# Sign Regulations in Waupun, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Waupun, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/waupun
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/wi/waupun/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH16ZOCOOR88-26_16.11SI)

## At a glance

Waupun, Wisconsin regulates 15 sign types across 11 zoning districts. Ground signs in the B-2 Central Business District (B-2), B-3 Shopping Center Business District (B-3), B-6 Neighborhood Commercial District (B-6), M-1 Closed Storage/Light Manufacturing District (M-1), M-2 Open Storage/Heavy Manufacturing District (M-2), IN Institutional District (IN) zoning district are capped at 30 feet tall and 100 square feet per side, not exceeding 200 sq ft on all sides per premises, with a Must meet yard requirements for the district setback (Sec. 16.11(4) Type 5). Most commercial signs in Waupun require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (11 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1 Single-Family Residential District (R-1), R-2 Two-Family Residential District (R-2), R-6 Single-Family Manufactured Home District (R-6) | 5 | 2 feet | 20 square feet | — |
| R-3 Multiple-Family Residential District (R-3) | 6 | 2 feet | 20 square feet | — |
| R-4 Mixed Residential District (R-4), R-5 Mobile Home District (R-5) | 6 | 2 feet | 20 square feet | — |
| B-1 Business/Professional Office District (B-1) | 3 | — | 30 square feet for utilities, banks, savings & loans; clinics (30 sq ft); hospitals (150 sq ft) | — |
| B-2 Central Business District (B-2), B-3 Shopping Center Business District (B-3), B-6 Neighborhood Commercial District (B-6), M-1 Closed Storage/Light Manufacturing District (M-1), M-2 Open Storage/Heavy Manufacturing District (M-2), IN Institutional District (IN) | 5 | 30 feet | 500 square feet | — |
| B-4 Interchange Business District (B-4), B-5 Warehousing/Business District (B-5) | 5 | 50 feet | 500 square feet | — |
| C Conservancy District (C) | 1 | — | — | — |
| PCD Planned Community Development District (PD) | 3 | — | 4 square feet | — |
| A Agricultural District (A) | 4 | — | 8 square feet | — |
| MHO Manufactured Home Overlay District (MHO) | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | Subject to State DOT and as set by Plan Commission | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 11 zones)

### R-3 Multiple-Family Residential District (R-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign over show windows or doors of a nonconforming business establishment | 2 feet | 20 square feet | 10 feet | — | — | Over show windows or doors of a nonconforming business establishment | — | 16.11(4) Type 1 |
| Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions, recreational areas and community centers | — | 8 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises of institution or center | — | 16.11(4) Type 1 |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | Must meet all applicable yard and setback provisions | — | Located on the premises | — | 16.11(4) Type 2; 16.13(1)(d) |
| Official signs, temporary signs, banners, memorial signs, name/date tablets | — | — | — | — | — | Various, includes temporary signs when authorized, and flat against structures | — | 16.11(4) Type 7 |
| Signs advertising nursing homes, condos, and apartment complexes | — | 20 square feet per side | — | — | — | On premises | — | 16.11(4) Type 8 |
| Name, occupation, and warning signs | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | On premises | — | 16.11(4) Type 9 |

### R-4 Mixed Residential District (R-4), R-5 Mobile Home District (R-5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign over show windows or doors of a nonconforming business establishment | 2 feet | 20 square feet | 10 feet | — | — | Over show windows or doors of a nonconforming business establishment | — | 16.11(4) Type 1 |
| Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions, recreational areas and community centers | — | 8 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises of institution or center | — | 16.11(4) Type 1 |
| Sign advertising boarding or rooming house | — | 8 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises | — | 16.11(4) Type 3 |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | Must meet all applicable yard and setback provisions | — | Located on the premises | — | 16.11(4) Type 2; 16.13(1)(d) |
| Official signs, temporary signs, banners, memorial signs, name/date tablets | — | — | — | — | — | Various, includes temporary signs when authorized, and flat against structures | — | 16.11(4) Type 7 |
| Name, occupation, and warning signs | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | On premises | — | 16.11(4) Type 9 |

### B-2 Central Business District (B-2), B-3 Shopping Center Business District (B-3), B-6 Neighborhood Commercial District (B-6), M-1 Closed Storage/Light Manufacturing District (M-1), M-2 Open Storage/Heavy Manufacturing District (M-2), IN Institutional District (IN)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall sign | — | 500 square feet | — | — | — | Placed against exterior walls of building | — | 16.11(4) Type 5 |
| Ground sign | 30 feet | 100 square feet per side, not exceeding 200 sq ft on all sides per premises | — | Must meet yard requirements for the district | — | On ground, meeting all yard requirements for the district | — | 16.11(4) Type 5 |
| Roof sign | 10 feet above the roof | 300 square feet on all sides for any one premises | — | Must meet yard and height requirements for the district | — | On roof, meeting all yard and height requirements for the district | — | 16.11(4) Type 5 |
| Official signs, temporary signs, banners, memorial signs, name/date tablets | — | — | — | — | — | Various, includes temporary signs when authorized, and flat against structures | — | 16.11(4) Type 7 |
| Projecting signs advertising businesses or institutions | — | 10 square feet | — | — | — | Located on the premises | — | 16.11(4) Type 11 |

## Prohibited signs in Waupun

- No sign shall contain, include, or be composed of any conspicuous animated or moving part.
- No sign shall contain, include, or be illuminated by flashing lights except for those providing time and temperature where each cycle is not less than 2 seconds.
- No sign shall resemble, imitate, or approximate the shape, size, form, or color of railroad or traffic signs, signals, or devices.
- Signs shall not obstruct or interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic signs, signals, or devices.
- 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 shall be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility.
- No sign shall be portable or insecurely anchored to the ground.
- No sign shall project out from the structure to which it is attached, unless permitted as a conditional use.

## Signs exempt from permit in Waupun

- Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restrictions, information and notices.
- Temporary signs or banners when authorized by the Zoning Administrator for a maximum of 30 days.
- Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings, and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of metal and affixed flat against a structure.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign may be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, or structurally altered without a permit and without being in conformance with the provisions of this Ordinance.
- All signs must also meet all the structural and permit requirements of the Building Code.
- Site development plans, including signs, must be approved by the Plan Commission (see §16.17) for all uses other than single-family and two-family dwellings.
- All applications for site plan approval must include plans and elevations of all proposed signs.
- Planned Community Developments require a final site plan submission, which must include a sign plan specifying design, height, location, size, and illumination, per §16.07(8).

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/waupun