# Sign Regulations in Selma, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Selma, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/selma
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TX/Selma/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIILADERE_CH74SI)

## At a glance

Selma, Texas regulates 12 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Ground Sign)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 16 ft or 2/3 of building height, whichever is less tall and See formula. Max area per sign up to 200 sq ft per face; total may be combined if multiple allowed signs (max area = 0.5 sq ft/linear ft of frontage, up to 200 sq ft per face), with a Subject to map/zone setbacks except as specified; in front/street side yards, subject to area percentages in Table 2; not within rear or interior side yards. setback (Sec. 74-271; Table 1; Table 2; 74-193). Most commercial signs in Selma require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | Cannot project above roofline or top of parapet, except: (single-story buildings only, wall-mounted, up to 16 ft to top of sign, may project above parapet up to 33 1/3% of sign height). | Category A: 350 sq ft; Category B: 250 sq ft; Category C: 200 sq ft; minimum for each tenant: 75 sq ft, but not more than 26% of facing wall (if Category A) | — |
| IH 35 Overlay District | 1 | 50 ft (commercial ground sign, within 150 ft of IH 35, per Sec. 74-223) | 200 sq ft per side (gross face area) | — |
| Industrial Zone (LI), Commercial Zone (C-1, C-2) | 3 | See General Regulations | See General Regulations | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Cannot project above roofline or top of parapet, except: (single-story buildings only, wall-mounted, up to 16 ft to top of sign, may project above parapet up to 33 1/3% of sign height). | Category A: 350 sq ft; Category B: 250 sq ft; Category C: 200 sq ft; minimum for each tenant: 75 sq ft, but not more than 26% of facing wall (if Category A) | — | — | — | Affixed to building or structure with exposed face parallel or nearly parallel to building. Can use allowed wall sign area on non-frontage walls. | — | 74-291; Table 3; 74-192; 74-81; 74-291(g); 74-193 |
| Freestanding Sign (Ground Sign) | 16 ft or 2/3 of building height, whichever is less | See formula. Max area per sign up to 200 sq ft per face; total may be combined if multiple allowed signs (max area = 0.5 sq ft/linear ft of frontage, up to 200 sq ft per face) | — | Subject to map/zone setbacks except as specified; in front/street side yards, subject to area percentages in Table 2; not within rear or interior side yards. | One per premises per frontage; >250 ft frontage additional signs allowed | On private property along frontage used to determine allowance; not allowed in rear or interior side yards. Ground signs may project over public ROW per Table 5 size limits. | — | 74-271; Table 1; Table 2; 74-193 |
| Projecting Sign | May not extend above roofline at wall/parapet except: only on single-story building, no more than 2 ft above parapet, max height to top = 16 ft, max projection above parapet = 33.3% of sign height. | See formula; max 100 sq ft per face (on >60 ft ROW, 50+ mph); if used with ground sign, area of both is reduced to 1/2 of allowed area (Table 1/Table 4) | — | — | One per right-of-way frontage; if ≥250 ft frontage, two projecting signs permitted | Over public right-of-way or over private property; only installed on own frontage; minimum 8 ft clearance over grade; must be at least 10 ft from another projecting sign. | — | 74-311—74-322; Table 4; Table 5 |
| Portable Sign (Electric/Non-Electric) | Top of sign may not exceed 7 ft above ground | — | 8 ft max | At least 2 ft inside private property line | — | Must be located at least 2 ft inside private property line; not on sidewalk, street, or public thoroughfare. | — | 74-371—74-374 |
| Directional Sign (Secondary Sign) | 8 ft max | 12 sq ft per sign | — | — | One near each driveway | Near each driveway | — | 74-343 |
| Temporary Construction Site Sign | 16 ft | 160 sq ft | — | — | One per frontage; +1 if frontage >500 ft | Ground or wall sign; ground sign must be within 35 ft of frontage right-of-way. | — | 74-461 |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Ground or Wall) | 16 ft (ground); wall sign may not be above parapet or roofline | See formula | Horizontal dimension may not exceed 2.5 times vertical | — | — | Entirely within property lines of premises; not in ROW | — | 74-462 |
| Automatic Changing or Changeable Electronic Variable Message Sign (CEVMS) | — | Not more than 50% of face of sign; only one electronic sign per platted lot; must comply with maximum for primary sign. Not within 150 ft of residential zone or property. | — | 25 ft from any side property lot line. | One electronic sign per platted lot | 25 ft from any side property lot line; not allowed within 150 ft of residential property. | — | 74-431 |

### IH 35 Overlay District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial Sign (Ground/Freestanding, Wall, or Projecting allowed if permitted in underlying zone) | 50 ft (commercial ground sign, within 150 ft of IH 35, per Sec. 74-223) | 200 sq ft per side (gross face area) | — | Minimum 30 ft setback | — | Within 150 ft on either side of IH 35 (incorporated city limits); must meet base zone requirements except as modified. | — | 74-221—74-225 |

### Industrial Zone (LI), Commercial Zone (C-1, C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | See General Regulations | See General Regulations | — | — | — | Affixed to building; see General Regulations | — | 74-291; 74-61 |
| Freestanding Sign (Ground Sign) | See General Regulations | See General Regulations | — | — | — | See General Regulations | — | 74-271; 74-61 |
| Projecting Sign | See General Regulations | See General Regulations | — | — | — | See General Regulations | — | 74-311—74-322; 74-61 |

## Prohibited signs in Selma

- No sign, sign structure, or sign support shall project over any property line or into a public right-of-way unless otherwise noted.
- No person shall post, erect, or maintain any sign within the city except as allowed by the provisions of this chapter.
- No owner of real property within the city shall allow posting, erection, or maintenance of any sign on their property that is in violation of the provisions of this chapter.
- No person shall post, erect, or maintain any sign within the public right-of-way or upon any public property without prior written consent by the governmental agency.
- Signs shall not contain product advertising except as necessary to identify the occupant or type of business operation or use.
- Signs shall not be erected or maintained in a manner that obscures or otherwise physically interferes with an official traffic sign, signal or device, or that obstructs the driver's view of traffic.
- No sign shall be permitted that is not effectively shielded to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of traveled ways of a road or highway, or is of such intensity or brilliance that it causes glare or impairs driver vision.
- No sign shall interfere with the effectiveness of, or obscure, an official traffic sign, signal or device.
- No person shall attach, place, paint, write, stamp or paste any sign, advertisement or other matter upon any public property, including lamp posts, poles, hydrants, sidewalks, buildings, etc., except for public purposes.
- No person shall attach, place, paint, write, stamp or post any sign on private premises without written permission of the owner and compliance with this chapter.
- The following signs are prohibited in all districts: signs and supports on the public right-of-way without permit; signs with flashing, blinking, or traveling lights (except as specifically permitted); banners, pennants, searchlights, twirling signs, sandwich/A frame signs, sidewalk or curb signs, balloons or gas-filled objects (except by special permit); display of merchandise or work as a sign in residential districts; signs resembling official traffic signs or signals; signs that may be confused with or construed as traffic control signs or signals; signs emitting sound, odor, or visible matter as a distraction to the public right-of-way; billboards or signs advertising products or services not available on the site; roof signs.
- No sign shall be placed to obstruct or interfere with a window, doorway, or other means of egress, nor be supported on fire escapes, nor attached to door or window casing.
- No swinging signs shall be erected over a street, alley, or public place (except as expressly permitted over a sidewalk with setbacks).
- No sign shall be erected or maintained so as to interfere with a fire hydrant, traffic light, fire alarm box, or streetlight, or where it imperils public safety or interferes with fire department functions.
- The use of staples, wires, and wood plugs in erecting signs is prohibited.
- No rotating or moving signs shall be permitted, nor shall electrical or illuminated signs blink or be intermittently lighted, nor shall any sign be constructed of reflective material or bear reflective paint, except barber poles.
- Three-dimensional, air-filled objects (other than balloons under 1 foot in diameter) are prohibited except as specifically allowed for certain temporary events.
- No vehicle or trailer shall be parked with a sign for the primary purpose of advertising products or directing people, unless it is standard advertising on a business or commercial vehicle whose primary purpose is transportation.
- Portable signs may not be placed on sidewalks, streets, public thoroughfares, or public property.
- No portable sign (electric or non-electric) permitted for more than 60 days in any 12-month period at a premises.
- No portable sign permit may be issued if the sign exceeds certain size/height, has beacons or certain flashing/blinking lights, or is missing bulbs exposing electric sockets.
- Automatic changing and changeable electronic variable message signs may not use sound.
- Banners, pennants, flags, streamers, inflatable displays, and other similar devices are not permitted except as specifically described in section 74-481.
- Ground signs cannot include off-premises advertising or messages except public interest messages.

## Signs exempt from permit in Selma

- Professional nameplates not exceeding one square foot in area.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings, and date of erection when cut into masonry or constructed of bronze or other incombustible material.
- Traffic or other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, danger and temporary, emergency or non-advertising signs as approved by the planning commission or city council.
- Temporary signs of a directional nature.
- Signs noticing public events which are removed immediately after the event.
- Official notices posted or issued by a court or governmental body.
- Signs posted, erected, or maintained by the city or other governmental agencies.
- A governmental flag, with not more than three different or more than one of the same governmental flag displayed per lot (flagpoles must receive approval).
- Religious symbols.
- Display of merchandise within any business premises.
- Signs placed for display not visible to the general public from the public right-of-way or outdoor public areas (such as signs in interior areas of shopping centers, commercial buildings, etc.).
- Temporary seasonal decoration not used as a display of advertising.
- Address numbers up to 12 inches in height and four square feet in size.
- Other signs required by law to be visible from a public right-of-way, provided they do not exceed minimum dimensions specified by law.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A comprehensive sign plan may be submitted in lieu of standard sign regulations for planned commercial and industrial developments (including new and existing in any commercial or industrial zone), or planned industrial developments with at least six leaseholds.
- A comprehensive sign plan must be approved by the planning and zoning commission and must include location, size, height, color, lighting, visual effects, and orientation of all proposed signs.
- Exceptions to standard sign regulations may be permitted through a comprehensive sign plan if they result in an improved relationship among signs and building facades, and are in conformity with the intent of the chapter.
- Any permitted variance from sign regulations requires application and recommendation by the planning and zoning commission and approval by the city council after a public hearing.

## Full detail

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

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