# Sign Regulations in Oldham, South Dakota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Oldham, South Dakota (SD)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-dakota/oldham
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Oldham, South Dakota regulates 15 sign types across 4 zoning districts. On-site Sign (Freestanding, Projecting, Portable, or Wall)s in the Agricultural Districts zoning district are capped at 30 feet tall and 18 square feet (with max 2 sq ft extraneous advertising matter) (Sec. § 153.03 (A) (1)-(4)). Most commercial signs in Oldham require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural Districts | 3 | 30 feet | 18 square feet (with max 2 sq ft extraneous advertising matter) | — |
| Residential Districts | 5 | 5 feet | 20 square feet | — |
| Commercial Districts | 2 | 50 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 8 feet | 312 square inches | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Agricultural Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On-site Sign (Freestanding, Projecting, Portable, or Wall) | 30 feet | 18 square feet (with max 2 sq ft extraneous advertising matter) | — | — | — | Entirely on the premises; no part of the sign may extend past the property line | — | § 153.03 (A) (1)-(4) |
| On-site Identification Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | Entirely on the premises | — | § 153.03 (A) (5) |
| Off-site Contractor Sign | 5 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | — | On an agricultural lot only while contractor is working at that lot | — | § 153.03 (B) (1) |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On-site Sign (Freestanding, Projecting, Portable, or Wall) | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | Entirely on the premises | — | § 153.04 (A) (1)-(2) |
| On-site Identification Sign (Churches, Chapels, Public and Quasi-public Buildings for Cultural Use) | — | 20 square feet | — | — | — | Entirely on the premises | — | § 153.04 (A) (2) |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 1 square foot | — | — | — | Flat against building | — | § 153.04 (A) (3) |
| On-site Real Estate Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | — | Entirely on the lot; not in the right-of-way | — | § 153.04 (A) (4) |
| Off-site Contractor Sign | 5 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | — | On a residential lot only while contractor is working at that lot | — | § 153.04 (B) (1) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | May be located anywhere on the wall of a building | — | § 154.53 (B)(2)(a) |
| Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Shall not project over public property | — | § 154.53 (B)(2)(b) |
| Temporary Sign (for public/private institutions, educational, cultural, religious, recreational use) | 8 feet | 60 square feet | — | — | — | On-premises or off-premises | — | § 154.53 (B)(2)(c) |
| Freestanding Sign (Corner Location) | — | — | — | — | — | Corner of two intersecting streets | — | § 154.53 (B)(2)(d) |
| Sign (Over public street/sidewalk) | — | — | — | — | — | Hung, suspended, or placed over street or sidewalk used for vehicle or pedestrian travel | — | § 154.53 (B)(2)(f) |
| Political Sign (Vacant lot, non-residential zone, on-site advertising use only) | — | 32 square feet | — | — | — | On their own rented or leased space of a vacant lot in use zone allowing on-site advertising, not in residential zoning | — | § 153.07 (A)(1) |
| Political Sign (Boulevard/right-of-way, adjacent to private property) | — | 312 square inches | — | — | — | Private property or in the boulevard area of the street right-of-way adjacent to private property | — | § 153.07 (A)(2) |
| Political Sign (Vehicle or Trailer) | — | 32 square feet | — | — | — | Placed in a vehicle or on a trailer parked on public streets and parking lots (not in residential zoning) | — | § 153.07 (A)(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Oldham

- All signs must comply with the standards in the ordinance regardless of character or message content.
- Signs may not create a hazard due to collapse, decay or lack of maintenance.
- Signs may not be placed so that they become a traffic hazard by impairing driver visibility at intersections, driveways, or for pedestrians, obstacles or other vehicles.
- Signs may not be confusing to motorists or hinder their ability to see and interpret any official traffic sign, signal, or device.
- Unsafe and abandoned signs or banners must be removed or brought into compliance within five calendar days after notice from the Finance Office.
- No signs shall be erected that create a nuisance to persons using the public right-of-way.
- No signs shall be erected that constitute or create a nuisance to occupancy of adjacent and contiguous property by brightness, size, height, appearance, or purpose.
- No private sign may be erected or maintained which creates a hazard due to collapse, fire, collision, decay, or abandonment.
- No private sign may confuse or distract motorists, impair visibility for drivers, or mimic/obstruct official traffic controls.
- No sign, awning, or display may be suspended or placed to hang over any part of a street or sidewalk used for vehicular or pedestrian travel, unless a written application for a permit is made and granted.
- Freestanding signs may not project over public property.
- It is unlawful to willfully deface, injure, move, obstruct, or interfere with any official traffic sign or signal.
- It is unlawful to place or maintain or display upon or in view of any street any unofficial sign, signal or device which resembles or imitates any official traffic sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic.

## Signs exempt from permit in Oldham

- Governmental agencies may place informational, directional, and traffic signs within their own jurisdiction as deemed necessary.
- Temporary road construction and warning signs approved by the State Department of Transportation or the City Council are allowed.
- Temporary signs for public or private institutions, schools, nonprofit membership organizations, and philanthropic institutions that are educational, cultural, religious or recreational in nature may display temporary on-premises or off-premises signs without a permit, provided: (1) size does not exceed 60 square feet; (2) height does not exceed eight feet.
- Utility fixtures or holiday decorations are exempt from the requirement against hanging signs/displays over street or sidewalk.
- Official notices issued by a court or in connection with public duty, and bulletin boards for meetings held on the premises, are not considered 'billboards' or restricted as such.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit requirement for a master sign plan, sign plan, or variance meeting in the provided ordinance text. Permits may be required for signs projected over streets or sidewalks.

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

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