestrian access | — | Section 1109.09(b) |
| Changeable Sign and Electronic Message Center Sign (EMC) | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | One EMC per lot | Non-residential uses only; Limited to fuel pricing display at fuel station | — | Section 1109.09(i) |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 50 sq. ft. | — | Minimum front setback: 10 ft | One per street frontage or one per development | Along frontage adjoining a public street | — | Section 1109.09(d) |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | One per building address | Attached to building within 10 ft of entrance | — | Section 1109.09(j) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 ft | 4 ft high, 3 ft wide | 3 ft | Minimum 10 ft separation from other sandwich board signs | One per business | Directly in front of associated building or use, minimum 2 ft from curb | — | Section 1109.09(f) |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — | Minimum 10 ft from public right-of-way line | One per lot of 5 acres or less; Two per lot of 5 acres or more or with 3 or more businesses | Minimum 10 ft from public right-of-way line | — | Section 1109.09(k) |
| Wall Sign | — | 1 sq. ft. per linear foot of building frontage to a maximum of 60 sq. ft. | — | — | One per lot | Mounted on building housing the establishment advertised | — | Section 1109.09(g) |

## Prohibited signs in Kent

- A sign made of a material not designed for outdoor signage, including but not limited to, bed linens, tarps, or untreated or unfinished plywood.
- Abandoned Signs.
- Any advertising device that simulates or imitates in size, color, letter, or design any traffic sign or signal or other word, phrase, symbol or character in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
- Any sign containing off-premise commercial content, except as permitted by Section 1109.11.
- Any sign that is deemed structurally or electrically unsafe by the Chief Building Official.
- Any sign, structure, support or frame that was previously part of an on-premise commercial sign, but no longer supports or contains a sign relating to a commercial activity, business, or usage on the premises, which has been discontinued at least ninety (90) days must be removed in accordance with Section 1109.15 or brought into compliance with this chapter.
- Bench signs.
- Billboard sign.
- Feather Signs.
- Festoons air-activated, and balloon signs except for decorations commemorating a time limited event or holiday.
- Obscene sign, which is any signs containing words or pictures that are lewd, obscene, profane, or libelous.
- Pole signs, including signs attached to light poles, utility poles, street sign post, and trees. Prohibited pole signs do not include pole signs lawfully installed by an authorized public entity.
- Portable message signs unless authorized by the appropriate government entity in a public or private road Right-of-Way.
- Roof signs.
- Signs that obstruct any fire escape.
- Signs within any public right-of-way unless specifically authorized under Section 1109.06(a)(1).
- Vehicle signs.
- Mounting of neon signs on the exterior facade of any building.

## Signs exempt from permit in Kent

- Decorations commemorating a holiday that are not displayed in a manner that promotes commercial activity.
- Temporary signs.
- Any sign required by the City to provide notice for a required public hearing to be erected, displayed, and removed according to the requirements of the City of Kent.
- Signs erected on a City of Kent, state, or federal building or land by the authorized public agency.
- Incidental signs, unless the Community Development Director determines in his or her sole discretion that a sign constitutes a public nuisance.
- Interior signs.
- Any lawful sign in a public or private right-of-way installed by an authorized public agency, including but not limited to, street signs and address signs.
- Private traffic control signs that conform to the requirements of the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
- Signs advertising the lease or sale of a property, limited to a maximum size of six (6) square feet per sign and may not be located in the public right-of-way.
- Seasonal outside table umbrellas.
- One sign denoting the architect, engineer, or contractor when placed upon a work site under construction, not to exceed twelve (12) square feet in area.
- National flags, state flags, municipal flags, and the official flag of any charitable, non-profit, or public sector entity.
- Political Signs, subject to removal or replacement after sixty (60) days.
- Electronic menu and order summary boards primarily visible to the person(s) placing an order in a drive-thru lane.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The approval of a Comprehensive Sign Plan is required when the number of desired signs is more than what is permitted in the zoning district.
- The applicant must obtain approval from the Architectural Review Board must approve or recommend all Comprehensive Sign Plans prior to review by the Planning Commission.
- The applicant must obtain approval from the Planning Commission before the Zoning Inspector can issue a sign permit.
- The Comprehensive Sign Plan must obtain the approval of the Planning Commission before the Zoning Inspector may issue a sign permit.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/kent