Shoreline, WA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

SMC § 20.50.540(H) caps window signage at 25 percent of the total window area for properties in the MUR-45', MUR-70', NB, CB, MB, TC-1, TC-2, and TC-3 zones, the same commercial and mixed-use zoning districts covered by the broader Table 20.50.540(G) sign dimension standards. The 25 percent cap is measured against the window's total area rather than against any single pane, and covers posted, painted, or applied signage visible from outside the glass. The section then splits window signs into two permit tracks: a window sign that is non-illuminated does not require a sign permit under SMC § 20.50.532 and does not require a separate permit under the building code, while an illuminated window sign falls back under the general sign permit and illumination standards in SMC § 20.50.540(F), which govern channel lettering, backlit letters, and other lighting methods allowed under Table 20.50.540(G).

Window signs sit alongside the A-frame sign standards in subsection (I) and the limited residential signage allowance in subsection (J) as the subchapter's other permit-light options, all of which still have to respect the 25 percent coverage cap and the zone list in subsection (H) if the signage is displayed in a window. The purpose section for this subchapter, SMC § 20.50.530, frames all of these sign standards, including the window sign cap, as tools to protect traffic safety and complement the surrounding building use while still letting a business identify itself effectively.