# Sign Regulations in Alamo, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Alamo, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/alamo
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/alamo/latest/alamo_tx/0-0-0-14745)

## At a glance

Alamo, Texas regulates 18 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Ground Pole Signs in the Residential Districts zoning district are capped at 20 feet tall and 60 square feet (Sec. 9-4-12 A.1.a.(1)). Most commercial signs in Alamo require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts | 9 | 20 feet | 60 square feet | Yes |
| Light Commercial District | 7 | 30 feet | 64 square feet | Yes |
| Commercial And Industrial Districts | 9 | 40 feet | 500 square feet | Yes |
| Expressway Corridor | 10 | 50 feet | 500 square feet | Yes |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 10 feet | 40 square feet | Yes |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Pole Sign | 20 feet | 60 square feet | — | — | Limited to 2 permanent signs per site in a single-family residential zone for an institutional use | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 A.1.a.(1) |
| Wall Sign | — | 40 square feet | — | — | Limited to 2 per entrance to a subdivision | Attached or painted to fence or wall | Yes | 9-4-12 A.1.a.(2) |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 20 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 A.1.a.(3) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | Limited to 1 temporary sign per site | — | Yes | 9-4-12 A.1.a.(4) |
| Construction Sign | 10 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 A.1.a.(6) |
| Political Sign | 10 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: Property line | Yes | 9-4-12 A.1.a.(7) |
| Real Estate Sign | 10 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: Property line | Yes | 9-4-12 A.1.a.(8) |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | Attached to the home | Yes | 9-4-12 A.1.a.(9) |

### Commercial And Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accessory Sign | 10 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | Limited to a combination of any 2 permanent signs per business and/or site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 C.1.a.(1) |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 30 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 C.1.a.(3) |
| Directory Sign | 20 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 C.1.a.(4) |
| Ground Or Tenant Sign | 40 feet | 200 square feet per face | — | — | Limited to 1 permanent sign per site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 C.1.a.(5) |
| Marquee Sign | — | 8 feet in width and 32 feet in length | — | — | Limited to 1 permanent sign per site | — | Yes | 9-4-12 C.1.a.(6) |
| Roof Sign | — | 4 feet in height and 16 feet in length | — | — | Limited to 1 permanent sign per site | — | Yes | 9-4-12 C.1.a.(7) |
| Subdivision Sign | 10 feet | 40 square feet on each side of entrance | — | — | — | Attached to fence or wall at the entrance of a subdivision | Yes | 9-4-12 C.1.a.(8) |
| Wall Sign | — | 500 square feet | — | — | Limited to 4 per premises | Attached or painted to wall | Yes | 9-4-12 C.1.a.(9) |

### Expressway Corridor

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accessory Sign | 18 feet | 60 square feet | — | — | Limited to a combination of any 2 permanent signs per business and/or site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 D.2.a.(1) |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 40 feet | 80 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 D.2.a.(3) |
| Directory Sign | 20 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 D.2.a.(4) |
| Portable Sign | 10 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 D.2.a.(5) |
| Ground Or Tenant Sign | 50 feet | 300 square feet (maximum 4 faces) | — | — | Limited to 1 permanent sign per site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | Yes | 9-4-12 D.2.a.(6) |
| Marquee Sign | — | 8 feet in width and 32 feet in length | — | — | Limited to 1 permanent sign per site | — | Yes | 9-4-12 D.2.a.(7) |
| Subdivision Sign | 10 feet | 40 square feet on each side of entrance | — | — | — | Attached to fence or wall at the entrance of a subdivision | Yes | 9-4-12 D.2.a.(9) |
| Wall Sign | — | 500 square feet | — | — | Limited to 4 per premises | Attached or painted to wall | Yes | 9-4-12 D.2.a.(10) |

## Prohibited signs in Alamo

- It shall be unlawful for any person to leave or place upon trees, fences, street signs, or on/in any public right of way or city property, or against any telephone or electric lightpole, within the city any sign advertisement of any character or description.
- Signs shall not create a nuisance to the occupancy or use of other properties as a result of their size, height, brightness, content or movement.
- Signs shall be in harmony with the building, the neighborhood, or other signs in the area, except when such other signs do not meet the objectives of this chapter.
- No sign shall be allowed within the corner of a lot with two (2) street frontages unless it is placed outside of the triangular shaped area described.
- No sign of any type shall be placed within the public right of way of the city without the approval of the city commission.
- Signs which resemble an official traffic sign or signal which bear the words 'stop', 'go slow', 'caution', 'danger', 'warning' or similar words, and which were not placed by proper governmental authority.
- Signs which by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed to be a traffic control sign, signal, or device, and which were not placed by proper governmental authority, or the light of an emergency or road equipment vehicle, or which hide from view any traffic or street sign, signal or device.
- Signs placed on trees, rocks, other natural features (snipe signs).
- Signs which emit sound, smoke, or steam.
- Signs erected or placed within the public right of way shall be removed.
- Signs that are obsolete, damaged to an extent of more than fifty percent (50%) of its fair market value, that do not meet the prevailing building code; out of date political signs and billboards, feathered flag signs or temporary banner signs with pole supports, signs advertising defunct businesses and signs which require a sign permit but were erected without such a permit having been issued.
- Signs that are not legible or in good repair, such as with broken faces, faded or missing letters, etc.
- Signs that are not securely fixed as per the prevailing building code.
- Signs that prevent or obstruct free ingress or egress from any doors, windows or fire escapes, or that are attached to a standpipe or fire escape.

## Signs exempt from permit in Alamo

- Signs not exceeding two (2) square feet in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, or names of occupants of premises.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with a commercial promotion.
- Public signs of a public or noncommercial nature, which shall include community service information signs, public transit service signs (traffic signs), public utility information signs, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, signs indicating scenic or historical points of interest, and all signs erected by a public officer in the performance of a public duty.
- Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.
- Signs which are fully located within the interior of any building or stadium, or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building, and signs located within the inner or outer lobby, court, or entrance of any theater which are intended solely for information relating to the interior operation of the building in which they are located.
- Memorial plaques or tablets, grave markers, statues and other remembrances of persons or events that are noncommercial in nature.
- Home occupation signs as allowed by the zoning ordinance.
- Temporary political signs, unless on a trailer.
- Temporary real estate signs having forty (40) square feet or less of face area.
- Window signs.
- Construction signs.
- Signs placed on the sides of motor vehicles, unless the vehicle is used as a stationary sign support.
- Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property, but bearing no advertising matter.
- Yard sale signs; provided, however, that no person shall attach in any way posters, notices or advertisements to utility poles, meter posts, or trees in or along any street right of way within the city, and that no person shall put up any notice upon any building, wall or fence or other property of another person without having first obtained the consent of the owner of such property.
- Gasoline price signs attached to a permanent fixture or structure not exceeding a total area of twelve (12) square feet.
- Signs not exceeding three (3) square feet in area attached to gas pumps or gas pump canopies that are informational or directional and do not contain advertising matter.
- Community service or civic oriented street banner signs hanging over a public right of way for a limited time subject to the approval of the city commission.
- Any other temporary sign that the planning director may determine would be unreasonable to require a permit for.

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

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