# Sign Regulations in Amarillo, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Amarillo, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/amarillo
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-19
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TX/Amarillo/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CO_TITIVBUCODEZO_CH4-2SI)

## At a glance

Amarillo, Texas regulates 8 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the O-1, O-2 Districts, and NS Districts zoning district are capped at 20 feet on arterial street; 15 feet on non-arterial street tall and 150 square feet (Sec. Sec. 4-2-9.). Most commercial signs in Amarillo require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Downtown Urban Design District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Residential District | 2 | — | 64 square feet per sign | — |
| Nonresidential District | 1 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| O-1, O-2 Districts, and NS Districts | 2 | 20 feet on arterial street; 15 feet on non-arterial street | 150 square feet | — |
| GR District and Less Restrictive Districts | 2 | 38 feet on arterial street; 20 feet on non-arterial street | 250 square feet if adjacent to non-arterial thoroughfare; 300 square feet if adjacent to arterial thoroughfare | — |
| CB, Central Business District | 1 | — | — | — |
| HC or Less Restrictive Zoning Districts | 1 | — | 250 square feet | — |
| Planned Development Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | 60 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | One per lot frontage | On premises | — | Sec. 4-2-7. |
| Subdivision Identification Sign | — | 64 square feet per sign | — | — | Two per entrance | At each main entrance to the subdivision | — | Sec. 4-2-9. |

### O-1, O-2 Districts, and NS Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Electronic Message Center | — | — | — | — | One per property | Per property | — | Sec. 4-2-9. |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet on arterial street; 15 feet on non-arterial street | 150 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | Per street frontage | — | Sec. 4-2-9. |

### GR District and Less Restrictive Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Electronic Message Center | — | — | — | — | One per property | Per property | — | Sec. 4-2-9. |
| Freestanding Sign | 38 feet on arterial street; 20 feet on non-arterial street | 250 square feet if adjacent to non-arterial thoroughfare; 300 square feet if adjacent to arterial thoroughfare | — | — | One per street frontage | Per street frontage | — | Sec. 4-2-9. |

## Prohibited signs in Amarillo

- Portable signs, banners, and other such temporary signs, except as allowed under Sections 4-2-11 and 4-2-12.
- Snipe or bandit signs or any advertisement placed on trees, rocks, or other natural features.
- Off-premises signs in the City limits, unless excepted in Section 4-2-13.
- Off premise signs in the City of Amarillo's Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) unless excepted in Section 4-2-14.
- Signs or any portion of signs which are in or project or extend into the public right-of-way, any public sidewalk, street, alley, or other public property unless excepted in Section 4-2-9.
- Signs which are located within a runway protection zone constructed to a height that violates any maximum height restrictions established by the United States Department of Transportation and/or the Federal Aviation Administration.
- Signs which make use of any word, phrase, symbol, character, device, or illumination, in such manner as to interfere with, mislead, or otherwise constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Signs which resemble official traffic control signs, signals, or devices, which bear words, 'STOP,' 'Go Slow,' 'Caution,' 'Danger,' 'Warning,' or similar words, other than as allowed by Section 4-2-7.
- Signs which contain reflectors or glaring, strobe, or rotating light, beacon, beam or flashing illumination resembling an emergency signal.
- Searchlights or any type of beacon used to attract attention to a property.
- Spectacular signs and signs which emit audible sound, odor, or visible matter.
- Any sign or advertising device attached to any motor vehicle or any trailer or other structure parked on a public right-of-way, the basic purpose of which sign or advertising device is to provide advertisement of a product or to direct people to a business or activity located on the same property or other property or premises, except as allowed under Section 4-2-7 (L).
- Video display signs, except for the use on private property where such sign is not visible from any public street.
- Any stereopticon or motion picture machine used in conjunction with or attached to any sign in such manner as to permit the images projected there from to be visible from any public street or sidewalk.

## Signs exempt from permit in Amarillo

- Copy change and sign face replacement, when no increase in sign area or height is made, for signs otherwise allowed under this Chapter; not to include however, changes proposed on a non-conforming sign or modifying any sign to an Electronic Message Center.
- Construction sign when placed upon the construction site following the issuance of a building permit.
- Contractor signs identifying the contractor or subcontractor performing work on the premises where the sign is displayed.
- Directory signs and office identification signs, up to one (1) of each such sign per building façade.
- Flags of the United States, State of Texas, or any other political subdivision, any flag or banner of a bona fide religion, fraternal or charitable organization, and flags of corporations, subdivisions, or community associations or organizations.
- Incidental signs, provided that such signs shall not exceed four (4) square feet.
- Nameplate signs for residential locations, not to exceed two (2) square feet in area.
- Non-commercial message signs, provided that such signs shall not exceed a total of sixty-four (64) square feet in area per lot and no single sign shall exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area per face and shall not exceed five (5) feet in height to the top from the surrounding finished grade.
- On-site directional signs and street identification signs not exceeding four (4) square feet, which denote the entrance, exit, and direction of traffic flow.
- Political signs that do not exceed an area equal to one (1) square foot per linear foot of lot frontage on which the sign is erected or thirty-six (36) square feet, whichever is greater.
- Professional nameplates and occupational signs, when attached to the building face and which denote only the name and occupation of an occupant in a commercial building or public institutional building and not exceeding four (4) square feet per sign area.
- Signs painted on or attached to any vehicle or trailer or other portable structure, provided that such a sign merely identifies the vehicle or trailer or other portable structure as belonging to such business by displaying the name, address, and/or contact information of such business, and/or generally identifies the type of product or service offered by such business, but which includes no specific advertisement of goods or services for sale.
- Real estate signs which advertise the sale, rental, or lease of the premises on which such signs are located.
- Signs on fences or other structures that are positioned internally within public or private play fields.
- Signs prepared by or for the local, state, or federal government, including sites or buildings of historical significance.
- Temporary signs advertising garage sales provided that such signs shall not exceed four (4) square feet; are only allowed on private property; and shall be removed within one (1) day following the sale.
- Traffic or street signs, legal notices, public utilities, railroad crossing signs, danger, and such emergency, temporary or non-advertising signs as approved by the City of Amarillo, may be located in the public right-of-way.
- Window signs of a temporary nature only that do not exceed fifty (50) percent of the total window area.
- Wall decorations and works of art that do not include a commercial message.
- Messages or promotional items related to the sale or lease of motor vehicles where such message or items are affixed to, on, or within said motor vehicles.
- Flags, streamers, pennants and inflatables associated with a promotion or special event.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The purpose of a master sign plan is to allow a property owner or developer, subject to approval of the City, the option of designating an area that will allow flexibility in sign location due to peculiarities in the location or configuration of parcels of real property.
- To qualify for a sign master plan, an area must include one (1) lot or parcel or two (2) or more contiguous lots or parcels that are not included in any other sign master plan.
- The owners, or the authorized representatives of the owners, of all lots within the proposed sign master plan area must sign the application for a sign master plan.
- In order to obtain a sign master plan, the owner(s) of the property located within the proposed sign master plan area must sign and submit an application to the City's Planning Department.
- A sign master plan shall not become effective until all owners of the property within the sign master plan have signed an agreement which indicate the property owners' agreement.
- Once approved by the City, the area described in the sign master plan will be deemed to be a single premises for the purpose of determining whether a sign is an on-premises sign.
- All freestanding signs included within a sign master plan area shall be individually subject to review and approval of placement, size and height, as approved by the City of Amarillo.

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

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