Spokane Valley, WA Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Location limit
- Parcel must be adjacent to I-90
- Max height
- 50 feet
- Max copy area
- 250 square feet
- Side yard setback
- 5 feet
- Signs per parcel
- One freeway sign
- Permit required
- Yes, under SVMC § 22.110.030
Summary
Spokane Valley allows one freestanding freeway sign per parcel, but only if the lot is adjacent and contiguous to Interstate 90. Table 22.110-1 under SVMC § 22.110.040 caps a 'Nonresidential Freeway' sign at 50 feet tall with up to 250 square feet of copy area, a 5-foot side yard setback, and a required sign permit.
Sign, freeway: A permanent, freestanding, on-premises sign or billboard located on a parcel adjacent and contiguous to Interstate Highway 90. ... Table 22.110-1 – Location, Height and Copy Area Requirements. Number per Parcel | Height (ft.) | Copy Area (ft2) | Copy Area (ft2)/Lot - Frontage < 100 ft. | Copy Area (ft2) /Lot - Frontage > 100 ft. | Side Yard Setback (ft.) | Permit Required | Additional Provisions. Nonresidential Freeway* | All Nonresidential Zones | 1 | 50 | 250 | n/a | n/a | 5 | Y | *Adjacent to I-90 only
Full Breakdown
' That geographic limit matters: a business one parcel removed from I-90 cannot claim the freeway sign category no matter how visible the highway is from the site. 040 sets the 'Nonresidential Freeway' allowance apart from every other permanent sign type in the code. It permits one such sign per parcel in any nonresidential zone, up to 50 feet in height and 250 square feet of copy area, more than double the 100-square-foot ceiling most single-business monument and freestanding signs get in mixed-use and nonresidential zones away from the interstate.
030, a sign permit with a site plan, tax parcel number, and construction drawings; drawings must carry a Washington-licensed engineer's stamp once the structure passes 30 feet in height. 110 requires the sign be kept in good repair: any damaged sign structure must be fixed within 30 days of notice, a sign that becomes a safety hazard must be repaired or removed within 48 hours, and an abandoned freeway sign must come down at the owner's expense within 60 days of notice, with the support structure itself removed within 36 months if left standing.
Violations & Fines
Building or keeping a freeway sign larger than Table 22.110-1 allows, on a parcel that isn't adjacent to I-90, or without the permit required by SVMC § 22.110.030, is enforced like any other sign violation under the City's Chapter 17.100 SVMC compliance process: notice and order, a voluntary compliance agreement, and civil penalties, plus the maintenance deadlines in SVMC § 22.110.110 for repair or removal once notice is given.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which properties in Spokane Valley qualify for a freeway sign?
How tall and how big can a Spokane Valley freeway sign be?
What happens if a freeway sign in Spokane Valley falls into disrepair?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane Valley
Compare Spokane Valley to another location·View the Washington sign regulations overview
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