Yakima, WA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Nonresidential limit
- 50% of window area
- Residential limit
- 1 sign, 4 sq ft
- Permit required
- None for temporary signs
- Governing chapter
- YMC 15.08 Temporary Signs
Summary
Yakima caps window signs in nonresidential zones at fifty percent of the window area, while residential properties are limited to one temporary window sign up to four square feet.
Window signs are limited to fifty percent of the window area.
2. Freestanding signs, including post-mounted, stake and portable signs are limited to four square feet and five feet in height if the temporary sign is mounted in the ground, and not to exceed three feet in height if the temporary sign is stake-mounted or portable.
3. Surface-mounted signs are limited to thirty square feet and must be flatly affixed to walls or to on-site fences either facing the abutting street, or facing inward to the subject site.
G. Temporary signs on large properties, either residential or nonresidential zoned, of more than two acres may be of any type, and shall not exceed sixty-four square feet and up to eight feet above ground level. Such a sign allowed herein is in lieu of and shall not be displayed with or be in addition to any other temporary signs allowed by this section.
H. A temporary sign shall be promptly removed after the event for which it is intended. (Ord. 2947 § 1 (part), 1986; Ord. 93-81 § 39, 1993; Ord. 2001-25 § 2, 2001; Ord. 2008-46 § 1 (part), 2008; Ord. 2015-007 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2015; Ord. 2016-029 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2016; Ord. 2017-020 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2017)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4980636; v1 updated 2026-08-03; through 08-03-2026).
Full Breakdown
Under the Yakima Municipal Code's temporary sign standards, nonresidential window signs may cover no more than half of a storefront window's area, with no separate permit required for temporary signs. In residential zones, property owners are limited to one temporary window sign per unit, capped at four square feet. Both rules sit inside the temporary-sign chapter of the Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance, which the city administers jointly with Yakima County across the urban growth area, not just the incorporated city limits.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliant window signage is a code violation under YMC Chapter 15.25, enforced by the city's code administration division; oversized signs can be ordered removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a window sign in Yakima?
How big can a window sign be at a Yakima business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima
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