# Sign Regulations in Worthington, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Worthington, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/worthington
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/worthington/latest/worthington_oh/0-0-0-14756)

## At a glance

Worthington, Ohio regulates 7 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Sidewalk Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 5 feet tall, 30 cubic feet, and 3 feet wide, with a Not closer than five feet from the back edge of the curb setback (Sec. 1170.06(l)). Most commercial signs in Worthington require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R Zoning District | 1 | — | 20 square feet per side | — |
| AR Zoning District | 1 | — | 20 square feet per side | — |
| SC Zoning District | 1 | — | 20 square feet per side | — |
| Central Commercial District (C-5) | 3 | 10 feet | 40 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 5 feet | 30 cubic feet | — |

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

### R Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Development Sign | — | 20 square feet per side | — | Not closer than ten feet to any street or alley right-of-way | One per principal entrance | At each principal entrance to the development | — | 1170.08(b)(2) |

### Central Commercial District (C-5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 40 square feet | — | — | One per business | On building façade | — | 1170.08(a)(1)B |
| Blade Sign | — | 6 square feet per side | — | — | One per business occupying 25% or more of a building | Attached to building | — | 1170.08(a)(1)D |
| Ground Sign | 10 feet | 30 square feet per side | — | Not closer than ten feet to a public right of way or ten feet to an adjoining property line | One per site on properties with less than 200 feet of frontage | Not closer than ten feet to a public right of way or ten feet to an adjoining property line | — | 1170.08(a)(1)C |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet | — | May be closer than ten feet to the right-of-way | — | At entrance to property | — | 1170.06(d) |
| Street Address Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | On wall of building facing the street | — | 1170.06(m) |
| Sidewalk Sign | 5 feet | 30 cubic feet | 3 feet | Not closer than five feet from the back edge of the curb | One per business or tenant | On sidewalk or tree lawn in front of business establishment | — | 1170.06(l) |

## Prohibited signs in Worthington

- Billboards
- Changeable copy, except for gasoline station price signs and transaction information, EV charging station price signs and transaction information, bulletin boards, scoreboards, and drive-thru menu boards
- Externally visible neon and neon look-alike signs, except where allowed otherwise in this chapter
- Flashing signs, projected images, and animated signs, and signs with moving or moveable parts
- Off-premises signs, except for sidewalk signs where permitted
- Pennants, feather flags, banners, streamers, or spinners
- Portable signs, except for sidewalk signs where permitted
- Roof signs
- Search lights or laser lights
- Temporary signs shall be prohibited except with issuance of a Temporary Use Permit as per Sections 1129.05(b)(5) and 1175.071, or as provided for in Section 1170.06(1) Sidewalk signs
- Any look-alike version of any of the sign types prohibited in Section 1170.04

## Signs exempt from permit in Worthington

- ATM Signs
- Barber Poles
- Construction Period Signs
- Directional Signs
- EV Charging Stations
- Gasoline Fuel Pumps
- Governmental Signs
- Historical Markers
- Internal Signs
- Professional Nameplates Not Exceeding Two Square Feet in Area
- Sale or Leasing Period Signs
- Sidewalk Signs
- Street Address Signs

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs associated with a property may be part of the same permit application.

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

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