# Sign Regulations in Union Gap, Washington

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Union Gap, Washington (WA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/washington/union-gap
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-05
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/WA/Union_Gap/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=MUNICIPAL_CODE_TIT15MAHO_CH15.44SIRE)

## At a glance

Union Gap, Washington regulates 20 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Wall Signs in the Commercial District (C-1, C-2, CBD), Industrial District (L-I, W/W), Planned Regional Commercial District (PrC), Commercial Use in Residential Districts (R-3, R-4) zoning district are capped at Cannot extend above height of wall; wall sign may not project more than 12 inches tall and Total area not to exceed total wall area where attached (Sec. 17.08.100). Most commercial signs in Union Gap require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial District (C-1, C-2, CBD), Industrial District (L-I, W/W), Planned Regional Commercial District (PrC), Commercial Use in Residential Districts (R-3, R-4) | 11 | Cannot extend above height of wall; wall sign may not project more than 12 inches | 300 sq ft | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 3 | — | 40 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | — | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Commercial District (C-1, C-2, CBD), Industrial District (L-I, W/W), Planned Regional Commercial District (PrC), Commercial Use in Residential Districts (R-3, R-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | If under 8 ft ground clearance and within 15 ft of driveway, curb cut, or road, setback min 10 ft from street curb/edge. | One freestanding sign per primary public road frontage; one additional for each 400 ft of additional frontage or option for single sign meeting larger dimension standards (for multiple-building complexes/tenants). | On-premises, supporting uprights, poles or braces on/in ground, only on street frontage served | — | 17.08.060A, 17.08.070, 17.08.030, 17.08.115, 17.05.040 |
| Projecting Sign | May not exceed building height except 1/3 of sign may project above building; and must otherwise comply with Uniform Sign Code; see 17.08.080 | — | — | See additional requirements re: projection over ROW | — | On-premises, attached to and projects from building | — | 17.08.060A, 17.08.080, 17.08.050D, 17.08.030 |
| Portable Sign (including Sandwich Board) | — | — | — | See sidewalk sign requirements; not to be in required parking space, driveway, or clearview triangle | Sidewalk sign: 1 per business per street frontage | On-premises, not attached to ground or structure | — | 17.08.060A, 17.08.115, 17.08.040 |
| Sidewalk Sign | — | — | — | Must maintain 4 feet of sidewalk clearance at all times | 1 per business per street frontage | On public sidewalk along business front (minimum 4-feet pedestrian clearance on sidewalk must remain), only in commercial or industrial zoning or commercial use in R-3, R-4 | — | 17.08.115 |
| Freeway Sign | — | 300 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel within 1,000 ft of I-82 ROW (in addition to other permitted signs) | On parcel within 1,000 ft of I-82 right-of-way | — | 17.08.060B |
| Multiple-Building Complex & Multiple-Tenant Building Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | See general freestanding sign setback requirements | 1 per building/complex per 400 ft road frontage; option for single larger sign | Within C-1, C-2, CBD, L-I, W/W, PrC, and commercial use in R-3, R-4 | — | 17.08.020 (definition), 17.08.060A |
| Wall Sign | Cannot extend above height of wall; wall sign may not project more than 12 inches | Total area not to exceed total wall area where attached | — | — | Not regulated; total area restriction applies | Attached, painted, or erected parallel to wall of building | — | 17.08.100 |
| Digital Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per 100 linear feet of street frontage | Must comply with all district/use/location rules | — | 17.08.120 |

### Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property | Pertains only to the sale, lease, rent, or hire of the particular building/property | — | 17.08.125A |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Flush-mounted to principal building; bearing only name/occupation of occupant | — | 17.08.125B |
| Use Identification Sign (Institutional) | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 per institution | For schools, churches, government buildings, hospitals, nursing homes, where permitted | — | 17.08.125C |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Within window or upon window panes; visible from outside | — | 17.08.040A |
| On-Premises Directional Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On premises; for direction | — | 17.08.040Q |
| Official Flag | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17.08.040J |
| Political Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17.08.040K |
| Construction Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On the site undergoing construction | — | 17.08.040L |
| Readerboard (Church/School/Community Center) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | At church, school, or community center | — | 17.08.040N |

## Prohibited signs in Union Gap

- Signs on any vehicle or trailer that is parked on public or private property and visible from a public right-of-way, except for identification of a firm or its principal products on a vehicle operating during the normal course of business, automobile for sale signs, or signs attached to franchised buses or taxis.
- Signs which, by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination, may be confused with or construed as a traffic control sign, signal, or device, or the light of any emergency or utility vehicle, or which obstruct the visibility of any traffic or street sign or signal device. Signs that imitate or resemble an official traffic sign or signal, or which bear the words "stop," "caution," "danger," "warning," or similar words.
- Signs attached to utility, street light, and traffic-control standard poles.
- Swinging projecting signs.
- Signs in a dilapidated or hazardous condition, including those with peeling paint, major cracks or holes, or loose or dangling materials.
- Abandoned signs.
- Signs on doors, windows, or fire escapes that restrict free ingress or egress.
- All off-premises signs are prohibited except as provided for permitted off-premises signs and multiple-building complex/tenant signs.
- Any other sign not meeting the provisions of this chapter.
- Signs not maintained in good order and repair, so that they constitute a danger or hazard to public safety, or have peeling paint, major cracks, or loose and dangling materials.

## Signs exempt from permit in Union Gap

- Window signs.
- Point of purchase displays, such as product dispensers.
- Gravestones.
- Barber poles.
- Historical site plaques.
- Structures intended for a separate use, such as phone booths.
- Goodwill containers, etc.
- Official and legal notices issued by any court, public body, person or officer in performance of a public duty, or in giving any legal notice.
- Directional, warning or information signs or structures required or authorized by law, or by federal, state, county, or city authority.
- Official flags of the United States of America, states of the United States, counties, municipalities, official flags of foreign nations, and flags of internationally and nationally recognized organizations.
- Political signs which, during a campaign, advertise a candidate or candidates for public elective office, a political party, or promote a position on a public issue, provided such signs are removed within fifteen (15) days following the election.
- Construction and real estate signs not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet in sign area.
- All temporary signs (see Section 17.08.110), except portable signs.
- Church, school, or community center name, and readerboards not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet in sign area.
- Canopy and awning signs.
- On-premises signs not readable from the public right-of-way, i.e., menu-boards, etc.
- On-premises directional signs.
- Official public or court notices issued by a government agency, or body, or required or provided for under adopted statute.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign governed by this title shall be erected, structurally altered or relocated after the adoption of this title without first receiving a development permit from the building official.
- Structural changes to, or replacement of, an existing sign requires Class (1) review and approval by the building official.
- Sidewalk signs require the filing of a site plan with the application identifying the proposed location of the sidewalk sign and ensuring ADA compliance.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Union Gap, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Union+Gap+WA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-union-gap

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