# Sign Regulations in Red Bank, Tennessee

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Red Bank, Tennessee (TN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/tennessee/red-bank
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TN/Red_Bank/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT9BUPESOET_CH8ADSIADEN)

## At a glance

Red Bank, Tennessee regulates 17 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Monument Sign (General, no more than two occupants)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 32 sq ft structure; 16 sq ft per face, with a No closer than 10 ft to any street or right-of-way setback (Sec. Sec. 9-834(1), Sec. 9-833). Most commercial signs in Red Bank require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Scenic areas, Scenic corridors | 3 | 8 ft | 100 sq ft (support structure); 16 sq ft per face copy area | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 30 ft above lowest ground or building point | 300 sq ft | — |
| Commercial zoned private property | 1 | — | 2 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Scenic areas, Scenic corridors

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On-Premises Reader Board | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises only within scenic areas or scenic corridors | — | Sec. 9-825, Sec. 9-834(3) |
| On-Premises Monument Sign (more than two occupants) | 8 ft | 100 sq ft (support structure); 16 sq ft per face copy area | — | — | No more than two monument signs per street frontage | On-premises only within scenic areas or scenic corridors | — | Sec. 9-834(2), Sec. 9-825 |
| On-Premises Monument Sign (no more than two occupants) | 6 ft (overall); 4 ft per face | 32 sq ft (support structure); 16 sq ft per face copy area | — | — | No more than two monument signs per street frontage | On-premises only within scenic areas or scenic corridors | — | Sec. 9-834(1), Sec. 9-825 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Construction Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-premises at site of construction/landscaping in progress | — | Sec. 9-802, Sec. 9-806(B)(1) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-premises | — | Sec. 9-806(B)(3), Sec. 9-802(o), Sec. 9-802(o)(ii) |
| Monument Sign (General, no more than two occupants) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft structure; 16 sq ft per face | — | No closer than 10 ft to any street or right-of-way | Max 2 per street frontage | On-premises | — | Sec. 9-834(1), Sec. 9-833 |
| Monument Sign (General, more than two occupants) | 8 ft | 100 sq ft structure; 16 sq ft per face | — | No closer than 10 ft to any street or right-of-way | Max 2 per street frontage | On-premises | — | Sec. 9-834(2), Sec. 9-833 |
| Freestanding Pole Sign (On-Premises, General) | 20 ft standard; may increase 1 ft height per ft setback over 10 ft, max 30 ft | 175 sq ft per face (300 sq ft per face for sites with 350+ ft road frontage with 3+ occupants or developed frontage over 500 ft) | — | 10 ft min (under 40 sq ft), 15 ft min (over 40 sq ft), 20 ft min (over 100 sq ft) | Max 2 per street frontage | On-premises | — | Sec. 9-838, 9-839, 9-840, 9-837 |
| Balloon Sign (Temporary) | 30 ft above lowest ground or building point | Banner on balloon: 120 sq ft if 60+ ft from ROW, 100 sq ft if within 60 ft of ROW | — | 30 ft from any ROW | Max 2 per period | On-premises (temporary only) | — | Sec. 9-829, 9-827 |
| Temporary Sign (Banner, Portable, Inflatable, etc.) | — | 300 sq ft | — | 10 ft from ROW (temporary signs) | Max 2 per period | On-premises only | — | Sec. 9-827, 9-830 |
| Directional Traffic Sign (On-Premises) | 30 inches | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | Sec. 9-841 |

### Commercial zoned private property

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Public Interest Directional Marker | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | Max 1 per public entity | Commercial zoned private property (not on public ROW) | — | Sec. 9-821(12), Sec. 9-802 Public Interest Directional Marker |

## Prohibited signs in Red Bank

- No obscene materials or images may be posted or displayed on any sign visible from streets or public places.
- No sign of any kind shall project over or be suspended over or across any street or sidewalk except as permitted for projecting signs, and not over any public street.
- No person shall affix any sign or advertisement on curbstones, sidewalks, streets, trees, lampposts, utility poles, awnings, porches, balconies, or structures within any street or right-of-way, except as required by city code or ordinance.
- No signs may be distracting to motor vehicle operators, including those with moving parts, flashing lights, or varying intensity, except as specifically allowed for certain monument signs or reader boards.
- No signs that resemble regulatory or warning traffic devices or signs are permitted; no sign shall emit sounds audible above ten decibels.
- Digital signs, LED, or similar electronic signs are generally prohibited except where expressly allowed (e.g., reader boards, message centers, monument signs).
- Off-premises digital signs, changeable copy signs, electronic signs, and signs with flashing features are prohibited.
- Billboards, whether structural or mobile, are prohibited unless all chapter requirements are met; digital billboards are never permitted; no sign may exceed 35 feet in height or 50 feet in width.
- No signs shall be located where prohibited or not permitted by the Red Bank Zoning Ordinance.
- No signs may be located within established scenic corridors or scenic areas, nor are free-standing, off-premises, billboard, electronic, or digital signs allowed therein (except on-premises reader boards, message boards, and monument signs).
- The following on-premises signs are generally prohibited: portable signs (except as permitted for temporary uses), snipe signs, roof signs (except temporary balloon signs), signs printed on or attached to stationary vehicles, freestanding signs/devices with moving parts or sound (except with a temporary permit for limited duration), freestanding electronic/digital signs, signs using flashing lights for reader boards/message centers (except as expressly allowed), neon tube/LED/digital/electronic signs or reader boards attached to buildings or window facades.
- Any on-premises sign with a sign area exceeding 175 square feet is prohibited.
- Lights outlining windows, buildings, or doors on any on- or off-premises structures must not blink, pulsate, flash, or strobe.
- Any on-premises electronic or digital freestanding sign is prohibited.
- No internally illuminated sign cabinets allowing the entire face to illuminate are permitted.
- Flashing, blinking, revolving, or rotating lights are not permitted.
- No utilization of digital, LED, LCD, or shimmer light-propelling technology except as expressly allowed, and not if distracting to motorists.
- No utilization of streamers, pennants, pinwheels, tinsel, or wind-activated devices except as expressly allowed for temporary signs and special events.
- No sign shall be permitted on top of any building or roof-top.
- No sign face may be stacked atop or beneath another sign on a structure, building, or rooftop.
- No sign shall be erected so the lowest portion is less than 12 feet above grade.
- Political signs may not be placed on city property, on public sidewalks, or attached to trees, fences, posts, or rocks on public property or right-of-way.
- No sign may impede traffic sight lines or create hazards as defined by the visibility triangle.

## Signs exempt from permit in Red Bank

- Signs required by law, those required by city code, other ordinances, or legal notices of public officers/attorneys, posted as provided by law.
- Distribution of newspapers, as such, is not regulated by this chapter.
- Address/name signs not exceeding one square foot identifying occupant or permitted home occupation.
- Messages on clothing or on motor vehicles unless otherwise prohibited.
- Incidental signs (e.g., hours, accepted charge cards, warnings) not digital in nature and in store windows.
- Business nameplates, nonilluminated, not exceeding one square foot, one per proprietor.
- Construction signs (one per frontage, max 32 sq ft), installed with building permit and removed upon certificate of completion.
- Flags and pennants at educational, governmental, or charitable institutions, not for commercial purposes, max 50 sq ft, up to four per site, within zone limits.
- Garage sale signs on sale days only, max 4 sq ft, max two per sale (one per frontage).
- Governmental signs: traffic, regulatory, legal notices, emergency/noncommercial banners approved by city manager or designee.
- Gravestones, historical site plaques, interior signs primarily oriented to those within premises.
- Monuments/plaques/tablets/cornerstones/lettering inlaid into building not exceeding four sq ft, denoting structure and date.
- Nonanimated temporary promotions/special displays (bunting, flags, pennants) for up to three periods/year (90 days max), separate permits required, max two displays at once; U.S. flags up to 24 sq ft exempt from permit.
- Real estate signs: nonilluminated, one per frontage, residential signs max 4 sq ft; temporary open house placard and one off-premises directional sign on private property allowed.
- Signs or flags required/authorized by government agencies (traffic devices, legal notices, warnings, etc.).
- Display of street numbers.
- Permit is not required for the following on-premises signs: construction signs; incidental signs; real estate signs on property offered for sale/lease not exceeding 4 sq ft; entrance/exit signs regulated by section 9-841; landmark signs; signs for special events as allowed in section 9-831; sport facilities, field sponsorship signs, message boards, banners (on-premises only); special events or grand opening events not lasting more than ten days (notice to public works required, no permit needed).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit must be obtained from the building inspector prior to the erection, installation, or material alteration of any sign, except for signs specifically exempted (see Sec. 9-806).
- Permit application must be made concurrently with a building permit (if required) and include drawings, plans, specifications, and engineering designs as necessary for review by the building inspector or city manager (Sec. 9-807).
- For monument sign support systems larger than 32 square feet or taller than six feet, a set of stamped plans from a registered architect is required with the permit application (Sec. 9-833, 9-834).
- Drawings, renderings, or photographs showing design, placement, and distance from rights-of-way are required for monument and certain other signs (Sec. 9-833, 9-834).
- A sign plan is implied by the submission requirements for review to the public works department and when stamped architectural plans are required for larger monument signs.
- A public hearing and city commission approval are required for setback variances for monument or pole signs; the variance procedure includes filing an application with detailed plans and scaled drawings (Sec. 9-848).
- Applications for sign permits must include a description of all other existing and permitted signs on the premises.
- No new sign permit may be issued for a property until all existing nonconforming signs are removed or brought into conformance.
- Temporary sign (and banner/balloon) permits are limited in number and duration; application for such permits is required except for special events/grand openings of less than ten days (which require only notification to public works department).
- Master sign plan language is not explicitly used in this ordinance, but the requirements for multiple drawings, engineering plans, and inventoried lists of signs on the premises approximate its function as part of the permit and review process.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Red Bank, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Red+Bank+TN&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-red-bank

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