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Pinal County, AZ Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Standard height, CB-1/C-1/O-1
12 feet
Standard height, CB-2/C-2/C-3/O-2 & industrial
15 feet
Freeway-interchange height allowance
30 feet
Interchange zone defined as
within 300 ft of interstate ROW
Permitting agency
Planning and Development Services
Permit trigger
sign over 6 sq ft or 8 ft high

Summary

A freestanding sign in unincorporated Pinal County's CB-1, C-1 or O-1 zoning districts is capped at 12 feet, but PCDSC 2.145.080(A)(4) lets it rise to 30 feet if the parcel sits at an interstate freeway interchange. The same 30-foot break applies at the higher 15-foot base heights used in the CB-2, C-2, C-3, O-2 and industrial districts.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Pinal County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Freestanding signs shall not exceed a height of 12 feet, except that freestanding signs at interstate freeway interchanges (see PCDSC 2.145.020, definitions) in the CB-1, C-1 or O-1 zoning districts shall not exceed a height of 30 feet.

Full Breakdown

020 defines an interstate freeway interchange as a location where ingress or egress is obtained to a federal interstate highway, specifically the area lying within 300 feet of the interstate right-of-way and between the two points where that right-of-way widens as it approaches the interchange ramps. 100: 12 feet in the CB-1, C-1 and O-1 local business, neighborhood commercial and minor office districts; 15 feet in the CB-2, C-2, C-3 and O-2 general business and office districts; and 15 feet in the industrial districts. 100 extend the identical 30-foot allowance to the CB-2/C-2/C-3/O-2 and industrial tiers.

The exception only raises the height ceiling; it does not change the aggregate sign-area formula (one square foot per linear foot of street frontage, with a district-specific floor and cap) or the one-freestanding-sign-per-property limit that already applies under each district's sign rules. 140 before it can be erected, relocated or substantially reconstructed, and it must carry the county's assigned permit tag facing the street.

Violations & Fines

Erecting or enlarging a freestanding sign above the applicable 12-, 15- or 30-foot cap without first securing a PCDSC 2.145.140 sign permit from Planning and Development Services is a code violation subject to permit denial and removal of the noncompliant structure. A legal nonconforming sign forfeits its grandfathered status if its height is increased. Sign packages that need more height than the chapter allows must go through the sign review committee under PCDSC 2.145.150, with appeal of the director's decision to the Board of Supervisors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can a freeway-facing sign be in unincorporated Pinal County?
Up to 30 feet, but only if the property qualifies as an interstate freeway interchange site under PCDSC 2.145.020: within 300 feet of the interstate right-of-way and between the two points where that right-of-way widens approaching the interchange. Everywhere else the cap is 12 or 15 feet depending on the zoning district.
Does the 30-foot rule apply in every commercial zone?
Yes, for freestanding signs. PCDSC 2.145.080(A)(4) grants it to CB-1, C-1 and O-1 parcels, 2.145.090(A)(4) grants the same allowance to CB-2, C-2, C-3 and O-2 parcels, and 2.145.100 extends it to the industrial districts, all replacing their normal 12- or 15-foot caps at qualifying interchange locations.
Do I still need a permit for a taller freeway sign?
Yes. Any nonexempt sign over six square feet in area or taller than eight feet above grade needs a sign permit from Pinal County Planning and Development Services under PCDSC 2.145.140 before it is erected, and it must display the county's assigned permit tag facing the street.
Can a sign package exceed even the 30-foot interchange limit?
Only through the flexibility process in PCDSC 2.145.150. A sign review committee of county staff and a resident member reviews the comprehensive sign package and the director of Planning and Development Services decides; an aggrieved applicant can appeal that decision to the Board of Supervisors.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Pinal County

All Pinal County rules

Compare Pinal County to another location·View the Arizona sign regulations overview

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