# Sign Regulations in Lorain, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lorain, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/lorain
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/lorain/latest/lorain_oh/0-0-0-48605)

## At a glance

Lorain, Ohio regulates 4 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the B-3 Downtown Business District zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall, 8 square feet per side, and 2 feet wide, with a Minimum 5 feet passage on sidewalk setback (Sec. 1151.05, Table 1151.05). Most commercial signs in Lorain 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 | 2 | — | — | — |
| B-3 Downtown Business District | 1 | 4 feet | 8 square feet per side | — |
| Commercial District | 1 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| Mixed Use District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Industrial District | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | Exempt from 15 feet setback if attached to buildings within 15 feet of a street right-of-way | — | Attached to buildings | — | 1151.02(b), 1151.02(c)(2), 1151.02(c)(3) |
| Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | Minimum 15 feet from street right-of-way, 1 foot from adjoining lot line, 10 feet from residential zoning district | — | Not within 15 feet of a street right-of-way | — | 1151.02(b), 1151.02(c)(2), 1151.02(c)(3) |

### B-3 Downtown Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 feet | 8 square feet per side | 2 feet | Minimum 5 feet passage on sidewalk | One per street frontage | On sidewalk directly in front of establishment | — | 1151.05, Table 1151.05 |

### Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | Exempt from 15 feet setback if attached to buildings within 15 feet of a street right-of-way | Maximum of two types and three total signs per lot | Attached to buildings | — | 1151.06, Table 1151.06 |

## Prohibited signs in Lorain

- Any sign not specifically permitted.
- Abandoned signs that identify an activity, business, use, product or service no longer conducted or available.
- Off-premise signs.
- The use of trucks, cars, trailers, aircraft, boats or similar vehicles as signs when parked on public or private property within fifty (50) feet of any property line abutting a public street, except under specified conditions.
- Roof signs.
- Search lights, 'twirling signs', balloons, other gas or air-filled figures, pennants or streamers, except for holiday or special event decorations.
- Signs that are held by or supported by a person along a public street.
- Blade or feather signs.
- Portable signs, except as allowed under Section 1151.05.
- Miscellaneous signs and posters visible from a roadway that are tacked, pasted or otherwise affixed to the walls of buildings or structures or on trees, poles, posts, fences or other structures.
- Signs or any portion of a sign or sign structure which moves or assumes any motion or gives the illusion of movement, unless specifically permitted.
- Signs bearing or containing statements, words or pictures of an obscene, pornographic, or immoral character.
- Signs painted on or attached to any fence or wall which is not structurally a part of a building.
- Signs that emit audible sound, odor or visible matter.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lorain

- Public notices by governmental bodies, and other official signs and notices.
- Maintenance actions such as painting, repainting, cleaning, or other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or sign structure unless a structural change is involved.
- Re-lettering and rewording changeable copy on approved or existing nonconforming signs.
- Address signs with numeral height no greater than six (6) inches for residences and 18 inches for businesses.
- Barber poles attached to building walls with specified dimensions.
- Business identification signs stating only the street address number and name of the business or building.
- Commercial construction signs identifying the project under construction.
- Replacement of damaged signs under certain conditions.
- Device signs on gas pumps, vending machines or ice containers.
- Directional signs to facilitate traffic movement.
- Flags or insignia of any nation, state, local government, community organization or educational institution.
- Historical markers.
- Incidental signs indicating acceptance of credit cards, location of restrooms, etc.
- Integral signs such as names of building, date of erection, etc.
- Interior signs located completely within an enclosed building.
- Murals not containing any words, logos, products or service representations.
- Nameplates for dwelling units.
- Parking signs for public access.
- Political signs displayed within 60 days prior to any public vote.
- Private traffic direction signs.
- Public signs of a noncommercial nature.
- Religious symbols incorporated into the architecture on places of worship.
- Scoreboards used in conjunction with a sports field.
- Signs on vehicles used for transport in the normal course of business.
- Temporary window signs not obscuring more than 25 percent of the window area.
- Traffic control signs conforming to the requirements of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
- Warning signs such as no trespassing, warning of electrical currents or animals.
- Yard signs with specified dimensions.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Requiring signs to be reviewed for approval prior to installation.
- The Zoning Administrator shall inspect each sign after it is erected to determine if the sign and its location are in conformance with the permit and the approved sign plan.

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

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