# Sign Regulations in Gatesville, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Gatesville, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/gatesville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TX/Gatesville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH42SI)

## At a glance

Gatesville, Texas regulates 16 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Ground/Freestanding Signs in the Zone A zoning district are capped at 70 ft tall and 200 sq. ft. per face, 400 sq. ft. per sign (Sec. Sec. 42-12; Sec. 42-5(a)-(c); Sec. 42-6(1)(b), (2); Sec. 42-11). Most commercial signs in Gatesville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Zone A | 2 | 70 ft | 200 sq. ft. per face, 400 sq. ft. per sign | — |
| Zone B | 2 | 18 ft | 64 sq. ft. per face, 128 sq. ft. per sign | — |
| Zone C | 2 | 35 ft | 200 sq. ft. per face, 400 sq. ft. per sign | — |
| Zone D | 3 | — | 144 square inches per sign per street frontage | — |
| Planned Development District | 1 | Not greater than max building height in district (may be measured at property line or highway centerline at higher elevation) | 200 sq. ft. for first 6 acres + 10 sq. ft./additional acre (all faces, all street frontages) | — |
| Floodplain District | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | — | 16 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Zone A

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground/Freestanding Sign | 70 ft | 200 sq. ft. per face, 400 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | One per 100 ft of frontage | Within property lines, not in right-of-way | — | Sec. 42-12; Sec. 42-5(a)-(c); Sec. 42-6(1)(b), (2); Sec. 42-11 |
| Business Identification Sign | — | 10% of wall area per frontage | — | — | — | On building (wall or projecting) | — | Sec. 42-6(1) |

### Zone D

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Flat/Window Sign (Residential) | — | 144 square inches per sign per street frontage | — | — | One per residence or one per unit in multifamily zones | Facing each street adjoining the lot, on the residence | — | Sec. 42-15(b)-(c) |
| Ground Sign (Subdivision/Neighborhood/Complex) | — | — | — | Set off the right-of-way and any easement | — | Major entrances of the area or complex; may be embedded in fence/gateway entrance built of masonry/brick/stone and set off right-of-way and easement | — | Sec. 42-15(d) |
| Ground Sign (Proposed Subdivision/Development) | — | 32 sq. ft. per face | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 42-15(e) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Banner Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On property, or mounted to building/structure | — | Sec. 42-4(b) |
| Temporary Political Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Not in right-of-way, not on tree/utility pole/permanent sign | — | Sec. 42-4(c) |
| Professional Nameplate/Shingle/Occupant Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On building | — | Sec. 42-4(d) |
| Church/Library/Museum/School Bulletin Board | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On building or grounds | — | Sec. 42-4(e) |
| Construction/Contractor Sign (Temporary) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 42-4(f) |
| Window/Door Sign (Interior) | — | — | — | — | — | Painted or attached to interior of window or door in public access building | — | Sec. 42-4(h) |
| Business-Owned Off-Premises Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On commercial property, but not business premises | — | Sec. 42-4(i) |
| Real Estate Sales/Rental Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On lot/yard of property for sale/rent, any yard | — | Sec. 42-9(d) |

## Prohibited signs in Gatesville

- Any programmable sign with a moving, crawling, scrolling or ticker-tape style message is prohibited (except time/temperature signs that do not scroll).
- Advertising blimps and tethered balloons over 20 feet in height are prohibited.
- Billboard (outdoor advertising) signs are not permitted within the city limits.
- No sign shall be placed within the public right-of-way or encroach upon it.
- No sign shall be erected, placed or allowed to remain if it creates confusion, impairs hearing or vision, or distracts drivers; specifically, high intensity bare bulb lighting, signs that distract from traffic signs or signals by color or operation, and signs or equipment that produce noise simulating sirens, bells, or whistles are prohibited.
- No sign or lighting shall expose nearby residential property to high intensity lighting or noise.
- Permanent signs deemed dilapidated, deteriorated, unreadable, illegible, structurally unsound or unsafe with no repair or renovation orders pending are considered abandoned and subject to abatement.

## Signs exempt from permit in Gatesville

- Banner signs are allowed without a permit.
- Temporary political signs are allowed without a permit if not in a right-of-way or attached to a tree, utility pole, or permanent sign, limited to 60 days prior to an event and removed within 14 days after.
- Professional nameplates, shingle signs or occupant signs are allowed without permit, if located on the building and not exceeding six square feet.
- Church, library, museum, or school signs or bulletin boards under sixteen square feet are allowed without a permit fee if located on the building or grounds.
- Signs identifying active construction sites or contractors, and not in place more than 60 days, are allowed.
- Government agency signs are allowed without a permit.
- Signs painted or attached to the interior of a window or door in a public access building are allowed without a permit, provided they do not obstruct safety view of the interior.
- Symbols integral to the building structure and those not visible or readable from the public street are not limited by sign regulations.
- Minor routine maintenance of permanent signs does not require a new sign permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permanent signs with a height above natural grade of 20 feet require design plans by a manufacturer or engineer.
- Major repair, renovation, or damage of a permanent sign is considered to require a new sign permit.
- Sign permit required per fee schedule for permanent signage (Sec 42-11).

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

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