# Sign Regulations in New Lisbon, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** New Lisbon, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/new-lisbon
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-01
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/15204909#15204909)

## At a glance

New Lisbon, Wisconsin regulates 21 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Temporary Sign (Subdivision Developments)s in the Residential District zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 50 square feet, with a 50 feet from all other boundaries setback (Sec. § 520-64A). Most commercial signs in New Lisbon require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Residential District | 5 | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Agricultural District | 5 | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Planned Unit Developments (Residential) | 5 | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| B-1 General Business District | 3 | 20 feet | 40 square feet per side | — |
| B-2 Highway Business District | 3 | 30 feet | 120 square feet per side | — |
| I-1 Industrial District | 3 | 30 feet | 160 square feet per side | — |
| I-2 Industrial District | 3 | 30 feet | 160 square feet per side | — |
| Mobile Home Parks | 2 | — | 20 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bulletin Board | — | 32 square feet | — | — | — | Public, charitable or religious institutions located on site | — | § 520-63A |
| Government Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Erected by or on the order of a public officer | — | § 520-63B |
| Interior Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Within the interior of any building or structure | — | § 520-63C |
| Occupant Sign | — | 3 square feet | — | — | — | One per street front | — | § 520-63E |
| Temporary Construction Safety Sign | 10 feet | — | — | — | — | Private premises | — | § 520-63G |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 7 square feet for residential, 32 square feet for nonresidential | — | — | — | On the offered property | — | § 520-63J |
| Political Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | — | One per premises per candidate or referenda question | — | § 520-63O |
| Rummage or Garage Sale Sign | — | 8 square feet | — | — | — | Within street right-of-way lines | — | § 520-63P |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Subdivision Developments) | 8 feet | 50 square feet | — | 50 feet from all other boundaries | 2 | Subdivision under construction | — | § 520-64A |
| Permanent Subdivision Identification Sign | 12 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 2 | At each entrance to a subdivision | — | § 520-64B |
| Church Bulletin | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot, 2 on corner lots | One per lot, two on corner lots | — | § 520-64C |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Sign | 6 feet | 16 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per lot street frontage | One per lot street frontage | — | § 520-64D |
| Home Occupation/Professional Home Office Sign | 6 feet | 6 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per lot | One per lot | — | § 520-64E |

### Agricultural District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Subdivision Developments) | 8 feet | 50 square feet | — | 50 feet from all other boundaries | 2 | Subdivision under construction | — | § 520-64A |
| Permanent Subdivision Identification Sign | 12 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 2 | At each entrance to a subdivision | — | § 520-64B |
| Church Bulletin | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot, 2 on corner lots | One per lot, two on corner lots | — | § 520-64C |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Sign | 6 feet | 16 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per lot street frontage | One per lot street frontage | — | § 520-64D |
| Home Occupation/Professional Home Office Sign | 6 feet | 6 square feet | — | 10 feet | 1 per lot | One per lot | — | § 520-64E |

## Prohibited signs in New Lisbon

- 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 or utilizes a spot or beacon light to illuminate a sign, except those giving public service information such as time, date, temperature, weather or similar information.
- 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 article.
- No new billboards shall be permitted in the City of New Lisbon after the effective date of this article.
- Painted wall signs are prohibited in the City of New Lisbon.
- Signs which bear or contain statements, words, pictures, or symbols of obscene, pornographic or immoral subjects are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited in the City of New Lisbon.
- Third-party signs and billboards are prohibited, except as provided in § 520-65D(6).
- No person shall park any vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way or on private properties so as to be seen from a public right-of-way which has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the basic purposes of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business activity located on the same or nearby property or any other premises.
- Signs which are not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled way of a public right-of-way and which are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle, or which otherwise interfere with any driver's operations of a motor vehicle, are prohibited.
- Signs which are not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any residential property and which are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause a public nuisance are prohibited.
- No sign shall be so floodlighted or illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures an official traffic sign, device, or signal.
- Spotlights and beacons are restricted.

## Signs exempt from permit in New Lisbon

- Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions located on site.
- Government signs for control of traffic and other regulatory purposes, danger signs, railroad crossing signs, and signs of public utilities indicating danger, and aids to service or safety which are erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of his/her public duty.
- Interior signs located within the interior of any building or structure which are not visible from the public right-of-way.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or inlaid so as to be part of the building.
- Occupant signs limited in content to name of occupant, address of premises, and signs of danger.
- Official governmental notices and notices posted by governmental officers in the performance of their duties; governmental signs to control traffic or for other regulatory purposes or to identify streets or to warn of danger.
- Temporary or permanent signs erected by public utility companies or construction companies to warn of dangerous or hazardous conditions.
- Traffic and parking signs and devices privately owned and on private premises and containing messages such as 'exit only', 'restricted for ____', and the like, the sole purpose of which is to direct and control traffic on the premises.
- Signs required by law, statute or ordinance, constructed and maintained according to the law, statute or ordinance under which the sign was erected.
- Real estate signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which it is located.
- Signs in the display window of a business which relate to services or products offered therein.
- Religious symbols, commemorative plaques of recognized historic agencies, or identification emblems of religious orders or historical agencies.
- Temporary or portable signs under 20 square feet for the purpose of an on-site open house, model home demonstration, or special event such as a birthday or anniversary.
- Temporary off-premises signs pertaining to drives or events of civic, philanthropic, educational, religious, or nonprofit organizations.
- Political message, public election or referenda signs during an election campaign.
- Rummage or garage sale signs.
- Illuminated and nonilluminated signs announcing that a business is open or closed.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- If the sign is larger than six square feet, the sign shall be reviewed by the Plan Commission.
- The Plan Commission shall review all applications within 30 days of submittal.
- The Plan Commission shall review the applications and apply the established sign design review guidelines.
- Variances or exceptions to these sign regulations may be granted by the Common Council following a recommendation from the Zoning Administrator.

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

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