# Sign Regulations in White Oak, Texas

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

- **Jurisdiction:** White Oak, Texas (TX)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/texas/white-oak
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/TX/White_Oak/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH70STSIOTPUPL_ARTVSI)

## At a glance

White Oak, Texas regulates 16 sign types across 2 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign - Single Tenants in the Commercial District (Commercial zoned property), Industrial District (Industrial zoned property) zoning district are capped at 30 feet tall and 150 square feet, with a Min. 5 feet from building line setback (Sec. Sec. 70-153(a)(1), (c), (f), (g)). Most commercial signs in White Oak require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (2 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial District (Commercial zoned property), Industrial District (Industrial zoned property) | 5 | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 15 feet | 60 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Commercial District (Commercial zoned property), Industrial District (Industrial zoned property)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Single Tenant | 30 feet | 150 square feet | — | Min. 5 feet from building line | 1 per premise | On-site, min. 5 feet from any building line | — | Sec. 70-153(a)(1), (c), (f), (g) |
| Freestanding Sign - Multi-Tenant | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — | Min. 10 feet from building line | 1 per premise | On-site, min. 10 feet from any building line | — | Sec. 70-153(a)(2), (c), (f), (g) |
| Wall Sign or Marquee Sign | — | 150 square feet | — | — | 4 per building facade/canopy/awning | Attached to or suspended from a building facade, canopy, or awning | — | Sec. 70-153(a)(5), (a), (f), (g) |
| Projection Sign | Cannot exceed height of structure’s roofline | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Affixed to building; may project outward as described | — | Sec. 70-153(a)(3), (f) |
| Balloons, Floating Devices, Banners, and Searchlights (Temporary) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 70-153(a)(6) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Special Event Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | — | Location must be approved for safety and setbacks; subject to building official approval | — | Sec. 70-153(d)(2) |
| Occupational Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | Commercial or public institutional building | — | Sec. 70-153(d)(3) |
| On-site Traffic Control Sign | 3 feet | 8 square feet | — | — | — | On-site to denote entrances/exits | — | Sec. 70-153(d)(4) |
| Residential Real Estate Sign | — | 8 square feet | — | — | — | On property being sold/leased | — | Sec. 70-153(d)(5), (j)(1)a |
| Business/Industry Real Estate Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | — | On business or industrial property being sold/leased | — | Sec. 70-153(d)(6), (j)(1)b |
| Temporary Window Sign or Banner | — | Surface area of window within which it is placed | — | — | — | Within window | — | Sec. 70-153(d)(7) |
| Temporary Construction Sign | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 construction sign + 1 future location sign per site | On premises where construction/business development occurring | — | Sec. 70-153(j)(5) |
| Freestanding Sign (Homebuilder/Subdivision) | 15 feet | 60 square feet | — | — | — | On site of subdivision/major homebuilder | — | Sec. 70-153(j)(6) |

## Prohibited signs in White Oak

- No off-site commercial signs shall be allowed.
- Nonconforming signs erected or installed after the date of this article are prohibited and shall be removed.
- Signs substantially similar to, or imitating, traffic or emergency signs are prohibited at any location at which they may be seen from the travel lanes of any public roadway.
- No sign shall be erected or affixed within or project over any public right-of-way or across the public right-of-way line extended across a railroad right-of-way.
- No person shall attach any sign, paper, or other material or paint, stencil, or write any name, number or otherwise mark on any sidewalk, curb, gutter, street, tree, or utility pole located on public property or within the public right-of-way, public building, public fence or public structure, except as exempted for governmental signs, local school spirit signs/emblems, or street address numbers.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to erect or relocate any sign within the city without first obtaining a sign permit from the building official unless such sign is exempted by this article.
- Handbills and circulars are prohibited except those hand-delivered to individual persons.
- No nonconforming sign may be enlarged or altered in a way which would increase its nonconformity.
- Should any nonconforming sign be damaged by any means to an extent of more than 50 percent of its replacement cost at time of damage, it shall not be reconstructed except in conformity with the provisions of this article.
- All signs must be maintained in good and safe structural condition; failure to do so may result in removal or penalties.

## Signs exempt from permit in White Oak

- Temporary political signs (permit and setback exempt, must comply with other applicable sections).
- Temporary special event signs not exceeding 50 square feet in area and limited in timing, with location approval by building official (permit and setback exempt).
- Occupational signs not exceeding two square feet in area and denoting only name and profession or occupation in commercial or public institutional building (permit and setback exempt).
- On-site traffic-control signs not exceeding eight square feet and used primarily to denote entrances and exits, with no advertising, and not exceeding three feet in height (permit and setback exempt).
- Residential real estate signs advertising sale or lease of an individual residential structure and not exceeding eight square feet (permit and setback exempt).
- Business/industry real estate signs advertising sale or lease of business/industrial property and not exceeding 16 square feet (permit and setback exempt).
- Temporary window signs and banners not exceeding the surface area of the window within which it is placed (permit and setback exempt).
- Governmental signs (permitted by law, ordinance, or located on government property, exempt from permitting).
- Railway signs within or on railway property and related to operation of such railway (exempt from permitting).
- Utility signs marking utility or underground communication or transmission lines (exempt from permitting).
- Signs displayed upon vehicles, trailers or aircraft, unless the vehicle is stationed for 72 hours or more or used as a permanent or portable sign (exempt from permitting).
- Signs where no part is visible from any public street (exempt from permitting).
- Temporary holiday signs containing only holiday messages and no commercial advertising (exempt from permitting).
- Hand-held signs or signs, symbols or displays on persons or animals (exempt from permitting).
- Unused signs being manufactured, transported, or properly and safely stored and not being used for advertising (exempt from permitting).
- Commemorative plaques of recognized historical societies and organizations (exempt from permitting).
- On-site signs directing the movement of traffic on private property or warning of obstacles, with size and location restrictions (exempt from permitting).
- Signs located on mailboxes, newspaper vending machines and curbside residential newspaper holders identifying owner and address or name of newspaper (exempt from permitting, subject to safe placement).
- Signs on outdoor machines, devices, or equipment displaying trademark, trade name, manufacturer, cost of operation or service instructions or similar non-advertising information (exempt from permitting).
- Signs located on the field side of scoreboards and fences of athletic fields (exempt from permitting).
- Historic designation signs not primarily advertising a commercial use (exempt from permitting).
- Sale or lease signs subject to area and height standards (permit not required).
- Garage or yard sale signs on own or permitted property, with removal required within 24 hours (permit not required).
- Political signs on private property, with timing and removal restrictions (permit not required).
- Temporary construction signs and future location signs on construction sites, subject to size, location, and removal requirements (permit not required).
- Freestanding subdivision and major homebuilder site signs subject to size, height, location, and removal requirements (permit not required).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Applications for freestanding sign permit that exceeds 36 square feet or exceeds a height of 18 feet shall require scale drawings showing a site plan location and design of the sign.
- For all other signs, a design and street location plan, containing the necessary information, shall be submitted to the building official.
- The building official may require structural drawings designed and sealed by a civil engineer or architect, based on the inability to determine structural soundness without such plans.
- Permit applications must include two sets of plans showing sign location; two blueprints or ink drawings showing construction/attachment details and other information as the building official may require.

## Full detail

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

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