Edmonds, WA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential window sign limit
- 4 sq ft (LDR, RM zones)
- Commercial window sign limit
- 1 sq ft per lineal ft of window frontage
- Above first-floor illumination
- not permitted
- Counts toward total sign area
- no, if within § 20.60.035 limits
- Penalty
- misdemeanor, $25/day fine
Summary
Edmonds caps window signage by zoning district under ECDC 20.60.035. Residential lots in the LDR and RM zones may display up to 4 square feet of window signs, while businesses in the BN, BP, BC, BD, CW, CG and NCH zones may use one square foot of window sign area for every lineal foot of window frontage. Window signs above the first floor cannot be illuminated.
J. No window signs above the first floor shall be illuminated. ... 20.60.035 Window signs – Maximum area. The maximum area of any window sign shall be as follows: Zone Maximum Area of Sign LDR, RM 4 square feet BN, BP, BC, BD, CW, CG, NCH 1 square foot per each lineal foot of window frontage
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4444, passed August 3, 2026).
Full Breakdown
035 sets the maximum area of any window sign by zoning district: 4 square feet in the LDR and RM residential zones, and one square foot per lineal foot of window frontage in the BN, BP, BC, BD, CW, CG and NCH commercial and mixed-use zones, so a wider storefront earns proportionally more window signage. 020(J) bars illuminating any window sign located above the first floor. 025(A)(3)-(4) and (B)(3), a compliant window sign does not count against a property's total permanent sign area or against the cap on the number of permanent signs allowed on site.
Because the allowance is measured against window frontage rather than wall area, a storefront with windows on more than one street elevation can add together the frontage of each qualifying window face. 090, including the ban on signs that create a traffic hazard.
Violations & Fines
Window signs are enforced the same as any other sign under ECDC 20.60.100. The planning director issues written notice identifying the code section violated and a deadline to correct an oversized or improperly illuminated window sign; an uncorrected violation is referred to the city attorney's office. Violating any provision of the sign code is a misdemeanor, punishable by a $25.00 fine for each day the violation continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much window signage can a business post in Edmonds?
Can a window sign above the ground floor be lit up?
Does window signage count toward my building's total sign allowance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmonds
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Window Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle window signs.