# Sign Regulations in Johnston Town, Rhode Island

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Johnston Town, Rhode Island (RI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/rhode-island/johnston-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/9722911#9722911)

## At a glance

Johnston Town, Rhode Island regulates 35 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Construction Sign (Temporary)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 32 sq ft per side, with a 5 ft from all property lines setback (Sec. §340-41F). Most commercial signs in Johnston Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft per side | — |
| Residential zoning districts, R Districts | 4 | 8 ft | 12 sq ft | — |
| Business Zoning Districts (B1, B2), B1, B2 | 17 | 25 ft | 150 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Zoning Districts (I Zones), I Zones | 9 | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Planned District | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Charitable, Nonprofit, or Private Educational Facilities) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On building | — | §340-41A(1) |
| Directional Sign (Off-site) | 8 ft | 2 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Off-site | — | §340-41A(2) |
| Temporary Freestanding or Wall Sign (Public Social Events) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per parcel per event | On- or off-premises | — | §340-41A(2)(a)-(c) |
| Real Estate Sign | 6 ft | 9 sq ft | — | — | 2 per parcel | On-premises - temporary freestanding or wall | — | §340-41C |
| Government Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §340-41D |
| Political Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Cannot be on utility poles, public property or within right of way | — | §340-41E |
| Construction Sign (Temporary) | 8 ft | 32 sq ft per side | — | 5 ft from all property lines | 2 per project site | — | — | §340-41F |
| Landmark Sign/Commemorative Tablet | — | — | — | — | — | Must be permanent and integral part of building | — | §340-41I |

### Business Zoning Districts (B1, B2), B1, B2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | — | 36 sq ft per establishment | — | — | — | On awning or canopy | — | §340-44A, §340-39 |
| Information Flag | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | — | — | §340-44E |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | Attached to building | — | §340-44G |
| Freestanding Sign (B1) | 12 ft | 36 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property lines | 1 or 2 depending on street frontage | — | — | §340-44H, Table, §340-40B(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (B2 - buildings up to 25,000 sq ft) | 15 ft | 50 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property lines | 1 or 2 per lot as above | — | — | §340-44H, Table |
| Freestanding Sign (B2 - buildings 25,001 to 50,000 sq ft) | 18 ft | 75 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property lines | 1 or 2 per lot as above | — | — | §340-44H, Table |
| Freestanding Sign (B2 - buildings 50,001 to 75,000 sq ft) | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property lines | 1 or 2 per lot as above | — | — | §340-44H, Table |
| Freestanding Sign (B2 - buildings 75,001 sq ft and up) | 25 ft | 150 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property lines | 1 or 2 per lot as above | — | — | §340-44H, Table |

### Industrial Zoning Districts (I Zones), I Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | — | 36 sq ft per establishment | — | — | — | On awning or canopy | — | §340-44A, §340-39 |
| Banner | — | — | — | — | 2 per establishment | — | — | §340-44B |
| Credit Card Sign | — | 1 sq ft total per establishment | — | — | — | — | — | §340-44C |
| Directory Sign | — | 6 sq ft total per building | — | — | — | — | — | §340-44D |
| Information Flag | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | — | — | §340-44E |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | Attached to building | — | §340-44G |
| Freestanding Sign (I Zones) | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property lines | 1 or 2 per lot as above | — | — | §340-44H, Table, §340-40B(1) |
| Wall Sign (I Zones) | — | — | — | — | 1 per occupancy, or more for large establishments | On building | — | §340-44H, Table, §340-40B(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Johnston Town

- No sign shall be placed upon any utility pole except by the state or the Town, with the exception of a sign advertising a residential yard sale, which is limited to four square feet and must be removed within 48 hours after the date of the yard sale.
- No sign shall emit any sound.
- No sign shall hereafter be created, erected, installed or altered except in conformance with this article and upon receipt of a building permit.
- Signs shall not obstruct any door, window, or fire escape.
- No sign shall constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic such as by obstructing sight lines or by blocking free ingress to or egress from a required door, window, fire escape or other required exit way element.
- Signs shall not overhang the public right-of-way nor interfere with adjoining properties or establishments.
- All illuminated signs must be effectively shielded to prevent beams or rays from being directed at any roadway or abutting residential property.
- No lights or lighting effects shall be used on any sign if the Building Official deems such light or lighting effect to pose a conflict with those used in public safety or traffic control and thereby create a hazard.
- No sign may be placed, constructed or erected if the Building Official deems the illumination to constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic because of intensity or direction of illumination.
- All illuminated signs shall be turned off one hour after business closing and shall not turn on again until one hour prior to business reopening.
- Any sign that advertises businesses or activities that have not been carried on at the premises for two consecutive years shall be deemed abandoned, considered nonconforming, and must be removed within 30 days.
- All billboards, roof signs, A-frame signs, portable signs, strobe lights, light bulb strings, streamers, spinners and devices of a similar nature, and all moving, flashing, rotating or blinking signs are prohibited in all zones.
- The use of fencing for advertising purposes is prohibited.
- All signs displaying any explicit figures or words concerning specified anatomical areas or sexual activities are prohibited.
- No sign shall be affixed or placed on utility poles, including telephone and electrical poles, except as allowed for yard sale signs as specified.

## Signs exempt from permit in Johnston Town

- Directional signs are permitted in all districts.
- Government signs (all signs erected by or on behalf of the federal, state, or local government; traffic controls; legal notices; or other signs required by law, including signs erected by the Town of Johnston on Town-owned or controlled land) are permitted in all districts.
- Charitable, nonprofit, or private educational facilities may have specified temporary and permanent wall and directional signs.
- Clocks, thermostats, and barber poles displaying no advertising are permitted in all districts.
- Landmark signs or commemorative tablets when made a permanent and integral part of a building are permitted.
- Temporary holiday decorations are permitted for up to 60 days per year.
- Incidental signs are permitted in all districts.
- Real estate signs are permitted in all districts under specified limitations.
- Temporary construction signs are permitted in all districts under specified limitations.
- Political signs of a temporary nature, not located on utility poles, public property or within any right-of-way are permitted in all districts.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign shall hereafter be created, erected, installed or altered except in conformance with this article and upon receipt of a building permit.
- Any sign replacing a preexisting nonconforming sign shall conform with the provisions of this article and the preexisting nonconforming sign shall be removed.
- If a sign is hazardous or obsolete, the Building Inspector or Zoning Enforcement Officer shall give written notice to the owner of the sign and to the owner of the land upon which the sign is erected directing that the sign be brought into conformance or removed within 30 days from the date of said notice.
- The ordinance does not explicitly require a master sign plan but requires compliance with the sign ordinance, and building permits are required for the installation, alteration, or creation of any sign.

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

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