Bellingham, WA Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeway signs per parcel
- 1, based on June 18, 1984 record
- Freeway sign height cap
- 25 ft (or 20 ft above driving lane)
- Freeway sign area cap
- 275 sq ft
- Billboard max size
- 300 sq ft per face
- Billboard spacing
- 300 ft commercial/planned, 150 ft industrial
- Residential buffer
- 300 ft, absent director waiver
- Governing code
- BMC 20.12.040(A)(8)(b)(vi), (E)
Summary
Bellingham allows only one freeway-oriented sign per parcel of record as it existed on June 18, 1984, for planned commercial or industrial developments abutting Interstate 5, capped at 25 feet in height and 275 square feet, under BMC 20.12.040(A)(8)(b)(vi). Separately, subsection (E) regulates off-premises billboards along the same corridors, with permits, height, spacing and residential-buffer limits.
vi. One freeway-oriented sign shall be permitted upon property abutting the right-of-way of I-5 provided: (A) The sign shall be located on site, advertising the use located thereon. (B) The sign shall be limited to a maximum height of 25 feet, or 20 feet above the surface of the nearest primary driving lane of the freeway at a point nearest to the proposed location of the sign. (C) The sign area shall not exceed a maximum of 275 square feet. ... (E) The total number of freeway-oriented signs shall be limited to one such sign per parcel of record as of June 18, 1984. The council may further limit the extent and number of such signs if felt to cause adverse impact to the general public. ... E. Billboard Standards. ... d. A billboard shall not be located within 300 feet of a residential zone unless it can be demonstrated the structure will not have a significant negative visual impact on adjacent residences.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-06-015, passed June 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
040. ' Identical standards apply to planned industrial development under (A)(8)(c)(v). The second regime, billboard standards under subsection (E), governs off-premises advertising structures generally, including those along I-5: relocated or replaced billboards need a transferable relocation permit valid for five years plus a building permit, may not exceed 300 square feet per face, must sit at least 300 feet apart on the same side of the street in commercial and planned designations (150 feet in industrial), and are capped at four billboards within any 1,320 feet of street frontage. ' Billboard height cannot exceed 35 feet, and damaged billboards must be repaired within 20 days.
Violations & Fines
A property owner with an unpermitted or noncompliant sign, including a freeway-oriented sign that exceeds the one-per-parcel limit or a billboard sited without a relocation permit, is in violation of BMC 20.12.040(G)-(H) and subject to penalties under Chapter 20.52 BMC: up to $500 for a first offense, up to $1,000 for a second, and a misdemeanor with up to $1,000 in fines or 90 days in jail for a third or subsequent offense, with continuing violations charged daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bellingham
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