# Sign Regulations in Orting, Washington

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Orting, Washington (WA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/washington/orting
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Orting, Washington regulates 19 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Permanent Residential Home Based Business Signs in the RC, RU, RMF zoning district are capped at 3 ft from ground if freestanding in yard tall and 6 sq ft, with a 1 ft from sidewalk/property line if in yard. setback (Sec. 13-7-9 C.2). Most commercial signs in Orting require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | 36 inches | 4 sq ft | — |
| RC, RU, RMF | 2 | 3 ft from ground if freestanding in yard | 32 sq ft per face | — |
| MUCTN, MUTC, PF | 11 | 8 ft | 160 sq ft (both faces), 80 sq ft per face | — |
| Retail or Mixed Use Center | 2 | 8 ft | 160 sq ft total for all faces, 80 sq ft max per face | — |
| Residential Development | 1 | — | 32 sq ft per face | — |
| Home Based Business | 1 | 3 ft from ground if yard sign | 6 sq ft | — |
| Open Space, Public Facilities, Recreation Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 36 inches | — | 30 inches | Must not obstruct traffic or create hazard. Not allowed in vehicle areas, medians, planter islands, or within 30 feet of intersection. | 1 per business | On public sidewalks or within 100 feet of business with permission of adjacent property owner, must allow a minimum of 3 feet of unobstructed sidewalk. | — | 13-7-7: Sandwich Board Signs |
| Temporary Sign - Commercial | No temporary signs over 36 inches in height permitted within 15 feet of road or driveway; maximum 6 feet on public property for special events/vendors | — | — | Must not be within 10 feet of intersection. | 2 per business for general commercial | Not allowed on public property or within public easements or right of way except as provided. See special event vendor exceptions. | — | 13-7-8: Temporary Signs |
| Temporary Sign - Noncommercial | — | 3 sq ft | — | Must maintain sight distances; not within 10 ft of intersection. | — | Private property; may be placed in public right-of-way with restrictions. | — | 13-7-8 D: Temporary Noncommercial Signs |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | One per entrance or exit. | On-premises for entrances/exits; off-premises allowed only for facility/site, indicating its distance and direction. | — | 13-7-4 I |

### RC, RU, RMF

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Residential Development Sign | — | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per entrance per street | At each entrance into the development from each abutting street. | — | 13-7-9 C.1 |
| Permanent Residential Home Based Business Sign | 3 ft from ground if freestanding in yard | 6 sq ft | — | 1 ft from sidewalk/property line if in yard. | 1 | On home or in yard. In yard, 1 ft from sidewalk/property line. | — | 13-7-9 C.2 |

### MUCTN, MUTC, PF

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (0 - 50 ft Frontage) | Shall not extend above the roofline | 10% of facade area | — | — | 2 | Building facade | — | 13-7-9 A, L |
| Wall Sign (50 - 100 ft Frontage) | Shall not extend above the roofline | 10% of facade area | — | — | 2 | Building facade | — | 13-7-9 A, L |
| Wall Sign (100 - 200 ft Frontage) | Shall not extend above the roofline | 10% of facade area | — | — | 2 | Building facade | — | 13-7-9 A, L |
| Wall Sign (200 - 300 ft Frontage) | Shall not extend above the roofline | 10% of facade area | — | — | 3 | Building facade | — | 13-7-9 A, L |
| Freestanding Sign (50 - 100 ft Frontage) | 5 ft | 72 sq ft (both faces), 36 sq ft per face | — | 5 ft from property lines | Up to 2 (total for all signs, see number permitted per frontage) | On-site, set back a minimum of 5 ft from property lines. | — | 13-7-9 A |
| Freestanding Sign (100 - 200 ft Frontage) | 5 ft | 100 sq ft (both faces), 50 sq ft per face | — | 5 ft from property lines | Up to 2 | On-site, set back a minimum of 5 ft from property lines. | — | 13-7-9 A |
| Freestanding Sign (200 - 300 ft Frontage) | 5 ft | 130 sq ft (both faces), 65 sq ft per face | — | 5 ft from property lines | Up to 3 | On-site, set back a minimum of 5 ft from property lines. | — | 13-7-9 A |
| Freestanding Sign (Over 300 ft Frontage) | 8 ft | 160 sq ft (both faces), 80 sq ft per face | — | 5 ft from property lines | Up to 3 | On-site, set back a minimum of 5 ft from property lines. | — | 13-7-9 A |

## Prohibited signs in Orting

- No permanently constructed signs may be located in or projecting into the public right of way, unless otherwise provided in this Chapter.
- No sign may be attached to or placed on a vehicle or trailer parked on public property, except for identification of a firm or principal products on a vehicle operating during normal business.
- No signs that blink, flash, rotate, contain changing images or text that are electronically generated, or are animated by lighting in any fashion, or are internally illuminated (specific use of internally illuminated signs is restricted).
- No signs that by coloring, shape, wording, or location resemble or conflict with traffic control signs or devices.
- No off premises signs, signage on fencing, and commercial signs in residential zones, except as specifically allowed in this Chapter.
- Billboard signs are prohibited.
- Floating signs are prohibited.
- Mannequins used for signage are prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected that interferes with the visibility of traffic control devices or street name signs nor shall any sign be placed so as to cause visual obstruction of a public right of way.
- No sign shall be installed, attached to, supported by, or propped up against any utility pole, light standard, traffic sign, tree, fire hydrant, or any other public facility located within the public right of way.
- No sign shall be mounted above the roofline and/or on the roof of a building.
- Temporary signs shall not be illuminated.
- Temporary signs shall not be attached to any utility pole, fence, building, structure, object, tree or other vegetation located upon or within any public right-of-way or publicly owned or maintained land.
- Temporary signs shall not be erected without the permission of the owner of the property on which they are located.
- No flutter flag signs (temporary type of sign) are permitted.
- No more than two temporary commercial signs may be displayed simultaneously by a business or party for no longer than thirty continuous days.
- No temporary sign may be located within the center median, roundabout, traffic circle, island, or within ten feet from any intersection, nor over 36 inches in height within 15 feet of a road or driveway.
- It is unlawful to scatter, place, throw, cast, leave or post handbills, posters, pamphlets, or similar materials upon private property without the owner's permission or on any telegraph, telephone, or light pole.

## Signs exempt from permit in Orting

- Historic site markers or plaques, gravestones, and address numbers not more than ten inches in height.
- Signs erected on public property by the state of Washington, the United States, the county of Pierce, or the City of Orting, displaying a public service message, or other regulatory, statutory, traffic control or directional message.
- Plaques, tablets, or inscriptions indicating the name of a building, date of erection, or other commemorative information, which are an integral part of the building structure or are attached flat to the face of a structure or other natural surface, and do not exceed two square feet in area.
- Religious displays other than signs regulated by this Chapter.
- A mural, defined as a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted, hand-tiled, or digitally printed image on the exterior wall of a building that does not contain any commercial message. (However, murals require a building permit and architectural design review.)
- Signs displayed within the interior of any structure and not visible from streets or ways open to the public, except when such signs negatively impact public health and safety.
- Incidental signs that do not exceed three square feet in area.
- Exterior signs bearing the name of the occupant of a dwelling unit, not exceeding three square feet in area.
- Government flags.
- Official or legal notices issued and posted by any public agency, as defined by law, or court.
- Public notices of development applications required per Chapter 15 of this code.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permanent signs require a sign permit issued by the City of Orting Building Department, following submission, review, and approval of the sign through the architectural design review process (section 13-6-7).
- No sign permit shall be issued for any sign subject to design review and approval until the sign has been approved pursuant to section 13-6-7.
- A sign permit application must include all plans and layouts for the proposed sign, including a drawn to scale site plan.
- The sign permit application must include evidence of commercial general liability insurance, with the City named as an additional insured.
- At the time of submittal of an application for final planned development and/or plat approval, the applicant shall submit a sign plan identifying all proposed on-site and off-site locations, sizes, and designs for proposed temporary signs advertising lots/houses. The sign plan shall also describe the applicant's responsibility for sign maintenance and removal and shall be prepared in accordance with this Chapter.
- The approved temporary sign plan for developments shall be in force for one year unless extended by the City.
- Sign variances may be requested and are reviewed by the planning commission through a variance application process.
- Permanent freestanding signs, wall signs, projecting signs, canopy signs, and under canopy signs must comply with the architectural design review process as stated in 13-6-7.
- Permanent signs in retail or mixed use centers, residential developments, and projected/under canopy signs are subject to architectural design review and permitting under sections 13-6-7 and 13-7-11.

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

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