# Sign Regulations in Ravenna, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Ravenna, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/ravenna
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ravenna/latest/ravenna_oh/0-0-0-78010)

## At a glance

Ravenna, Ohio regulates 12 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Identification or Business Signs in the Industrial Districts zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and 100 sq ft, with a 3 ft from street R.O.W. line setback (Sec. 1458.13 SIGNS FOR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS.). Most commercial signs in Ravenna require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts | 2 | — | 2 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Districts | 3 | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Design Review Districts | 3 | 4 ft | 20% of glass area | — |
| Nonresidential zoning districts | 2 | 40 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 9 sq ft | — |

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

### Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification or Business Sign | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — | 3 ft from street R.O.W. line | 1 per lot | Building-mounted or free-standing | — | 1458.13 SIGNS FOR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS. |
| Directional and Information Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | 5 ft from side and rear lot lines | Minimum necessary | As necessary | — | 1458.13 SIGNS FOR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS. |
| Real Estate Sign (Temporary) | 8 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | 1 per street frontage | — | 1458.13 SIGNS FOR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS. |

### Design Review Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Projecting Sign | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per pedestrian level tenant per street frontage | One per pedestrian level tenant per street frontage | — | 1458.14 SIGNS IN DESIGN REVIEW DISTRICTS. |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of glass area | — | — | — | Painted, goldleafed, or attached onto glass area | — | 1458.14 SIGNS IN DESIGN REVIEW DISTRICTS. |
| Free-Standing Sign | 4 ft | 8 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per business entrance | Anywhere within front or side yard | — | 1458.14 SIGNS IN DESIGN REVIEW DISTRICTS. |

### Nonresidential zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Portable Sign | 6 ft | 40 sq ft | — | 20 ft from side lot lines | 1 per lot | Set back 1 ft from street R.O.W. lines | — | 1458.10 TEMPORARY SIGNS. |
| Inflatable Sign | 40 ft | — | 40 ft | — | 1 per lot | Free-standing or roof sign | — | 1458.10 TEMPORARY SIGNS. |

## Prohibited signs in Ravenna

- Strings of pennants, propellers, pinwheels, streamers, balloons and similar small objects, except as temporary displays specifically authorized for carnivals and open-air festivals and for new businesses.
- Signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs and signals.
- Signs attached to trees, rocks or natural formations or public property, including utility poles, benches, trash containers and parking meters, except as specifically authorized by the City.
- Moving, revolving or flashing signs, except as approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

## Signs exempt from permit in Ravenna

- The American flag, the Ohio flag, the Ravenna City flag and flags of other nations or nationality groups (except where used as part of a sign advertising a product or service).
- Governmental signs providing traffic control information and similar public information.
- Signs which are part of the original construction of a vending machine, fuel pump or similar device.
- Any monument within a cemetery.
- Cornerstones and permanent building plaques displaying the date of construction, the architect's name, the building name, historical information, etc., and not exceeding eight square feet in area.
- Signs in nonresidential districts displaying only a street address and not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Holiday decorations, excluding advertising, displayed for reasonable and customary durations of time.
- Vehicles regularly and customarily used to transport persons or property for a business.
- Works of art that do not include a commercial message.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All new signage or alterations to signage within the Design Review District shall be required to receive an approval of the application for design review unless otherwise noted.
- Before any sign is constructed, erected or altered, an application for design review thereof must be approved by the Design Review Commission.

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

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