# Sign Regulations in Lakewood, Washington

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lakewood, Washington (WA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/washington/lakewood
- **Data last verified:** 2025-09-09
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://lakewood.municipal.codes/LMC/18A.100)

## At a glance

Lakewood, Washington regulates 15 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Monument (by frontage)s in the Neighborhood Business Districts (ARC, NC1, NC2) zoning district are capped at 7 ft tall and 16 sq ft/24 sq ft (for frontage ≤50') or 24 sq ft/40 sq ft (for frontage >50'), with a Zero-foot setback unless obstructs clear sight zone (see 18A.100.050.B.1) setback (Sec. 18A.100.060).

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (R1, R2, R3, R4), Mixed Residential Districts (MR1, MR2), Multifamily Districts (MF1, MF2, MF3) | 7 | 7 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| Neighborhood Business Districts (ARC, NC1, NC2) | 5 | 7 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Districts (TOC, CBD, C1, C2, C3), Industrial Districts (IBP, I1, I2) | 8 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Military-Related Districts (ML, AC1, AC2, CZ) | 2 | 6 ft (banners <24 ft) | 32 sq ft for banners and flags, 12 sq ft for all other signs | — |
| Public/Institutional Zoning District (PI), Open Space/Recreation Zoning Districts (OSR1, OSR2) | 5 | Banner <24 ft; Temporary sign 6 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | No flagpole shall extend above max building height allowed in zone; flagpole >6' requires building permit. Flagpoles >25' set back additional 1 ft per foot over 25'. | 48 sq ft (per entire shelter structure) | — |

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

### Residential Districts (R1, R2, R3, R4), Mixed Residential Districts (MR1, MR2), Multifamily Districts (MF1, MF2, MF3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Subdivision Monument | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per primary entrance | 1 per primary entrance | — | 18A.100.060 Provisions for permanent signs or continuous displays - Table: Residential (All R, MR, and MF Zones) |
| Residential Lot Signs - All Types | 4 ft for picket | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | 1 per street frontage | — | 18A.100.060 Provisions for permanent signs or continuous displays - Table: Residential (All R, MR, and MF Zones) |
| Multifamily Monument | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per primary entrance | 1 per primary entrance | — | 18A.100.060 Provisions for permanent signs or continuous displays - Table: Residential (All R, MR, and MF Zones) |
| Nonresidential Use Monument | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per primary entrance | 1 per primary entrance | — | 18A.100.060 |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | Limited by total area | On building facade | — | 18A.100.060, 18A.100.060.C.1 |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft (Banners < 24 ft in height) | 24 sq ft for banners and flags, 12 sq ft for all other signs | — | — | — | — | — | 18A.100.070 |
| Sandwich Board or A-frame Sign | 3.5 ft | 7 sq ft per sign face | — | — | — | On premise or sidewalk (must maintain 48" clearance) | — | 18A.100.070 |

### Neighborhood Business Districts (ARC, NC1, NC2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument (by frontage) | 7 ft | 16 sq ft/24 sq ft (for frontage ≤50') or 24 sq ft/40 sq ft (for frontage >50') | — | Zero-foot setback unless obstructs clear sight zone (see 18A.100.050.B.1) | 1 (≤50' frontage), Number limited by total area (>50' frontage) | — | — | 18A.100.060 |
| Wall Sign | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | — | On building facade | — | 18A.100.060, 18A.100.060.C.1, 18A.100.060.B.2 |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On window | — | 18A.100.060, 18A.100.030.A.2 |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft (banners < 24 ft in height) | 32 sq ft banners/flags, 12 sq ft all other | — | — | — | — | — | 18A.100.070 |
| Sandwich Board or A-frame Sign | 3.5 ft | 7 sq ft per sign face | — | — | — | On premise or sidewalk (must maintain 48" clearance) | — | 18A.100.070 |

### Commercial Districts (TOC, CBD, C1, C2, C3), Industrial Districts (IBP, I1, I2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument (by frontage) | 7 ft | 16 sq ft/24 sq ft (≤50' frontage), 24 sq ft/40 sq ft (>50'), 24 sq ft plus 0.17 sq ft for each frontage foot over 50' | — | Zero-foot setback unless obstructs clear sight zone | 1 (≤50' frontage); number limited by total area (>50' frontage) | — | — | 18A.100.060 |
| Pole Sign (Frontage 250' - 500') | 20 ft | 24 sq ft/40 sq ft | — | — | 1 for frontage 250'-500' | — | — | 18A.100.060 |
| Pole Sign (Over 500' frontage) | 20 ft | 24 sq ft/48 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 18A.100.060 |
| Wall Sign | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | — | On building facade | — | 18A.100.060, 18A.100.060.C.1 |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On window | — | 18A.100.060, 18A.100.030.A.2 |
| Freeway Pole Sign | 1 sq ft per linear foot arterial frontage (min 60 lf) to qualify | 60-200 sq ft (within 50' of freeway ROW) | — | — | 1 per freeway frontage | Must be within 50 ft of freeway right-of-way | — | 18A.100.060 Freeway |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft (banners <24 ft) | 32 sq ft for banners and flags, 12 sq ft for all other signs | — | — | — | — | — | 18A.100.070 |
| Sandwich Board or A-frame Sign | 3.5 ft | 7 sq ft per sign face | — | — | — | On premise or sidewalk (must maintain 48" clearance) | — | 18A.100.070 |

## Prohibited signs in Lakewood

- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Signs posted upon utility poles, traffic control devices, or other public utility devices are prohibited.
- Signs which, by virtue of their size, location, movement, coloring or manner of illumination, may be confused with traffic control signs or signals are prohibited.
- Posters, pennants, banners, streamers, string pennants, blinking or flashing or strobe lights, searchlights, strings, twirlers, propellers, flares, and other displays of a carnival nature, blimps, or inflatables are prohibited except as permitted in conjunction with a temporary sign.
- Animated, emitting, moving, rotating, or visually projecting signs are prohibited.
- Signs affixed to a tree, shrub, rock or other natural object are prohibited.
- Public address systems or sound devices used in conjunction with any sign are prohibited.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Billboard signs are prohibited except as provided for nonconforming signs.
- Temporary signs installed at gateway locations or traffic islands located within the public right-of-way are prohibited.
- Signs installed in roundabouts are prohibited except when expressly allowed via a right-of-way permit approved by the City.
- Feather banners are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lakewood

- Signs visible from the public right-of-way that are under two (2) square feet and total less than one (1) percent of the individual building facade do not require a sign permit.
- Signs located inside of a building, painted on a window, or hanging inside of a window do not require a sign permit, provided that window signs are limited to forty (40) percent of the window area.
- Temporary signs, as outlined in the ordinance, do not require a sign permit if they comply with temporary sign provisions.
- Sandwich board or A-frame signs that comply with requirements do not require a sign permit and are not counted toward permanent sign area limits.
- Ordinary and necessary maintenance and repairs to nonconforming billboards that do not change the size, shape, orientation, height, or location, and billboard copy replacement, do not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Major employment centers within the NC1, NC2, CBD, TOC, C1, C2, IBP, I1 and I2 zoning districts may vary from sign development standards by obtaining approval of an integrated sign plan for the center.
- The sign plan for the center shall be reviewed either separately or as part of the conditional use permit for the project.
- Approval of a sign plan requires a finding by the Hearing Examiner that the plan is proportionate to the intensity of the major center and consistent with the intent of the code.

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

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