# Sign Regulations in Clifton, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Clifton, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/clifton
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Clifton, Texas regulates 14 sign types across 2 zoning districts. Window Sign (Permanent)s in the Downtown Historic District zoning district are capped at 12 inches for characters/words tall and 25% of window area (Sec. § 151.13(B)(6), (B)(7)). Most commercial signs in Clifton require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (2 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Downtown Historic District | 6 | 48 inches | 45 sq ft (individual); 90 sq ft (total per building); 2 sq ft per 50 sq ft facade. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Downtown Historic District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 45 sq ft (individual); 90 sq ft (total per building); 2 sq ft per 50 sq ft facade. | — | — | No more than 2 per street facade; additional for rear entrance if applicable | Affixed to building facade or rear if rear public entrance; not from parapet or roof. | — | § 151.13(B), (D), (E) |
| Awning and Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Flat against awning or canopy surface. | — | § 151.13(B)(5), (B)(7); (D) |
| Window Sign (Permanent) | 12 inches for characters/words | 25% of window area | — | — | — | On glass windows | — | § 151.13(B)(6), (B)(7) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 48 inches | — | — | — | — | Outside on sidewalk (only when business is open) | — | § 151.13(B)(4) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 30 sq ft for banners | — | — | — | On building (glass windows, exterior, banners, pennant flags) | — | § 151.13(C) |
| Rear Entrance Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 additional per rear public entrance (if applicable) | Rear of building with public entrance not facing street. | — | § 151.13(D)(2), (D)(4) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding/Detached/Pole Sign | — | — | — | ≥10 ft from curb/street edge unless sign height ≤3 ft 6 in. | — | Not attached to building; not within 10 feet of curb/street edge on non-residential property where no controlled ingress/egress exists (unless sign is ≤3 ft 6 in tall). | — | § 151.11(A); § 151.07(B) |
| Wall Sign (Attached/Building Sign) | — | — | — | — | — | Attached to building | — | § 151.11(B) |
| Off-Premises Sign (Outdoor Advertising Billboard) | — | — | — | — | — | Off-premises | — | § 151.11(C) |
| Temporary Sign/Portable Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 151.07(A); § 151.06 |
| Banner | — | — | — | — | — | Non-residential areas, on property it advertises. | — | § 151.06(C), (D) |
| Sandwich Board/A-Frame/Sidewalk/Curb Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Business districts, sidewalk or curb. | — | § 151.06(E) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 151.06(F) |
| Political Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Private property with permission | — | § 151.06(A) |

## Prohibited signs in Clifton

- Temporary and portable signs, except those specifically allowed in the ordinance.
- Signs located within ten feet of the curb or street surface edge on non-residential property where no controlled ingress/egress exists, unless such signs are no higher than three feet, six inches above the lowest adjacent street or driveway grade.
- Signs which project more than 12 inches over a public sidewalk or other walkway shall not be lower than seven feet above the adjacent grade if non-electrified, or nine feet if electrified.
- Any sign which violates or would violate any other applicable law or ordinance.
- Any sign which resembles an official traffic-control device or sign, or which bears the words or symbols customarily used for traffic control.
- Any sign which incorporates a signal or device that mimics the emergency or warning lights of an emergency or road maintenance/construction vehicle or which hides from view any traffic or street sign or any safety signaling device.
- Signs in the public right-of-way or on any easement dedicated to public use, or upon any structure or appurtenance associated with a public utility or governmental agency.
- Signs within ten feet of overhead power lines, measured horizontally.
- Signs which have become potentially dangerous to life or property.
- Signs which constitute a public nuisance.
- Signs which are determined, upon inspection, to have been designed or erected to interfere with advertising signs owned by another.
- Electronic signs as defined in Tex. Administrative Code Title 43, Part 1, Ch. 21, Subch. I, Rule § 21.154.

## Signs exempt from permit in Clifton

- Any public notice or warning required by any federal, state or local law, regulation or ordinance.
- Traffic-control signs on private property, such as stop, yield and similar signs, the face of which meet State Department of Transportation standards and which contain no commercial message.
- Government signs erected by the city, county, state or federal government in the furtherance of their governmental responsibility.
- Legal notices.
- Any government-required sign (such as licensing requirements).
- Community service or special event signs are allowed but must conform to all other applicable provisions.
- Emergency signs.
- Informational signs of a public utility regarding its poles, lines, pipes or facilities.
- Emergency warning signs erected by a governmental agency, public utility, or contractor doing authorized or permitted work within the public right-of-way.
- Signs already in place as of the ordinance passage date (10-1-2002), except those which may violate other city ordinances, create a hazard to public health or safety, or have become abandoned.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Variance requests from any provision of the chapter must be made to the Planning and Zoning Commission, which can authorize a variance if it finds the public interest and welfare will be served.
- No indication in the ordinance text that a master sign plan or sign plan is required as a general condition for signs, but permits and potential variances are required for signage, especially within the Downtown Historic District.
- Within the Downtown Historic District, a permit is required for all signs except for real estate or temporary signs, and variances must be requested in writing to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

## Full detail

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

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