# Sign Regulations in Arlington, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Arlington, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/arlington
- **Data last verified:** 2026-05-06
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.arlingtontx.gov/files/assets/city/v/4/city-secretary/documents/city-code-of-ordinances/unified-development-code-chapter.pdf#page=327)

## At a glance

Arlington, Texas regulates 115 sign types across 28 zoning districts. Ground Sign (up to two tenants)s in the Limited Office (LO) zoning district are capped at Freeways: 20 ft; Arterials: 8 ft (0–99 ft frontage) or 12 ft (100+ ft frontage); Collectors: 8 ft tall, Freeways/Arterials: 50 sq ft (0–299 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (300+). Collectors: 35 sq ft (0–299); 50 sq ft (300–399); 75 sq ft (400–499); 100 sq ft (500+)., and 15 ft wide, with a 10 ft from interior side lines; 50 ft spacing from nearest freestanding sign on same side; comply with visibility triangles. setback (Sec. UDC 7.8.2(C)-(K); 7.5.1(B) (adjacent to residential); 7.6.5; 7.6.8). Most commercial signs in Arlington require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (28 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RE | 7 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| RS-20 | 7 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| RS-15 | 7 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| RS-7.2 | 7 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| RS-5 | 7 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| RM-12 | 8 | Up to 20 ft (freeway); 12 ft (arterial with 100+ ft frontage); 8 ft (collector) | Up to 200 sq ft depending on frontage and street type | — |
| RMF-22 | 8 | Up to 20 ft (freeway); 12 ft (arterial with 100+ ft frontage); 8 ft (collector) | Up to 200 sq ft depending on frontage and street type | — |
| VG | 7 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Limited Office (LO) | 24 | Up to 35 ft; one flag per lot may fly up to 72 ft with min 8 ft bottom clearance | 200 sq ft | — |
| Office Commercial (OC) | 24 | Up to 35 ft; one flag per lot may fly up to 72 ft with min 8 ft bottom clearance | 200 sq ft | — |
| Neighborhood Commercial (NC) | 24 | Up to 35 ft; one flag per lot may fly up to 72 ft with min 8 ft bottom clearance | 200 sq ft | — |
| Community Commercial (CC) | 24 | Up to 35 ft; one flag per lot may fly up to 72 ft with min 8 ft bottom clearance | 200 sq ft | — |
| General Commercial (GC) | 25 | 50 ft overall, and not more than 42.5 ft above adjacent freeway pavement | Max 672 sq ft sign face (one face; visible to one traffic direction only) | — |
| Highway Commercial (HC) | 24 | Up to 35 ft; one flag per lot may fly up to 72 ft with min 8 ft bottom clearance | 200 sq ft | — |
| Downtown Business (DB) | 20 | 40 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Flex Hybrid (FH) | 24 | 30 ft | Up to 200 sq ft (street-type and frontage based) | — |
| Business Park (BP) | 8 | 25 ft | Up to 200 sq ft | — |
| Light Industrial (LI) | 7 | 50 ft (and ≤42.5 ft above adjacent freeway surface) | 672 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Manufacturing (IM) | 7 | 50 ft and ≤42.5 ft above adjacent freeway surface | 672 sq ft | — |
| Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NMU) | 23 | Up to four flags per lot: three at ≤35 ft; one may be up to 72 ft with ≥8 ft clearance | Up to 200 sq ft | — |
| Regional Mixed-Use (RMU) | 11 | 25 ft | Up to 200 sq ft | — |
| Airport Overlay (APO) | 4 | Per §7.10.1/§7.10.2 | ≤75% of ground sign area and ≤50 sq ft | — |
| Conservation District Overlay (CDO) | 3 | Per Article 7 for each sign type | Per §7.10.1/§7.6.9 | — |
| Downtown Neighborhood Overlay (DNO) | 17 | ≤40 ft | Up to 150 sq ft for building identification blades on 3+ story buildings in DNO | — |
| Entertainment District Overlay (EDO) | 19 | ≤40 ft | Freeways/Arterials: up to 200 sq ft (by frontage tier); Collectors: up to 100 sq ft | — |
| Lamar Collins Mixed-Use Overlay (LCMUO) | 13 | 25 ft | Up to 200 sq ft by frontage tier | — |
| Landmark Preservation Overlay (LPO) | 5 | Freeways: 20 ft; Arterials: 8/12 ft by frontage; Collectors: 8 ft | Freeways/Arterials: 50/100 sq ft; Collectors: 35/50/75/100 sq ft by frontage tiers | — |
| Planned Development (PD) | 1 | As specified by the PD ordinance or Article 7 (e.g., ground 8–20 ft by street type; pole 25 ft where allowed). | As specified by the PD ordinance; if not specified, Article 7 standards apply (e.g., wall signs up to 20% wall area; ground/multi-tenant signs per frontage tiers). | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 28 zones)

### Limited Office (LO)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pole Sign | 25 ft; 10 ft minimum vertical clearance over grade and 14 ft if projecting over drive aisles | 40 sq ft if site frontage is 0–299 ft on qualifying freeways; 75 sq ft if frontage is 300+ ft | — | 10 ft from interior side property lines; 50 ft minimum spacing from any other freestanding sign on same side of street; must meet visibility triangle rules (7.6.5). | Max 1 per lot (exception: on double-frontage lots with freeway frontage, 1 pole sign on freeway frontage plus 1 ground sign on non-freeway frontage). | Only on lots fronting controlled access freeways (I-20, I-30, SH 360, US 287). Not allowed in EDO and in the I‑20 corridor bounded by Cooper St, Arbrook Blvd, SH 360, Bardin Rd. | — | UDC 7.8.1; 7.7.1.F.1; 7.6.4; 7.6.5; 7.6.8; 7.8.15; 7.3.1 |
| Ground Sign (up to two tenants) | Freeways: 20 ft; Arterials: 8 ft (0–99 ft frontage) or 12 ft (100+ ft frontage); Collectors: 8 ft | Freeways/Arterials: 50 sq ft (0–299 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (300+). Collectors: 35 sq ft (0–299); 50 sq ft (300–399); 75 sq ft (400–499); 100 sq ft (500+). | 15 ft | 10 ft from interior side lines; 50 ft spacing from nearest freestanding sign on same side; comply with visibility triangles. | 1 per street frontage up to 399 ft; 2 along one frontage if 400+ ft and spacing/area limits met. | Permitted on freeways, arterials, and collector streets (not on local streets except institutional uses). Must include landscape base area. | — | UDC 7.8.2(C)-(K); 7.5.1(B) (adjacent to residential); 7.6.5; 7.6.8 |
| Multi-Tenant Ground Sign (3+ tenants) | Freeways/Arterials: 20 ft; Collectors: 15 ft | Freeways/Arterials: 75 sq ft (0–299 ft frontage); 150 sq ft (300–399); 200 sq ft (400+). Collectors: 50 sq ft (0–299); 100 sq ft (300+). | 15 ft | 10 ft from side lines; 50 ft spacing from other freestanding signs; visibility triangles apply. | 1 per street frontage; up to 2 along one frontage if 400+ ft with spacing/area limits. | Permitted on freeways, arterials, collectors (not locals). One per street front if no other freestanding signs. | — | UDC 7.8.3(C)-(K) |
| Wall Sign | Not above roof/eave; may not extend above, below, or beyond the wall face; cabinet signs prohibited in DB/DNO/EDO/LCMUO/NMU/RMU (not applicable to LO) | 20% of wall area per elevation | 75% of tenant frontage on that elevation | — | No explicit cap (subject to 20% wall area cap); multifamily special limits apply. | Attached parallel to building wall. If adjacent to or across a local/minor collector from single/two-family, wall signs prohibited on side/rear walls unless that wall is the only entrance and the sign is non‑internally illuminated; small building service signs allowed with ≤4-inch letters. | — | UDC 7.8.4; 7.5.1(A); 7.6.10; 7.6.8 |
| Projecting Sign (Blade) | If one-story building: not above top of wall; if multi-story: top of signboard not above sill/bottom of any 2nd-story window | 36 sq ft per sign face | 3 ft projection max (outer edge ≤4 ft from wall; inner edge ≤18 in from wall); depth ≤6 in | Vertical clearance ≥9 ft over sidewalks (≥14 ft over drive aisles). | Max 1 per street front per tenant | Perpendicular to wall; may project over ROW only with easement use agreement | — | UDC 7.8.5 |
| Marquee Sign (theaters only) | May not exceed building height by more than 10 ft | Within 20% wall area cap | 75% of tenant frontage | — | Not specified (subject to wall sign caps) | Attached to the façade at entrance to performance/movie theaters | — | UDC 7.8.6 |
| Building Identification Sign (buildings 3+ stories) | Not above building height | Within 20% elevation cap | 75% of elevation width | — | Max 1 per building face | Top floor or architecturally consistent location on façades of buildings with 3+ stories | — | UDC 7.8.7 |
| Canopy/Fascia Sign | 3 ft sign letter height; shall not extend above second floor ceiling or roof | 35 sq ft (counts toward elevation’s wall sign area cap) | — | Vertical clearance ≥9 ft | Max 1 per tenant building face; for drive-through canopies: max 1 per elevation | Mounted to canopy/fascia; drive-through canopy copy limited to 75% of canopy width | — | UDC 7.8.10 |

### Office Commercial (OC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pole Sign | 25 ft; 10 ft minimum vertical clearance over grade and 14 ft if projecting over drive aisles | 40 sq ft if site frontage is 0–299 ft on qualifying freeways; 75 sq ft if frontage is 300+ ft | — | 10 ft from interior side property lines; 50 ft minimum spacing from any other freestanding sign on same side of street; must meet visibility triangle rules (7.6.5). | Max 1 per lot (exception: on double-frontage lots with freeway frontage, 1 pole sign on freeway frontage plus 1 ground sign on non-freeway frontage). | Only on lots fronting controlled access freeways (I-20, I-30, SH 360, US 287). Not allowed in EDO and in the I‑20 corridor bounded by Cooper St, Arbrook Blvd, SH 360, Bardin Rd. | — | UDC 7.8.1; 7.7.1.F.1; 7.6.4; 7.6.5; 7.6.8; 7.8.15; 7.3.1 |
| Ground Sign (up to two tenants) | Freeways: 20 ft; Arterials: 8 ft (0–99 ft frontage) or 12 ft (100+ ft frontage); Collectors: 8 ft | Freeways/Arterials: 50 sq ft (0–299 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (300+). Collectors: 35 sq ft (0–299); 50 sq ft (300–399); 75 sq ft (400–499); 100 sq ft (500+). | 15 ft | 10 ft from interior side lines; 50 ft spacing from nearest freestanding sign on same side; comply with visibility triangles. | 1 per street frontage up to 399 ft; 2 along one frontage if 400+ ft and spacing/area limits met. | Permitted on freeways, arterials, and collector streets (not on local streets except institutional uses). Must include landscape base area. | — | UDC 7.8.2(C)-(K); 7.5.1(B) (adjacent to residential); 7.6.5; 7.6.8 |
| Multi-Tenant Ground Sign (3+ tenants) | Freeways/Arterials: 20 ft; Collectors: 15 ft | Freeways/Arterials: 75 sq ft (0–299 ft frontage); 150 sq ft (300–399); 200 sq ft (400+). Collectors: 50 sq ft (0–299); 100 sq ft (300+). | 15 ft | 10 ft from side lines; 50 ft spacing from other freestanding signs; visibility triangles apply. | 1 per street frontage; up to 2 along one frontage if 400+ ft with spacing/area limits. | Permitted on freeways, arterials, collectors (not locals). One per street front if no other freestanding signs. | — | UDC 7.8.3(C)-(K) |
| Wall Sign | Not above roof/eave; may not extend above, below, or beyond the wall face; cabinet signs prohibited in DB/DNO/EDO/LCMUO/NMU/RMU (not applicable to OC) | 20% of wall area per elevation | 75% of tenant frontage on that elevation | — | No explicit cap (subject to 20% wall area cap); multifamily special limits apply. | Attached parallel to building wall. If adjacent to or across a local/minor collector from single/two-family, wall signs prohibited on side/rear walls unless that wall is the only entrance and the sign is non‑internally illuminated; small building service signs allowed with ≤4-inch letters. | — | UDC 7.8.4; 7.5.1(A); 7.6.10; 7.6.8 |
| Projecting Sign (Blade) | If one-story building: not above top of wall; if multi-story: top of signboard not above sill/bottom of any 2nd-story window | 36 sq ft per sign face | 3 ft projection max (outer edge ≤4 ft from wall; inner edge ≤18 in from wall); depth ≤6 in | Vertical clearance ≥9 ft over sidewalks (≥14 ft over drive aisles). | Max 1 per street front per tenant | Perpendicular to wall; may project over ROW only with easement use agreement | — | UDC 7.8.5 |
| Marquee Sign (theaters only) | May not exceed building height by more than 10 ft | Within 20% wall area cap | 75% of tenant frontage | — | Not specified (subject to wall sign caps) | Attached to the façade at entrance to performance/movie theaters | — | UDC 7.8.6 |
| Building Identification Sign (buildings 3+ stories) | Not above building height | Within 20% elevation cap | 75% of elevation width | — | Max 1 per building face | Top floor or architecturally consistent location on façades of buildings with 3+ stories | — | UDC 7.8.7 |
| Canopy/Fascia Sign | 3 ft sign letter height; shall not extend above second floor ceiling or roof | 35 sq ft (counts toward elevation’s wall sign area cap) | — | Vertical clearance ≥9 ft | Max 1 per tenant building face; for drive-through canopies: max 1 per elevation | Mounted to canopy/fascia; drive-through canopy copy limited to 75% of canopy width | — | UDC 7.8.10 |

### General Commercial (GC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pole Sign | 25 ft; 10 ft minimum vertical clearance over grade and 14 ft if projecting over drive aisles | 40 sq ft if site frontage is 0–299 ft on qualifying freeways; 75 sq ft if frontage is 300+ ft | — | 10 ft from interior side property lines; 50 ft minimum spacing from any other freestanding sign on same side of street; must meet visibility triangle rules (7.6.5). | Max 1 per lot (exception: on double-frontage lots with freeway frontage, 1 pole sign on freeway frontage plus 1 ground sign on non-freeway frontage). | Only on lots fronting controlled access freeways (I-20, I-30, SH 360, US 287). Not allowed in EDO and in the I‑20 corridor bounded by Cooper St, Arbrook Blvd, SH 360, Bardin Rd. | — | UDC 7.8.1; 7.7.1.F.1; 7.6.4; 7.6.5; 7.6.8; 7.8.15; 7.3.1 |
| Ground Sign (up to two tenants) | Freeways: 20 ft; Arterials: 8 ft (0–99 ft frontage) or 12 ft (100+ ft frontage); Collectors: 8 ft | Freeways/Arterials: 50 sq ft (0–299 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (300+). Collectors: 35 sq ft (0–299); 50 sq ft (300–399); 75 sq ft (400–499); 100 sq ft (500+). | 15 ft | 10 ft from interior side lines; 50 ft spacing from nearest freestanding sign on same side; comply with visibility triangles. | 1 per street frontage up to 399 ft; 2 along one frontage if 400+ ft and spacing/area limits met. | Permitted on freeways, arterials, and collector streets (not on local streets except institutional uses). Must include landscape base area. | — | UDC 7.8.2(C)-(K); 7.5.1(B) (adjacent to residential); 7.6.5; 7.6.8 |
| Multi-Tenant Ground Sign (3+ tenants) | Freeways/Arterials: 20 ft; Collectors: 15 ft | Freeways/Arterials: 75 sq ft (0–299 ft frontage); 150 sq ft (300–399); 200 sq ft (400+). Collectors: 50 sq ft (0–299); 100 sq ft (300+). | 15 ft | 10 ft from side lines; 50 ft spacing from other freestanding signs; visibility triangles apply. | 1 per street frontage; up to 2 along one frontage if 400+ ft with spacing/area limits. | Permitted on freeways, arterials, collectors (not locals). One per street front if no other freestanding signs. | — | UDC 7.8.3(C)-(K) |
| Wall Sign | Not above roof/eave; may not extend above, below, or beyond the wall face; cabinet signs prohibited in DB/DNO/EDO/LCMUO/NMU/RMU (not applicable to GC) | 20% of wall area per elevation | 75% of tenant frontage on that elevation | — | No explicit cap (subject to 20% wall area cap); multifamily special limits apply. | Attached parallel to building wall. If adjacent to or across a local/minor collector from single/two-family, wall signs prohibited on side/rear walls unless that wall is the only entrance and the sign is non‑internally illuminated; small building service signs allowed with ≤4-inch letters. | — | UDC 7.8.4; 7.5.1(A); 7.6.10; 7.6.8 |
| Projecting Sign (Blade) | If one-story building: not above top of wall; if multi-story: top of signboard not above sill/bottom of any 2nd-story window | 36 sq ft per sign face | 3 ft projection max (outer edge ≤4 ft from wall; inner edge ≤18 in from wall); depth ≤6 in | Vertical clearance ≥9 ft over sidewalks (≥14 ft over drive aisles). | Max 1 per street front per tenant | Perpendicular to wall; may project over ROW only with easement use agreement | — | UDC 7.8.5 |
| Marquee Sign (theaters only) | May not exceed building height by more than 10 ft | Within 20% wall area cap | 75% of tenant frontage | — | Not specified (subject to wall sign caps) | Attached to the façade at entrance to performance/movie theaters | — | UDC 7.8.6 |
| Building Identification Sign (buildings 3+ stories) | Not above building height | Within 20% elevation cap | 75% of elevation width | — | Max 1 per building face | Top floor or architecturally consistent location on façades of buildings with 3+ stories | — | UDC 7.8.7 |
| Canopy/Fascia Sign | 3 ft sign letter height; shall not extend above second floor ceiling or roof | 35 sq ft (counts toward elevation’s wall sign area cap) | — | Vertical clearance ≥9 ft | Max 1 per tenant building face; for drive-through canopies: max 1 per elevation | Mounted to canopy/fascia; drive-through canopy copy limited to 75% of canopy width | — | UDC 7.8.10 |

## Prohibited signs in Arlington

- Signs are prohibited in the public right-of-way, except for signs posted or required by a governmental authority, signs approved by the City under a right-of-way use agreement, and signs on commercial vehicles or trailers while lawfully in operation on public rights-of-way (UDC 7.4.1).
- Decorative flags and flags used as advertising displays (including blade, feather, shark fin, solid, and teardrop flags) are prohibited (UDC 7.4.2).
- Roof signs are prohibited (UDC 7.4.3).
- Portable signs are prohibited regardless of attachment to the ground or a fixed object, except sandwich board signs and signs on vehicles/trailers lawfully in operation on public rights-of-way (UDC 7.4.4).
- Revolving beams, beacons, search lights, lights resembling emergency vehicles or traffic control signals, high intensity lighting, and flashing/scrolling/strobe lighting are prohibited; outlining building walls with lighting on structures under three stories is prohibited except during Oct 31–Jan 10 (UDC 7.4.5).
- Signs with motion (moving signs or signs with moving parts) are prohibited (UDC 7.4.6).
- Reflective signs are prohibited, except governmental or public safety signs (UDC 7.4.7).
- No sign may be erected or maintained that obstructs motorists’ or pedestrians’ views or interferes with clear lines of sight; additional restrictions apply within required visibility triangles (UDC 7.6.5).
- Trees, rocks, bridges, fences, towers, and abandoned buildings shall not be used as sign supports unless approved through Alternative Equivalent Compliance (UDC 7.6.7).
- Flashing or intermittent forms of illumination are prohibited for all signs (UDC 7.6.8).

## Signs exempt from permit in Arlington

- This Article does not regulate building design; official traffic signs; gravestones; lighting or seasonal/traditional displays that are not commercially oriented; scoreboards on athletic fields; or any display or construction not defined as a sign (UDC 7.2.3).
- No sign permit is required for: repainting the same message; changing the message on a billboard; changing the digital message on an Electronic Message Center; replacing a sign face of the same size in the same panel for ground or pole signs (UDC 7.3.2 A–D).
- No sign permit is required for: public notices or warning signs required by law, including historical signs/markers and official vehicle inspection signs (UDC 7.3.2 E).
- No sign permit is required for: signs inside a building not visible from outside or the street (UDC 7.3.2 F).
- No sign permit is required for: signs within/on railway property related to railway operations (UDC 7.3.2 G).
- No sign permit is required for: underground utility warning/safety signs not exceeding 1 square foot (UDC 7.3.2 H).
- No sign permit is required for: security warning, neighborhood watch, or crime watch signs (UDC 7.3.2 I).
- No sign permit is required for: on‑premise residential real estate signs, garage sale signs, and other temporary signs per the Temporary Signs standards (UDC 7.3.2 J; 7.10).
- No sign permit is required for: political signs (UDC 7.3.2 K; 7.10.2).
- No sign permit is required for: sandwich board signs (subject to location and design standards) (UDC 7.3.2 L; 7.10.1).
- No sign permit is required for: window signs (subject to standards) (UDC 7.3.2 M; 7.8.12).
- No sign permit is required for: hanging (under‑canopy) signs (subject to standards) (UDC 7.3.2 N; 7.8.11).
- No sign permit is required for: primary flags (governmental flags and flags showing an official emblem of a business/corporation/organization), though a building permit may be required for the support structure (UDC 7.3.2 O; 7.6.11).

## Sign permit fees & timelines in Arlington

| Item | Details | Citation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extension of an unexpired sign permit | The permittee shall pay a fee for the extension of the unexpired permit. | — |

_The full published fee and review-timeline schedule for Arlington 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 28 zoning districts in Arlington — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Arlington+TX&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-arlington

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