# Sign Regulations in South Kingstown, Rhode Island

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

- **Jurisdiction:** South Kingstown, Rhode Island (RI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/rhode-island/south-kingstown
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/RI/South_Kingstown/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIIICOOR_APXAZOOR_ART8SI)

## At a glance

South Kingstown, Rhode Island regulates 25 sign types across 16 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the CN - Commercial Neighborhood zoning district are capped at 45 inches tall, 6 sq ft per side, and 25 inches wide (Sec. Sec. 805.F). Most commercial signs in South Kingstown require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (16 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R200 - Rural Very Low Density District, R80 - Rural Residential Low Density District, R40 - Medium Density Residential District, R30 - Medium Density Residential District, R20 - Medium High Density Residential District, R10 - Medium High Density Residential District, RM - Residential Multi-Household District, MU - Mixed Use | 5 | — | 15 sq ft (per side, if freestanding) | — |
| CN - Commercial Neighborhood | 4 | 45 inches | 30 sq ft; width not to exceed 60% of the wall width | — |
| CD - Commercial Downtown | 5 | 45 inches | 75 sq ft (unless wall is at greater distance—see below) | — |
| CH - Commercial Highway | 4 | 45 inches | 75 sq ft (unless wall is at greater distance—see below) | — |
| CW - Commercial Waterfront | 4 | 45 inches | 75 sq ft (unless wall is at greater distance—see below) | — |
| Ind-1 - Industrial One, Ind-2 - Industrial Two, Ind-3 - Industrial Three | 4 | 45 inches | 75 sq ft (unless wall is at greater distance—see below) | — |
| GI - Government and Institutional, GI-1 - Government and Institutional-1 | 4 | 8 ft | 110 sq ft | — |
| OS - Open Space, Conservation and Recreation | 1 | — | No trespassing: 5 sq ft; Identification: 15 sq ft (public/religious/nonprofit) | — |
| Historic Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Special Flood Hazard Area Overlay District (SFHA Overlay District) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Groundwater Protection Overlay District (GPOD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Kingstown Road Special Management District | 1 | — | No specific standard stated for zone; refer to underlying zone (CN/MU/other relevant) | — |
| Route 1 Special Management District (SMD) | 4 | 20 ft | 75 sq ft | — |
| Public Marina Special Management District (PMSMD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Coastal Community Overlay District, Carrying Capacity Overlay (CCO) District, Coastal Resiliency Overlay District, COD-R/MOD-R - Cannabis and Marijuana Overlay District Retail, COD/MOD-CMT - Cannabis Overlay District and Marijuana Overlay District—Cultivation/Manufacturing/Testing, COD/MOD-MT - Cannabis Overlay District and Marijuana Overlay District—Manufacturing/Testing | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | Residential: 6 sq ft; Commercial: 20 sq ft; Manufacturing: 30 sq ft (construction signs); For Sale signs: see below | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 16 zones)

### R200 - Rural Very Low Density District, R80 - Rural Residential Low Density District, R40 - Medium Density Residential District, R30 - Medium Density Residential District, R20 - Medium High Density Residential District, R10 - Medium High Density Residential District, RM - Residential Multi-Household District, MU - Mixed Use

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign (Residential) | — | 6 sq ft (R80, R40); 2 sq ft (all other districts) | — | At least 5 ft from side or rear lot lines. | One sign per residence. | Any distance from front lot line; not closer than 5 ft to a side or rear lot line. | — | Sec. 804.A; Sec. 810.A |
| Name and Address of Resident | — | 6 sq ft (R80, R40); 2 sq ft (all other districts) | — | — | One per resident/household/use. | At entrance of premises. | — | Sec. 810.A |
| No Trespassing/Instructional/Directional Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | One per activity/address. | On property which it regulates/identifies (traffic, parking, etc). | — | Sec. 802.B, 802.E |
| Entrance Sign (Residential Development) | — | 15 sq ft (per side, if freestanding) | — | — | 1 per major entrance. | At major subdivision/development entrance. | — | Sec. 804.C |
| Freestanding/Wall-Mounted Sign (Special Use Permit, Non-Residential) – Residential Zone | — | 12 sq ft for R80/R40; 2 sq ft in any other zone | — | No closer than 5 ft to a side or rear lot line | One per permitted commercial use/special use permit. | On property of special use. | — | Sec. 804.D |

### CN - Commercial Neighborhood

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall-Mounted Sign | — | 30 sq ft; width not to exceed 60% of the wall width | 60% of width of wall on which attached | — | One per principal building | On building wall (front or street-facing wall) | — | Sec. 805.B |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | One per principal building | On premises; must not impede vision or access | — | Sec. 805.B |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 45 inches | 6 sq ft per side | 25 inches | — | One per licensed business | On private property or sidewalk/public right-of-way adjacent to business, maintaining at least 3 feet clear pedestrian path | — | Sec. 805.F |
| Shopping Center Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 25 sq ft | — | — | One per shopping center | At shopping center entrance/road frontage | — | Sec. 805.D |

### CD - Commercial Downtown

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall-Mounted Sign | — | 75 sq ft (unless wall is at greater distance—see below) | — | — | No limit, but total sign area as above | On building (front or street-facing wall) | — | Sec. 805.C |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 40 sq ft per side | — | — | One per main building | On premises; not in a manner to impede vision or access | — | Sec. 805.C |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side | Four feet projection from wall | — | One per building side per business | Perpendicular to wall | — | Sec. 805.C; 803.F |
| Shopping Center Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 32 sq ft (<6,400 sq ft); 50 sq ft (6,400+ sq ft) | — | — | One per shopping center | At shopping center entrance/road frontage | — | Sec. 805.D |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 45 inches | 6 sq ft per side | 25 inches | — | One per licensed business | On private property or sidewalk/public right-of-way adjacent to business, maintaining at least 3 feet clear pedestrian path | — | Sec. 805.F |

## Prohibited signs in South Kingstown

- Signs which have any visible moving parts, including signs designed to achieve movement by action of wind currents, or which have mobile or revolving parts or animated parts, except time or temperature devices.
- Signs which incorporate any flashing or moving illumination, animation, or illumination which varies in color, including electronic messaging boards/centers (animated or intermittent), LED-type signs, digital/programmable ink, and all other electronic, changeable copy signs.
- Any sign or sign support which constitutes a hazard to public safety or health, including signs which by reason of size, location, content, coloring or manner of illumination obstruct the vision of a driver or pedestrian, or obstruct or detract from the visibility/effectiveness of any traffic sign or control device, or obstruct free ingress to or egress from a fire escape, door, window or other required exit way, or make use of words such as stop, look, one way, danger, yield, or similar, so as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.
- String lights or strung light bulbs, except as part of decorations associated with recognized legal holidays for up to thirty (30) days.
- Searchlights, string pennants, spinners, and streamers, except as part of events of religious, public or charitable organizations for no more than ten (10) days or new business openings for no more than three (3) days.
- Projecting signs which exceed twelve (12) square feet in area or project more than four (4) feet from the exterior wall, and any projecting sign over a public way without building official approval.
- Roof-mounted signs (as defined), or any roof-mounted sign that increases the maximum allowable building height, or which projects more than fifteen (15) feet above the roof line.
- Off-site directional signs, unless otherwise specified in the ordinance or authorized by special use permit.
- Trailer signs or portable signs, excepting sandwich board signs as otherwise specified.
- Off-premises signs (i.e., billboards), unless otherwise specified or authorized.
- Illuminated signs in residential zoning districts, except as otherwise specified; indirectly illuminated signs in a residential zoning district may only be lighted by a continuous white light, oriented away from adjoining property and streets.
- No sign, whether new or existing, shall be erected or altered, except in conformity with the ordinance; signs must be kept clean, neatly painted, and free from hazards such as faulty wiring or loose fastenings, and must be maintained in a safe condition.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained which advertises a product, use, or activity no longer available or in use on the premises (obsolete signs must be removed within thirty (30) days of becoming obsolete).
- Hazardous or unsafe signs may be summarily removed by the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
- No sign shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, or structurally altered except in conformity with all applicable regulations for the district in which it is located (Article 4, Dimensional regulations).
- Signs not permitted in any zoning district unless specifically allowed by the ordinance.

## Signs exempt from permit in South Kingstown

- Name and address of resident signs, not including any commercial advertising, not exceeding six (6) square feet in R80 or R40 Districts, or two (2) square feet in any other district, limited to one per resident, household or use.
- No trespassing or property regulation signs, not exceeding two (2) square feet in residential zones or five (5) square feet in nonresidential zones.
- Bulletin boards for public or religious institutions when located on the property, not exceeding fifteen (15) square feet and bearing no commercial advertising; may be indirectly illuminated.
- For sale signs under six (6) square feet advertising the sale, lease, or rental of the real property where located, maintained no more than six (6) months without further permit.
- Instructional or directional signs identifying on-premises traffic, parking or other functional activity, bearing no commercial advertising, not more than one per activity, maximum two (2) square feet if wall-mounted and four (4) square feet if freestanding; may be illuminated or indirectly illuminated.
- Signs erected by the town, state, or United States of America pursuant to and in discharge of governmental function or required by law; may be illuminated or indirectly illuminated.
- Memorial signs or tablets and signs denoting the date of erection of buildings, wall-mounted, not exceeding six (6) square feet.
- Signs identifying churches and places of worship or certified nonprofit educational institutions when located on their property, not exceeding fifteen (15) square feet and may be indirectly illuminated.
- Election or political signs, nonilluminated, incidental to a town, state, or federal election or referendum, not exceeding sixteen (16) square feet per side, not affixed to trees/traffic signs/utility poles, not on public right-of-way or property, erected not more than sixty (60) days prior to event and removed within fourteen (14) days after.
- Accessory signs incidental to businesses, such as hours of operation, credit cards, business affiliations, etc., not exceeding two (2) square feet per public entrance, wall-mounted, noncumulative.
- Signs customary and necessary to the operation of gasoline filling stations, as specified (including certain wall-mounted signs, pump signs, and price per gallon signs within stated size limits).
- Digital clocks or time/temperature clocks (no advertising) up to twenty (20) square feet in area; may be illuminated.
- Window signs permanently erected in windows, visible from public/private streets, not exceeding thirty (30) percent of the window area.
- Temporary window signs in windows, visible from public/private streets, not exceeding fifty (50) percent of the area and not in place more than thirty (30) days.
- Awning signs less than ten (10) square feet in area, one per use.
- Sale of produce raised on land signs, up to twelve (12) square feet or two (2) signs no larger than six (6) square feet each, not lighted.
- Permanent signs at major entrances to residential developments, designed only to identify the development, not exceeding fifteen (15) square feet per side and bearing no commercial advertising (residential districts).
- One freestanding or wall-mounted sign in residential zones to identify a use permitted by special use permit, not exceeding twelve (12) square feet in R80 or R40, or two (2) square feet in any other zone.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- An Institutional Master Plan (Master Plan) is required for all health care institutions (e.g., South County Hospital) in the Government and Institutional (GI) Zone and must be filed with and approved by the Planning Board, detailing signage plans and all improvements anticipated over the next five years (section 603.2.C-D).
- A comprehensive signage plan for all uses, individual buildings, or complex of buildings and uses is required as part of Planning Board review for developments in the Route 1 Special Management District (section 605.17). Revisions to signs in an approved sign plan are reviewed by the administrative officer as plan amendments.
- A sign permit is required for all signs erected, installed, or replaced (unless specifically exempted). Permits are issued by the Building Official.
- A temporary sign permit is required for temporary signs allowed under section 806.
- Sign plaza regulations: The Town Council may, after advisory recommendation by the Planning Board, establish sign plazas, set regulations regarding sign content, size, etc., and approve or disapprove layouts and design of the plaza (section 807).

## 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 16 zoning districts in South Kingstown — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=South+Kingstown+RI&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-south-kingstown

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