# Sign Regulations in Martinsburg, West Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Martinsburg, West Virginia (WV)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/west-virginia/martinsburg
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Martinsburg, West Virginia regulates 10 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Low Profile Ground Mounted Signs in the Mixed Use Residential (MUR) zoning district are capped at 5 ft. tall and 12 sq. ft., with a 5 ft. from the right-of-way. setback (Sec. Table 1331-1). Most commercial signs in Martinsburg require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Urban Residential (UR) | 5 | 5 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Suburban Residential (SR) | 2 | — | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Downtown (DT) | 5 | 4 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Mixed Use Residential (MUR) | 6 | 5 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Mixed Use Commercial (MUC) | 9 | 75 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Medical-Institutional (MIN) | 8 | 30 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### Mixed Use Residential (MUR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Low Profile Ground Mounted Sign | 5 ft. | 12 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from the right-of-way. | 1 (or a maximum of 3 when used in conjunction with a single Ground Mounted Sign placed in the Frontage) | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| Wall Sign (Residential Use) | — | 9 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building wall | On building wall facing a public street. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(b) |
| Wall Sign (Non-Residential Use) | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building wall | On building wall facing a public street. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(b) |
| A-Frame Sign | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| Projecting/Suspended Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | Minimum 8 ft. clearance above ground, may project up to 24 in. from wall. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(d) |
| Canopy/Awning, Gallery, Marquee Sign | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | Minimum 8 ft. clearance; must be attached to building. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(c) |

### Mixed Use Commercial (MUC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Low Profile Ground Mounted Sign | 5 ft. | 12 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from the right-of-way. | 1 (or a maximum of 3 when used in conjunction with a single Ground Mounted Sign placed in the Frontage) | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| Medium Profile Ground Mounted Sign | 10 ft. | 72 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from the right-of-way. | 1 | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| High Profile Ground Mounted Sign Type 1 | 30 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| High Profile Ground Mounted Sign Type 2 (Proximity to I-81) | 75 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On-premise, not more than 400 ft from I-81 center line. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| Wall Sign (Residential Use) | — | 9 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building wall | On building wall facing a public street. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(b) |
| Wall Sign (Non-Residential Use) | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building wall | On building wall facing a public street. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(b) |
| A-Frame Sign | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| Projecting/Suspended Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | Minimum 8 ft. clearance above ground, may project up to 24 in. from wall. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(d) |

### Medical-Institutional (MIN)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Low Profile Ground Mounted Sign | 5 ft. | 12 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from the right-of-way. | 1 (or a maximum of 3 when used in conjunction with a single Ground Mounted Sign placed in the Frontage) | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| Medium Profile Ground Mounted Sign | 10 ft. | 72 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from the right-of-way. | 1 | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| High Profile Ground Mounted Sign Type 1 | 30 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| Wall Sign (Residential Use) | — | 9 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building wall | On building wall facing a public street. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(b) |
| Wall Sign (Non-Residential Use) | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building wall | On building wall facing a public street. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(b) |
| A-Frame Sign | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On-premise. | — | Table 1331-1 |
| Projecting/Suspended Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | Minimum 8 ft. clearance above ground, may project up to 24 in. from wall. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(d) |
| Canopy/Awning, Gallery, Marquee Sign | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | Minimum 8 ft. clearance; must be attached to building. | — | Table 1331-1, 1331.06(c) |

## Prohibited signs in Martinsburg

- No sign shall be placed, displayed, or illuminated so as to obstruct or impair driver vision and traffic flow, or obstruct the view of any official traffic sign, signal, or marking, or resemble official highway signs, warning signs, or regulatory devices.
- Animated signs are prohibited, except for permitted changeable copy and electronic message boards as permitted elsewhere in the ordinance.
- Portable signs are prohibited, not including A-frame signs.
- Wrap-around signs or other continuous wall signs that extend around building corners or radii are prohibited.
- Off-premise signs are prohibited.
- Outdoor advertising (billboard) signs are prohibited—no new billboard signs may be constructed.
- Facsimile signs (oversized, 3D objects intended to attract attention) are prohibited.
- Signs placed within any required sight triangle are prohibited.
- Signs attached to or painted on utility poles, trees, parking meters, bridges and overpasses, rocks, other signs, benches, and refuse containers are prohibited, except officially recognized logotypes may be allowed on benches and refuse containers.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Pavement markings for purposes other than traffic control are prohibited, including creative applications to increase awareness and safety of traffic flow and movement.
- Signs placed within or extending into the right-of-way of City and state-maintained streets and roads are prohibited, except signs erected by a duly constituted government body.
- Signs that exhibit statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects as determined by the City are prohibited.
- Signs that advertise an activity or business no longer conducted on the property for a continuous period of sixty (60) days are prohibited.
- Indirect illumination (such as floodlights) erected to cause glare that impairs driver vision or causes a nuisance to adjoining property is prohibited.
- Beacons, spotlights, searchlights, and projectors intended to be visible from public rights-of-way are prohibited.
- Signs that obstruct fire escapes, windows, doors, or other openings used as means of egress or required ventilation are prohibited.
- Signs that do not conform to the regulations as determined by the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee are prohibited.
- No signs shall be erected in the public right-of-way or within five (5) feet of the right-of-way, except as otherwise permitted.
- No sign shall be permitted that imitates or resembles an official traffic or railroad sign or that interferes with such signs or traffic sight lines.
- No sign shall contain statements, words or pictures of an obscene, indecent or immoral character.
- No sign shall be placed on rocks, trees, or poles maintained by public utilities.
- Land void of a permissible use shall also be void of all signs except governmental, warning, temporary (associated with a temporary use), and real estate signs, which must be in compliance.
- Failure to obtain a required permit before installing, creating, erecting, or maintaining any sign is a violation.
- Failure to remove a sign installed/created/maintained in violation, or for which the sign permit has lapsed, is a violation.
- Each day of continued violation and each sign involved is considered a separate violation.
- Signs constituting a traffic hazard (see above) are prohibited.
- Commercial off-premise signs are prohibited.
- No person shall paint, paste, tack, post or otherwise place any advertisement on public or private property without consent of the owner or officer in charge.
- Depositing or placing any advertising matter upon streets, sidewalks, in vehicles, or dropping it from the air is prohibited.
- No person shall deface, mutilate, or injure legal posters or notices for licensed exhibitions or public officers.

## Signs exempt from permit in Martinsburg

- Building marker signs, including only building name, construction date, or historical data on historic buildings or sites, cut or etched in masonry, bronze or similar material.
- Special event signs for public, quasi-public, or non-profit organizations for promoting scheduled sales events, public events, and special seasonal events, within specified duration and size limits.
- Construction/contractor and subdivision project signs during period of construction, after site plan approval, and removed within 7 days of completion.
- Flags (meeting placement, number, and height limitations).
- Governmental signs, such as regulatory, welcome, and traffic control signs, posted by local, state, or federal agencies.
- Incidental signs (e.g., vehicular entrance/exit, parking, no trespassing), limited to 3 feet in height, no visual obstruction, up to two per entrance/exit, and maximum 4 square feet.
- Occupant/street number signs, non-illuminated and visible from the street.
- Off-premise directional signs for churches (non-illuminated, outside street right-of-way, maximum two per church, max size 6 sq ft).
- Personal expression signs of any sign type including flags, provided they are non-commercial in nature, non-illuminated, and do not exceed 3 sq ft per side.
- Public service signs for the convenience of the public (such as public restrooms, inspection, hours, freight entrances) up to 4 sq ft.
- Real estate signs (residential property, off-premise and on-premise, and non-residential property) within specified duration, size, and location/illumination restrictions.
- Signs that are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure existing at the time of ordinance adoption.
- Signs or emblems of religious, civil, philanthropic, historical or educational organizations not exceeding 4 sq ft.
- Window signs covering no more than 30% of glass area of entire storefront.
- Yard/garage sale signs, up to 72 hours in any 30 day period, not illuminated, not in the right-of-way, max 6 sq ft.
- For-profit temporary signs (special sales, events, promotions) within limitations: non-illuminated, max 30 days, 24 sq ft max, only on property of business, not in right-of-way or sight triangle.
- Itinerant merchants: one temporary sign/banner per establishment for the period of operation (not in right-of-way/sight triangle, not illuminated, max 24 sq ft).
- Pennants, ribbons, streamers, festoon lighting, balloons (including inflatables), feather flags or spinners are only permitted in the MUC district and only for grand opening / reopening events for a maximum of 30 days.
- Signs that are permanent architectural features existing prior to ordinance adoption.
- Any sign allowed under the ordinance may contain, in lieu of copy, any otherwise lawful noncommercial message (regardless of content).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit application may not be obtained unless both the sign and applicable ‘signage plan’ comply with requirements.
- All applications for sign permits and for approval of a signage plan must be submitted to the City Planning Department.
- Applications for sign permits and for approval of a signage plan must be accompanied by applicable fees.
- Approval of a signage plan is processed in the same manner as sign permit applications.
- A ‘signage plan’ must be reviewed and found compliant by the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee as part of the permit process.
- Alteration of a supporting sign structure is considered new sign construction and requires a sign permit and conformity to all dimensional requirements.
- If a sign is installed, created, erected, or maintained in a way inconsistent with any plan or permit governing the sign or lot, it is a violation.
- No sign permit may be obtained unless a fully completed sign permit application is submitted, and, following review, the sign and signage plan comply with the requirements of the ordinance.
- Combined developments (with more than one establishment or business on a common parcel) shall have signage plans governing ground-mounted and wall/canopy/awning signs—mixing of sign types is restricted; refer to sign plan requirements and Table 1331-1.
- An appeal process of permit denial is provided; appeals may be made to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

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

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