Vanderburgh County, IN Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit-free coverage limit
- 25% of window area
- Governing section
- § 17.26.235(A)(6)
- Measured
- Per business, not per window
- Over the limit
- Requires a sign permit
- Enforcing agency
- Area Plan Commission
Summary
Vanderburgh County lets a business cover up to 25 percent of its window area with signage before a sign permit kicks in. Section 17.26.235(A)(6) exempts window signs from the permit process and from the property's overall sign-count and square-footage limits entirely, as long as that 25 percent ceiling is never crossed at any one time.
Signs that meet the following descriptions and requirements do not require a sign permit and are not taken into account when calculating the total number of signs or the total square footage of signs allowed for a property or business. Signs that meet the descriptions but that do not comply with the requirements for exemption will be allowed only with a sign permit, and are subject to all requirements and limitations for sign permits as to the property or business.
A. The following sign types that contain copy: ...
6. Window Signs -- provided that any one sign or multiple signs in combination displayed at any one time do not cover more than 25 percent of the total window area for each business.
Full Breakdown
235, 'Signs not requiring a permit,' lists categories of signage a business can install without an Improvement Location Permit and without counting them toward the property's overall sign allowance. Window signs are one of six copy-bearing categories exempted under subsection A, alongside banners up to 32 square feet, construction signs up to 32 square feet, drive-through signs, and non-readable stadium signs. ' The 25 percent is calculated per business, not per window or per storefront, so a multi-tenant building's window coverage is measured tenant by tenant.
210 as 'a sign placed entirely within the frame of a window,' anything mounted outside the glass, such as a sign hung from an awning or projecting from the wall above a window, falls under a different sign category and does not benefit from this exemption. 235 specifies that a sign meeting the description but exceeding the exemption's requirements is allowed only with a sign permit and is subject to all requirements and limitations for sign permits. A allowance for on-premises signs by zoning district.
Violations & Fines
Window signage exceeding 25 percent of a business's window area without the required sign permit is a Title 17 zoning violation. The Area Plan Commission can issue a Notice of Ordinance Violation under Section 1.14.040, and Section 17.36.150 sets a civil penalty of up to $500 for a first offense, escalating to $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, and $7,500 for repeat violations within a 12-month period, with fines due to the County Treasurer within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my storefront window can I cover with signs without a permit?
What counts as a window sign under Vanderburgh County's code?
What happens if my window signs cover more than 25 percent of the glass?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Vanderburgh County
Compare Vanderburgh County to another location·View the Indiana sign regulations overview
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