# Sign Regulations in Lawton, Oklahoma

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lawton, Oklahoma (OK)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oklahoma/lawton
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/OK/Lawton/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CH6BUCOHO_ART6-6BUSICORECE)

## At a glance

Lawton, Oklahoma regulates 28 sign types across 17 zoning districts. Billboards in the C-4 Tourist Commercial, I-1 Restricted Manufacturing and Warehousing, I-2 Industrial Park, I-3 Light Industrial, I-4 Heavy Industrial zoning district are capped at 80 feet tall and 288 square feet per face, with a 25 feet from property line; 200 feet from any residential district setback (Sec. 18-9-1-907(A)). Most commercial signs in Lawton require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (17 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| C-4 Tourist Commercial, I-1 Restricted Manufacturing and Warehousing, I-2 Industrial Park, I-3 Light Industrial, I-4 Heavy Industrial | 17 | 80 feet | 400 square feet | — |
| R-3 Multiple-Family Dwelling, R-4 High Density Apartment, C-1 Local Commercial, C-5 General Commercial | 1 | 20 feet | 80 square feet | — |
| P-F Public Facilities, C-1 Local Commercial, C-2 Planned Neighborhood Shopping Center, C-3 Planned Community Shopping Center, C-4 Tourist Commercial, C-5 General Commercial, I-1 Restricted Manufacturing and Warehousing, I-2 Industrial Park, I-3 Light Industrial, I-4 Heavy Industrial | 2 | 50 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| P-F Public Facilities, P-O Professional Office, C-1 Local Commercial, C-2 Planned Neighborhood Shopping Center, C-3 Planned Community Shopping Center, C-4 Tourist Commercial, C-5 General Commercial, I-1 Restricted Manufacturing and Warehousing, I-2 Industrial Park, I-3 Light Industrial, I-4 Heavy Industrial | 4 | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — |
| A-1 General Agricultural, A-2 Suburban, R-1 Single-Family Dwelling, R-2 Two-Family Dwelling, R-3 Multiple-Family Dwelling, R-4 High Density Apartment | 2 | 20 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| P-O Professional Office, C-1 Local Commercial, C-2 Planned Neighborhood Shopping Center | 1 | 20 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| C-3 Planned Community Shopping Center, C-4 Tourist Commercial, C-5 General Commercial, I-1 Restricted Manufacturing and Warehousing, I-2 Industrial Park, I-3 Light Industrial, I-4 Heavy Industrial | 1 | 50 feet | 400 square feet | — |
| CBD (Central Business District) | 4 | 20 feet for freestanding sign | 6 square feet | — |
| P-F Public Facilities, P-O Professional Office, C-1 Local Commercial, C-2 Planned Neighborhood Shopping Center, C-3 Planned Community Shopping Center, C-4 Tourist Commercial, C-5 General Commercial, I-1 Restricted Manufacturing and Warehousing, I-2 Industrial Park, I-3 Light Industrial, I-4 Heavy Industrial, R-4 High Density Apartment | 1 | No higher than marquee/canopy; min 8 ft above walkway | 16 sq ft per side, max 2 sides | — |
| All zoning districts | 2 | 8 feet | 12 square feet | — |
| Residential Districts | 1 | 10 feet | 64 square feet | — |
| Vacant land in any zoning district | 1 | — | 64 square feet | — |
| R-1 Single-Family Dwelling | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| R-2 Two-Family Dwelling | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| A-1 General Agricultural | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| A-2 Suburban | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 17 zones)

### C-4 Tourist Commercial, I-1 Restricted Manufacturing and Warehousing, I-2 Industrial Park, I-3 Light Industrial, I-4 Heavy Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Billboard | 80 feet | 288 square feet per face | — | 25 feet from property line; 200 feet from any residential district | — | On streets classified as arterials by Federal Highway Administration Functional Classification Map | — | 18-9-1-907(A) |
| Digital Billboard | 80 feet | 288 square feet per face | — | — | — | Same as Billboard | — | 18-9-1-907(A)(12) |
| Ground Mounted Banner Sign | 8 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | See table: 1 per up to 150' frontage; 2 per 151-200'; ... up to 10 per 901-1000' | May not extend beyond property line | — | 18-9-1-908(B)(1) |
| General Business Sign | 50 feet | 300 square feet | — | — | See table for frontage | Ground, pole, or monument signs | — | 18-9-1-908(F) |
| Institutional Sign (Arterial) | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — | — | See table | Ground, monument, pole | — | 18-9-1-908(H)(1) |
| Institutional Sign (Collector/Local Street) | 20 feet | 100 square feet | — | — | See table | Ground, monument, pole | — | 18-9-1-908(H)(2) |
| Multi-Tenant Sign | 50 feet | 400 square feet | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Ground mounted or pole signs | — | 18-9-1-908(I)(2) |
| Suspended Sign | No higher than marquee/canopy/projection; min 8 ft above walkway | 16 sq ft per side (max 2 sides) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Attached to marquee, canopy, or arcade; one per street frontage | — | 18-9-1-908(M) |

### P-F Public Facilities, P-O Professional Office, C-1 Local Commercial, C-2 Planned Neighborhood Shopping Center, C-3 Planned Community Shopping Center, C-4 Tourist Commercial, C-5 General Commercial, I-1 Restricted Manufacturing and Warehousing, I-2 Industrial Park, I-3 Light Industrial, I-4 Heavy Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Mounted Banner Sign | Not above 25 inches over roofline | 30% of facade area | — | — | — | Building mounted; enclosed in rigid frame | — | 18-9-1-908(B)(2) |
| Building Mounted Sign | 25 inches above height of roofline | 30% of facade area | — | — | — | Permanently attached to building | — | 18-9-1-908(C) |
| Institutional Sign (Arterial) | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — | — | See table | Ground, monument, pole | — | 18-9-1-908(H)(1) |
| Institutional Sign (Collector/Local Street) | 20 feet | 100 square feet | — | — | See table | Ground, monument, pole | — | 18-9-1-908(H)(2) |

### CBD (Central Business District)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Attached/Projecting/Ground Sign | 20 feet for freestanding sign | — | — | — | — | On property, along streets/thoroughfares (25' or greater ROW), or alleys (but counts towards wider street calculation) | — | 18-9-2-942 to 18-9-2-946 |
| Temporary Construction or Project Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18-9-2-947(A)(2) |
| For Rent/For Sale Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | — | Outside only | — | 18-9-2-947(A)(3) |
| Under-Canopy/Arcade Sign | — | 6 square feet (1 foot max vertical dimension) | — | — | — | Under canopy/arcade | — | 18-9-2-942(A)(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Lawton

- A-frame, wheeled signs.
- Abandoned signs.
- Animals or human beings, live or simulated, designed or used so as to attract attention to the premises or business or services advertised.
- Dilapidated signs.
- Illegal signs.
- Mirror devices used as part of a sign.
- Open flames used to attract public attention to a place of business or to an advertising sign.
- Portable signs other than temporary signs as defined in this article.
- Revolving, rotating, flashing, or blinking beams or beacons of light shall be prohibited as a part of a sign display including signs in windows or as a device to attract attention. Flashing or blinking lights that are incorporated into an electronic changeable message board may be allowed and are regulated elsewhere in these regulations.
- Roof signs.
- Swinging or moving signs.
- Vehicle-mounted signs.
- Signs which conflict with or imitate any traffic control device due to color, wording, design, location or illumination or which interfere with the safe and efficient flow of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic.
- Signs at intersections.
- Signs which obstruct access to or from a door, window, fire escape, ventilation system or other required exit.
- Signs that do not comply with the provisions of the sight triangle requirements established by this chapter.
- Signs erected upon or projecting into or over any public property, public right-of-way, or public street easement except those signs erected by federal, state, county, or city officials. This prohibition extends to individuals carrying signs and standing upon public rights-of-way, street easements, or public property.
- Signs affixed to any structures, trees, or other natural vegetation, rocks, or poles used for utilities or traffic controls.
- Signs continuously outlined with individual light bulbs or string of lights including lights that outline property lines, sales areas, or any portion of a structure and are intended to advertise or draw attention to a business or commercial activity, except for lights used temporarily as holiday decorations or for temporary activities on parcels (e.g., carnivals, fairs).
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particles, sound, or odor.
- Signs erected or maintained without the consent of the owner of the real property or the person or entity in legal possession of the real property.
- Any sign not specifically allowed under these provisions is prohibited.
- No sign may be maintained that is unsafe, dangerous, or defective or on public right-of-way.
- Prohibited signs at the time of ordinance adoption do not gain nonconforming status.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lawton

- Banners placed by any entity for events co-sponsored by the city, provided they are no larger than sixteen (16) square feet, not placed for longer than thirty (30) days in a twelve (12) month period, and not placed more than twice in that period.
- Changing the copy of a sign and/or performing maintenance that does not involve structural changes.
- Commemorative signs or plaques of historical organizations.
- Directional, warning or informational signs required or authorized by law which are erected by federal, state, county, or city officials.
- Flag, emblem, pennant, or insignia of any nation, organization of nations, state, county or city; any religious, civic, or fraternal organization; or any educational institution. One corporate name or logo-bearing flag not exceeding twenty-four (24) square feet in size is allowed.
- Home occupation signs.
- Incidental signs showing credit cards accepted, notices of services required by law, trade affiliations, etc., attached to a freestanding sign structure or building, provided there are no more than four signs, no sign projects beyond any property line, and no sign exceeds five square feet per face.
- Maintenance or repainting without changing wording, composition, or colors or minor nonstructural repairs.
- Murals as defined in this article.
- Nameplates, street address signs, and combination nameplate/street address signs containing no advertising, located entirely on the property to which they pertain, not exceeding two square feet in area per face, and illuminated only by nonintermittent white lighting (if illuminated).
- "No Trespassing" and "No Parking" and similar warning signs.
- Signs displayed on trucks, buses, trailers, or other vehicles operated or stored in the normal course of business, where sign is not the primary purpose of the vehicle and vehicle is parked/stored in an appropriate area.
- Signs not intended to be viewed from public streets and/or beyond the premises and not legible therefrom (e.g., interior mall, stadium or ballpark signs).
- Signs erected during the Christmas holidays as identification of temporary sales areas for Christmas trees and other holiday items, provided signs are not erected before Thanksgiving Day and are removed prior to New Year's Day.
- Temporary displays of a civic, political, patriotic, religious, or charitable nature.
- Temporary window signs constructed of paper, cloth, or similar expendable material, provided total area does not exceed 25% of window area, affixed only to interior window surface for a period of thirty (30) days to promote a sale.
- Neon signs located in windows of businesses indicating messages, e.g., open, closed, or services on premises.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A site plan and/or survey is required as part of the sign permit application and must include the location of the building, structure, or lot, elevations with dimensions, total linear feet of site frontage, and depiction of signage relationships.
- A plan drawn to scale depicting the sign and sign structure is required for all signs greater than four square feet.
- Technical specifications pertaining to the method of construction and attachment are required for all signs greater than 100 square feet or more than 30 feet in height.
- Structural detail plans for any sign and sign structure greater than 100 square feet or more than 30 feet in height must be prepared by a professional engineer registered in Oklahoma.
- Signs must generally be identified on construction plats and record plats of subdivisions when subdivision entry signs are proposed.
- In addition to a sign permit application, the code official may require additional information or submittals as deemed necessary to verify compliance.
- When applying for a permit, the application must be made by the property owner or a licensed sign contractor, and for projects involving freestanding or wall signs, the site plan must show all signage on the property.

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

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