# Sign Regulations in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Murfreesboro, Tennessee (TN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/tennessee/murfreesboro
- **Data last verified:** 2026-05-04
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/tn/murfreesboro/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH25.2SI_ARTIISIRE)

## At a glance

Murfreesboro, Tennessee regulates 67 sign types across 11 zoning districts. Wall Signs (Attached) – Single Tenants in the CH, H-I, L-I, CF zoning district are capped at 24 ft max if within 200 ft of a residential zone; otherwise no explicit height cap stated tall, Per sign: up to 150 sq ft (or 100 sq ft if within 42 ft of ROW); Aggregate per building face: 100/150/200/250/300 sq ft by setback band; Exception aggregate up to 450 sq ft if all conditions met, and Each sign width ≤ 75% of building frontage to which attached wide, with a N/A setback (Sec. Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(b)[2] [aa–ee] and Exception (i–iv)). Most commercial signs in Murfreesboro require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (11 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RS, RD, RM-12, RM-16, RM-22, R-MO, RZ, PRD | 11 | 35 ft (flagpole) | Up to 40 sq ft (based on 3 sq ft/lf of building frontage) | — |
| OG, CM, CL, CU, P, CM-R, CM-RS-8, PND | 8 | 35 ft (flagpole) | Up to 100 sq ft per sign (based on 3 sq ft/lf of frontage) | — |
| Central Business District (CBD) | 7 | 50 ft (ground); 20 ft (wall vertical); 16 ft (wall outrigger) | ≤150 sq ft per flag; ≤230 sq ft total per lot | — |
| CH, H-I, L-I, CF | 13 | 50 ft (ground); 20 ft (wall vertical); 16 ft (wall outrigger) | Greater of 350 sq ft or 15% of that exterior wall surface | — |
| PCD, PID, PUD, BP, GDO-1, GDO-2, GDO-3, GDO-4 | 15 | 50 ft (ground); 20 ft (wall vertical); 16 ft (wall outrigger) | ≤150 sq ft per flag; ≤230 sq ft total | — |
| PS District | 1 | As specified in the approved MSP | As specified in the approved MSP | — |
| MU | 1 | Not specified in this subsection (subject to PSO and host sign limits) | Not specified in this subsection (subject to PSO and host sign limits) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 19 | 120 ft | Greater of 350 sq ft or 15% of that exterior wall | — |
| H-I, L-I, P (Large Ground-Mounted Flag Sign on Lots ≥20 acres) | 1 | 150 ft (flagpole) | Up to 4,000 sq ft (flag length ≤ 1/3 pole height and ≤ 80 ft) | — |
| CH, H-I, L-I (Off-Site Permanent Signs) | 1 | 50 ft | 775 sq ft | — |

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

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 11 zones)

### CH, H-I, L-I, CF

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Development ID Sign (Freestanding Wall) | 8 ft | 40 sq ft per sign | — | N/A | 2 per Development entrance | At Development entrances | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(a) |
| Ground Sign (Freestanding) – Single Tenant | 16 ft (if within 200 ft of residential); otherwise 25 ft | Up to 150 sq ft (75 sq ft + 1 sq ft per lf over 100 ft) | — | ≥5 ft from ROW; ≥8 ft from power lines | 1 per lot | On-site, ground-mounted | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(b)[1] |
| Freestanding Wall Sign (Monument) – Single Tenant (Option) | 16 ft | 75 sq ft | — | ≥5 ft ROW; ≥8 ft power lines | Up to 2 per lot | On-site entrances or frontage | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(b) (Freestanding wall option) |
| Wall Signs (Attached) – Single Tenant | 24 ft max if within 200 ft of a residential zone; otherwise no explicit height cap stated | Per sign: up to 150 sq ft (or 100 sq ft if within 42 ft of ROW); Aggregate per building face: 100/150/200/250/300 sq ft by setback band; Exception aggregate up to 450 sq ft if all conditions met | Each sign width ≤ 75% of building frontage to which attached | N/A | Up to 3 per building | Attached to building facade(s) | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(b)[2] [aa–ee] and Exception (i–iv) |
| Flag Signs (Ground- or Wall-Mounted) | 50 ft (ground); 20 ft (wall vertical); 16 ft (wall outrigger) | ≤150 sq ft per flag; ≤230 sq ft total | — | ≥20 ft from ROW; ≥8 ft from power lines | Up to 3 per lot | On-site | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(b)[5] |
| Canopy Sign (Attached) | ≤24 ft (if within 200 ft of residential); otherwise ≤25 ft | 50 sq ft per canopy side | — | N/A | 1 per side; max 3 | Attached to vertical side of qualifying canopy | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(b)[6] |
| Tenant Wall Signs – Multi-Tenant (Separate Outside Entrances) | 24 ft max if within 200 ft of a residential zone; otherwise not specified | Per sign up to 150 sq ft (or 100 sq ft if within 42 ft of ROW); aggregate per wall 100/150/200/250/300 sq ft by band; exception aggregate up to 300 sq ft with conditions | Per sign width ≤75% of tenant frontage | N/A | 1 per tenant (2 allowed with qualifying criteria) | Attached to each tenant’s exterior wall(s) | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(c)[2] |
| Tenant Wall Signs – Multi-Tenant (Common Outside Entrance) | 24 ft max if within 200 ft of residential zone | Per sign up to 150 sq ft (or 100 sq ft if within 42 ft of ROW); aggregate per face 100/150/200/250/300 sq ft; exception up to 300 sq ft with conditions | Per sign ≤75% of frontage | N/A | Up to 2 per building (owner approval required) | Attached to building with shared entrances | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(4)(d)[2] |

### PCD, PID, PUD, BP, GDO-1, GDO-2, GDO-3, GDO-4

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building ID Sign (2+ Stories) | At or near top of the exterior wall | Within 100 ft ROW: ≤75 sq ft; >100–≤200 ft: ≤100 sq ft; >200–≤400 ft: ≤125 sq ft; >400 ft: ≤150 sq ft (and in all cases also ≤1.5 sq ft/lf of that wall) | — | N/A | 1 per exterior wall (max 4) | Attached near top of building exterior walls | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(5)(c)[2][i], [3][i], [4][i], [5][i], [6][i] (2+ stories cases) |
| Building ID Sign (6+ Stories) | At or near top of the exterior wall | Within 100 ft ROW: ≤100 sq ft; >100–≤200 ft: ≤125 sq ft; >200–≤400 ft: ≤150 sq ft; >400 ft: ≤200 sq ft (and in all cases also ≤1.5 sq ft/lf) | — | N/A | 1 per exterior wall (max 4) | Attached near top of exterior walls | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(5)(c)[2] (six or more stories variants repeated in [3], [4], [5], [6]) |
| Canopy Sign (Attached) | 24 ft | 50 sq ft per canopy side | — | N/A | 1 per side; up to 4 per site | Attached to vertical side of qualifying canopy | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(5)(c)[1][iii], [2][iii], [3][iii], [4][iii], [5][iii], [6][iii] |
| Complex Sign (Freestanding Wall) – Single Building, Single Tenant | 16 ft | 60 sq ft per sign | — | ≥5 ft from ROW; ≥8 ft from power lines | 1 per eligible frontage | At eligible street frontages (≥100 lf) | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(5)(c)[1][vi] |
| Complex Sign (Freestanding Wall) – Single Building, Multiple Tenants (Separate Entrances or Common Entrances) | 16 ft | 100 sq ft per sign | — | ≥5 ft ROW; ≥8 ft power lines | 1 per eligible frontage | At eligible street frontages (≥100 lf) | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(5)(c)[2][vi] and [3][vi] |
| Tenant Signs – Major Tenant Space (Separate Outside Entrance) | ≤24 ft if within 200 ft of residential zone | Per sign: up to 100/125/150/200 sq ft by band (and ≤1.5 sq ft/lf); aggregate per wall: 150/175/200/250 sq ft by band | Each sign width ≤75% of tenant wall length | N/A | Up to 3 per wall; 4 per tenant total | Attached to major tenant exterior wall(s) | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(5)(c)[2][xv] and [4][xv] |
| Tenant Signs – Minor Tenant Space (Separate Outside Entrance) | ≤24 ft if within 200 ft of residential zone | Per sign ≤75 sq ft (and ≤1.5 sq ft/lf); aggregate across tenant walls ≤100 sq ft | Per sign width ≤75% of tenant wall | N/A | 1 per tenant (2 allowed with qualifying criteria) | Attached to tenant’s exterior wall(s) | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(5)(c)[2][xvi] and [4][xvi] |
| Tenant Signs – All Tenants Sharing Common Outside Entrances | ≤24 ft if within 200 ft of residential zone | Per sign: up to 100/125/150/200 sq ft (and ≤1.5 sq ft/lf); aggregate per wall: 150/175/200/250 sq ft by band | Each sign width ≤75% of wall length | N/A | Up to 3 per exterior wall; 4 per building total | Attached to building with shared entrances | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(5)(c)[3][xiv] and [4][xvii] |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Institutional Group Assemblies (≥5 acres) – Development ID Sign (Freestanding Wall) | 8 ft | 40 sq ft per sign | — | N/A | 2 per entrance | At vehicular entrances to the Institutional Group Assembly site | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(7)(a) |
| Institutional Group Assemblies – Attached Wall Signs | Ground level floor | Up to 75 sq ft per sign (3 sq ft/lf) | — | N/A | Up to 3 per building | Attached to building frontage | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(7)(b) |
| Institutional Group Assemblies – Complex Identification | (A) 16 ft; (B) 8 ft | (A) 60 sq ft; (B) 40 sq ft each | — | ≥5 ft from ROW; ≥8 ft from power lines | (A) 1 per lot; or (B) up to 2 per lot | Frontage or entrance locations | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(7)(c) |
| Institutional Group Assemblies – Permanent Flag Signs | 50 ft (ground); 20 ft (wall vertical); 16 ft (wall outrigger) | ≤150 sq ft per flag; ≤230 sq ft total | — | ≥20 ft from ROW; ≥8 ft from power lines | Up to 3 per lot | On-site | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(7)(f) |
| Institutional Group Assemblies – Building Entry Sign | 12 ft | 10 sq ft | — | N/A | 1 per primary entrance | At/near primary pedestrian entrance doors | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(7)(h) |
| Institutional Group Assemblies – Routing Signs | 8 ft | 10 sq ft | — | ≥5 ft from ROW; ≥8 ft from power lines | 1 per intersection | Inside the site at directional decision points | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(7)(i) |
| Wall-Mounted Flagpoles (All Districts that allow ground-mounted flagpoles) | 20 ft (vertical wall-mounted); 16 ft (outrigger) | Flag ≤40 sq ft | — | N/A (projection limits apply) | Not specified; governed by district flag sign allowances | Mounted to building wall | — | Section 25.2-26(C)(8) |
| Temporary Signs – Sandwich Board (A-Frame) | 3 ft | 6 sq ft per face (double-faced allowed) | — | ≥1 ft from ROW; CBD sidewalk: maintain 5-ft ADA clear zone | 1 per lot | On-site near storefront; CBD: on sidewalk adjacent to site | — | Section 25.2-25(C)(8) |

## Prohibited signs in Murfreesboro

- Signs that imitate, interfere with, obstruct, or can be confused with authorized traffic-control signs/signals, or that carry words like STOP or DANGER, or that obscure official traffic signs
- Any sign or illumination that causes direct glare into any building other than the one to which the sign is accessory
- Roof signs and signs painted on a roof
- Signs attached or affixed to trees, other living vegetation, or utility poles
- Signs placed in or over a public right-of-way, except as required/installed by a governmental authority
- Permanent signs (or parts of them) consisting of banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, or similar moving/fluttering devices (limited exception for small on-site balloons; temporary new-business banner exception only as stated)
- Revolving or rotating signs
- Signs incorporating any noisy mechanical device
- Signs displaying obscene matter (as defined in the ordinance)
- Signs that interfere with or obscure warning or instructional signs
- Electrical lights/fixtures attached to signs that are not installed per the National Electrical Code
- Any sign or its support/foundation placed in or over a dedicated street, highway, or sidewalk
- Advertising signs on trash receptacles or benches
- Signs constructed from painted or unpainted tires; exposed razor or barbed wire; or wood, metal, or plastic pallets
- Banners across any public street
- Signs containing false, misleading, or deceptive information
- Placement of any sign or its support within a public utility or drainage easement without written consent of the easement holder(s) and written approval by the Chief Building Official
- Murals on a front wall or elevation
- Any sign placed on private property without the written consent of the property owner, or on public property/ROW without written consent of the public authority
- Signs (or supports) that obstruct or interfere with doors, windows, fire escapes, means of egress, light, or ventilation, or that obscure pedestrian/vehicular views so as to endanger safe movement
- Signs advertising a terminated activity, business, product, or service no longer conducted on the premises (subject to the limited vacancy allowance)
- Cutting/damaging/trimming/destroying vegetation to improve sign visibility in ROWs or on others’ property without required authorization
- Use of window frame perimeter lighting (continuous strips outlining window panes) is prohibited in all zones
- Changeable signs: multi-vision, electronic graphic display, and video display signs are prohibited in all zoning districts; any type of changeable sign that flashes is prohibited in all zoning districts (except where specifically allowed in § 25.2-26(C)(8))
- Vehicle or trailer signs used as parked advertising visible from the ROW where the apparent purpose is to display a message are prohibited (see § 25.2-25(D)(19))

## Signs exempt from permit in Murfreesboro

- Governmental traffic-control signs and devices erected by a governmental agency
- Graphics/materials on City-owned buildings or other objects placed on City-owned property (subject to building/electrical permits if otherwise required)
- Scoreboards and related components at athletic fields oriented toward the field of play (subject to permits if required)
- Informational, directional, and other signs oriented internal to City parks (subject to permits if required)
- Public art
- Murals on side or rear walls (front-elevation murals are prohibited)
- No sign permit required for any flag sign; a separate flagpole permit is required for flagpoles except on lots lawfully used for single-family or two-family residential use
- Enter/Exit signs up to 5 sq ft and 4 ft overall height allowed without a sign permit/fee (min. 1 ft from ROW; may include a logo; illumination allowed with electrical permit)
- Convenience signs up to 3 sq ft allowed without a sign permit/fee (min. 1 ft from ROW; may include a logo; illumination allowed with electrical permit)
- Temporary signs allowed without a sign permit/fee, subject to § 25.2-25
- Governmental signs allowed without a sign permit/fee
- Window signs that comply with § 25.2-23(C) allowed without a sign permit/fee
- Vehicle signs that are not prohibited by §§ 25.2-24 or 25.2-25 are allowed without a sign permit/fee
- Equipment/machinery signs up to 2 sq ft per linear foot of the side to which attached allowed without a sign permit/fee
- Permanent window signs installed prior to adoption of the window sign rules are exempt from § 25.2-23(C)

## Sign permit fees & timelines in Murfreesboro

| Item | Details | Citation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All sign permits (when work starts before permit issuance) | 100% of Permit Fee | Sec. 25.2-20(K) |
| Standard Review | …approve or deny the application within ten working days after a complete and compliant application is received. (starts when Complete and compliant sign permit application received by Building & Codes) | Sec. 25.2-20(C) |

_The full published fee and review-timeline schedule for Murfreesboro is available in PermitPal (free account)._

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

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