Miami, FL Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Window sign cap
- 20% of glass area
- Applies in
- every Transect Zone T3–T6
- Counts toward
- aggregate wall sign area
- Permit needed
- Zoning Sign permit, § 10.1.2.1
- Governing table
- Miami 21 Art. 10, Table 15
Summary
Miami caps window signs at 20% of a storefront's total glass area under Miami 21's citywide sign table, whether the graphic is painted on the glass or attached to it.
TABLE 15 SPECIFIC SIGN DESIGN STANDARDS (T3) SIGN DESIGN STANDARDS WALL WINDOW PROJECTING HANGING AWNING MONUMENT DIRECTIONAL T3
R L O R L O R L O R L O R L O R L O R L O BUILDING IDENTIFICATION Aggregate Area Ratio 0.25 sq.ft. per linear Frontage See Wall Sign Aggregate Area See Wall Sign Aggregate Area See Wall Sign Aggregate Area See Wall Sign Aggregate Area Aggregate Area 24 sq.ft. max per Frontage 20% of total glass area 18 sq.ft. max 3 sq.ft. max per frontage Limited to skirt or bottom edge of Awning 15 sq.ft. max per Display Surface 5 sq.ft. max per Display Surface Width 50% of linear Frontage 12 in. max. 60% of valance area 6 ft. max Height (Measured from Average Sidewalk Elevation) See Section 10.2.1 of Article 10 See Section 10.2.1 of Article 10 8 ft. min (bottom of sign) 8 ft. min (bottom of sign) Letters, emblems, logos or symbols on valance 6 in. max 6 ft. max 8 ft. max Depth/Projection 12 in. max 3 ft. max 18 in. max 12 in. max Aggregate Area Per Sign Type Included in total Aggregate Area; shall not exceed 50% of Aggregate Area Included in total Aggregate Area; shall not exceed Aggregate Area Included in total Aggregate Area; shall not exceed 50% of Aggregate Area Included in total Aggregate Area; shall not exceed 50% of Aggregate Area Included in total Aggregate Area; shall not exceed 50% of Aggregate Area
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 | Ordinance 11000 (Previous Zoning Code): Supplement 22 | Miami 21 (Zoning Code): ?).
Full Breakdown
Miami 21's zoning-wide sign table, Article 10, § 10.2, Table 15, lists Window Signs as their own Building Identification sign type in every Transect Zone from T3 through T6, and the figure doesn't change zone to zone: the Aggregate Area for window signage is capped at 20% of the total glass area of the window it's placed on. That window-sign area counts toward the property's overall Aggregate (wall) Sign Area, so it isn't a bonus on top of your wall-sign allowance. Like other Signs under Miami 21, window signs generally need a Zoning Sign permit under § 10.1.2.1 unless they fall within the narrow exemptions listed in § 10.1.3 (address, notice, directional, or warning signs, for example).
Violations & Fines
Window signage placed beyond the 20%-of-glass cap, or displayed without a required Zoning Sign permit, is a Sign Code violation; the building official or code compliance officer can order repair or removal within a stated time under Article 10's maintenance and removal provisions, with removal at the property owner's expense if the deadline passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cover my whole storefront window with signage in Miami?
Does the 20% window-sign limit only apply downtown or in special districts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami to another location·View the Florida sign regulations overview
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Window Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Miami-Dade County handle window signs.