# Sign Regulations in Racine, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Racine, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/racine
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/wi/racine/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIMUCO_CH114ZO_ARTXSIRE)

## At a glance

Racine, Wisconsin regulates 24 sign types across 12 zoning districts. Electronic Message Sign (Office/Institutional Facilities)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 60 sq ft (max 50% electronic face), with a 25 ft from property lines setback (Sec. Sec. 114-1033(a)). Most commercial signs in Racine require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (12 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 15 ft | 64 sq ft per lot or parcel | — |
| Residence Districts | 5 | 15 ft | 64 sq ft each | — |
| R4, R5, R6 | 1 | 6 ft | 16 sq ft | — |
| O Restricted Office District (O), O-I Office/Institutional District (O-I) | 1 | 15 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| B1 Neighborhood Convenience District (B1) | 1 | 15 ft | 120 sq ft (per establishment) | — |
| B2 Community Shopping District (B2) | 2 | 15 ft | 300 sq ft (per establishment) | — |
| B3 General Commercial District (B3) | 2 | 15 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| B4 Central Business District (B4) | 3 | 15 ft | 200 sq ft (per establishment) | — |
| B5 Central Service District (B5) | 3 | 15 ft | 200 sq ft (per establishment) | — |
| I-1 Restricted Industrial District (I-1) | 3 | 25 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| I-2 General/Industrial District (I-2) | 2 | 15 ft (unless conditional use approval) | 300 sq ft | — |
| Industrial parks | 1 | 15 ft (unless conditional use approval) | 200 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 12 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Residential) | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | Up to 4 at one time | On property in a residential zoning district | — | Sec. 114-1034(a)(2)-(7) |
| Temporary Sign (Business/Industrial) | 15 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | Up to 4 at one time | On property in a business or industrial zoning district | — | Sec. 114-1034(a)(2)-(7) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 ft | 8 sq ft | 3 ft | — | 1 per business | Sidewalk area adjacent to business (on-premises only) | — | Sec. 114-1037 |
| Window Sign | — | 50% of street level window area (except B5: 5%) | — | — | — | On or within six feet of street-level street facade windows | — | Sec. 114-1038 |
| Original Art Display | — | 64 sq ft per lot or parcel | — | — | 1 per lot or parcel | Affixed to or painted directly on exterior wall | — | Sec. 114-1039 |
| Marquee, Awning, and Canopy Signs | 15 ft above curb level | Awning/canopy: no more than 1/3 of face area | — | — | — | Flat to vertical face of marquees; affixed flat to/within boundary of awning/canopy | — | Sec. 114-1035 |
| Electronic Message Sign (Office/Institutional Facilities) | 6 ft | 60 sq ft (max 50% electronic face) | — | 25 ft from property lines | 1 per site | On-premises, >25 ft setback, not within 200 ft of or facing residential | — | Sec. 114-1033(a) |
| Electronic Message Sign (Nonresidential, non-Office/Institutional use) (B2, B3, B4, B5, I-1, I-2) | 15 ft above curb level | 25% of total allowable sign area of zoning lot | — | — | — | On-premises | — | Sec. 114-1033(b) |

### Residence Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Parking Area Sign (Residence Districts) | 10 ft | 2 sq ft (entrance/exit); 9 sq ft (additional per parking area) | — | Cannot project beyond property line | See above | At each parking lot entrance/exit | — | Sec. 114-1059 |
| Roadside Stand Sign | 15 ft | 12 sq ft | — | 8 ft from property line | 1 per lot | On same zoning lot as roadside stand; not less than 8 ft from any property line | — | Sec. 114-1060 |
| Temporary Sign (Subdivision/Improvement) | 15 ft | 64 sq ft each | — | Front yard requirement plus 50 ft from other boundaries | Max 2 | At entrance, 50 ft from all other boundaries | — | Sec. 114-1061 |
| Institution/Subdivision/Mobile Home Park/Estate Identification Sign | 15 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance | At each entrance | — | Sec. 114-1062 |
| Civic Bulletin Board | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from any property line | 1 per lot; 2 if corner | — | — | Sec. 114-1063 |

### B4 Central Business District (B4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On-Premises Signs | — | 200 sq ft (per establishment) | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 114-1080(1) |
| Projecting Sign / Banner (Per 20 ft Frontage) | 15 ft | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per 20 ft of frontage | — | — | Sec. 114-1080(2) |
| Identification Sign (Alley/Interior Block Side) | 10 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per alley/interior side | Alley or interior block side | — | Sec. 114-1080(3a) |

## Prohibited signs in Racine

- No sign regulated by this article shall be erected without a permit issued by the city zoning administrator, unless otherwise permitted or regulated in this article.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained unless it is in compliance with the regulations governing location and bulk of structures for the district in which it is located, unless such sign is specifically regulated otherwise.
- No sign shall be erected in a location prohibited by this chapter.
- No sign shall be erected so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door or window, or any other exitway required by the building code or fire department regulations.
- No sign shall be attached to a standpipe, gutter drain, or fire escape, nor erected so as to impair access to a roof.
- No sign shall be located on a truck, bus, trailer, boat, or other vehicle which is used primarily to display such sign.
- All signs declared to be a traffic hazard after a recommendation from the traffic engineer must be relocated or rearranged.
- A sign in the direct line of vision of any traffic signal shall not have red, green, or amber illumination.
- Signs may not be located in a manner as to obscure or physically interfere with the effectiveness of an official traffic sign, signal or device, or obstruct/interfere with the driver's view of approaching, merging or intersecting traffic.
- No sign shall be located on, or project above the parapet line of, any roof except by conditional use permit.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained in an unsafe condition or in substantial disrepair.
- Certain types of mounting required: the backs of signs or structures showing to public view must be painted and maintained a neutral color or a color that blends with the environment.
- Signs must be erected and maintained in accordance with the specifications by district or types of districts and must comply with general sign requirements.
- It is prohibited to fail to remove obsolete or nonconforming signs within the required timeframes.
- No nonconforming sign shall be altered or reconstructed unless in compliance with this article (normal maintenance excepted).
- The following signs are prohibited: Signs that may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device or that hide traffic/street sign or signal; signs containing banners, posters, inflatables, pennants, ribbons, streamers, balloons, strings of light bulbs, spinners, or other similarly moving devices; signs with blinking, flashing or fluttering lights or other illuminating devices which exhibit movement except specific electronic sign messages allowed in this article; signs that are original art display without owner permission or are graffiti; portable signs not in compliance with location, size, or use restrictions; and any signs not expressly permitted by this article.

## Signs exempt from permit in Racine

- Signs not visible beyond the boundaries of the lot or parcel upon which they are situated, or from any public thoroughfare or right-of-way, and signs oriented inward upon a lot and intended solely for the information of employees, students, faculty, and visitors.
- Signs erected, maintained or otherwise posted, owned or leased by, on behalf of, or as specifically directed or ordered by federal, state or local governments and government agencies, in furtherance of authorized government functions or activities within the public right-of-way.
- Flags made of any fabric or bunting with a maximum area of 60 square feet, which is attached along only one edge to a pole or permanent structure, and used solely as an identifier of a government or institution.
- Any sign which is located completely within an enclosed building, and which sign is not visible from outside the building and is not legible nor is it intended to be legible from the right-of-way.
- Signs on a truck, bus, trailer, or other vehicle while operated in the normal course of a business which is not primarily the display of such signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit is generally required to erect a sign unless otherwise exempted. Application must be submitted to the city zoning administrator for approval.
- An applicant may apply for a variance from sign regulations under specified procedures.
- For roof signs in the area defined by the Root River, Sam's River Road, and Water Street, an application and supporting materials must be submitted to the planning, heritage, and design commission for review and approval subject to specific design standards.
- Some types of signs (e.g., marquee signs) may require a conditional use permit and compliance with additional requirements.
- A landscape plan must be submitted as part of the conditional use for certain electronic monument signs.
- Signs reviewed by a special design or development review authority may have alternative procedural requirements (e.g., planning, heritage, and design commission review in certain districts for 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 12 zoning districts in Racine — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Racine+WI&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-racine

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