# Sign Regulations in Denmark, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Denmark, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/denmark
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/42175780#42175780)

## At a glance

Denmark, Wisconsin regulates 18 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Canopy/Marquee Signs in the B-1 zoning district are capped at 1 foot from top of canopy or marquee tall and 50 square feet, with a Lesser of 2 feet from curb or 7 feet from wall to which it is attached setback (Sec. § 315-198C(1)). Most commercial signs in Denmark require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RD-1, R-1, R-2, R-3 | 5 | 8 feet | Primary facade: 100 square feet; Other facade: 50 square feet; Cumulative total: 150 square feet | — |
| R-4, R-5 | 2 | 6 feet | 36 square feet | — |
| B-1 | 7 | 8 feet | Primary facade: 150 square feet; Other facade: 50 square feet; Cumulative total: 150 square feet | — |
| B-2, IN | 7 | 35 feet | Primary facade: 150 square feet; Other facade: 50 square feet; Cumulative total: 150 square feet | — |
| B-3 | 6 | 85 feet for lots located within 1,000 feet of I-43; 50 feet for all other lots located west of CTH R | Primary facade: 150 square feet; Other facade: 50 square feet; Cumulative total: 150 square feet | — |
| I-1, I-2 | 3 | 10 feet | Primary facade: 200 square feet; Other facade: 50 square feet; Cumulative total: 200 square feet | — |
| PDD | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | Shall comply with the maximum height for a ground sign in the applicable zoning district | 25 square feet in total for all sides of the canopy | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### B-1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | 2 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per street-facing, first floor door/window | Per street-facing, first floor door/window | — | § 315-198C(1) |
| Canopy/Marquee Sign | 1 foot from top of canopy or marquee | 50 square feet | — | Lesser of 2 feet from curb or 7 feet from wall to which it is attached | 1 per street-facing first floor entrance/exit | Per street-facing first floor entrance/exit | — | § 315-198C(1) |
| Ground Sign | 6 feet | 100 square feet | — | None; 3 feet from side yard | 1 per accessible street frontage | Per accessible street frontage | — | § 315-198C(1) |
| Hanging Sign | 2 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | § 315-198C(1) |
| Ingress/Egress Sign | 5 feet | 8 square feet | — | None; 3 feet from side yard | 2 | — | — | § 315-198C(1) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | 2 feet from curb | 1 | — | — | § 315-198C(1) |
| Wall Sign | 8 feet | Primary facade: 150 square feet; Other facade: 50 square feet; Cumulative total: 150 square feet | — | — | 2 | Primary and other facades | — | § 315-198C(1) |

### B-2, IN

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | 2 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per street-facing, first floor door/window | Per street-facing, first floor door/window | — | § 315-198D(1) |
| Canopy/Marquee Sign | 1 foot from top of canopy or marquee | 50 square feet | — | Lesser of 2 feet from curb or 7 feet from wall to which it is attached | 1 per street-facing first floor entrance/exit | Per street-facing first floor entrance/exit | — | § 315-198D(1) |
| Ground Sign | 8 feet | 100 square feet | — | 10 feet from right-of-way; 3 feet from side yard | 1 per accessible street frontage | Per accessible street frontage | — | § 315-198D(1) |
| Ingress/Egress Sign | 5 feet | 8 square feet | — | None; 3 feet from side yard | 2 | — | — | § 315-198D(1) |
| Pole Sign | 35 feet | 50 square feet | — | None; 10 feet from side yard | 1 | — | — | § 315-198D(1) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | None | 1 | — | — | § 315-198D(1) |
| Wall Sign | 8 feet | Primary facade: 150 square feet; Other facade: 50 square feet; Cumulative total: 150 square feet | — | — | 2 | Primary and other facades | — | § 315-198D(1) |

### B-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Canopy/Marquee Sign | 1 foot from top of canopy or marquee | 50 square feet | — | Lesser of 2 feet from curb or 12 feet from wall to which it is attached | 1 per street-facing first floor entrance/exit | Per street-facing first floor entrance/exit | — | § 315-198E(1) |
| Ground Sign | 10 feet | 120 square feet | — | 10 feet from right-of-way; 3 feet from side yard | 1 per accessible street frontage | Per accessible street frontage | — | § 315-198E(1) |
| Ingress/Egress Sign | 5 feet | 8 square feet | — | None; 3 feet from side yard | 2 | — | — | § 315-198E(1) |
| Pole Sign | 85 feet for lots located within 1,000 feet of I-43; 50 feet for all other lots located west of CTH R | 100 square feet | — | None; 10 feet from side yard | 1 | — | — | § 315-198E(1) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | None | 1 | — | — | § 315-198E(1) |
| Wall Sign | 8 feet | Primary facade: 150 square feet; Other facade: 50 square feet; Cumulative total: 150 square feet | — | — | 2 | Primary and other facades | — | § 315-198E(1) |

## Prohibited signs in Denmark

- Signs not expressly permitted as being allowed by right or by permit under this chapter, by specific requirements in another portion of the Village of Denmark Code of Ordinances, or other applicable law, are prohibited.
- Signs shall not obstruct or interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic signs, signals, or devices.
- Signs shall not be erected, relocated, or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window, or fire escape; and no sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Signs shall not be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility, or be lighted in such a way as to cause glare or impair driver visibility upon public ways.
- Signs may be illuminated but nonflashing.
- Signs that disfigure, obstruct, or conceal architectural details, windows and window openings, doors, or other significant structural accoutrements are prohibited.
- Signs that imitate, interfere with, obstruct the view of, or can be confused with any authorized traffic control sign, signal, or other device are prohibited.
- Wall signs on single- and two-family dwellings located in nonresidential zoning districts are prohibited.
- Electronic signs in the RD-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-5 Districts are prohibited.
- Changeable copy signs in the RD-1, R-1, R-2, and R-3 Districts, except for manual change of copy signs accessory to places of worship, fraternal clubs/lodges, and similar such institutional uses when located on a RD-1, R-1, R-2, or R-3 District lot as a conditional use, are prohibited.
- Animated signs are prohibited.
- Flashing signs, including signs with scintillating, blinking, or traveling lights of more than 15 watts per lamp, are prohibited.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited.
- Signs which are painted on, or attached or affixed to, rocks, trees or other living vegetation are prohibited.
- Signs with any light flashing more than 10 times per minute are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Flags displayed in a manner noncompliant with § 315-197E of this chapter are prohibited.
- Signs placed on or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers that are parked on a public right-of-way, public property, or private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business or activity, unless otherwise specifically allowed in this chapter, are prohibited.
- Signs containing reflective elements which sparkle or twinkle in the sunlight are prohibited.
- Off-premises signs, unless otherwise permitted elsewhere in this section, are prohibited.
- Signs located in rear yards are prohibited.
- Signs attached to, erected, or maintained on any standpipe, exterior stairway, fire escape, tower, or balcony so as to interfere with the use thereof are prohibited.
- Signs entirely supported by a parapet wall are prohibited.
- Neon tubing exposed to view and not covered with an opaque cover of Plexiglas or other similar material is prohibited.
- Beacons of any type are prohibited.
- Blanketing of existing signs is prohibited.
- Any other signs not specifically permitted by this chapter are prohibited.
- No person shall cause to be placed any type of sign, notice, or other item on any traffic sign pole, utility pole, street indicator sign, or any other pole under the jurisdiction of the Village.

## Signs exempt from permit in Denmark

- The regulations included in this section are not intended to and do not apply to signs erected, maintained, or otherwise posted, owned, leased by, on behalf of, or as specifically directed or ordered by, federal, state, local governments and government agencies, in the furtherance of authorized government operations or activities within the public right-of-way.
- Signs not requiring a permit shall comply in all respects with the sign regulations presented in this chapter.
- Official and governmental signs, such as traffic control, parking, information, and notices.
- Signs intended to protect public safety or warn of potential hazards associated with a specific activity.
- Official notices posted by public officers or employers in the performance of their duties.
- Signs required as specifically authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute, or ordinance.
- Signs affixed to a truck, bus, trailer or other vehicles, while operating in the normal course of business, which is not primarily the display of signs.
- A sign carried by a person.
- House numbers and name plates not exceeding two square feet in area for each residential, commercial or industrial building.
- Signs internal to a site not intended to be viewed from outside the site.
- Interior signs.
- Festoons.
- Athletic field signage including signs, banners, and scoreboards designed for view from spectator areas and displayed on interior walls, fences, or other structures located inside an enclosed athletic field at a school, park, or other public or private athletic complex.
- Memorials, grave markers, statuary or other remembrances of persons or events, names of buildings and date of erection, when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other nonreflective, unobtrusive, and incombustible materials.
- Sanctioned event signs. Signs associated with a temporary, Village-sanctioned event.
- Flags and flagpoles.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Upon submission of sufficient documentation demonstrating the need to modify the size, design or number of signs necessary to identify a development, the Plan Commission may modify the sign restrictions within this section to overcome constraints only when such constraints are due to poor site visibility, excessive setbacks, or other physical or topographic constraints.
- The location and wording of such sign shall be shown on the site design review plan required by the § 315-112 of this article and submitted contemporaneously with the request for conditional use.
- The type, number, total sign area, location, and height of signage in any PDD shall be established according to an approved signage plan reviewed in conjunction with the approval of the PDD and shall generally conform to the requirements of the zoning district most similar to the PDD or its various elements, areas, and neighborhoods. Amendments to the sign plan reviewed and approved by the Plan Commission consistent with other amendments to the PDD.

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

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