# Sign Regulations in Richardson, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Richardson, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/richardson
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-19
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TX/Richardson/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH18SIRE)

## At a glance

Richardson, Texas regulates 6 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Pole Signs in the Apartment zoning districts zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 25 square feet, with a Minimum of 30 feet from an adjoining private property line. setback (Sec. Sec. 18-96. - Sign types described.). Most commercial signs in Richardson require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Apartment zoning districts | 2 | 8 feet | 40 square feet | — |
| Office, technical office and industrial zoning districts | 2 | 6 feet (less than 10 acres), 20 feet (10 acres or more) | 25 square feet (less than 10 acres), 60 square feet (10 acres or more) | — |
| Retail, commercial zoning districts | 2 | 20 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| Residential zoning districts | 2 | 6 feet (monument/pole) | 40 square feet (attached), 60 square feet (monument/pole), 25 square feet (bulletin board) | — |
| Industrial districts | 2 | 6 feet (less than 10 acres), 20 feet (10 acres or more) | 25 square feet (less than 10 acres), 60 square feet (10 acres or more) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 200 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Apartment zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Attached Sign | — | 40 square feet | — | — | No more than one attached sign per adjacent public street shall be permitted. | Signs shall not extend above the roof line. | — | Sec. 18-96. - Sign types described. |
| Pole Sign | 8 feet | 25 square feet | — | Minimum of 30 feet from an adjoining private property line. | No more than one pole sign per adjacent public street shall be permitted. | On-site | — | Sec. 18-96. - Sign types described. |

### Office, technical office and industrial zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Attached Sign | — | Five percent of the wall area | — | — | Two attached signs for single street frontage; one sign per street frontage for multiple street frontages. | Signs shall only be attached entirely below the roof line. | — | Sec. 18-96. - Sign types described. |
| Pole Sign | 6 feet (less than 10 acres), 20 feet (10 acres or more) | 25 square feet (less than 10 acres), 60 square feet (10 acres or more) | — | Minimum of 30 feet from an adjoining private property line. | One pole sign for sites less than 20 acres; additional pole sign for each additional ten acres over 20. | On-site | — | Sec. 18-96. - Sign types described. |

### Residential zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Contractor Sign | 4 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | One | On-premises | — | Sec. 18-96. - Sign types described. |
| Religious Institution Sign | 6 feet (monument/pole) | 40 square feet (attached), 60 square feet (monument/pole), 25 square feet (bulletin board) | — | Minimum of 30 feet from adjoining private property lines. | One pole or monument sign, one attached sign, and one attached bulletin board. | Attached signs must be located entirely below the roof line of the building. | — | Sec. 18-96. - Sign types described. |

## Prohibited signs in Richardson

- It shall be unlawful for any person to display or advertise upon any sign any obscene, indecent or immoral matter.
- No person shall erect, maintain or permit the erection of any balloon or other floating device anchored to the ground or to any structure, except as allowed by other provisions of this chapter.
- No person shall locate, place or attach any sign, paper or other material or paint, stencil or write any name, number (except house numbers) or otherwise mark on any sidewalk, curb, gutter, street, tree, tower, public utility pole or structure, public building, street light, public fence, public right-of-way, fire hydrant, bridge, park bench, or public structure, or other location on public property, except such signs as allowed by this chapter or chapter 13, article XIII.
- No sign located internal or external to a building or vehicle shall be illuminated to an intensity to cause glare or brightness to a degree that could constitute a hazard or nuisance.
- Moving, flashing, animated, intermittently lighted, changing color, beacons, revolving or similarly constructed signs shall not be allowed except where permissible in this chapter.
- No person shall place on or suspend from the exterior of any building, pole, structure, projecting structure, parkway, driveway or parking area any goods, wares, merchandise or other advertising object or structure for the purpose of advertising such items, other than a sign as defined, regulated and prescribed by this chapter except as otherwise allowed by ordinance controlling the outside storage and display of goods, wares or merchandise.
- No cloth, paper, banner, flag, device or other similar advertising matter shall be permitted to be attached, suspended from or allowed to hang loose from any sign, building or structure, except as allowed by other provisions of this chapter.
- No lighted sign shall be erected within 150 feet of a residential property line unless lighting is shielded from view in the direction of the residential district.
- No signs attached to a trailer, skid or similar mobile structure, where the primary use of such structure is for sign purposes, will be permitted.
- A-frame signs and sandwich-board signs are prohibited.
- No person shall erect, maintain or permit the erection of portable lighting displays including, but not limited to, laser lights and displays and searchlights.
- A canopy may not be illuminated in a manner to allow the transmission of light through the canopy material unless allowed by a special permit of the sign control board.
- Signs that are held by or attached to a human being, with the exception of political signs, are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Richardson

- Traffic or other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, danger and such emergency, temporary signs are not subject to the provisions of this chapter.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- An application for a variation to the conditions of this chapter shall be accompanied by a variance application fee set in accordance with a resolution of the city council enacted from time to time for this purpose.
- Such application for a variance may cover more than one sign, but shall apply to one applicant and one location.
- The notification for a variance application must appear in the official newspaper of the city at least seven days prior to the date on which the request is heard by the sign control board.
- Permit application shall include, but not be limited to, a drawing or sketch showing the type, size, height and location of the temporary promotional sign (including banners, flags and pennants) along with a description of the means of attachment or support, and the stated purposes of the promotion.

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

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