Billings, MT Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempt coverage
- Up to 25% of window area
- Over 25%
- Counts as wall sign area
- Location allowed
- Ground or upper-story windows
- Governing code
- BMCC Sec. 27-1405
Summary
Billings exempts window signs covering up to 25% of a window from sign-area totals; coverage above that counts against the building's overall wall sign allowance.
7.Window sign.(a)The area of window signs shall be counted as part of the overall permitted sign area as follows:(1)Sign face coverage of up to twenty-five (25) percent of the area of an individual window is exempt from calculation in the overall sign area maximum.(2)The total amount of any sign face coverage that exceeds twenty-five (25) percent of the area of an individual window shall be included in the wall area signage calculation. For example, if a business installs a window sign that covers thirty-five (35) percent of the window, ten (10) percent of the sign area is included in the wall sign area calculation.(b)Location: Ground or upper story windows.(c)Installation: Signs may be affixed directly to the inside or outside window or hung/mounted inside the window from the top, side, or bottom of the window frame or similar architectural element. Figure 16. Window Sign Examples.
Figure 16. Window Sign Examples.
Figure 17. Window Sign Elements.
Figure 17. Window Sign Elements.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Under BMCC Sec. 27-1405, window signage up to 25% of an individual window's area is exempt from the citywide sign-area calculation. Coverage beyond 25% isn't banned: it's simply folded into the wall-sign area budget for that building, so a business covering 35% of a window has 10 percentage points count toward its wall sign total. Signs can be mounted inside or outside the glass, on the ground floor or upper stories.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 25% threshold isn't itself a violation: it just consumes wall-sign area allowance. Sign permit and zoning enforcement (BMCC Ch. 27) applies if total signage then exceeds the district's overall cap; the city's development services division handles sign permit compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fully cover my storefront window with a sign in Billings?
Do window signs need a separate permit in Billings?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Billings
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