# Sign Regulations in Sheboygan, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Sheboygan, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/sheboygan
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/WI/Sheboygan/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH98SI)

## At a glance

Sheboygan, Wisconsin regulates 11 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Wall Signs in the Business Districts, Industrial Districts zoning district are capped at Not above the lower edge of the second story windows; not to exceed 15 feet in height above sidewalk level tall and 40 sq ft, with a Located entirely within lot lines unless supported on front of building setback (Sec. Sec. 98-4, Sec. 98-5(a)(1,3), Sec. 98-5(b),(c),(f)). Most commercial signs in Sheboygan require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| Business Districts, Industrial Districts | 8 | 30 ft above roof | 40 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Small Sign (Home Occupation or For Sale/Rent) | — | — | — | — | — | Premises for sale or rent or designating home occupations | — | Sec. 98-4 |

### Business Districts, Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not above the lower edge of the second story windows; not to exceed 15 feet in height above sidewalk level | 40 sq ft | — | Located entirely within lot lines unless supported on front of building | — | On the front of business buildings or within the lot lines | — | Sec. 98-4, Sec. 98-5(a)(1,3), Sec. 98-5(b),(c),(f) |
| Freestanding Sign / Billboard / Poster Panel / Signboard | 15 ft above sidewalk level; not exceeding 12 ft from lower to upper edge, 2-3 ft clearance to ground | 40 sq ft | — | Set back at least as much as residential buildings on a street occupied by residential buildings, except for signs supported on the front of a business building. | — | Within lot lines | — | Sec. 98-4, Sec. 98-5(a), (d), (e), (f) |
| Projecting Sign (Horizontal) | — | — | Not greater than 60% of length unless contains at least 40% open spaces | — | — | May extend outward up to 8 ft beyond lot line over public sidewalk/highway | — | Sec. 98-5(g), (k), (n) |
| Projecting Sign (Vertical) | — | — | — | — | — | May project up to 10 ft outside lot line. If within 10 ft of ornamental street lighting, bottom edge must be at least 16 ft above sidewalk | — | Sec. 98-5(g), (k) |
| Roof or Sky Sign (< 15 sq ft) | Up to 18 ft above roof of building; clearance at least 2 ft above roof or coping | 15 sq ft | — | 8 ft from cornice or wall on street front | — | Set back at least 8 ft from cornice or wall on a street front | — | Sec. 98-5(i) |
| Roof or Sky Sign (Skeleton Construction) | 30 ft above roof | — | — | 8 ft from cornice or wall on street front | — | Set back at least 8 ft from cornice or wall on a street front | — | Sec. 98-5(i) |
| Roof or Sky Sign (> 15 sq ft, Non-skeleton) | 18 ft above roof | — | — | 8 ft from cornice or wall on street front | — | Set back at least 8 ft from cornice or wall on a street front | — | Sec. 98-5(h),(i) |
| Marquee or Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | May extend outward from lot line to outer edge of canopy | — | Sec. 98-5(c), (g), (j) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 98-3, Sec. 98-5(c), (f), (l) |
| Electric Sign (Projecting more than 4 ft, area >10 sq ft) | — | — | — | — | — | Projects more than 4 ft over public highway or sidewalk | — | Sec. 98-5(n) |

## Prohibited signs in Sheboygan

- No person shall erect, construct or maintain any sign, poster panel, billboard or structure of any kind to be used for advertising purposes or upon which any advertisement is shown, painted or displayed in any way, except in conformity with this chapter and such safety provisions as the city planner may prescribe and section 98-38, article III of this chapter or section 110-111.
- Advertising structures shall not be erected in any districts zoned as residential, except small signs designating home occupations or advertising premises for sale or rent.
- Wooden signs or billboards are not permitted within the fire limits.
- Electric lights or fixtures shall not be attached to any wooden billboard or sign.
- No sign or billboard shall be so constructed as to obstruct any door, doorway or window of any building so as to hinder or prevent ingress or egress through such openings or to prevent or hinder the placing of ladders against the building by the fire department.
- No horizontal sign or advertising device, except signs or marquees or canopies which may extend outward from the lot line to the outer edge of the canopy, shall be permitted to extend more than eight feet beyond the lot line.
- No projecting sign shall be less than ten feet from its lowest edge to the established grade of the public highway or sidewalk over which it projects.
- No horizontal sign or advertising device projecting over any public highway or sidewalk shall have a width greater than 60 percent of its length, unless such sign contains at least 40 percent open spaces.
- No projecting sign, roof sign or sky sign exceeding 15 square feet in area shall be supported on any building of lower structural classification than fireproof mill or ordinary construction.
- No swinging sign shall be constructed or maintained over any street, alley or public highway.
- Whenever all or a substantial part of any sign, billboard or marquee shall be removed, it shall not be replaced, reconstructed or reerected except in compliance with this chapter.
- Placing billboards upon wagons, automobiles or other vehicles and moving them through the streets is declared to be an evasion of this section and is prohibited.
- Unless prior approval is granted by the common council, it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, fasten, post, paint or maintain any sign, picture, poster or advertisement upon any structure or object of any description in or on any curb, sidewalk, street, alley, public way, public ground or public waterway.

## Signs exempt from permit in Sheboygan

- Small signs designating home occupations or advertising premises for sale or rent are permitted in residential districts.
- Painting or attaching legitimate advertising to delivery vans or other vehicles is not prohibited.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit requirements for a master sign plan, sign plan, or variance meeting are mentioned in this section.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Sheboygan, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Sheboygan+WI&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-sheboygan

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