# Sign Regulations in Jefferson, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Jefferson, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/jefferson
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-07
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/37670424#37670424)

## At a glance

Jefferson, Wisconsin regulates 42 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the MRL-8, MRM-12 zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 50 sf, with a 15 feet from the street curb face setback (Sec. § 300-9.11a). Most commercial signs in Jefferson require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| State Highway 26 Bypass Overlay Zoning District | 1 | 100 ft | 250 sf | Yes |
| MRL-8, MRM-12 | 7 | 6 ft | 50 sf | Yes |
| I, NMU, UMU, SMU, BP, LI, MI, HI, IOS, IOC, AO, EX, FG | 26 | 10 ft | 120 sf | Yes |
| Institutional Zoning District | 2 | 10 ft | 120 sf | Yes |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 15 | — | Not allowed | Yes |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### MRL-8, MRM-12

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 6 ft | 50 sf | — | 15 feet from the street curb face | 1 per lot | 15 feet from the street curb face | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Dual Post Sign | 6 ft | 50 sf | — | 15 feet from the street curb face | 1 per lot | 15 feet from the street curb face | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Wall Sign | — | Per formula | — | — | 1 per exterior wall not abutting residential use or zoning district, plus 1 per customer entry | On exterior wall not abutting residential use or zoning district | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Awning Sign | — | Per formula | — | — | 1 per exterior wall not abutting residential use or zoning district, plus 1 per customer entry | On exterior wall not abutting residential use or zoning district | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Canopy Sign | — | 40 sf | — | — | 1 per exterior wall not abutting residential use or zoning district, plus 1 per customer entry | On exterior wall not abutting residential use or zoning district | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Blade Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | 1 for each customer entrance | For each customer entrance | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Suspended Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | 1 for each customer entrance | For each customer entrance | Yes | § 300-9.11a |

### I, NMU, UMU, SMU, BP, LI, MI, HI, IOS, IOC, AO, EX, FG

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 120 sf | — | 15 feet from the street curb face | 1 per lot | 15 feet from the street curb face | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Dual Post Sign | 8 ft | 120 sf | — | 15 feet from the street curb face | 1 per lot | 15 feet from the street curb face | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3 ft | 6 sf | 2 ft | — | 1 for each business | Within 10 ft of customer entrance | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Bulletin Board Sign | 10 ft | 16 sf | — | 15 ft from the street curb face | 1 for each business | 15 ft from the street curb face | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Board Sign | 8 ft | 32 sf | — | Sign setback shall be at least max. sign height | 1 per lot | On-building | No | § 300-9.11b |
| Flag Sign | Cannot exceed building height | 32 sf | — | Sign setback shall be at least max. sign height | 1 per lot | On-building | No | § 300-9.11b |
| Feather Sign | 6 ft | 8 sf | — | Sign setback shall be at least max. sign height | 1 per 50 ft of lot frontage | On-building | No | § 300-9.11b |
| Permanent Plat Sign | 6 ft | 100 sf | — | Sign setback shall be at least max. sign height | As approved per the final plat | Within a platted outlot or within a permanent sign easement | Yes | § 300-9.11c |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Projecting Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | 1 per lot | Sign shall not extend above parapet or facia. Minimum overhang rules apply. | Yes | § 300-9.11a |
| Stake Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | — | — | — | § 300-9.11d |
| Frame Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | — | — | — | § 300-9.11d |
| Arm and Post Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | — | — | — | § 300-9.11d |
| Abandoned Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | — | — | — | § 300-9.05E |
| Advertising Vehicle Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | — | — | — | § 300-9.05E |
| Beacon/Search Beacon Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | — | — | — | § 300-9.05E |
| Flashing/Scrolling/Animated Sign | — | Not allowed | — | — | — | — | — | § 300-9.05E |

## Prohibited signs in Jefferson

- No sign shall be erected at any location where it may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.
- No fluttering, undulating, swinging, rotating, or otherwise moving signs such as windsocks, motorized signs, pennants, and streamers shall be permitted.
- No signs shall project above the building parapet or eave, or be mounted on or extend above the roof, if attached to the building.
- No flashing, scrolling, or animated signs shall be permitted.
- No signs shall be mounted to an unlicensed trailer or other unlicensed vehicle.
- No beacons or search beacons shall be permitted.
- No billboards or off-premises advertising signs shall be permitted, unless otherwise specified in this chapter.
- No abandoned signs shall be permitted.
- No sign shall be located within a required bufferyard or within a permanently protected green space area.
- All illuminated signs that are visible from any parcel in a residential zoning district shall be limited to illumination only between the hours of sunrise and 10:00 p.m.

## Signs exempt from permit in Jefferson

- Traffic control and other government messages located within a right-of-way.
- Decorations that are incidentally and customarily associated with any national holiday or religious holiday, or with any community festival or similar event.
- Flags which do not contain a commercial message, commercial logo, or commercial colors.
- Art works, including but not limited to wall murals, which do not contain a commercial message, logo, or colors; and/or which contain pictorial representations referring to businesses, merchandise, products, or services of an exclusively historic nature of 50 years or older.
- Building colors and lighting which do not contain a commercial message, commercial logo, or commercial colors.
- Interior site signs located on the interior of the grounds of the following land uses: outdoor open space, passive outdoor recreational, or active outdoor public recreational facility, which are primarily oriented to persons within the grounds.
- Interior building signs located on the interior of a building and not attached to or located within three feet of the inside of a window, which are primarily oriented to persons within the building.
- Window displays of merchandise, pictures, or models of products or services incorporated in a window display, which are not directly attached to an interior or exterior window surface.
- Vehicles that are licensed, operable, and parked in legal parking spaces.
- Individual signs less than one square foot in area are not regulated by this chapter.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No freestanding sign, on-building sign, pedestrian sign, bulletin board or order board sign, or optional miscellaneous sign shall be erected, installed, or constructed without approval from the City of Jefferson Plan Commission.
- The Plan Commission shall review all freestanding, on-building, pedestrian, bulletin board, order board, or optional miscellaneous signs, all signs accompanying changes in use or new use which must receive approval of a zoning permit, and sites which will have more than one sign viewed together as part of a group of signs.

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

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