# Sign Regulations in Westerville, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Westerville, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/westerville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/westerville/latest/westerville_oh/0-0-0-7133)

## At a glance

Westerville, Ohio regulates 4 sign types across 16 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the Commercial: General Retail (Individual Use) zoning district are capped at 8 ft. tall and 40 sq. ft., with a 10 ft. setback (Sec. Schedule of Sign Regulations). Most commercial signs in Westerville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (16 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential: 1 & 2 Family | 2 | 4 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential: Multiple Family | 2 | 4 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential: Multiple Family Project Identification | 2 | 6 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential: Sales/Rental Office or Model Home | 2 | 4 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential: Boarding House or Fraternity/Sorority | 2 | 4 ft. | 10 sq. ft. | — |
| Commercial: General Retail (Individual Use) | 3 | 15 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| Commercial: Shopping Center | 3 | 15 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| Commercial: Commercial Center | 3 | 15 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| Office/Institutional: Individual Use or Multiple Occupancy Common Entrance | 3 | 15 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| Office Institutional: Individual Use or Multiple Occupancy with Individual Entrances | 3 | 15 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| Industrial: Individual Use or Multiple Occupancy with Common Entrance | 2 | 15 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| Industrial: Multiple Occupancy with Individual Entrances | 2 | 15 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| All Districts: Schools, Parks, Churches, Libraries, Cemeteries and Public Facilities | 2 | 8 ft. | 15 sq. ft. | — |
| All Districts: Parking Lots and Outdoor Commercial Recreation Facilities | 1 | 8 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| Uptown District | 3 | 15 ft. | 25% window coverage | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | 10 sq. ft. or 50% of overall ground sign size, whichever is more | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 16 zones)

### Commercial: General Retail (Individual Use)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 8 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per street front | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Wall Sign | 15 ft. | Varies by frontage | — | — | 1 per street front | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Window Sign | 8 ft. | 25% window coverage | — | — | 1 per street front | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |

### Commercial: Shopping Center

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 15 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per street front | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Wall Sign | 15 ft. | Varies by frontage | — | — | 1 per unit | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Window Sign | 8 ft. | 25% window coverage | — | — | 1 per unit | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |

### Commercial: Commercial Center

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 8 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per street front | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Wall Sign | 15 ft. | Varies by frontage | — | — | 1 per unit | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |
| Window Sign | 8 ft. | 25% window coverage | — | — | 1 per unit | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations |

## Prohibited signs in Westerville

- No sign shall contain or consist of banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers or similar moving devices.
- Off premise signs are prohibited.
- Billboards are prohibited as off-premise signs.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Portable signs, 'A' or 'T' frame signs, windblown, inflated or air activated attraction devices are prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed in, on or above the public right-of-way including on utility poles, except for municipally owned signs and signs authorized by the City Manager for community events and programs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Westerville

- Address and name of occupant of premises for a residential structure, 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.
- On site directional signs indicating points of entry or exit for a facility or off-street parking area, limited to a maximum of two square feet in area and three feet in height.
- Signs 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, limited to 60 days in any one year and displayed not more than 60 consecutive days.
- Political signs or posters concerning candidates for elective office, public issues and similar matters to be decided by public election, not exceeding six square feet in area and not illuminated.
- Signs indicating the sale, rental or lease of a particular one or two family residential structure or land area, limited in size to six square feet, with one sign allowed per street front.
- Informational window signs limited in size to two square feet per sign.
- Signs less than two square feet in size mounted or attached flat or parallel onto a building face of an administrative, business or professional office building denoting the name and address of an occupant.
- A sign advertising the sale of personal property such as a garage, yard, porch or moving sale sign, limited to one sign, not greater than four square feet in size.
- Construction signs displaying the identification of the contractors, architects and other construction principals and temporary development signs indicating or promoting the development of land, facilities, or structures.
- Signs for community events and programs sponsored by nonprofit, public, educational, religious and charitable organizations lasting for a time period of 14 days or less.
- Signs indicating the sale, rental, or lease of a particular residential or non-residential undeveloped parcel over three acres in area, multi-family, commercial structure or industrial land area, limited in size to 16 square feet in area and eight feet in height.
- Temporary window signs limited in size to 25% of the window area in which it is placed, and not illuminated.
- Business flags displaying the corporate or business emblem or seal, flown on a vertical staff or pole and in conjunction with the national flag.
- Menu Boards oriented solely for the use of patrons utilizing the drive-thru and not intended to be visible from adjacent property or the right-of-way.
- Messages displayed upon approved Manual Changeable Copy Signs may be changed without permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Applications for sign permits shall contain two copies of plans and/or blueprints to scale of signage including details of fastenings, lighting and any lettering, symbols or other identification which will be on the sign.
- A site plan of a proposed ground sign location showing the distance from the public right-of-way and relationship to access drives, parking areas and buildings or a facade elevation of proposed wall or window signs showing the height and proportions of the sign.
- Applications for permanent subdivision identification signs must demonstrate provisions for future maintenance and maintenance easements at the time of final platting.
- All persons desiring an EMC shall submit an application for a conditional use and proceed in accordance with Chapter 1111. The person shall also file an application for a sign permit pursuant to Section 1181.04.

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

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