Wall sign rules in San Marcos
Allowed. 28 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum area, maximum height, minimum clearance, illumination, electronic message limits, permit fee, other limit.
Example: Maximum area, Conventional Residential, Legacy and Special10% (10 percent of the area of the facade on which the signs are located (total of all attached signs))Applies to: Office/professional, agricultural, business park, industrial and institutional uses“Office/professional, agricultural, business park, industrial and institutional uses may have signs with a total aggregate area of up to 10 percent of the area…”Sec. 7.3.3.1(A)(2)(c) · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 - Licensed sign contractor. Electric signs and permanent signs with structural building-code requirements must be installed by a sign contractor licensed by the City of San Marcos (Sec. 7.3.2.2).
All wall sign figures for an addressChannel letters rules in San Marcos
28 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum area, maximum height, minimum clearance, illumination, electronic message limits, permit fee, other limit.
Example: Maximum area, Conventional Residential, Legacy and Special10% (10 percent of the area of the facade on which the signs are located (total of all attached signs))Applies to: Office/professional, agricultural, business park, industrial and institutional uses“Office/professional, agricultural, business park, industrial and institutional uses may have signs with a total aggregate area of up to 10 percent of the area…”Sec. 7.3.3.1(A)(2)(c) · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 - Licensed sign contractor. Electric signs and permanent signs with structural building-code requirements must be installed by a sign contractor licensed by the City of San Marcos (Sec. 7.3.2.2).
All channel letters figures for an addressMonument sign rules in San Marcos
Allowed, with conditions. 32 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum area, maximum height, number allowed, minimum setback, illumination, electronic message limits, permit fee, other limit.
Example: Maximum area, ND-4, N-CM, CD-2.5, CD-3, CD-4, CD-5, CD-5D18 sq ft“Quantity (max) 1 per lot if the location standards below are met Area (max) 18 sq. ft. Height (max) 6 ft.”Sec. 7.3.4.9 · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 - Freestanding limits depend on the road. In conventional, legacy and special districts the height and area of freestanding signs depend on whether the lot fronts IH-35, Highways 123, 21 or 80, or another road (Sec. 7.3.3.2). Check which road the sign faces.
- San Marcos River Corridor. Inside the San Marcos River Corridor only monument, community information and government signs may be freestanding (Sec. 7.3.3.2(A)(8)), and electronic message signs are kept away from it (Sec. 7.3.1.6(B)). The corridor is not checked automatically here.
- Downtown (CD-5D) freestanding signs. In CD-5D, monument and pole signs are allowed only on S. LBJ Dr. and S. Guadalupe St. between E. Grove St. and the I-35 frontage road (Sec. 7.3.4.9, 7.3.4.10).
- Licensed sign contractor. Electric signs and permanent signs with structural building-code requirements must be installed by a sign contractor licensed by the City of San Marcos (Sec. 7.3.2.2).
All monument sign figures for an addressPole or pylon sign rules in San Marcos
Allowed, with conditions. 41 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum area, maximum height, minimum clearance, number allowed, minimum setback, illumination, electronic message limits, permit fee, submit with the application, other limit.
Example: Maximum area, ND-4, CD-412 sq ft“ND-4, CD-4 N-CM, CD-5, CD-5D Quantity (max) 1 per lot 1 per lot Area (max) 12 sq. ft. 18 sq. ft. Height (max) 6…”Sec. 7.3.4.10 · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 - Freestanding limits depend on the road. In conventional, legacy and special districts the height and area of freestanding signs depend on whether the lot fronts IH-35, Highways 123, 21 or 80, or another road (Sec. 7.3.3.2). Check which road the sign faces.
- San Marcos River Corridor. Inside the San Marcos River Corridor only monument, community information and government signs may be freestanding (Sec. 7.3.3.2(A)(8)), and electronic message signs are kept away from it (Sec. 7.3.1.6(B)). The corridor is not checked automatically here.
- Downtown (CD-5D) freestanding signs. In CD-5D, monument and pole signs are allowed only on S. LBJ Dr. and S. Guadalupe St. between E. Grove St. and the I-35 frontage road (Sec. 7.3.4.9, 7.3.4.10).
- Licensed sign contractor. Electric signs and permanent signs with structural building-code requirements must be installed by a sign contractor licensed by the City of San Marcos (Sec. 7.3.2.2).
All pole or pylon sign figures for an addressBlade or projecting sign rules in San Marcos
Allowed. 30 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum area, minimum clearance, number allowed, minimum spacing, illumination, electronic message limits, permit fee, other limit.
Example: Maximum area, Neighborhood Density and Character6 sq ftApplies to: Blade/hanging sign“Quantity (max) 1 per business per facade Area (max) 6 sf max”Sec. 7.3.4.6 · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 - Licensed sign contractor. Electric signs and permanent signs with structural building-code requirements must be installed by a sign contractor licensed by the City of San Marcos (Sec. 7.3.2.2).
All blade or projecting sign figures for an addressAwning or canopy sign rules in San Marcos
Allowed. 24 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum height, minimum clearance, number allowed, illumination, electronic message limits, permit fee, other limit.
Example: Maximum height, ND-4, CD-42 ftApplies to: Height of the sign itself“ND-4, CD-4 N-CM, CD-5, CD-5D Quantity (max) 1 per business 1 per business Height (max) Length (max) Requirements General to All Zones 2 ft…”Sec. 7.3.4.4 · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 - Licensed sign contractor. Electric signs and permanent signs with structural building-code requirements must be installed by a sign contractor licensed by the City of San Marcos (Sec. 7.3.2.2).
All awning or canopy sign figures for an addressWindow sign rules in San Marcos
15 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum area, illumination, electronic message limits, permit fee, other limit.
Example: Maximum area, Conventional Residential, Legacy and Special10% (10 percent of the area of the facade on which the signs are located (total of all attached signs including window signs))Applies to: All other nonresidential uses“All other nonresidential uses may have signs, including window signs, with a total aggregate area of up to 10 percent of the area of…”Sec. 7.3.3.1(A)(2)(d) · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 All window sign figures for an addressElectronic message sign rules in San Marcos
Allowed in some districts. 32 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum area, maximum height, minimum setback, minimum spacing, illumination, electronic message limits, permit fee, submit with the application, other limit.
Example: Maximum area, Conventional Residential, Legacy and Special25% (25 percent of the maximum allowable freestanding sign area)Applies to: Freestanding signs“A Changeable Electronic Variable Message (CEVM) Sign or the portion of a sign comprised by a CEVM shall not exceed 25 percent of maximum…”Sec. 7.3.3.2(A)(5)(a)(5) · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 - Freestanding limits depend on the road. In conventional, legacy and special districts the height and area of freestanding signs depend on whether the lot fronts IH-35, Highways 123, 21 or 80, or another road (Sec. 7.3.3.2). Check which road the sign faces.
- San Marcos River Corridor. Inside the San Marcos River Corridor only monument, community information and government signs may be freestanding (Sec. 7.3.3.2(A)(8)), and electronic message signs are kept away from it (Sec. 7.3.1.6(B)). The corridor is not checked automatically here.
- Electronic message (CEVM) signs. CEVM signs are banned in ND and CD districts, allowed elsewhere only on major and minor arterials and highways, must keep a set distance from residential, multifamily, NC, MU, historic, parkland, River Corridor and CBA areas, and must meet the operating standards in Sec. 7.3.4.13 and the city's Technical Manual.
- Licensed sign contractor. Electric signs and permanent signs with structural building-code requirements must be installed by a sign contractor licensed by the City of San Marcos (Sec. 7.3.2.2).
All electronic message sign figures for an addressTemporary banner rules in San Marcos
Allowed. 15 confirmed rules: permit required, maximum area, minimum clearance, submit with the application, other limit.
Example: Maximum area96 sq ftNote: Premises within the highway corridor“96 square feet each for premises within the highway corridor;”Sec. 7.3.2.6(B)(1) · View source · last checked Nov 14, 2026 All temporary banner figures for an address64 more lines could not be confirmed by our automatic checks, so no figures are shown for them. A lookup lists them with the section to check.