# Sign Regulations in Marion, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Marion, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/marion
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-01
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/15538009#15538009)

## At a glance

Marion, Wisconsin regulates 16 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Projecting Signs in the Commercial and Manufacturing Districts zoning district are capped at 20 feet above mean center-line street grade tall and 100 square feet, with a Not less than 10 feet from all side lot lines setback (Sec. § 625-39A(2)). Most commercial signs in Marion require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial and Manufacturing Districts | 7 | 45 feet in manufacturing districts, 30 feet in other commercial districts | 672 square feet per side on four-lane divided roadways, 300 square feet per side on other roadways | — |
| Residential, Conservancy and Agricultural Districts | 7 | — | 8 square feet | — |
| B-1 and B-2 Districts | 1 | — | 672 square feet per side on four-lane divided roadways, 300 square feet per side on other roadways | — |
| Manufacturing Districts | 3 | 45 feet in manufacturing districts | 672 square feet per side on four-lane divided roadways, 300 square feet per side on other roadways | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 32 square feet on each face, back to back | — |

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

### Commercial and Manufacturing Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 45 feet in manufacturing districts, 30 feet in other commercial districts | 500 square feet | — | — | — | Exterior walls of buildings | — | § 625-39A(1) |
| Projecting Sign | 20 feet above mean center-line street grade | 100 square feet | — | Not less than 10 feet from all side lot lines | — | Fastened to, suspended from or supported by structures | — | § 625-39A(2) |
| Freestanding Sign | 45 feet in manufacturing and B-2 Districts fronting FAP highways, 30 feet in other areas | 300 square feet on one side, 600 square feet on all sides | — | Minimum of five feet from property line | — | Ground | — | § 625-39A(3) and § 625-39A(4) |
| Roof Sign | 15 feet above the roof | 300 square feet on all sides | — | Must meet all yard requirements for the district | — | Roof | — | § 625-39A(5) |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Inside of commercial buildings | — | § 625-39A(6) |
| Off-Premises Sign | — | 672 square feet per side on four-lane divided roadways, 300 square feet per side on other roadways | — | Minimum of 100 feet from residential district property line, 100 feet from an intersection, 350 feet from a church or school, 1,000 feet from another billboard on the same side of the street, 5 feet from the right-of-way and property lines | — | B-1, B-2, and Manufacturing Districts | — | § 625-39A(7) |
| Directory Sign | 30 feet above mean center-line street grade | 90 square feet for shopping center name, 15 square feet for individual store name | — | Must meet all yard requirements for the zoning district | — | Shopping centers | — | § 625-39A(8) |

### Residential, Conservancy and Agricultural Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises | — | § 625-38B(2) |
| Name, Occupation and Warning Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises | — | § 625-38B(3) |
| Bulletin Board | — | 8 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises of public, charitable or religious institutions | — | § 625-38B(4) |
| Memorial Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Cut into masonry surface or constructed of metal and affixed flat against a structure | — | § 625-38B(5) |
| Official Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Traffic control, parking restrictions, information and notices | — | § 625-38B(6) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Authorized by the City | — | § 625-38B(7) |
| Professional Sign | — | 3 square feet | — | — | One per premises | On the premises | — | § 625-38B(10) |

### Manufacturing Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 45 feet in manufacturing districts | 500 square feet | — | — | — | Exterior walls of buildings | — | § 625-39A(1) |
| Freestanding Sign | 45 feet in manufacturing and B-2 Districts fronting FAP highways | 300 square feet on one side, 600 square feet on all sides | — | Minimum of five feet from property line | — | Ground | — | § 625-39A(3) |
| Off-Premises Sign | — | 672 square feet per side on four-lane divided roadways, 300 square feet per side on other roadways | — | Minimum of 100 feet from residential district property line, 100 feet from an intersection, 350 feet from a church or school, 1,000 feet from another billboard on the same side of the street, 5 feet from the right-of-way and property lines | — | B-1, B-2, and Manufacturing Districts | — | § 625-39A(7) |

## Prohibited signs in Marion

- No sign or billboard shall have a message, shape, characteristic or graphic which is prohibited by state statutes.
- Signs shall not resemble, imitate or approximate the shape, size, form or color of railroad or traffic signs or devices.
- Signs, canopies and awnings shall not obstruct or interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices or the safe flow of traffic.
- No sign shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape.
- No sign, awning or canopy shall be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility.
- No sign shall be erected which has any flashing, rotating or brilliant intermittent parts or lights or bare reflecting-type bulbs, except those giving public service information such as time, date, temperature, weather or similar information or where allowed by conditional use permit.
- No signs, billboards or other advertising media which create a hazard or dangerous distraction to vehicular traffic or a nuisance to adjoining residential property shall be permitted in any district.
- Signs shall not be permitted on public rights-of-way, except for municipal traffic control, parking and directional signs and as otherwise specified in this chapter, or be located within five feet of a property line.
- No signs shall be painted on, attached to or affixed to any trees, rocks, or other similar organic or inorganic natural matter, including utility poles or apparatus.
- Blanketing of signs shall not be allowed.

## Signs exempt from permit in Marion

- Real estate signs not to exceed eight square feet in area which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which said signs are temporarily located.
- Name, occupation and warning signs not to exceed four square feet located on the premises.
- Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions not to exceed 35 square feet in area located on the premises.
- Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of metal and affixed flat against the structure.
- Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restriction, information and notices.
- Temporary signs, when authorized by the City for a period not to exceed 30 days.
- Rummage sale signs not to exceed eight square feet in area, but use of this type of sign shall be limited to 72 hours per sale.
- Signs designating entrances, exits, service areas, parking areas, and rest rooms and other signs relating to functional operation of the building or premises shall be permitted without limitation other than reasonable size and necessity.
- Signs not exceeding one square foot in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers or names of occupants of premises.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- Legal notices, identification information or directional signs erected by governmental bodies.
- Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts or moving lights.
- Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property but bearing no advertising matter.
- Political signs shall be subject to § 12.04, Wis. Stats.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No signs, billboards, awnings or canopies shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted or structurally altered without a sign permit and without being in conformity with the provisions of this article.
- Application for a sign permit shall be made in writing upon forms furnished by the City which contain the following information about the sign: dimensions, including display surface; materials; illumination; wiring; height above grade; distance from lot lines; and the person, firm or corporation erecting or altering the sign.
- Any person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of erecting, repairing, maintaining or relocating any sign shall maintain in effect at all times a policy of liability insurance with limits of $300,000 for bodily injury and $1,000,000 aggregate and $100,000 property damage.
- Every sign shall be inspected and approved by the Zoning Administrator within 30 days after it is erected or altered.
- Variances or exceptions to these sign regulations may not be granted.

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

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