# Sign Regulations in Shawano, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Shawano, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/shawano
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-01
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/34235179#34235179)

## At a glance

Shawano, Wisconsin regulates 19 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Business Sign, On-Premises in the All institutional uses in all districts zoning district are capped at 100 square feet, with a Minimum 5 feet from front property line setback (Sec. Figure 10-144a, Figure 10-144b).

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential, single-family detached districts (SR-2, SR-4, SR-5, SR-6) | 10 | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| Residential, duplex and multifamily districts (TR-6, MR-10, MR-20, MH-8) | 10 | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| All institutional uses in all districts | 15 | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| Rural and neighborhood districts (RH-35, NMU, PL) | 14 | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| Community and Urban Mixed Use Districts (CMU, UMU, PD) | 16 | 20 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) | 14 | 12 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| Industrial and business districts (BP, LI, GI, ME) | 15 | 20 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 4 feet | 35% of the individual glass area | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### All institutional uses in all districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Sign, On-Premises | — | 100 square feet | — | Minimum 5 feet from front property line | 1 per public right-of-way frontage | — | — | Figure 10-144a, Figure 10-144b |
| Auxiliary Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | § 10-142(2), Figure 10-144a |
| Community Information Sign | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — | — | — | Private or public property, including rights-of-way | — | § 10-142(4), Figure 10-144a |
| Directional Sign, On-Premises | — | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 per vehicular entrance/exit | Each vehicular entrance/exit and parking area | — | § 10-142(5), Figure 10-144a |
| Directional Sign, Off-Premises | — | 8 square feet | — | — | 2 per lot | — | — | § 10-142(6), Figure 10-144a |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | Figure 10-144a |
| Variable Message Sign | — | — | — | — | — | No less than 100 feet from any parcel within a residential zoning district | — | § 10-142(9), Figure 10-144a |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per public right-of-way frontage | Building facade | — | § 10-143(2), Figure 10-144a |

### Community and Urban Mixed Use Districts (CMU, UMU, PD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Sign, On-Premises | — | 100 square feet | — | Minimum 5 feet from front property line | 1 per public right-of-way frontage | — | — | Figure 10-144a, Figure 10-144b |
| Auxiliary Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | § 10-142(2), Figure 10-144a |
| Community Information Sign | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — | — | — | Private or public property, including rights-of-way | — | § 10-142(4), Figure 10-144a |
| Directional Sign, On-Premises | — | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 per vehicular entrance/exit | Each vehicular entrance/exit and parking area | — | § 10-142(5), Figure 10-144a |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | Figure 10-144a |
| Variable Message Sign | — | — | — | — | — | No less than 100 feet from any parcel within a residential zoning district | — | § 10-142(9), Figure 10-144a |
| Arm/Post Sign | 12 feet | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 10-143(1), Figure 10-144a |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per public right-of-way frontage | Building facade | — | § 10-143(2), Figure 10-144a |

### Industrial and business districts (BP, LI, GI, ME)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Sign, On-Premises | — | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 5 feet from front property line | 1 per public right-of-way frontage | — | — | Figure 10-144a, Figure 10-144b |
| Auxiliary Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | § 10-142(2), Figure 10-144a |
| Community Information Sign | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — | — | — | Private or public property, including rights-of-way | — | § 10-142(4), Figure 10-144a |
| Directional Sign, On-Premises | — | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 per vehicular entrance/exit | Each vehicular entrance/exit and parking area | — | § 10-142(5), Figure 10-144a |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | Figure 10-144a |
| Variable Message Sign | — | — | — | — | — | No less than 100 feet from any parcel within a residential zoning district | — | § 10-142(9), Figure 10-144a |
| Arm/Post Sign | 12 feet | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 10-143(1), Figure 10-144a |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per public right-of-way frontage | Building facade | — | § 10-143(2), Figure 10-144a |

## Prohibited signs in Shawano

- No sign or advertisement shall be erected on Green Bay Street or Main Street without the approval of the Building Inspector.
- No flashing signs. 'Flashing' is defined as a variable message sign, including electronic message centers displaying text, images, and/or video, having a display that turns on and off more frequently than in three-second intervals.

## Signs exempt from permit in Shawano

- Any flag or emblem of any nation, organization of nations, state, or city, or any religious, fraternal, or civic organization.
- Merchandise, pictures, or models of products or services incorporated in a window display.
- Works of art which in no way identify a product including wall murals.
- Scoreboards located on athletic fields.
- Building colors and outline lighting which do not convey a logo or message specific to the use therein (as determined by the Zoning Administrator).
- Traffic control and other public agency messages located within a right-of-way.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A signage plan, drawn to a recognizable scale, for the property shall be submitted showing the location, type, height, width, and area of the proposed sign.
- Signage for all uses in the Planned Development Zoning Districts shall be permitted per the base zoning district or as modified in the approved specific implementation plan's signage plan.

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

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