Sterling Heights, MI Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

13(D) defines a WINDOW SIGN as any sign consisting of words, numerals, or trademarks displayed in, attached to, or painted on a window, covering everything from painted hours-of-operation lettering to vinyl decals and hanging placards facing the street. Subsection O then sets the size ceiling: the window sign area on a given facade cannot exceed 25% of that facade's total glass area, and even on a building with acres of glass, no single window sign may top 150 square feet. Because window signs are not classified as temporary signs, they fall under the section's general conditions in subsection E, which require every sign in the city to conform to all applicable city codes and to be maintained in a safe, neat, and structurally sound condition, with sign copy kept intact and lighting kept in working order.

13 gives the owner or tenant 30 days to remove the now-obsolete sign; a sign that was legal when installed does not get to stay up past that deadline. Subsection I's enforcement mechanics apply as well: for a non-temporary sign like most window signage, the city issues written notice of a violation and the owner has 48 hours to bring the sign into compliance before the city can remove it. Removed signs are logged, stored, and released only after payment of a removal and storage fee, and any sign not reclaimed within ten days is treated as abandoned and may be disposed of without further notice. Filing a false affidavit or application concerning any sign under this section is a misdemeanor under City Code § 1-9.