# Sign Regulations in Mesquite, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Mesquite, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/mesquite
- **Data last verified:** 2026-01-20
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TX/Mesquite/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH13SI)

## At a glance

Mesquite, Texas regulates 34 sign types across 15 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Nonresidential districts (GR, LC, C, MU) zoning district are capped at 10 ft; up to 20 ft under specified conditions tall and 50 sq ft (face); up to 100 sq ft if >150 ft frontage, multi-tenant >25k sq ft, PD office/ind park, or abuts 55+ mph hwy, with a No visibility hazard setback (Sec. Sec. 13-75(d)(5); Sec. 13-73(o)). Most commercial signs in Mesquite require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (15 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 10 feet | 36 square feet per side | — |
| Residential Districts R and D (single-family; duplex) | 6 | 6 feet (residential use) | 50 square feet (sign face); base <=50% of monument area; monument <=2x sign face area | — |
| Residential District A (multi-family) | 4 | 6 feet | 50 square feet (face); base <=50% monument; monument <=2x face | — |
| Residential districts | 1 | 6 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Nonresidential districts (GR, LC, C, MU) | 13 | 20 ft; 35 ft or 25 ft above nearest hwy lane if abuts specified freeways | 60 sq ft; 200 sq ft if abuts I-20/I-30/I-635/US80 | — |
| Form-based districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned development districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| Downtown Mesquite Main Street Program Boundary Area | 1 | — | — | — |
| Downtown Mesquite Special Purpose Zoning District (DM-District) | 15 | As per Sec. 13-73(o) | 80% of total for changeable copy | — |
| DM-C (Downtown Mesquite - Core) | 12 | 4 feet | 80% changeable | — |
| DM-MU (Downtown Mesquite - Mixed-Use) | 9 | 4 feet | 24x36 in | — |
| DM-E (Downtown Mesquite - Edge) | 9 | As general | 24x36 in | — |
| Planned Development office/industrial park | 1 | 20 feet | 100 square feet (enhanced) | — |
| Entertainment overlay zoning district | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned Development - Gateway | 1 | 50 feet | 50 square feet per side | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 15 zones)

### Nonresidential districts (GR, LC, C, MU)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Banner Sign (Temporary) | — | 30 square feet | — | — | 1 per business | Building exterior | — | Sec. 13-75(d)(1); Sec. 13-73(b) |
| Canopy Display | 3.5 feet | 50% canopy face or 50 sq ft, whichever less | — | — | Multiple per canopy face | Vertical face of hard canopy/roof covering freestanding structure | — | Sec. 13-75(d)(2); Sec. 13-73(f) |
| Movable Sign (Temporary) | 15 feet | 30 square feet | — | — | 2 per street frontage | Private property, not ROW; GR, LC, C, MU only | — | Sec. 13-75(d)(4); Sec. 13-73(p) |
| Monument Sign | 10 ft; up to 20 ft under specified conditions | 50 sq ft (face); up to 100 sq ft if >150 ft frontage, multi-tenant >25k sq ft, PD office/ind park, or abuts 55+ mph hwy | — | No visibility hazard | 1 per 300 linear ft frontage, min 60 ft apart | Street frontage | — | Sec. 13-75(d)(5); Sec. 13-73(o) |
| On-site Instructional Sign | 10 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | Approved by official | Premises for directions | — | Sec. 13-75(d)(7); Sec. 13-73(r) |
| Pole Sign | 20 ft; 35 ft or 25 ft above nearest hwy lane if abuts specified freeways | 60 sq ft; 200 sq ft if abuts I-20/I-30/I-635/US80 | — | 30 ft from interior side/rear lines; = height from residential boundary | 1 per lot | Non-residential lots | — | Sec. 13-75(d)(8); Sec. 13-73(t) |
| Small Profile Sign | 4 feet | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | On lot | — | Sec. 13-75(d)(10) |
| Wall Sign | 1/3 wall, max 10 ft | 40 sq ft or 2x frontage | 75% frontage | — | As per frontage | Street/entrance facade | — | Sec. 13-75(d)(12); Sec. 13-73(y) |

### Downtown Mesquite Special Purpose Zoning District (DM-District)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade Sign | 4 feet | — | — | — | As permitted | DM-C, DM-MU; perpendicular from facade | — | Sec. 13-76; Table 13-76.01 |
| Hanging Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | As per business | DM-C, DM-MU; first floor or upper with covered entry/porch/balcony | — | Sec. 13-76; Table 13-76.01 |
| Marquee Sign | — | 80% of total for changeable copy | — | — | As permitted | DM-C | — | Sec. 13-76; Table 13-76.01 |
| Monument Sign | As per Sec. 13-73(o) | As per Sec. 13-73(o) | — | — | As general | DM-E | — | Sec. 13-76; Table 13-76.01 |
| Plaque Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | As per entry | DM-C; wall adjacent to tenant entry | — | Sec. 13-76; Table 13-76.01 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 per tenant space frontage | DM-C, DM-MU; first/second floor | — | Sec. 13-76; Table 13-76.01 |
| Wall Sign | As per Sec. 13-73(y) | As per Sec. 13-73(y) | — | — | As general | DM-C, DM-MU, DM-E; within sign band if exists | — | Sec. 13-76; Table 13-76.01 |
| Window Sign | — | As per Sec. 13-73(z) | — | — | 1 per window | DM-C, DM-MU, DM-E; ground floor primary street/parking; 2nd floor commercial without ground occupancy | — | Sec. 13-76; Table 13-76.01 |

### DM-C (Downtown Mesquite - Core)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade Sign | 4 feet | — | — | — | As business | Perpendicular from facade | — | Sec. 13-76 Table |
| Creative Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Contextual | — | Sec. 13-76 Table |
| Hanging Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | First/upper with cover | — | Sec. 13-76 Table |
| Plaque Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Adjacent entry | — | Sec. 13-76 Table |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | 1st/2nd floor | — | Sec. 13-76 Table |
| Wall Sign | — | As general | — | — | — | Sign band if exists | — | Sec. 13-76 Table |
| Window Sign | — | As general | — | — | 1 per pane | Ground floor primary | — | Sec. 13-76 Table |
| A-Frame Sign | — | 24x36 in | — | — | 1 | Front of business | — | Sec. 13-76 Table |

## Prohibited signs in Mesquite

- Signs displaying any misrepresentation, illegality, or matter prohibited by law
- Signs obstructing free ingress/egress from doors, windows, or fire escapes
- Signs attached to standpipes or fire escapes (except ghost signs or murals)
- Illuminated signs causing glare, brightness hazard, or nuisance; no intense glare to residential districts; no EVS without City Council variance (except replacements); luminance limits
- Signs interfering with vehicular/pedestrian traffic or confusing with traffic signs/signals/devices
- Vehicular signs where vehicle is parked for advertising purposes; signs on trailers/skids used primarily as sign bases; signs on vehicles/trailers visible from public ROW for on-site advertising
- Painting, marking, or attaching signs to streets, sidewalks, utility poles, public buildings, fences, or structures (except house numbers; not applicable to ghost signs or murals)
- Attaching placards or signs to fences, posts, railings, sidewalks, public telephones, utility poles, trees, or public property
- Signs on or over public property without City permission for public purposes
- New billboard signs prohibited (existing pre-1989 in City or pre-2005 in ETJ allowed with specs)
- Partially constructed signs where work ceases >10 days or permit expires without completion
- A-frame signs
- Roof signs
- Movable signs except as expressly permitted
- Portable signs
- Garage sale signs on public property
- Pennants in poorly maintained condition
- Sign walkers on public property or off-premises
- Off-premise signs not expressly permitted
- Bandit signs (nuisance, removable without notice; offense to place on public property/ROW)

## Signs exempt from permit in Mesquite

- Signs in the interior of premises not defined as window signs (exempt from provisions except safety)
- Official notices of courts/public offices and legal notices posted (exempt from provisions except safety)
- Government signs for public instruction, location/direction, street/highway designation, traffic control (exempt from provisions except safety)
- Street number signs ≤1 square foot (exempt from provisions except safety)
- Signs ≤1 square foot (exempt from permit/fee)
- Political signs (exempt from permit/fee; regulated by state law where applicable)
- Sign walkers (exempt from permit/fee)
- Small profile signs (exempt from permit/fee)
- Window signs, including bay banners (exempt from permit/fee)
- Flags, maximum 3 per lot (exempt from permit/fee)
- Tablets cut into masonry surface of building facade (exempt from permit/fee)

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Board of Adjustment may grant variances for height, size, and location of permitted signs (except electronic video screens); application to Planning and Zoning Division; public hearing within 45 days; criteria: not contrary to public interest, unnecessary hardship; 4 votes required; valid 180 days
- City Council may grant variances for electronic video screens (EVS), including height/size/design; application to Director; public hearing within 45 days; specific criteria including commercial/industrial zoning, minimum building size, freeway frontage, no traffic interference, max 700 sq ft per face, no sound, 2-mile spacing (except replacements); content not considered
- In planned development districts, signage governed by Chapter 13 unless specified otherwise in PD ordinance (may require sign plan)
- For freeway-oriented marquee signs in entertainment overlay, City Council variance required for more than one sign
- Electronic message centers and electronic video screens prohibited in form-based and historic districts

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

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