Sign Regulations in Royal Oak, MI (2026)
4 verified sign regulations for Royal Oak, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
In the City of Royal Oak, political signs are defined and treated as temporary signs under Chapter 607, permitted at every location in the City without a permit. On one- and two-family residential property, temporary signs, including political signs, are capped at six square feet.
Royal Oak Permits Political Signs As Temporary Signs
Light RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code §§ 607-3, 607-8I, 607-9K
POLITICAL SIGN Including, but not limited to, a sign relating to the election of a person to public office, a political party, or an issue to be voted on at an election called by a public body. ... ... § 607-8. Permitted signs at all locations. Signs specified in this section are permitted at all locations throughout the City of Royal Oak, except as noted, but are subject to the conditions and ...
Holiday Displays
In the City of Royal Oak, the sign code's ban on string lights and permanent architectural window and door lighting specifically excludes seasonal decorative displays, so holiday lights are not treated as prohibited signage. City Code § 607-10 carries the exemption, and the zoning lighting rules separately exempt temporary holiday decorations from site plan review.
Holiday Lighting Display Rules in Royal Oak
Few RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code § 607-10D, R
D. String lights, but specifically excluding seasonal decorative displays. ... ... R. Lighting used as a permanent architectural detail or enhancement surrounding windows and doors, including, but not limited to, unshielded luminous tubes (i.e., neon or argon lights), fluorescent light fixtures, fiber-optic lights, light-emitting diodes, or bare light bulbs, but specifically excluding seasonal ...
Digital Billboards
In the City of Royal Oak, electronic message centers are permitted only in Sign Area 2 under Section 607-6D, and only as static-image freestanding signs capped at half the area of an ordinary freestanding sign. Video, animation, and any transition effect other than an instant image swap every 30 seconds are banned outright.
Royal Oak Regulates Electronic Message Center Signs
Significant RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code § 607-6D
Electronic message centers, provided the following conditions are met: ... (1) An electronic message center shall not contain any visible moving parts, revolving parts, or mechanical movement of any description or other apparent visible movement, including intermittent electrical pulsation or by action of normal wind currents, except for electronic messages. (2) A single, continuous electronic ...
Window Signs
In the City of Royal Oak, window signs are capped by percentage of window area rather than banned outright. Sign Area 2 storefronts may cover up to 15% of each window with one sign, while Sign Area 3 downtown storefronts along Main Street are held to a tighter 10% cap under City Code Chapter 607.
Royal Oak Window Sign Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code §§ 607-6C, 607-7C, 607-19A
§ 607-6. Permitted signs in Sign Area 2. ... C. Window signs, provided the number of window signs shall not exceed one in each window, and the maximum area of each window sign shall not exceed 15% of each window area. ... § 607-7. Permitted signs in Sign Area 3. ... C. Window signs, provided the number of window signs shall not exceed one in each window, and the maximum area of each window sign...
Looking for Oakland County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Royal Oak city rules.
Sign Regulations in Oakland County →