# Sign Regulations in Wales, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Wales, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/wales
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12705577#12705577)

## At a glance

Wales, Wisconsin regulates 18 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Monument (Ground) Signs in the Business Districts zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 40 square feet on one side or a total of 80 square feet in area for all sides, with a 20 feet from front lot lines or street right-of-way lines and 10 feet from side and rear lot lines setback (Sec. § 435-50D). Most commercial signs in Wales require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 6 feet (Nonresidential) | 32 square feet per face | — |
| Residential District | 2 | — | 12 square feet per face | — |
| Nonresidential Districts | 2 | 6 feet | 24 square feet per sign face | — |
| Business Districts | 7 | 20 feet or above the first story, whichever is higher | 40 square feet on one side or a total of 80 square feet in area for all sides | — |
| Industrial Districts | 7 | 20 feet or above the first story, whichever is higher | 40 square feet on one side or a total of 80 square feet in area for all sides | — |
| I-1 District | 2 | — | — | — |
| P-1 District | 2 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | 6 feet (Nonresidential) | 8 square feet per sign face (Residential) / 24 square feet per sign face (Nonresidential) | — | — | One | On the property being sold, leased, or rented | — | § 435-48A |
| Off-Premises Directional Sign | — | 6 square feet per face | — | — | — | For open house purposes | — | § 435-48A(6) |
| Personal Name and Warning Sign | — | 2 square feet per face | — | — | — | On the premises | — | § 435-48B |
| Home Occupation and Professional Home Office Sign | — | 2 square feet per face | — | — | — | Flush-mounted against the dwelling or placed on a mailbox post | — | § 435-48C |
| Election Campaign Sign | — | 16 square feet per face (Nonresidential) / 12 square feet per face (Residential) | — | — | — | On the property with permission from the owner, renter, or lessee | — | § 435-48D |
| Temporary Rummage and Garage Sale Sign | — | 6 square feet per face | — | — | — | On the premises | — | § 435-48E |
| Temporary School, Church, Civic Club, or Nonprofit Organization Sign | — | 32 square feet per face | — | — | No more than four | On property in the Village other than property of the hosting organization with permission | — | § 435-48F |
| Driveway Ingress/Egress and Direction Sign | — | 4 square feet per face | — | — | — | Adjacent to driveways | — | § 435-48H |

### Business Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 feet or above the first story, whichever is higher | — | — | — | — | Flush-mounted against the exterior walls of buildings | — | § 435-50A |
| Projecting Sign | 20 feet | 9 square feet per sign face per business | — | — | — | Fastened to, suspended from, or supported by structures attached to buildings | — | § 435-50B |
| Marquee, Awning, or Canopy Sign | 2 feet | — | — | — | — | Affixed flat to the surface of a marquee, awning, or canopy | — | § 435-50C |
| Monument (Ground) Sign | 8 feet | 40 square feet on one side or a total of 80 square feet in area for all sides | — | 20 feet from front lot lines or street right-of-way lines and 10 feet from side and rear lot lines | One | Set back at least 20 feet from front lot lines or street right-of-way lines and 10 feet from side and rear lot lines | — | § 435-50D |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Inside of buildings | — | § 435-50E |
| Menu Board | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 435-50F |
| Combination Sign | — | — | — | — | Up to two advertising signs per principal building | — | — | § 435-50G |

### Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 feet or above the first story, whichever is higher | — | — | — | — | Flush-mounted against the exterior walls of buildings | — | § 435-50A |
| Projecting Sign | 20 feet | 9 square feet per sign face per business | — | — | — | Fastened to, suspended from, or supported by structures attached to buildings | — | § 435-50B |
| Marquee, Awning, or Canopy Sign | 2 feet | — | — | — | — | Affixed flat to the surface of a marquee, awning, or canopy | — | § 435-50C |
| Monument (Ground) Sign | 8 feet | 40 square feet on one side or a total of 80 square feet in area for all sides | — | 20 feet from front lot lines or street right-of-way lines and 10 feet from side and rear lot lines | One | Set back at least 20 feet from front lot lines or street right-of-way lines and 10 feet from side and rear lot lines | — | § 435-50D |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Inside of buildings | — | § 435-50E |
| Menu Board | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 435-50F |
| Combination Sign | — | — | — | — | Up to two advertising signs per principal building | — | — | § 435-50G |

## Prohibited signs in Wales

- No sign shall be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, or structurally altered without a sign permit, except for those allowed without a permit.
- No signs shall obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility.
- Outdoor off-premises signs, including billboards, are prohibited with certain exceptions.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Roof signs erected on the roof or over the roofline of a building are prohibited.
- Billboards are prohibited.
- Pole and pylon signs are prohibited.
- Portable trailer signs are prohibited.
- Sandwich board signs are prohibited.
- Searchlights are prohibited.
- Inflatable advertising signs, devices, or balloons are prohibited.
- Signs painted on or attached to trees or other living vegetation are prohibited.
- Permanent residential development signs are prohibited.
- Advertising vehicles are prohibited.
- Signs advertising illegal activities are prohibited.
- Signs with obscene or pornographic content are prohibited.
- Signs shall not resemble or interfere with traffic signs or signals.
- Bare light bulbs are not permitted.
- Overhead electrical wiring is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Wales

- Real estate signs advertising the sale, rental, or lease of the premises are permitted without a permit.
- Personal name and warning signs not exceeding two square feet per face are permitted without a permit.
- Home occupation and professional home office signs not exceeding two square feet per face are permitted without a permit.
- Election campaign signs are permitted without a permit.
- Temporary rummage and garage sale signs not exceeding six square feet per face are permitted without a permit.
- Temporary school, church, civic club, or other nonprofit organization signs are permitted without a permit.
- Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings, and date of erection when cut into masonry or constructed of metal are permitted without a permit.
- Driveway ingress/egress and direction signs are permitted without a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Each event for temporary signs in business and industrial districts must be approved by the Plan Commission prior to installation.
- Multi-tenant buildings may provide a tenant directory as one of the two signs permitted, subject to review and approval of an overall coordinated sign plan by the Village Board after a recommendation by the Plan Commission.
- Large developments with multiple arterial street frontages may have an additional monument sign upon Village Board review and approval after a recommendation by the Plan Commission.
- Changeable copy reader boards may be incorporated in a sign upon Village Board review and approval after a recommendation by the Plan Commission.

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

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