# Sign Regulations in Carlton, Oregon

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Carlton, Oregon (OR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oregon/carlton
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/OR/Carlton/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT17DECO_DIVIIIGEDEST_CH17.80SI)

## At a glance

Carlton, Oregon regulates 19 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Single-Family/Duplex Residential Use)s in the AH, R-1, R-2, PF, MH, MX, R-3 zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 6 sq ft (total per property), with a Where fences are allowed setback (Sec. 17.80.060.B.1, 17.80.060.C, 17.80.060.D, 17.80.060.E, 17.80.070.A). Most commercial signs in Carlton require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | — | 75 sq ft (cumulative per lot) | — |
| AH, R-1, R-2, PF, MH, MX, R-3 | 6 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft (total per property) | — |
| Commercial Business (CB), Commercial Industrial (CI), Downtown (D), General Industrial (GI) | 6 | Up to 20 ft above ground; not above eave line | 10% of building face facing street | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 (2 for corner lots) | On premises for sale/rent/lease | — | 17.80.040.B.1 |
| Political Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 17.80.040.B.2 |
| Portable or Other Temporary Sign (General) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 17.80.040.B.3 |
| Balloon Sign (Temporary, General) | — | — | 24 inch diameter (cumulative) | — | — | — | — | 17.80.040.B.4 |
| Directional/Informational Sign (Non-Advertising) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | For restrooms, phones, walkways, etc. | — | 17.80.040.D |
| Flag | — | 75 sq ft (cumulative per lot) | — | — | — | — | — | 17.80.040.E |
| Government Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17.80.040.C, 17.80.040.K |

### AH, R-1, R-2, PF, MH, MX, R-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Single-Family/Duplex Residential Use) | — | 6 sq ft (total per property) | — | — | Combination allowed as long as area/height is not exceeded | On property/building | — | 17.80.060.B.1, 17.80.070.A, 17.80.060.E |
| Freestanding Sign (Single-Family/Duplex Residential Use) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft (total per property) | — | Where fences are allowed | Combination allowed as long as area/height is not exceeded | Where fences are allowed | — | 17.80.060.B.1, 17.80.060.C, 17.80.060.D, 17.80.060.E, 17.80.070.A |
| Wall Sign (Multi-Family Use) | — | 24 sq ft (total per property) | — | — | Combination allowed as long as area/height is not exceeded | On property/building | — | 17.80.060.B.2, 17.80.070.A, 17.80.060.E |
| Freestanding Sign (Multi-Family Use) | 6 ft | 24 sq ft (total per property) | — | Where fences are allowed | Combination allowed as long as area/height is not exceeded | Where fences are allowed | — | 17.80.060.B.2, 17.80.060.C, 17.80.060.D, 17.80.060.E, 17.80.070.A |
| Wall Sign (Public/Semi-Public Use) | — | 32 sq ft (total per property) | — | — | Combination allowed as long as area/height is not exceeded | On property/building | — | 17.80.060.B.3, 17.80.070.A, 17.80.060.E |
| Freestanding Sign (Public/Semi-Public Use) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft (total per property) | — | Where fences are allowed | Combination allowed as long as area/height is not exceeded | Where fences are allowed | — | 17.80.060.B.3, 17.80.060.C, 17.80.060.D, 17.80.060.E, 17.80.070.A |

### Commercial Business (CB), Commercial Industrial (CI), Downtown (D), General Industrial (GI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Up to 20 ft above ground; not above eave line | 10% of building face facing street | — | — | Quota per frontage; each street frontage allowed separate quota | Attached to building; not roof | — | 17.80.100.B.1, 17.80.090, 17.80.120.A |
| Awning Sign | — | 10% of awning area | — | — | — | Awning on building | — | 17.80.100.B.2, 17.80.090, 17.80.120.A |
| Projecting Sign | — | 5% of building face facing street | — | — | — | Projecting from building | — | 17.80.100.B.3, 17.80.090, 17.80.080.F, 17.80.120.A |
| Freestanding Sign (Monument) | 4 ft above eave line; not over 20 ft above ground | 1 sq ft per linear ft of frontage OR 50 sq ft (lesser) per street | — | Must meet side/front yard setbacks if within 75 ft of residentially zoned property | One per street frontage | On-site, separated for each street frontage | — | 17.80.100.B.5, 17.80.100.C, 17.80.090, 17.80.120.A |
| Sidewalk/Sandwich Board Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq ft per side | 2 ft | — | One per business entrance | Within adjacent public ROW along business frontage or private property by approval; not in sidewalk bulb-out or traffic sightlines | — | 17.80.080.D |
| Suspended Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | Suspended from underside of horizontal surface | — | 17.80.080.F |

## Prohibited signs in Carlton

- Portable signs within the public right-of-way, except for sidewalk or sandwich board signs that comply with Section 17.80.080(D).
- Signs that emit odor, visible matter, or sound, except intercom systems for customer service in vehicles.
- Signs that use or employ side guy lines of any type.
- Signs that obstruct any fire escape, required exit, window or door opening used as a means of egress.
- Signs closer than twenty-four (24) inches horizontally or vertically from any overhead power line or public utility guy wire.
- No vehicle or trailer shall be parked on public right-of-way or property, or private property visible from the right-of-way, with attached signs for the primary purpose of advertising or directing people, unless the vehicle is primarily used for business purposes other than advertising.
- Rotating/revolving signs, except by conditional use permit.
- Flashing signs.
- Private signs that project into public rights-of-way, except signs under a canopy that project over a public sidewalk at least eight (8) feet above the sidewalk.
- Signs that obstruct required vision clearance area or the view of official traffic control signs and approaching or merging traffic, or which present a traffic hazard.
- Signs that interfere with, imitate, or resemble any official traffic control sign, signal or device, emergency lights, or appears to direct traffic, such as a beacon light.
- Signs attached to any pole, post, utility pole, or otherwise placed in the public right-of-way.
- Signs or sign structures placed on or over private property without the written consent of the owner or agent.
- Pennants, banner signs and streamers except in nonresidential zones, and not exceeding a total of twelve (12) square feet.
- Billboard signs.
- Roof signs, except by variance.
- Signs attached to trees, shrubs, stones or fences.
- Bench signs, except as a conditional use or those designating donor(s).
- Any sign on unimproved property unless allowed as a real estate or temporary sign.
- Any illegible sign or sign that has twenty-five (25) percent or more of its surface destroyed, defaced or missing.
- Message signs, except by conditional use permit.

## Signs exempt from permit in Carlton

- Re-painting, changes to the sign face or copy, and maintenance of signs legally existing on the effective date of the ordinance.
- Temporary real estate signs not exceeding six (6) square feet, used up to two (2) years without a permit, only one per lot except corner lots which may have two.
- Political signs not exceeding six (6) square feet, used up to sixty (60) days prior and removed within seven (7) days after election.
- Portable signs and other temporary signs not exceeding six (6) square feet in area.
- Balloons not exceeding a total cumulative diameter of twenty-four (24) inches.
- Signs posted by or under governmental authority including legal notices, traffic, danger, no trespassing, emergency and signs related to public services or safety.
- Directional or informational signs bearing no advertising message and not exceeding four (4) square feet in area.
- Flags with a total cumulative area not to exceed seventy-five (75) square feet per lot.
- Signs within a building.
- In a commercial or industrial zone, signs painted or hung on the inside of windows.
- Memorial signs or tablets and names of buildings and dates of erection when cut into or attached to the building surface.
- Signs placed by a public utility showing the location of underground facilities.
- Building or freestanding signs that display or reflect the history or character of Carlton, as approved by the City Council after recommendation by the Planning Commission.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- For noncommercial zones, an application for a sign permit must include a sketch to scale indicating the proposed sign and identifying existing signs, location, graphic design, structural/mechanical design, and engineering data. (17.80.070(D))
- In commercial and industrial zones, an application for a sign permit must include names/addresses of applicant and sign company, location, scaled drawing (with mounting, materials, lighting, lettering style), scaled site plan showing building(s) and signs, and a scaled drawing of building faces to be signed. (17.80.120(D))
- All signs in commercial or industrial zones are subject to design review for appearance, arrangement, size, material, color and context. (17.80.130)
- Signs not meeting code standards may only be approved by variance, processed as per Chapter 17.148 and with special criteria for signs. (17.80.150)
- Conditional use permits are required for rotating/revolving or message signs and processed according to Chapter 17.156 and sign-specific criteria. (17.80.170)
- All sign construction or alteration requires a valid sign permit, unless the sign falls under listed exemptions. (17.80.070(A), 17.80.120(A))
- Owners of conforming or nonconforming signs existing as of adoption are not required to obtain a permit unless the sign is altered, expanded, or relocated. (17.80.070(B), 17.80.120(B))
- Directory signs may add, move, or substitute individual signs without requiring additional design review, as long as the design and original permit conditions are maintained. (17.80.110(C))

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Carlton, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Carlton+OR&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-carlton

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