# Sign Regulations in Kemah, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Kemah, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/kemah
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TX/Kemah/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CH74SI)

## At a glance

Kemah, Texas regulates 16 sign types across 2 zoning districts. Monument Sign - Single Business Establishments in the Commercial and nonresidential tracts, Office park and business park districts zoning district are capped at 8 ft above highest finished grade at front property line tall and 200 sq ft (or 100 sq ft per sign face on double-sided signs) (Sec. Sec. 74-21(d)(3)a,c). Most commercial signs in Kemah require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (2 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial and nonresidential tracts, Office park and business park districts | 13 | 50 ft above highest finished grade at front property line | 240 sq ft total (or 120 sq ft per face on double-sided signs) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 8 ft | 36 sq ft per face | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Commercial and nonresidential tracts, Office park and business park districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign - Single Business Establishment | 8 ft above highest finished grade at front property line | 200 sq ft (or 100 sq ft per sign face on double-sided signs) | — | — | One per business establishment per street with vehicular entrance | On-premises, at business establishment; allowed per street if business has vehicular entrances on multiple streets. | — | Sec. 74-21(d)(3)a,c |
| Monument Sign - Multi-Tenant/Common Building | 8 ft above highest finished grade at front property line | 200 sq ft (or 100 sq ft per sign face); may increase by 10 sq ft per establishment up to 400 sq ft (or 200 sq ft per sign face) | — | — | One per common building | On-premises at common building | — | Sec. 74-21(d)(3)b,c |
| Monument Sign - Second Sign (Developments 40,000 sq ft+) | 8 ft | Same as above signs (max allowed for one establishment or as calculated for multitenant as applicable) | — | — | Second monument sign for developments 40,000 sq ft+ | On-premises | — | Sec. 74-21(d)(3)d |
| Freestanding Sign | 50 ft above highest finished grade at front property line | 200 sq ft per face for single-faced, 400 sq ft total for multi-faced | — | — | One per business establishment per street with vehicular entrance | On-premises; one per business establishment per street with vehicular entrance | — | Sec. 74-21(d)(4) |
| Freestanding Sign - Second Sign (Developments 40,000 sq ft+) | 50 ft above grade | 200 sq ft per face for single-faced, 400 sq ft total for multi-faced | — | — | Second freestanding sign for developments 40,000 sq ft+ | On-premises; only allowed once site buildings exceed 40,000 sq ft. | — | Sec. 74-21(d)(4)c |
| Billboard | — | Typically, sign face 14 x 48 ft per face per definition (672 sq ft/face); [but requires approval] | — | — | Case-by-case | As approved by special permit | — | Sec. 74-21(d)(5) |
| Directory Monument Sign (Office park and business park districts) | 8 ft | 50 sq ft max | — | — | One per building with multiple tenants | On-premises, for each building with multiple tenants in office complex | — | Sec. 74-21(d)(6) |
| Portable Sign (On-premises) | — | 240 sq ft (or 120 sq ft per face on double-sided signs) | — | — | One per lawfully operating business | On premises of lawfully operating business | — | Sec. 74-21(d)(10)a |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | 8 ft | 36 sq ft per face | — | — | One per street frontage | On property for sale/rent, not more than one per street frontage | — | Sec. 74-21(c)(2)d |
| Garage Sale or Open House Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 74-21(c)(2)c |
| Election Sign | 8 ft | 36 sq ft per face | — | — | — | On private property; self-supporting | — | Sec. 74-21(c)(2)e |

## Prohibited signs in Kemah

- No person shall erect, construct, suspend, or maintain any sign across or above any public right-of-way, sidewalk, or any portion thereof.
- No sign shall be erected, constructed, or maintained in any manner that obstructs a means of egress or any opening necessary for required for firefighting.
- No sign shall be erected in a manner that obstructs the safe flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- No sign confusingly similar to a traffic-control sign or device shall be placed in the view of any street or thoroughfare.
- The words 'stop', 'danger', 'yield', and similar words, phrases, and symbols that may interfere with, mislead, or confuse vehicular traffic are prohibited.
- Snipe signs and bandit signs are prohibited within the city limits, except as expressly allowed for temporary governmental, election, or certain permitted civic special events.
- Only indirect, diffuse, or neon lighting shall be permitted for sign illumination.
- Lighted strips designed to outline commercial door and window frames, signs and/or commercial structures are prohibited.
- No signs shall be placed on or above public property, public structures, public right-of-way, water, sewer, and drainage easements except as specifically provided.
- Unless otherwise approved by city council, the size of the display for any sign shall not exceed 200 square feet per face for single-faced signs or 400 square feet for multi-faced signs total gross area.
- Signs must be kept in good repair. If portions are incomplete or missing and not repaired within 30 days (or 15 days for structural defects), the sign is considered abandoned.
- If a sign has structural design flaws constituting a clear and immediate threat to the public or to adjacent property owners, the city may secure or dismantle the sign at the owner's expense.
- A person commits an offense if intentionally or knowingly working upon a sign for which a written stop order was issued by the sign administrator of the city.

## Signs exempt from permit in Kemah

- Signs erected by the Texas Highway Department, Galveston County, the city, any other governmental entity or by persons or organizations with specific city council permission under temporary sign provisions are exempt from some placement restrictions.
- Snipe and bandit signs are allowed without a permit if they direct the public to a special event of civic interest linked to the city (parades, organized holiday festivities, or other charitable/nonprofit events), erected for no more than ten days before and two days after the event.
- Changing the advertising copy or message of an existing permitted sign does not require a permit.
- Changing the message or copy of an electric sign, if designed for replaceable copy, does not require a permit.
- Garage sale or open house signs do not require a permit.
- Real estate signs not exceeding 36 square feet per face and eight feet in height, and not more than one per street frontage for the property, do not require a permit.
- A sign for a public election is exempt from permit requirements if: (1) on private property; (2) erected no sooner than 60 days before and removed no later than 7 days after the election; (3) does not exceed 36 square feet per sign face; (4) does not exceed eight feet in height; (5) is self-supporting.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All applications for sign permits must be accompanied by a plan or plans drawn to scale, showing dimensions, supporting members, height, and location.
- Where two or more business establishments utilize a common building (for wall signs), a master sign plan drawn to a standard architectural or engineering scale must be submitted to the city, showing the exact size and location of each sign.
- Where two or more business establishments utilize a common building (for monument signs), a master sign plan drawn to a standard architectural or engineering scale must be submitted to the city, showing the exact size and location of each sign.
- Variances from the sign ordinance must be heard and decided by the city council sitting as a board of adjustment.

## Full detail

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/kemah