# Sign Regulations in Spearfish, South Dakota

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

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

## At a glance

Spearfish, South Dakota regulates 13 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Permanent Sign - Wall or Freestandings in the Central Commercial (C-1), Highway Service Commercial (C-2), Commercial Office (C-3), Light Restrictive Industrial (I-LR), Heavy Industrial (I-H), Airport (APZ), Development Review District (DRD commercial outside Central Core zoning) zoning district are capped at Not to exceed 35 ft (freestanding signs) tall and 150 sq ft per sign (Sec. §156.065(D), Table 2, (6)). Most commercial signs in Spearfish require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | Not to exceed 35 feet from grade to highest portion (for freestanding signs); at street intersections in visibility triangle max 2.5 ft height, post-supported signs require 10 ft minimum clearance above grade | — | — |
| Public right-of-way | 2 | — | 720 sq in (5 sq ft) per sign, each side | — |
| CC Central Core (CC), Central Core (CC) | 2 | — | 32 sq ft per sign (private property); 6 sq ft per sign (public ROW, but not permitted in CC Central Core) | — |
| Central Commercial (C-1), Highway Service Commercial (C-2), Commercial Office (C-3), Light Restrictive Industrial (I-LR), Heavy Industrial (I-H), Airport (APZ), Development Review District (DRD commercial outside Central Core zoning) | 3 | Not to exceed 35 ft (freestanding signs) | 150 sq ft per sign | — |
| DRD nonresidential | 2 | — | 100 sq ft per street frontage for all signs (allocated to each individual tenant) | — |
| DRD multi-family residential, R-3, AG | 2 | — | 32 sq ft per sign | — |
| AG, RLS-1, R-1, R-2, DRD one and two family residential | 1 | — | 6 sq ft per sign | — |
| Residential zoning districts, Residential District (RLS-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, DRD residential) | 2 | — | 32 sq ft per sign | — |
| Commercial and Industrial Zoning Districts (CC, C-1, C-2, C-3, I-LR, I-H, APZ) | 2 | 35 ft (for freestanding signs) | 150 sq ft per sign | — |
| Nonresidential zoning districts | 1 | — | 100 sq ft per street frontage for all signs | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### Public right-of-way

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign - General | — | 6 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 sign (general); 2 signs (60 days before, 48 hrs after an election) except not permitted in CC Central Core | Public rights-of-way; must not impede sidewalks or streets; permission of property owner maintaining street frontage required. | — | §156.065(C), Table 1 |
| Directional/Informational Church Signs | — | 720 sq in (5 sq ft) per sign, each side | — | — | 2 per church | Public right-of-way | — | §153.033 |

### Central Commercial (C-1), Highway Service Commercial (C-2), Commercial Office (C-3), Light Restrictive Industrial (I-LR), Heavy Industrial (I-H), Airport (APZ), Development Review District (DRD commercial outside Central Core zoning)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq ft per sign (private property) | — | — | 1 per lot/unit (general); 2 per lot/unit near elections | Private property | — | §156.065(C), Table 1 |
| Permanent Sign - Wall or Freestanding | Not to exceed 35 ft (freestanding signs) | 150 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per street frontage | On private property | — | §156.065(D), Table 2, (6) |
| Permanent Monument Sign (for >10,000 sq ft bldgs) | 20 ft | Per formula (see previous), example: 75 ft × 2 = 150 × 1.2 = 180 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property, within landscape setting | — | §156.065(D)(6)-(7) |

### Commercial and Industrial Zoning Districts (CC, C-1, C-2, C-3, I-LR, I-H, APZ)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Sign (Wall/Freestanding, <10,000 sq ft bldgs) | 35 ft (for freestanding signs) | 150 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per street frontage | On private property | — | §156.065(D), Table 2, (6)-(7) |
| Permanent Monument/Wall Sign (bldgs 10,000 sq ft+) | 20 ft | Per formula (e.g., 75 x 2 x 1.2 = 180 sq ft) | — | — | — | On private property, in landscaped setting | — | §156.065(D)(6)-(7) |

## Prohibited signs in Spearfish

- No sign may be attached to a tree, utility pole or box, vending machine, benches, street fixtures/furnishings or other unapproved structure.
- No flashing or blinking light may be used to display a message or image or be used during the change from one message or image to another.
- No such illuminated sign may interfere with the traveled way of streets or obscure traffic signs or devices.
- Illuminated signs containing flashing, intermitting or moving light that interfere with the traveled way of streets or obscure traffic signs or devices are prohibited.
- Signs that constitute pedestrian or vehicular traffic hazards or which could be confused with any governmental regulatory, directional or warning sign are prohibited.
- Signs with moving parts; signs and logos printed on or attached to a moving surface (does not include images and text painted on the body of a licensed motor vehicle) are prohibited.
- Tethered, airborne devices located within the required front setback are prohibited.
- No sign may contain obscene or pornographic imagery or language.
- No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal.
- No person shall place or maintain nor shall any public authority permit upon any highway any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising.

## Signs exempt from permit in Spearfish

- Changing the sign face or the copy or message on signs specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.
- Painting, repainting, cleaning or minor maintenance of a sign provided that no structural alteration is made.
- Signs placed on the interior side of a building window.
- A flag, pennant or insignia of any nation, state, city or other political unit.
- Signs placed by a governmental agency on property owned or regulated by that agency.
- Commemorative plaques placed by recognized historical agencies and commissions.
- Signs which can be viewed only from within the confines of a structure, or other clearly defined space or location where legibility of the sign is not possible from a public street.
- Notwithstanding any ordinance or zoning regulation to the contrary, each church located within the city shall be allowed to use the public right-of-way to place two directional and informational signs not exceeding 720 square inches per sign on each side. No fee or permit is required for such sign.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All requests for a sign permit, when required, must provide a complete application form, drawn information that depicts dimensions and location of sign(s), plus any necessary details required to correctly identify the sign being issued a permit.
- Permit fees as established by resolution of the City Council are required for all sign permits.
- Applicants requesting to place a sign on a public sidewalk in the Central Core (CC zoning) must apply for a sign permit and submit a copy of their certificate of commercial liability insurance policy with the city listed as an additional insured.
- A footing design must be submitted for freestanding signs taller than 15 feet measured from grade at the bottom of the support, to the highest part of the sign. The footing design may require a professional engineer’s design, at the discretion of the Building Official.
- For conditional use permit or nonresidential use within a residential zoning district, Planning Commission approval is required for signs greater than 3 square feet (up to 32 square feet).

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

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