# Sign Regulations in Salem, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Salem, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/salem
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/Salem/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH66SI)

## At a glance

Salem, Virginia regulates 16 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Transitional Business District (TBD), Downtown Business District (DBD) zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall, 24 sq ft, and 15 ft wide, with a Minimum 2 ft from other sign/building/structure (except parallel and adjacent to wall/structure) setback (Sec. Sec. 66-105(A)(Monument Sign); Sec. 66-105(B)). Most commercial signs in Salem require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agriculture District (AG) | 3 | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Residential Single Family District (RSF), Cluster Overlay District (COL) | 3 | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Residential Multi-Family District (RMF), Residential Business District (RB), Planned Unit District (PUD) | 4 | 10 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Manufactured Home Park District (MHP) | 3 | 15 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Transitional Business District (TBD), Downtown Business District (DBD) | 9 | 25 ft | 25% of each window area per building frontage | — |
| College and University District (CUD) | 4 | 25 ft | 150 sq ft (based on building frontage) | — |
| Community Business District (CBD), Highway Business District (HBD), Business Commerce District (BCD), Light Manufacturing District (LM), Heavy Manufacturing District (HM) | 4 | 25 ft | 150 sq ft (based on building frontage) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 24 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### Transitional Business District (TBD), Downtown Business District (DBD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign, Pole Sign | 5 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Freestanding Sign, Pole Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Marquee Sign | — | 24 sq ft per sign face | — | — | — | Above the principal public entrance, facing a public street or parking lot. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Marquee Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Monument Sign | 4 ft | 24 sq ft | 15 ft | Minimum 2 ft from other sign/building/structure (except parallel and adjacent to wall/structure) | One; second possible on secondary frontage | — | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Monument Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Multi-Tenant Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Multi-Tenant Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Menu Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Menu Sign) |
| Location Sign | 25 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | For businesses with no frontage on an urban primary/minor arterial or urban collector as designated by VDOT. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Location Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Wall Sign | — | 24 sq ft per sign, for lots with less than 75 ft frontage; 100 sq ft for 75-149.99 ft; 150 sq ft for 150+ ft | — | — | Max four | On walls of commercial or industrial buildings. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Wall Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of each window area per building frontage | — | — | — | Within windows of off-street-facing frontages. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Window Sign) |

### College and University District (CUD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign, Pole Sign | 25 ft | 24 sq ft for <75 ft frontage, 100 sq ft for 75-149.99 ft frontage, 150 sq ft for >=150 ft frontage | — | — | — | One freestanding sign per frontage, must be 100 ft apart and not visible from the same point along the same street. Additional frontage allowed additional signage. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Freestanding Sign, Pole Sign); Sec. 66-105(B), Sec. 66-103(Table 1) |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 120 sq ft | 15 ft | Minimum 2 ft from other sign/building/structure (except parallel and adjacent to wall/structure) | — | One monument sign per 100 ft of frontage, not visible from same point along same street. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Monument Sign); Sec. 66-105(B), Sec. 66-103(Table 1) |
| Multi-Tenant Sign | 25 ft | 150 sq ft (based on building frontage) | — | — | — | Freestanding sign, 100 ft apart, not visible from same point along street. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Multi-Tenant Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Location Sign | 25 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | For businesses with no frontage on an urban primary/minor arterial or collector. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Location Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |

### Community Business District (CBD), Highway Business District (HBD), Business Commerce District (BCD), Light Manufacturing District (LM), Heavy Manufacturing District (HM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign, Pole Sign | 25 ft | 24 sq ft for <75 ft frontage; 100 sq ft for 75–149.99 ft; 150 sq ft for ≥150 ft | — | — | — | One freestanding sign per frontage, additional frontage allowed additional signs per regulation; signs must be 100 ft apart and not visible simultaneously along same street. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Freestanding Sign, Pole Sign); Sec. 66-105(B), Sec. 66-103(Table 1) |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 120 sq ft | 15 ft | Minimum 2 ft from other sign/building/structure (except parallel and adjacent to wall/structure) | — | One per 100 ft of frontage not visible from same point along same street. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Monument Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Multi-Tenant Sign | 25 ft | 150 sq ft (based on building frontage) | — | — | — | Freestanding sign, 100 ft apart, not visible from same point along street. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Multi-Tenant Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | Max four | On walls of commercial or industrial buildings. | — | Sec. 66-105(A)(Wall Sign); Sec. 66-105(B) |

## Prohibited signs in Salem

- No sign shall have flashing, intermittent or animated illumination or lights of changing degrees of intensity, unless each interval in the cycle is a minimum of eight seconds and the sign does not constitute a traffic hazard.
- Signs located in such a manner as to obstruct or otherwise interfere with an official traffic sign, signal or device, or obstruct or interfere with a driver's view of approaching, merging or intersecting traffic.
- Signs encroaching upon or overhanging public right-of-way, except as provided elsewhere in the Code. No sign shall be attached to any utility pole, light standard, street tree, or other public facility located within the public right-of-way.
- Signs which blink, flash, or are animated by lighting in any fashion that would cause such signs to have the appearance of traffic safety signs and lights, or municipal vehicle warnings from a distance.
- Portable signs except as provided in section 66-105.
- Vehicular signs except as provided in section 66-11.
- Balloons, streamers, inflatables, pennant strings, flags (except as allowed in section 66-11), pinwheels, and similar displays, except as provided in section 66-105 (temporary signs).
- No off-premise sign shall be located within the corporate limits of the city.
- No existing off-premise sign shall be converted to an electronic sign, billboard or multi-vision board.
- Abandoned signs.
- Snipe signs. Signs shall only be attached to utility poles in conformance with state and utility regulations and the requirements of this chapter.
- Signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape, or prevent free access from one part of a roof to any other part. No sign other than a safety sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor or contain open flames.
- Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors.
- Vehicular interactive signs.
- Signs incorporating beacon lighting.
- Any banner or sign of any type suspended across a public street, without the permission of the owner of the property and the city.
- Roof signs.
- Signs for any home occupation.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, except those authorized or required by local, state, or federal government.
- Any sign containing information that states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the zoning ordinance.
- Signs that exhibit statements, words or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects.
- Any sign that promotes illegal activity.
- Neglected signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Signs located in the downtown business districts may have additional standards and/or differing regulations as set forth in the Handbook to Downtown Salem.

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

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