# Sign Regulations in Parma, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Parma, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/parma
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/parma/latest/Parma_oh/0-0-0-201012)

## At a glance

Parma, Ohio regulates 12 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Free-Standing Sign (Major)s in the Residential Districts (Single-Family House Districts, Two-Family House Districts, Single-Family Cluster Districts, Multi-Family Residential Districts) zoning district are capped at 5 ft tall and 32 sq ft, with a 20 ft from lot lines, 5 ft from right-of-ways, 35 ft from lines of lots occupied by 1- and 2-family dwellings setback (Sec. 1196.06(a)). Most commercial signs in Parma require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (Single-Family House Districts, Two-Family House Districts, Single-Family Cluster Districts, Multi-Family Residential Districts) | 5 | 5 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Districts (Retail Business District, Office Building District, Shopping Center District, Automobile Parking District) | 6 | 5 ft | 48 sq ft cumulative | — |
| Industrial Districts (Industrial Districts, Commercial-Manufacturing Districts, Industrial Park Districts, Research Manufacturing Districts) | 6 | 4 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Mixed Use Districts | 4 | 5 ft | 48 sq ft cumulative | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 25 ft | 300 sq ft | — |

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

### Residential Districts (Single-Family House Districts, Two-Family House Districts, Single-Family Cluster Districts, Multi-Family Residential Districts)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free-Standing Sign (Major) | 5 ft | 32 sq ft | — | 20 ft from lot lines, 5 ft from right-of-ways, 35 ft from lines of lots occupied by 1- and 2-family dwellings | 1 per subdivision | Subdivision of at least 30 lots | — | 1196.06(a) |
| Free-Standing Sign (Minor) | 3 ft | 2 sq ft | — | 5 ft from lot lines, 5 ft from right-of-ways, 10 ft from lines of lots occupied by 1- and 2-family dwellings | 2 per dwelling | Per dwelling | — | 1196.06(a) |
| Wall Sign (Minor) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 2 per dwelling | Per dwelling | — | 1196.06(a) |
| Temporary Sign (Free-Standing or Wall) | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 2 per dwelling | Per dwelling | — | 1196.06(a) |
| Flags | — | 32 sq ft cumulative | — | — | 2 per lot | Per lot | — | 1196.06(a) |

### Commercial Districts (Retail Business District, Office Building District, Shopping Center District, Automobile Parking District)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free-Standing Sign (Major) | 5 ft | 40 sq ft | — | 20 ft from lot lines, 5 ft from right-of-ways, 50 ft from lines of lots occupied by 1- and 2-family dwellings | 1 per lot | Per lot | — | 1196.07(a) |
| Free-Standing Sign (Minor) | 3 ft | 4 sq ft | — | 5 ft from lot lines, 5 ft from right-of-ways, 10 ft from lines of lots occupied by 1- and 2-family dwellings | 2 per lot entry/exit | Per lot entry/exit | — | 1196.07(a) |
| Wall Sign (Major) | — | — | — | — | 1 per building street frontage | Per building street frontage | — | 1196.07(a) |
| Wall Sign (Minor) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 2 per main building | Per main building | — | 1196.07(a) |
| Temporary Sign (Free-Standing or Wall) | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 2 per lot | Per lot | — | 1196.07(a) |
| Flags | — | 48 sq ft cumulative | — | — | 3 per lot | Per lot | — | 1196.07(a) |

### Industrial Districts (Industrial Districts, Commercial-Manufacturing Districts, Industrial Park Districts, Research Manufacturing Districts)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free-Standing Sign (Major) | — | 100 sq ft | — | 20 ft from lot lines, 10 ft from right-of-ways, 50 ft from lines of lots occupied by 1- and 2-family dwellings | 1 per lot | Per lot | — | 1196.08(a) |
| Free-Standing Sign (Minor) | 3 ft | 4 sq ft | — | 5 ft from lot lines, 5 ft from right-of-ways, 10 ft from lines of lots occupied by 1- and 2-family dwellings | As necessary | As necessary for traffic safety and public information | — | 1196.08(a) |
| Wall Sign (Major) | — | — | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Each street frontage with vehicular entrance | — | 1196.08(a) |
| Wall Sign (Minor) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | As necessary | As necessary for traffic safety and public information | — | 1196.08(a) |
| Temporary Sign (Free-Standing or Wall) | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 2 per lot | Per lot | — | 1196.08(a) |
| Flags | — | 48 sq ft cumulative | — | — | 3 per lot | Per lot | — | 1196.08(a) |

## Prohibited signs in Parma

- Feather signs are not permitted in any zoning district.
- Flashing, revolving, moving scrolling, traveling, spinning, rotating, fading, dissolving or any other moving effects, and all dynamic frame effects and patterns of illusionary movement or simulated movement are prohibited, other than electronic message centers and digital billboards as specifically permitted.
- Roof signs are not permitted in any zoning district.
- Any sign displayed on a parked trailer or truck or other vehicle that is not routinely used for transportation purposes between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight so that the primary purpose of the vehicle is to display a message or to advertise a product, service, business, or other activity is prohibited.
- Signs displayed on bollards are not permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Parma

- Signs erected by the municipal, county, state and federal governments, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA), and all other signs regulating traffic and parking in the City are exempt.
- Signs which are part of the original construction of a vending machine, fuel pump or similar device are exempt.
- Any monument within a cemetery or grave markers are exempt.
- Cornerstones and permanent building plaques not displaying a commercial message and not exceeding eight square feet in area are exempt.
- Up to two signs, each not exceeding two square feet in area, displayed on a property with an individual single-family, two-family or townhouse dwelling are exempt.
- Holiday displays, excluding advertising, are exempt.
- Messages displayed on vehicles regularly and customarily used to transport persons or property for a business are exempt.
- Works of art that do not include a commercial message are exempt.
- Signs that cannot be viewed from a public right-of-way or another property are exempt.
- Signs carried by a person are exempt.
- Other signs determined by the Planning Commission to be outside this chapter's scope of regulation with respect to a reasonable and customary interpretation of the intent of this chapter are exempt.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Planning Commission approval shall be required for all signs within shopping centers and industrial parks and in all instances where compatibility in design is required in shopping strip areas.
- No sign permit shall be issued for any sign to be erected or placed within a preservation district, or for any sign to be attached to or erected upon any landmark, unless a certificate of appropriateness has been issued for that sign.

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

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