Sign Regulations in Evanston, Wyoming

Evanston, Wyoming has specific sign regulations covering 43 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Regulated sign types include Directional Sign, Wall Sign, Property Sale/Lease/Rental Sign (<10 acres). Height restrictions apply. Permits are required for most commercial signs. Use PermitPal to get instant access to the complete regulations.

Data last verified: April 21, 2025

Sign Regulation Overview for Evanston, Wyoming

Sample Sign Requirements in Evanston

Sign TypeMax HeightMax AreaSetback
Ground or Monument Sign8 feet
Wall Sign15 feet
Directional Sign6 feet8 square feet

* Sample data shown. Actual requirements may vary by zone. Use PermitPal for complete, location-specific regulations.

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Sign Types Covered

43

  • Directional Sign
  • Wall Sign
  • Property Sale/Lease/Rental Sign (<10 acres)
  • Construction Project Sign
  • +2 more types

Zoning Districts

8

Different zoning districts with specific sign regulations

Data Includes

  • Permit requirements
  • Height restrictions
  • Illumination rules

Official Resources for Evanston

Municipal Code1 permit application link available

Frequently Asked Questions

In Evanston, wall signs can be up to 15 feet and monument signs are limited to 8 feet. Height limits vary by zoning district and sign type. Use PermitPal to get exact requirements for your specific location.

To get a sign permit in Evanston, submit an application to the local building or planning department with sign dimensions, location, and design specifications. Our data confirms permits are required for most commercial signs. Processing typically takes 1-4 weeks. PermitPal helps you identify specific requirements and prepare complete applications.

In Evanston, regulated sign types include Directional Sign, Wall Sign, Property Sale/Lease/Rental Sign (<10 acres), Construction Project Sign, and 2 more types. Most commercial signs require permits. Temporary signs and certain small signs may be exempt. Use PermitPal for specific exemptions.

Sign setback requirements in Evanston vary by zone and sign type, typically ranging from 5-15 feet from property lines. Use PermitPal for specific setback requirements at your location.

Digital and LED signs in Evanston are regulated with specific requirements for brightness, animation, and message duration. Evanston has documented illumination rules in our database. Use PermitPal to see the exact requirements for electronic message centers.

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Evanston, Wyoming Sign Rules at a Glance

Evanston, Wyoming regulates 43 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Identification Sign (Schools) - Ground Signs in the Residential Districts zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 36 square feet, with a 10 ft from property line bordering street setback (Sec. § 24-91D(3)). Most commercial signs in Evanston require a permit.

Detailed Sign Ordinance Requirements for Evanston, Wyoming

Sign Rules by Zoning District in Evanston (8 zones)

Zoning DistrictSign Types RegulatedMax HeightMax AreaPermit Required
Residential Districts1515 feet36 square feet
Transitional Developing District24 feet12 square feet per street frontage
Transitional Redeveloping District65 feet25 square feet
Commercial Office Districts915 feet75 square feet per sign
Agriculture Districts, Public Districts1515 feet36 square feet
Regional Business District, Highway Business District, Community Business District, Business/Light Manufacturing District, Industrial District, Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts12100 feet672 square feet
Open Space Zoning District, Office Zoning District, Neighborhood Business Zoning District1
General Regulations For All Zones6No more than 4 ft or 1/4 of sign height above roof line (whichever is less)50 square feet (per § 24-74C general)

Zone-by-Zone Sign Requirements in Evanston(sample of 3 of 8 zones)

Residential Districts

Sign TypeMax HeightMax AreaMax WidthSetbackSigns AllowedLocationPermit RequiredPremium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account)Ordinance Citation
Directional Sign6 feet8 square feetNo more than 2 per premisesOn property; appurtenant to useUnlock§ 24-91B
Property Sale/Lease/Rental Sign (<10 acres)12 square feet per signOne per street frontageOn property for sale/lease/rentUnlock§ 24-91C(1)
Directional Sign (Property Sale Extension)4 square feet per signNo more than 3 per saleOn third-party property (with consent)Unlock§ 24-91C(1)
Construction Project Sign12 feet32 square feetOn construction siteUnlock§ 24-91C(2)
Identification Sign (Churches/Public/Quasi-Public)12 square feet per street frontage10 ft from any property line bordering a streetOne per street frontageOn property; 10 ft setback from any property line bordering streetUnlock§ 24-91D(2)
Identification Sign (Schools) - Ground Sign8 feet36 square feet10 ft from property line bordering streetOn school property; set back 10 ft from street property lineUnlock§ 24-91D(3)
Identification Sign (Schools) - Freestanding Sign15 feet36 square feet10 ft from property line bordering streetOn school property; set back 10 ft from street property lineUnlock§ 24-91D(3)
Identification Sign (All Other Uses)12 square feet10 ft from property line bordering streetOne per street frontageOn property; set back 10 ft from street property lineUnlock§ 24-91D(5)

Agriculture Districts, Public Districts

Sign TypeMax HeightMax AreaMax WidthSetbackSigns AllowedLocationPermit RequiredPremium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account)Ordinance Citation
Directional Sign6 feet8 square feet per signNo more than 2 per premisesOn premisesUnlock§ 24-93B
Property Sale/Lease/Rental Sign (<10 acres)16 square feet per signOne per street frontageOn property for sale/lease/rentUnlock§ 24-93C(1)
Directional Sign (Property Sale Extension)4 square feet per signNo more than 3On third-party property (with consent)Unlock§ 24-93C(1)
Construction Project Sign12 feet32 square feetOn construction siteUnlock§ 24-93C(2)
Identification Sign (Churches/Public/Quasi-public)12 square feet per street frontage10 ft from street property lineOne per street frontageOn property; 10 ft setback from streetUnlock§ 24-93D(2)
Identification Sign (Schools) - Ground Sign8 feet36 square feet10 ft from street property lineOn school property; 10 ft setback from street property lineUnlock§ 24-93D(3)
Identification Sign (Schools) - Freestanding Sign15 feet36 square feet10 ft from street property lineOn school property; 10 ft setback from street property lineUnlock§ 24-93D(3)
Identification Sign (All Other Uses)12 square feet10 ft from street property lineOne per street frontageOn property; 10 ft setback from street property lineUnlock§ 24-93D(5)

Regional Business District, Highway Business District, Community Business District, Business/Light Manufacturing District, Industrial District, Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts

Sign TypeMax HeightMax AreaMax WidthSetbackSigns AllowedLocationPermit RequiredPremium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account)Ordinance Citation
General Freestanding Signs50 feetOn property appurtenant to permitted useUnlock§ 24-94A(2)
Freeway-Oriented Sign100 feet672 square feetFor on-premises advertising, must be readable from Interstate 80Unlock§ 24-94A(3)
General Directional Sign6 feet8 square feetNo more than one per entry/exit unless CUPAt entry/exitUnlock§ 24-94B
Property Sale/Lease/Rental Sign (<10 acres)32 square feet per sign (<10 acres); 64 square feet (≥10 acres)One per street frontageOn property for sale/lease/rentUnlock§ 24-94C(1)
Construction Project Sign12 feet32 square feetOn construction siteUnlock§ 24-94C(2)
Identification Sign (Lots with ≤2 Business Establishments)No more than one ground/pole sign per street front unless CUPOn lot or parcelUnlock§ 24-94D(2)-(3)
Center Identification Sign (Business/Industrial Center)500 square feetNo more than one per street front unless CUPPer street front of centerUnlock§ 24-94D(4)(b)
Off-Premises Advertising Sign (I-80/Frontage Rd/Primary Hwy)65 feet (unless allowed by conditional use permit)350 sq ft (Primary Hwy), 672 sq ft (I-80 or frontage road abutting I-80)Not in front yard setback; must comply with accessory structure setback for zoneRegional Business, Highway Business, Community Business, Business/Light Manufacturing, and Industrial zoning districts within 100 ft of I-80, frontage road, or state-controlled primary highwayUnlock§ 24-94E(2)(a)-(i)

PermitPal covers all 8 zoning districts in Evanston — full sign requirements for every zone, plus illumination rules, size formulas, and permit requirements for every sign type — with a free account.

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Prohibited Signs in Evanston

  • It shall be unlawful to display, erect, relocate or alter, except for copy changes, any sign without first obtaining a building permit from the building department (except as provided in section 24-67).
  • It shall be unlawful to change, modify, alter or otherwise deviate from the terms or conditions of the permit or from the use of the sign as permitted without approval of the building official.
  • No sign shall be erected in a location prohibited by this chapter.
  • No sign shall be erected so as to prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, or other exitway required by the building codes or fire department regulations.
  • No sign shall be attached to a standpipe, gutter or fire escape nor erected so as to impair access to a roof.
  • No sign shall be erected in any location where, by reason of its position, it will obstruct the view of any authorized traffic sign, signal or other traffic control device.
  • No sign or group of signs exceeding an aggregate area of four square feet shall be erected upon any light standard, pole, etc., unless the structure was designed for that purpose or can be demonstrated to be structurally strong enough.
  • Obsolete signs, copy and abandoned sign structures shall be removed by the property owner, agent, or beneficial user within 90 days after written notification by the planning director.
  • No sign shall occupy public property or extend across a property line bordering a public or private right-of-way, except as specifically provided for wall/projecting signs.
  • No sign shall emit any sound which is intended to attract attention or which creates a public nuisance.
  • No sign shall be erected, operated, used, or maintained which obstructs the view of, or may be confused with, an official traffic sign, signal, or device, displays lights resembling those used by emergency vehicles, uses confusing words, creates unsafe distraction, or obstructs the view for vehicle operators.
  • There shall be no sign erected between the height of three feet and ten feet within prescribed visibility triangles at street intersections, except for a single post or column not exceeding one foot in greatest cross-sectional dimension.
  • No sign shall be erected upon or project through the roof of any building, nor shall any sign attached to a building extend above the roof line, except as provided for parapet walls or sloping roofs.
  • All signs and sign structures must be maintained in good structural and visual repair per specified standards.
  • No sign shall be placed, maintained, or displayed upon or in view of any highway that purports to be or resembles an official traffic control device or railroad sign or signal, or attempts to direct traffic, or interferes with effectiveness of official devices.
  • No person shall place or maintain, nor shall any public authority permit, on any highway any traffic sign or signal with commercial advertising.
  • No person shall deface, mar, or damage street name signs or their supports.
  • No street tree shall be planted to obscure a regulatory sign.

Exempt Signs in Evanston

  • The provisions of this article do not apply to traffic signs and other signs erected or maintained by a governmental body or agency for public informational purposes, including danger signs, railroad crossing signs, and noncommercial signs required by law.
  • Signs not visible beyond the boundaries of the lot or parcel or from any public thoroughfare or right-of-way.
  • The flag, pennants, or insignia of any nation, state, county, city, or political entity, or of any church or religious organization.
  • Tablets, grave markers, headstones, statuary, or remembrances of persons or events of a noncommercial nature.
  • Works of fine art not displayed in conjunction with a commercial enterprise deriving gain from their display.
  • Temporary decorations or displays for traditional patriotic or religious holidays.
  • Signs on vehicles/equipment meeting all the following: primary purpose is not display, sign is integral with the vehicle, vehicle is in operating condition with proper registration and actively used in daily business; not used as static displays, storage, or distribution points; construction and rental/storage vehicles not subject to this condition.
  • Political signs up to 32 square feet, with property owner permission.
  • Nameplates, address signs, or combination signs (no advertising) not over six square feet.
  • Directional signs not exceeding three feet high nor six feet in area, containing no business logo.
  • Price panels, 'self-serve' and credit card information signs.
  • Signs authorized and approved by the governing body of the City on City-owned property.
  • Changing copy on a legal sign where no structural changes are made, replacing damaged sign surfaces, or changing interchangeable letters (except for painted wall signs where over 50% of copy is changed, which requires a notice; increase in square footage requires permit).
  • Temporary, nonilluminated signs up to 16 square feet for advertising sale/rental of subject premises or direction thereto.
  • Temporary, nonilluminated signs up to 16 square feet erected for new construction (only during actual construction), identifying participants but not advertising products.
  • Bulletin boards for charitable/religious organizations/churches, not exceeding area allowed for their district or 32 square feet, whichever is less.
  • Tablets, such as memorials/cornerstones, or building name/date/use information built into building walls.

Sign Plan & Submission Notes for Evanston

  • A building permit is required to display, erect, relocate, or alter a sign, except for actions and sign types specifically exempted in section 24-67.
  • Permits are not required for categories explicitly listed in section 24-67(C), but all other provisions apply.
  • Conditional use permits are required for certain sign types, e.g., signs projecting above the roof line (except in specified circumstances), automatic changeable copy signs within 100 feet of residential districts, off-premises signs, and for various increased sign size/number situations allowed by variance.
  • For painted wall signs, if more than 50% of the copy is to be changed, written notice to the planning department is required prior to repainting; if sign area is increased, a permit is required.
  • Permit applications must be submitted on forms provided by the building department and be signed by the applicant or authorized agent; for off-premises advertising signs, property owner authorization must be attached.
  • No permit shall be issued if there are unresolved conflicting claims or existing illegal signs related to the property.
  • Routine permit/licensing/fee/payment requirements for non-exempt signs are outlined within § 24-70 and § 24-71.
  • Revocation and inspection procedures apply to all permitted signs.

Source: ecode360 municipal code