# Sign Regulations in Milwaukie, Oregon

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Milwaukie, Oregon (OR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oregon/milwaukie
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43858283#43858283)

## At a glance

Milwaukie, Oregon regulates 26 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Entrance Sign (Subdivision)s in the High Density Residential Zone (R-HD) zoning district are capped at 6 ft above grade tall and 32 sq ft per sign; 16 sq ft per display surface; 64 sq ft for all display surfaces (Sec. Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020). Most commercial signs in Milwaukie require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Moderate Density Residential Zone (R-MD) | 5 | 6 ft above grade | 32 sq ft per sign, 16 sq ft per display surface, 64 sq ft for all display surfaces | — |
| High Density Residential Zone (R-HD) | 9 | 12 ft | 32 sq ft per sign; 16 sq ft per display surface; 64 sq ft for all display surfaces | — |
| Small-Scale Mixed Use Zone (SMU) | 5 | 6 ft above ground level | 8 sq ft per display surface; 16 sq ft overall | — |
| Limited Commercial (C-L), Community Shopping Commercial (C-CS), General Mixed Use (GMU), Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU), General Commercial (C-G) | 9 | 25 ft from ground level; 14 ft min clearance in driveway/parking area | 250 sq ft per display surface; 1,000 sq ft total all display surfaces | — |
| Manufacturing (M), Business Industrial (BI), Neighborhood Manufacturing Employment (NME), Milwaukie Urban Transition and Service Area (MUTSA) | 6 | 25 ft from ground level; min. clearance 14 ft in any driveway or parking area | 250 sq ft per display surface; 1,000 sq ft total all display surfaces | — |
| Downtown Mixed Use (DMU), Open Space (OS) | 8 | No higher than where roofline meets exterior wall; Not higher than first floor or 15 ft, whichever less | OS Zone: 32 sq ft per display surface/64 sq ft overall (DMU: See formula) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 3 ft for ground-mounted signs | 16 sq ft | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### High Density Residential Zone (R-HD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entrance Sign (Subdivision) | 6 ft above grade | 32 sq ft per sign; 16 sq ft per display surface; 64 sq ft for all display surfaces | — | — | 1 per entrance | At entrance | — | Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020 |
| Freestanding Sign (Multiunit Properties) | 6 ft above grade | 32 sq ft per sign; 16 sq ft per display surface | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020 |
| Wall Sign (Multi-unit Properties) | Cannot extend above roofline at wall or top of parapet wall, whichever is higher | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020 |
| Awning Sign (Multi-unit Properties) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020 |
| Freestanding Sign (Commercial Property) | 12 ft | 32 sq ft per display surface; 64 sq ft overall | — | — | 1 permitted | — | — | Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020 |
| Wall Sign (Commercial Property) | Cannot extend above roofline at wall or top of parapet wall, whichever is higher | — | — | — | 1 permitted | — | — | Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020 |
| Awning Sign (Commercial Use) | May not extend higher than the point where the roofline intersects the exterior wall | — | — | — | 1 per frontage | — | — | Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020 |
| Daily Display Sign | 6 ft above ground level | 8 sq ft per display surface; 16 sq ft overall | — | — | 1 per property or occupancy | Not in required landscaped areas. Allowed in public right-of-way subject to 14.20.040. | — | Table 14.16.020; §14.16.020 |

### Limited Commercial (C-L), Community Shopping Commercial (C-CS), General Mixed Use (GMU), Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU), General Commercial (C-G)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft from ground level; 14 ft min clearance in driveway/parking area | 250 sq ft per display surface; 1,000 sq ft total all display surfaces | — | — | 1 per street frontage; additional if >300 ft frontage | Not permitted on street, sidewalk, or public right-of-way (existing may project up to 2 ft) | — | Table 14.16.040; §14.16.040 |
| Wall Sign | Not above roofline or parapet wall | — | — | — | No limit | — | — | Table 14.16.040; §14.16.040 |
| Projecting Sign | Not above roofline or parapet wall | — | — | — | 1 per occupancy frontage | — | — | Table 14.16.040; §14.16.040 |
| Roof Sign | 8 ft above highest point of building; no support structure visible | 250 sq ft per display surface | — | — | — | — | — | Table 14.16.040; §14.16.040 |
| Awning Sign | No higher than where roofline meets exterior wall | — | — | — | 1 per frontage per occupancy | — | — | Table 14.16.040; §14.16.040 |
| Hanging Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per awning | Under awning | — | Table 14.16.040; §14.16.040 |
| Under-Marquee Signs | — | 6 sq ft per display surface; 12 sq ft overall | — | — | No limit, area-based | Under marquee | — | Table 14.16.040; §14.16.040 |
| Daily Display Sign | 6 ft above ground level | 12 sq ft per display surface; 24 sq ft overall | — | — | 1 per property or occupancy | — | — | Table 14.16.040; §14.16.040 |

### Downtown Mixed Use (DMU), Open Space (OS)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Monument type only) | DMU: 7 ft (15 ft along McLoughlin Blvd); OS: 6 ft | OS Zone: 32 sq ft per display surface/64 sq ft overall (DMU: See formula) | — | — | 1 per street/highway frontage | Monument type only; one per street/highway frontage | — | §14.16.060.A |
| Wall Sign | May not extend above roofline at wall or top of parapet | OS Zone max 16 sq ft; DMU per formula | — | — | Dictated by area requirements (OS: one allowed in addition to freestanding sign) | Only on building face(s) facing public right-of-way | — | §14.16.060.B |
| Awning Sign | No higher than where roofline meets exterior wall; Not higher than first floor or 15 ft, whichever less | — | — | — | 1 per frontage per occupancy; 1 hanging per awning | — | — | §14.16.060.C |
| Daily Display Sign | 6 ft above ground | 8 sq ft per display surface; 16 sq ft overall | — | — | 1 per occupancy | Not in required landscaped area; Allowed in ROW only subject to 14.20.040 | — | §14.16.060.D |
| Projecting Sign | May not extend above roofline or top of parapet wall; May not project more than 5 ft from building; Overhead clearance per Table 14.16.060.E.2 | — | — | — | 1 per business frontage | — | — | §14.16.060.E |
| Marquee Sign | No higher than roofline meets wall | — | — | — | 1 per frontage per occupancy | — | — | §14.16.060.F |
| Under-Marquee Sign | — | 6 sq ft per display surface; 12 sq ft overall | — | — | No limit | Under marquee | — | §14.16.060.G |
| Electronic Display Sign (McLoughlin Blvd Frontage) | — | 20 sq ft or 25% of sign face, whichever is less | — | — | — | Must face and be oriented toward McLoughlin Blvd | — | §14.16.060.H.7 |

## Prohibited signs in Milwaukie

- Moving signs that change more frequently than once every 10 seconds, revolving signs that rotate at more than 6 revolutions per minute, or signs that move in the wind or by forced air (except as provided by exemption).
- Signs installed within the right-of-way except as permitted by certain exemption subsections.
- Strings of banners, pennants, balloons, and similar signs, except as specifically permitted by exemption.
- Temporary signs, except as specifically permitted by exemption.
- Fin signs.
- No sign or portion thereof shall be installed within future street right-of-way, unless and until an agreement is recorded stipulating that the sign will be removed or relocated upon street development or widening at no expense to the City.
- No sign or portion thereof shall be placed so that it obstructs any fire escape, stairway, or standpipe; interferes with human exit through any window or room above the first floor; obstructs any door or required exit; or obstructs any required light or ventilation.
- Window signs which obscure more than 50% of the window area or are not subject to the provisions of the exemption reference.
- Searchlights.
- Pole signs in the downtown zones.
- Reflective backgrounds and materials are not allowed.
- Signs that imitate traffic control devices and are located in places where they are likely to be confused with a traffic control device, and any sign obscuring the view of a traffic control device.
- Electronic display signs that display message or copy using any of the following prohibited electronic display methods: flash, scroll, travel, video display.

## Signs exempt from permit in Milwaukie

- One sign per occupancy or premises not exceeding 4 square feet, nonilluminated, and not exceeding 3 feet in height if ground-mounted.
- Temporary signs which are nonilluminated, have an overall face area not exceeding 16 square feet, are not permanently installed, and are intended to be located on property for short durations of time, up to 6 months (or for the duration of a specific project or sale).
- Signs placed in the right-of-way by the City, jurisdiction responsible for the right-of-way, or transportation district operating within the right-of-way.
- Bench signs that comply with all regulations in Chapter 12.20 of the Milwaukie Municipal Code.
- Banners on community service use properties not exceeding a total display area of 40 square feet per face per site, and pennants not to exceed a length of 50 feet per site, for up to 6 months per calendar year.
- Flags.
- Signs carved into a building or which are part of materials which are an integral part of the building such as cornerstones and similar signs.
- Window signs in the downtown zones which occupy a total display area of no more than 20% of the window area; in all other commercial and manufacturing zones, window signs occupying no more than 50% of window area (with certain restrictions on prohibited types).
- Signs oriented toward, or intended to be legible for, users of a site, such as recreational facility users, and not oriented toward or intended to be legible from a right-of-way or other property.
- Art murals, and any identified subcategories, as permitted by Title 20. Such displays are not considered signs and are exempt from all provisions of Title 14.
- Signs or tablets (including names of buildings and the date of erection) when cut into any masonry surface or constructed of bronze or other similar durable noncombustible surface, not exceeding 2 square feet for wall signs or 2 square feet and no taller than 3 feet for a monument sign, and limited to certain historic or heritage properties as specified.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs erected after the effective date of the ordinance, other than exempt signs, require a sign permit. Applications must be submitted to the City Manager or designated representative.
- Where adjustments to sign regulations are requested, the applicant must submit a site plan and potentially additional materials for Type II or Type III review, including Planning Commission review and a public hearing if the adjustment is 25% or more of the required standard.
- Planning Commission review (Type III review) is required for increases in sign allowances for conditional and community service uses beyond certain thresholds, and for approval of some types of sign illumination in downtown zones.
- Permit applications may be withheld until proof of other agency (e.g., Oregon Department of Transportation) approval is provided, for example if the sign is visible from a State highway.
- The inclusion of certain sign features such as externally illuminated awning signs or internally illuminated cabinet signs in downtown zones requires review and approval by the Planning Commission per Type III Review procedures.
- Requests for adjustment (variance) to the sign code require a site plan and follow procedures specified in section 14.32, including possible public hearings.

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

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