# Sign Regulations in Napavine, Washington

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Napavine, Washington (WA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/washington/napavine
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-05
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/WA/Napavine/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT10VETR_CH10.20RESI)

## At a glance

Napavine, Washington regulates 26 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Off-Site Directional Signs in the Commercial and Industrial Park Zones zoning district are capped at 15 feet tall and 160 square feet per face, with a Must not obstruct sight distance requirements on public streets and not in city rights-of-way setback (Sec. 17.62.080.B.1.c.ix). Most commercial signs in Napavine require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts | 2 | 6 feet above the surface of the street (if freestanding) | 25 square feet | — |
| Commercial and Industrial Park Zones | 11 | 20 feet | 200 square feet total for all faces; No face to exceed 100 square feet | — |
| Non-residential Zoning Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 10 inches character height (numbers/letters) | 32 square feet per sign face | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign (Single-Family Dwellings and Duplexes) | 6 feet above the surface of the street (if freestanding) | 3 square feet | — | — | One sign per occupancy | On subject property; freestanding or wall | — | 17.62.080.A.1 |
| Identification Sign (Multi-family Dwellings) | 6 feet above ground (if monument sign) | 25 square feet | — | — | One per development, plus one extra per additional street frontage | Wall or monument sign | — | 17.62.080.A.2 |

### Commercial and Industrial Park Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Non-shopping center per business) | 20 feet | 128 square feet total; No face to exceed 64 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage if not in shopping center | On-site, per street frontage | — | 17.62.080.B.1.b, 17.62.080.B.1.a.ii |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Centers) | 20 feet | 200 square feet total for all faces; No face to exceed 100 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage per shopping center | On-site, per street frontage | — | 17.62.080.B.1.c.iii |
| Freestanding Sign (Multi-tenant Buildings) | 15 feet | 100 square feet total for all faces; No face to exceed 50 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | On-site, per street frontage | — | 17.62.080.B.1.c.v |
| Identification Sign (Multi-tenant Building) | — | — | — | — | One per street frontage | Wall-mounted, per street frontage | — | 17.62.080.B.1.c.iv |
| Wall Sign (Each Occupant of Multi-tenant Building) | — | — | — | — | Two per occupant | Wall mounted | — | 17.62.080.B.1.c.vi |
| Freestanding Sign (Single Tenant Buildings) | 15 feet | 100 square feet total for all faces; No face to exceed 50 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | On-site, per street frontage | — | 17.62.080.B.1.c.vii |
| Projecting Sign (In Lieu of Freestanding Sign) | — | 15 square feet (outside dimension) | — | — | One per street frontage (in lieu of freestanding sign) | Projecting from building | — | 17.62.080.B.1.c.ii |
| Freestanding Off-Site Directional Sign | 15 feet | 160 square feet per face | — | Must not obstruct sight distance requirements on public streets and not in city rights-of-way | One per exit side (two per exit); more only with city council approval | Private property, on each side of I-5 exits (not in public right-of-way) | — | 17.62.080.B.1.c.ix |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Board Sign | — | 6 square feet per face | — | — | One per business | On subject property, not in right-of-way or in sight-obscuring locations | — | 17.62.070.A |
| Construction Project Sign | 5 feet | 32 square feet per sign face | — | — | One per project | On project site | — | 17.62.070.E |
| Directional Sign (On-site) | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | On property, interior to site | — | 17.62.070.F |
| Fuel Price Sign | — | 20 square feet per sign face | — | — | One per street frontage or entrance | Where fuel is sold | — | 17.62.070.H |
| Incidental Sign | — | 2 square feet (total for all such signs per use/business) | — | — | — | Attached to structure/building | — | 17.62.070.M |
| Private Event Advertising Sign | 5 feet | 8 square feet per sign face | — | — | — | — | — | 17.62.070.R |
| Real Estate Sign (Off-Site) | — | 6 square feet per sign face (for dwelling units); 32 square feet per sign face (for non-residential) | — | — | One per unit/use/development | Off-site | — | 17.62.070.T |
| Real Estate Sign (On-Site) | — | 6 square feet per sign face (for dwelling units); 32 square feet per sign face (for non-residential) | — | — | One per unit/use/development | On subject property | — | 17.62.070.U |

## Prohibited signs in Napavine

- Abandoned, dilapidated, or non-maintained signs.
- Animated or moving signs, including any sign that rotates, turns or moves by electrical, electronic, or mechanical means, including normal wind movement. (Exceptions: barber poles; time and temperature or other public informational displays.)
- Flashing signs.
- Obstructing signs, which interfere with free access to or egress from a required exit from a building or structure.
- Snipe signs: Signs posted on trees, fences, public benches, light posts, or utility poles, except those posted by a government or public utility.
- Parked vehicle signs: any sign attached to or placed on a parked vehicle or truck trailer that is being used principally for advertising purposes, rather than for transportation.
- Portable signs, except as expressly allowed in other subsections.
- Private sign in a public right-of-way.
- Searchlights or beacons, except as allowed for special events such as grand openings, etc.
- Simulations of traffic signs: any sign using the words "stop," "look," or "danger," or any other words, symbols, or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

## Signs exempt from permit in Napavine

- A-board sign: one per business, not to exceed six square feet per face, not to be placed in public right-of-way or sight obscuring.
- Address identification, with numbers and letters not more than ten inches in height.
- Barber poles.
- Content identification for separate purpose devices (e.g., phone booths, product dispensers, recycling containers, collection containers, gas pumps, etc.) indicating only the contents or purpose.
- Construction project signs: limited to one per project, not to exceed thirty-two square feet per face and five feet in height; not displayed prior to building permit issuance; removed before certificate of occupancy.
- Directional signs (on-site), not exceeding four square feet in area.
- Official flags of any nation, government, educational institution or noncommercial organization.
- Fuel price sign: limited to one sign per street frontage or entrance, not exceeding twenty square feet per sign face.
- Gravestones or other memorial displays associated with cemeteries or mausoleums.
- Historical site plaques and signs integral to a historic building.
- Holiday decorations displayed in conjunction with holidays.
- Integral design features that are an essential part of the architecture of a building and do not represent a product, service or registered trademark (e.g., murals or wall-art may be subject to city approval).
- Incidental signs (e.g., credit card signs) attached to a structure or building, not exceeding two square feet per use or business.
- Interior signs located completely within a building or structure and not visible from outside the structure (excluding window signs).
- Nameplates, identifying the occupants of a building, not to exceed two square feet per face.
- "Open House" real estate signs, portable or temporary, not exceeding six square feet per face.
- Political signs: temporary, associated with elections, not exceeding six square feet; not displayed later than seven days after final election.
- Private event advertising (e.g., "garage sale," "lost dog"): temporary, limited to eight square feet per face and five feet in height; must be removed at end of event/use; must include address; not to exceed thirty days.
- Public signs, including traffic signs, directional signs, warning signs, informational signs, and signs displaying a public service message when installed by government or utility.
- Real estate signs (off-site): portable; limited to one per unit/use/development; for dwellings, max six square feet per face; for other uses, max thirty-two square feet; removed when property is sold/leased/rented.
- Real estate signs (on-site): temporary or portable; limited to one per unit/use/development; for dwellings, max six square feet per face; for other uses, max thirty-two square feet; removed when property is sold/leased/rented.
- Warning signs, including "no trespassing," "no hunting" and "no dumping."
- Window sign not exceeding three square feet and limited to business identification, hours of operation, address, and emergency information.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any sign placed, erected, relocated, enlarged, structurally changed, or altered in the city must conform to the standards and procedures described in this chapter (17.62.030), and non-exempt signs require city approval or permit.
- It is unlawful to place, erect, relocate, enlarge, structurally change, or alter any non-exempt temporary or permanent sign in the city without written approval from the city (17.62.040.A).
- If the administrator determines that more effective, coordinated signs will result, signage that is part of a proposed use or development may require approval through the conditional use process (17.62.040.B).
- The city shall inspect all signs for which a permit has been issued; approval granted only if constructed in compliance with approved plans (17.62.110.C.1).

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

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