St. Louis's Sign Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sign regulations a little differently. In St. Louis, Missouri, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Window Signs

St. Louis treats window signs as a standard permitted sign type, not a separately capped category, so they count toward each zoning district's overall on-premises sign-area limit: 30 square feet total combined signage in the "A" through "E" residential and two-family districts.

Key details: Definition: § 26.68.020(27): within 3 ft of window. Area cap (A-E districts): 30 sq ft total, all signage combined. Height limit: Building's roof line. Permit: Required from Building Commissioner (§26.68.060). Window-specific coverage cap: None: counts toward district total.

Installing an unpermitted or oversized window sign violates the Zoning Code and is an infraction punished under the general penalty provisions of Chapter 1.12 (§26.100.010); the City Counselor may also sue to enjoin the violation.

Digital Billboards

New LED and digital billboards near interstate and primary highways are banned in St. Louis; only devices permitted before April 16, 2010 may keep operating as nonconforming signs.

Key details: New LED/digital billboards: Banned outright. Grandfather cutoff: April 16, 2010. Covered zone: Within 660 ft of highway. Enforcement: Building Commissioner. Removal deadline: 7 days after status lost.

Building Commissioner enforcement; an unlawful or discontinued nonconforming billboard must be removed within seven days of losing nonconforming status, or the City may remove it, bill the owner, and place a lien on the property.

This is one of the stricter rules in St. Louis's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

St. Louis's sign regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming St. Louis is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from St. Louis's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.