# Sign Regulations in Hudson, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Hudson, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/hudson
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-01
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://ecode360.com/9774383)

## At a glance

Hudson, Wisconsin regulates 18 sign types across 11 zoning districts. Wall Signs in the B-1 Local Business District, B-2 General Business District zoning district are capped at Not specified tall, Not specified, and Not specified wide (Sec. ¤ 202-6C(1).). Most commercial signs in Hudson require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (11 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | — | 50% of the window area | No |
| R-1 Residential District, R-2 Residential District | 3 | 10 feet | 36 square feet | Yes |
| R-M Multiple-Family Residential District | 4 | 10 feet | 36 square feet | Yes |
| B-1 Local Business District, B-2 General Business District | 9 | 15 feet | 120 square feet | Yes |
| B-3 Central Business District | 10 | 20 feet | 120 square feet | Yes |
| B-4 Central Business and OFC Office District | 7 | 15 feet | 120 square feet | Yes |
| OFC Office District | 6 | 15 feet | 120 square feet | Yes |
| I-1 Light Industrial District, I-2 General Industrial District | 5 | 20 feet | 80 square feet | Yes |
| Public District | 4 | 10 feet | 80 square feet | Yes |
| Planned residential, commercial and industrial districts | 1 | Not specified | Not specified | Yes |
| St. Croix River Wild and Scenic Riverway and Shoreland Protection Overlay District | 1 | Not specified | 20 square feet | Yes |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 11 zones)

### B-1 Local Business District, B-2 General Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | Not specified | Affixed to a building wall | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(1). |
| Freestanding Sign | B-1: 10 ft, B-2: 45 ft | B-1: 60 sq ft, B-2: 135 sq ft | Not specified | — | One per principal building | On the ground, not affixed to a building | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(2). |
| Area Identification Sign | 15 feet | 120 square feet | Not specified | — | One per primary access | At or near the primary access to the development | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(3). |
| On-Premises Directional Sign | Not specified | 10 square feet | Not specified | — | Not specified | On the property it refers to | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(4). |
| Banner Sign | Not specified | B-1: 20 sq ft, B-2: 80 sq ft | Not specified | — | One per building wall | Attached to the wall of the building | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(6). |
| Electronic Message Display | B-2: 25 ft | B-2: 30 sq ft | Not specified | — | Not specified | Freestanding | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(7). |
| Portable Sign | B-2: 4 ft | Not specified | B-2: 3 ft | — | One per building, plus additional for multiple tenant buildings | On private property or business premises | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(8). |
| Projecting Sign | Not specified | 20 square feet per facing | Not specified | — | Not specified | Affixed to a wall | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(9). |

### B-3 Central Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | Not specified | Affixed to a building wall | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(1). |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet | 80 square feet | Not specified | — | One per principal building | On the ground, not affixed to a building | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(2). |
| Area Identification Sign | 15 feet | 120 square feet | Not specified | — | One per primary access | At or near the primary access to the development | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(3). |
| On-Premises Directional Sign | Not specified | 10 square feet | Not specified | — | Not specified | On the property it refers to | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(4). |
| Banner Sign | Not specified | 20 square feet | Not specified | — | One per building wall | Attached to the wall of the building | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(6). |
| Electronic Message Display | 20 feet | 20 square feet | Not specified | — | Not specified | Freestanding | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(7). |
| Portable Sign | 3 feet | Not specified | 2.5 feet | — | One per building, plus additional for multiple tenant buildings | On private property or business premises | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(8). |
| Projecting Sign | Not specified | 20 square feet per facing | Not specified | — | Not specified | Affixed to a wall | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(9). |

### B-4 Central Business and OFC Office District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | Not specified | Affixed to a building wall | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(1). |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 feet | 60 square feet | Not specified | — | One per principal building | On the ground, not affixed to a building | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(2). |
| Area Identification Sign | 15 feet | 120 square feet | Not specified | — | One per primary access | At or near the primary access to the development | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(3). |
| On-Premises Directional Sign | Not specified | 10 square feet | Not specified | — | Not specified | On the property it refers to | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(4). |
| Banner Sign | Not specified | 40 square feet | Not specified | — | One per building wall | Attached to the wall of the building | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(6). |
| Electronic Message Display | Not specified | 20 square feet | Not specified | — | Not specified | Freestanding | Yes | ¤ 202-6C(7). |
| Temporary Sign | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | — | Not specified | Not specified | No | ¤ 202-6C(5). |

## Prohibited signs in Hudson

- Signs in the public right-of-way or on fire hydrants, street signs, traffic devices, utility poles or wires are prohibited.
- Unauthorized signs erected or temporarily placed within any street, highway, right-of-way, public easement, fire hydrant, traffic sign, utility poles or wires, or upon any City-owned property may be removed by the City at the sign owner's expense and disposed of without notice to the owner of the sign.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited in all districts except as specifically authorized in this chapter.
- Pornographic signs are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- No illuminated sign which changes in either color or intensity of light shall be permitted, except one giving time, date, temperature, weather, except for electronic message display signs.
- Motion signs are prohibited in all districts.
- Signs shall not be placed on regulatory or utility posts.
- A vehicle or trailer used as a sign or as the base for a sign where the primary purpose of the vehicle or trailer in that location is its use as a sign is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hudson

- Signs that are traffic control devices and are permitted or allowed by the Wisconsin Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices published by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
- Interior signs located completely within a building and not visible from outside the building.
- Statues, sculptures, other art objects, church windows and other integrated architectural features of buildings are pieces of art and are not considered signs and do not require sign permits unless their height exceeds 10 feet and they are freestanding.
- Signs in City parks that comply with City park policies and pursuant to lease agreements for use of City parks, all approved by the Common Council.

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

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