# Sign Regulations in Washington, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Washington, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/washington
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/washingtonch/latest/washingtonCH_oh/0-0-0-4298)

## At a glance

Washington, Ohio regulates 7 sign types across 12 zoning districts. Wall Signs in the Business, professional, administrative offices in B-1 and B-2 Districts zoning district are capped at 15 ft. tall and 30 sq. ft., with a 15 ft. setback (Sec. § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations). Most commercial signs in Washington require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (12 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-M, R-R) | 3 | 20 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — |
| Office in RO District | 1 | 20 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — |
| Nursery schools, day care facilities in R-3 District | 2 | 20 ft. | 10 sq. ft. | — |
| Schools, churches, hospitals and other institutions in CF District | 2 | 35 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| Business, professional, administrative offices in B-1 and B-2 Districts | 5 | 15 ft. | 30 sq. ft. | — |
| Business, professional, public and administrative offices in B-3 District | 5 | 25 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| General and retail and commercial in B-1 and B-2 Districts | 5 | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| General retail and commercial in the B-3 District | 5 | 25 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Automobile dealership, hotel, motel in B-3 District | 5 | 35 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Permitted uses within the LI, GE Districts | 3 | 35 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Planned Unit Development Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 15 ft. in B-3, LI or GE District; 8 ft. in other districts | 33% of total window area | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 12 zones)

### Business, professional, administrative offices in B-1 and B-2 Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 15 ft. | 30 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 1 per frontage | Business, professional, administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 ft. | 30 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 1 per frontage | Business, professional, administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Window Sign | 15 ft. | 30 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 1 per frontage | Business, professional, administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Projecting Sign | 15 ft. | 30 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 1 per frontage | Business, professional, administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Awning Sign | 15 ft. | 30 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 1 per frontage | Business, professional, administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |

### Business, professional, public and administrative offices in B-3 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 25 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | Business, professional, public and administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Window Sign | 25 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | Business, professional, public and administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | Business, professional, public and administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Projecting Sign | 25 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | Business, professional, public and administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Awning Sign | 25 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | Business, professional, public and administrative offices | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |

### General and retail and commercial in B-1 and B-2 Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | General and retail and commercial | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Window Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | General and retail and commercial | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | General and retail and commercial | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Projecting Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | General and retail and commercial | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Awning Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 2 per frontage | General and retail and commercial | — | § 156.118 Schedule of Sign Regulations |

## Prohibited signs in Washington

- Moving signs and the animation of signs are prohibited.
- No permanent sign shall contain or consist of banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, balloons or similar devices.
- In no case shall any part of a sign be placed in, over, or extend onto any public right-of-way.
- In no case shall any part of a sign be placed over, or extend above the roof of any structure.
- Roof signs are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Washington

- Address and name of occupant of premises for a residential structure, not to include designations as to employment or home occupation, and to be limited in size to two square feet.
- Signs required or authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance, such signs to include traffic control devices provided that such signs contain no supplementary advertising.
- Signs which are in the nature of cornerstones, commemorative tables and historical signs provided that such signs are less than nine square feet in size and not illuminated.
- Signs clearly in the nature of decorations customarily associated with any national, local or religious holiday.
- Political signs or posters concerning candidates for elective office, public issues and similar matters to be decided by public election.
- Signs that indicate the sale, development, rental or lease of a particular structure or land area.
- Temporary window signs which promote special business sales, promotion or occasions.
- Signs, which are less than two square feet in size and mounted or attached flat or parallel onto a building face of an administrative, business or professional office building.
- A sign which advertises the sale of personal property, such as a garage, yard, porch or moving sale sign.
- Temporary construction signs which display the identification of the construction project.
- Signs promoting community events and programs which last for a time period of 14 days or less and which are sponsored by nonprofit, public, educational, religious and charitable organizations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The applicant shall submit a total signage plan for the proposed planned unit development as part of the final development 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 12 zoning districts in Washington — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Washington+OH&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-washington

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