# Sign Regulations in Pharr, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Pharr, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/pharr
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-19
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TX/Pharr/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH106SI)

## At a glance

Pharr, Texas regulates 20 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Accessory Signs in the Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0) zoning district are capped at 10 feet tall and 16 square feet, with a 5 feet from property line setback (Sec. Sec. 106-141. - Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0).).

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | — | 300 square feet | — |
| Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0) | 5 | 30 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Residential districts (R-1, R-1A, R-1E, R-TH, R-MF, R-MFHD, R-MH, R-HCMH) | 2 | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Neighborhood-commercial district; office-professional district (N-C, O-P) | 6 | 30 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Downtown district, historic main street district | 5 | 6 feet | 60 square feet | — |
| Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts (C, C-2, H-C, L-I, H-I) | 10 | 60 feet | 800 square feet | — |
| Planned unit developments | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accessory Sign | 10 feet | 16 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-141. - Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0). |
| Directory Sign | 20 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-141. - Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0). |
| Ground/Pole Sign | 30 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-141. - Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0). |
| Subdivision Sign | 10 feet | 16 square feet on each side of entrance | — | — | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Attached to fence or wall at entrance | — | Sec. 106-141. - Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0). |
| Wall Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Attached or painted to fence or wall | — | Sec. 106-141. - Agricultural and/or open space district (A-0). |

### Neighborhood-commercial district; office-professional district (N-C, O-P)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Canopy Sign | 10 feet | — | — | — | One per business | — | — | Sec. 106-143. - Neighborhood-commercial district; office-professional district |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-143. - Neighborhood-commercial district; office-professional district |
| Directory Sign | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-143. - Neighborhood-commercial district; office-professional district |
| Ground/Pole Sign | 30 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | One per site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-143. - Neighborhood-commercial district; office-professional district |
| Subdivision Sign | 10 feet | 16 square feet on each side of entrance | — | — | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Attached to fence or wall at entrance | — | Sec. 106-143. - Neighborhood-commercial district; office-professional district |
| Wall Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | Two per site | Attached or painted on wall or fence | — | Sec. 106-143. - Neighborhood-commercial district; office-professional district |

### Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts (C, C-2, H-C, L-I, H-I)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accessory Sign | 10 feet | 16 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-145. - Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts. |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 20 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-145. - Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts. |
| Directory Sign | 20 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-145. - Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts. |
| Ground or Pole Sign | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — | 5 feet from property line | One per site, additional for each 300 feet of frontage | Minimum setback: 5 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-145. - Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts. |
| Ground or Pole Sign (Expressway Corridor) | 60 feet | 800 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line | One per site, additional for each 300 feet of frontage | Minimum setback: 10 feet from property line | — | Sec. 106-145. - Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts. |
| Marquee Sign | — | 32 square feet | 8 feet | — | One per site | — | — | Sec. 106-145. - Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts. |
| Roof Sign | 4 feet | 16 feet in length | — | — | One per site | — | — | Sec. 106-145. - Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts. |
| Subdivision Sign | 10 feet | 16 square feet on each side of entrance | — | — | Combination of any two permanent signs per business/site | Attached to fence or wall at entrance | — | Sec. 106-145. - Business districts; heavy commercial and industrial districts. |

## Prohibited signs in Pharr

- No sign shall be located within the five-foot area surrounding any place of pedestrian ingress or egress to a building or structure or shall be so placed as to prevent free ingress or egress from any window, door, required exit or fire escape.
- No sign shall be allowed within the restricted area described as follows: All of that portion of land lying within a triangular shaped area on each street corner within the city described by metes and bounds as follows: Beginning at the precise corner of the intersection point of the curbs of each of the two streets forming each corner and extending 12 feet along each such curb line from such curb intersection point, the straight line from the ends of such 12-foot extensions, whether such land be privately owned or unpaved or un-traveled street right-of-way.
- No sign of any type shall be placed within the public right-of-way.
- It shall be unlawful to erect or maintain any sign which is not included under the types of signs permitted in district regulations.
- Any signs which resemble an official traffic sign or signal which bear the words 'stop,' 'go slow,' 'caution,' 'danger,' 'warning' or similar words, and which were not placed by proper governmental authority.
- Signs which by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed to be a traffic control sign, signal, or device, and which were not placed by proper governmental authority, or the light of an emergency or road equipment vehicle, or which hide from view any traffic or street sign, signal or device.
- Signs placed on trees, rocks or utility poles.
- Signs that block other signs, fire escapes, doors and windows.
- Signs which emit sound, smoke or steam.
- Signs erected or placed within the public right-of-way shall be removed.
- It shall be unlawful to erect or maintain any off-premise sign(s), unless they are maintained under the provisions in section 106-62(g).
- Signs painted on rooftops.
- Portable or temporary digital LED or projection advertising signs.
- Ground pole signs made of any type of combustible material, (plywood, wood posts, etc.)
- Vehicle signs except as permitted in section 106-62 B(7).
- Signs containing manual change copy or CEDVMS which are greater than 30 percent of the allowable sign area.

## Signs exempt from permit in Pharr

- Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, or names of occupants of premises.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with a commercial promotion.
- Public signs of a public or noncommercial nature, which shall include community service information signs, public transit service signs (traffic signs), public utility information signs, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, signs indicating scenic or historical points of interest, and all signs erected by a public officer in the performance of a public duty.
- Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.
- Signs which are fully located within the interior of any building or stadium, or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building, and signs located within the inner or outer lobby, court, or entrance of any theatre which are intended solely for information relating to the interior operation of the building in which they are located.
- Memorial plaques or tablets, grave markers, statues and other remembrances of persons or events that is noncommercial in nature.
- Temporary banner signs three feet or less in width and height.
- Home occupation signs as allowed by the zoning ordinance.
- Temporary political signs.
- Temporary real estate signs having 32 square feet or less of face area.
- Window signs.
- Construction signs.
- Signs that are displayed on motor vehicles that are being operated or stored in the normal course of a business, such as signs indicating the name or the type of business, excluding all banners, that are located on moving vans, delivery trucks, trailers or other commercial vehicles are permitted; but only if the primary purpose of such vehicles is not for the display of the signs thereon, and only if such vehicles are parked or stored in areas appropriate to their use as commercial or delivery vehicles, such as service areas or locations close to the business building away from public traffic areas.
- Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property, but bearing no advertising matter.
- Garage/yard sale signs: Garage/yard sale signs are permitted only on private property on which the garage/yard sale is being conducted. Such signs are permitted no more than 12 hours prior to a sale and must be removed immediately after such sale.
- Gasoline price signs attached to a permanent fixture or structure not exceeding a total area of 12 square feet.
- Signs not exceeding three square feet in area attached to gas pumps or gas pump canopies that are informational or directional and do not contain advertising matter.
- Street banner signs hanging over a public right-of-way for a limited time with permission from the city manager.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Applicant's signs are to be approved as part of the required site plan.

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

---

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