# Sign Regulations in Paulding, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Paulding, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/paulding
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/pauldingoh/latest/paulding_oh/0-0-0-3708)

## At a glance

Paulding, Ohio regulates 17 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Real Estate Signs in the Residential District zoning district are capped at 5 feet tall and 10 square feet, with a Not less than ten feet from any lot or street right-of-way line setback (Sec. § 155.31(G)(1)(c)). Most commercial signs in Paulding require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District | 6 | 5 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| Business District | 8 | — | 150 square feet | — |
| Light Industrial District | 7 | — | 100 square feet | — |
| Heavy Industrial District | 7 | — | 500 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | — | 32 square feet | — |

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

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate | — | 10 square feet | — | Not less than ten feet from any lot or street right-of-way line | One per dwelling or lot | On any structure or building or lot, not less than ten feet from any lot or street right-of-way line | — | § 155.31(G)(1)(a) |
| Identification Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | Not less than ten feet from a side lot line and ten feet from any street right-of-way line | One per multifamily project | Facing each major street, not less than ten feet from a side lot line and ten feet from any street right-of-way line | — | § 155.31(G)(1)(a) |
| Directional Sign | — | 5 square feet | — | Not less than ten feet from any lot line or street right-of-way | One per building or lot | Not less than ten feet from any lot line or street right-of-way | — | § 155.31(G)(1)(b) |
| Real Estate Sign | 5 feet | 10 square feet | — | Not less than ten feet from any lot or street right-of-way line | One per dwelling or lot | Not less than ten feet from any lot or street right-of-way line | — | § 155.31(G)(1)(c) |
| Subdivision Project Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | Not less than 50 feet from any occupied residence and not less than ten feet from the nearest street right-of-way line | One per subdivision | Not less than 50 feet from any occupied residence and not less than ten feet from the nearest street right-of-way line | — | § 155.31(G)(1)(d) |
| Bulletin Board or Announcement Sign | 5 feet | 20 square feet | — | Not less than ten feet from any residential lot line or less than ten feet from the nearest street right-of-way line | One per institution | On the premises of a public charitable or religious institution, not less than ten feet from any residential lot line or less than ten feet from the nearest street right-of-way line | — | § 155.31(G)(1)(e) |

### Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Sign | — | 150 square feet | — | — | One per establishment | On the business establishment | — | § 155.31(H)(1)(a) |
| Directional Sign | — | 5 square feet | — | Not closer than ten feet of any lot or street right-of-way line | One per establishment | Indicating traffic routes and similar functions | — | § 155.31(I)(7) |
| Professional Nameplate | — | — | — | — | One per establishment | On the business establishment | — | § 155.31(H)(1)(c) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | — | — | — | One per premises | On the premises | — | § 155.31(H)(1)(d) |
| Project Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | Not less than 50 feet from the nearest residential lot line and not less than ten feet from the nearest street right-of-way line | One per project | On the lot occupied by the building or use promoted | — | § 155.31(I)(8) |
| Wall Sign | — | 150 square feet | — | — | One per establishment | On the business establishment | — | § 155.31(I)(1) |
| Pole Sign | — | 70 square feet | — | Not less than ten feet from any residential district boundary line | One per establishment | Within required yards if approved by the Planning Commission | — | § 155.31(I)(3) |
| Ground Sign | — | — | — | Not less than ten feet from another business lot or street right-of-way line and not less than 20 feet from any residential district boundary line | One per establishment | Within required yards if approved by the Planning Commission | — | § 155.31(I)(5) |

### Heavy Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | — | 5 square feet | — | Not closer than ten feet of any lot or street right-of-way line | One per establishment | Indicating traffic routes and similar functions | — | § 155.31(J)(1)(a) |
| Service and Industrial Sign | — | 500 square feet | — | — | One per establishment | On the lot occupied by the structure or building | — | § 155.31(J)(3)(b) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | — | — | — | One per premises | On the premises | — | § 155.31(J)(1)(c) |
| Project Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | Not less than 50 feet from the nearest residential lot line and not less than ten feet from the nearest street right-of-way line | One per project | On the lot occupied by the building or use promoted | — | § 155.31(I)(8) |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | One per establishment | On the industrial establishment | — | § 155.31(J)(2) |
| Pole Sign | — | — | — | Not less than 50 feet from any adjacent residential district | One per establishment | Within required yards if approved by the Planning Commission | — | § 155.31(J)(2) |
| Ground Sign | — | — | — | Not less than 50 feet from any adjacent residential district | One per establishment | Within required yards if approved by the Planning Commission | — | § 155.31(J)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Paulding

- No signs shall be erected on public property or within any public right-of-way except by governmental authorities or pursuant to a license.
- No signs shall be erected by nailing, fastening, or affixing to any tree, rock, post, curb, utility pole, natural feature, official street sign or marker, traffic-control sign or device, or other structure.
- The erection of memorial crosses, signs, or statues to commemorate the place of a traffic accident or other death is prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed or erected on either public or private property without the permission of the owner.
- Commercial signs shall be deemed abandoned if the business, service, or commercial site to which it relates has been discontinued/closed for 90 days.
- Dilapidated, neglected, and/or abandoned signs, including the structure and supports, are not permitted.
- No ground sign shall be erected within ten feet of any public right-of-way or within 150 feet of any other ground sign located adjacent to the same side of the same public right-of-way.
- No sign shall be erected in any place that interferes with the ventilation system of a building or impedes access to any fire hydrant or standpipe, fire extinguisher, fire alarm, or any means of egress from a building.
- No sign exhibiting animated graphic illustrations, flashing or rotating lights, mirrors, banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, or similar devices that move or change appearance shall be erected in any place visible from a public right-of-way.
- No illuminated sign shall be erected in any place that results in objectionable brightness or glare in any residential premises or on any public right-of-way.
- Abandoned signs, obscene signs, portable signs, roof signs, and vehicular signs are declared to be a public nuisance and are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Paulding

- The display of official public notices, and the flag, emblem, or insignia of an official governmental body is not governed by the provisions of these regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- In the development of a group of stores and services in any business district, a plan for the signing of said development shall be submitted to the Planning Commission for review and approval.

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

---

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