# Subtitle 2 – Placement, Design, and Construction

Current through 2026-07-17. Source: City of Balt., Md., Ord. 26-129. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.

## § 17-201 Generally.

Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 17-201 (2026)

(a) No sign may be erected, relocated, or structurally altered unless in accordance with this Code.

(b)

  (1) All signs are subject to the location, height, quantity, and dimensional requirements of <em>Table 17- 201: Sign Regulations </em> and as otherwise stated in this title.

  (2) A sign is allowed within a zoning district only if and to the extent that:

    (i) <em>Table 17-201: Sign Regulations </em> expressly lists that sign type as allowed within that zoning district; and

    (ii) the sign complies with all other requirements of this title applicable to that sign type.

(c) Non-obscene wording and non-obscene graphics on table umbrellas are not governed by this title.

*History: Ord.18-216*

## § 17-202 Placement restrictions.

Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 17-202 (2026)

(a) All signs must also comply with the placement restrictions of the Baltimore City <cite data-path="|building-codes|II">Building Code</cite>, Appendix H {“Signs”}.

(b)

  (1) No sign mounted on the exterior or interior of a building may cover any part of  a window, door, or prominent architectural feature unless otherwise expressly allowed in <cite data-path="|32">this article</cite>.

  (2) Any painted/mural sign that seeks to cover any window, door, or prominent architectural feature must have design review approval.

  (3) Any painted/mural sign that seeks to cover any window or portion of a window must comply with the transparency requirements described in <cite data-path="|32|§17-416">§ 17-416 {“Window signs”} of this title</cite>.

*History: Ord.18-216*

*History: Ord. 22-181*

## § 17-203 Noncommercial speech allowed wherever commercial speech allowed.

Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 17-203 (2026)

(a) In this section, “commercial speech” means:

  (1) speech that proposes a commercial transaction; or

  (2) expression related solely to the economic interests of the speaker and its audience.

(b) To avoid favoring commercial speech over noncommercial speech or favoring the expression of any particular noncommercial message over any other noncommercial message, noncommercial speech is allowed wherever commercial speech is allowed under this Code.

*History: Ord.18-216*

## § 17-204 General design and construction.

Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 17-204 (2026)

(a) The structural design and construction of signs, including their supports, must comply with the applicable requirements of the <cite data-path="|building-codes">City Building, Fire, and Related Codes Article</cite>.

(b)

  (1) Supports and braces must be an integral part of the sign design.

  (2) Supports and braces must be hidden from public view to the extent technically feasible, unless they are intended as a decorative part of the sign design.

(c) All letters, figures, characters, or representations in cut-out or irregular form, maintained in conjunction with, attached to, or superimposed on any sign must be safely and securely built or attached to the sign structure.

(d)

  (1) Unless otherwise provided in this title, all signs, including electronic signs, are subject to the illumination requirements of this subsection.

  (2) Goose-neck fixtures and indirect spotlights are allowed on awning signs, canopy signs, freestanding signs, projecting signs, and wall signs.

  (3) All exterior lighting intended to illuminate a sign must concentrate the illumination on the area of the sign that minimizes glare on the street or adjacent property.

  (4) All sign illumination must be designed, located, shielded, and directed to minimize:

    (i) casting glare or direct light on adjacent publicly dedicated roadways and surrounding properties; and

    (ii) distraction of motorists or pedestrians in the public right-of-way.

  (5) Freestanding signs, projecting signs, roof signs, wall signs, and window signs may be internally illuminated.

  (6) For the purposes of this title, an indirectly illuminated sign is a sign illuminated with a light that is directed primarily toward the sign and shielded to minimize rays from the light being visible anywhere other than on the lot where the sign is located.

*History: Ord.18-216*

*History: Ord. 22-181*

## § 17-205 Sign and premises maintenance.

Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 17-205 (2026)

(a)

  (1) All signs and the premises surrounding them must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, free and clear of all noxious substances, rubbish, and weeds.

  (2) All unused sign hardware or wiring must be removed.

(b) The following activities are allowed with proper permits as long as there is no increase in sign dimensions or change in structure:

  (1) changing the copy or message on an existing changeable copy sign, whether illuminated or non-illuminated;

  (2) painting, repainting, cleaning, changing allowed items of information, or other normal maintenance and repair of a sign, including replacement of lights and sign face, but not involving structural changes or the change in the size of the sign;

  (3) refacing an existing sign, unless located in an Historical and Architectural Preservation District or listed on a Landmark List: Exteriors or a Special List: Exteriors, in which case the proposed activity must be referred to the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation in accordance with its review process;

  (4) replacement of the digital screen on an electronic sign;

  (5) replacement of broken or physically damaged sign supports; and

  (6) modifications necessary to improve the safety of existing signs.

(c)

  (1) If the Building Official finds that any sign or other structure defined in this title is unsafe or insecure, or has been constructed, erected or is being maintained in violation of this title, the Building Official must give written notice to the sign permit holder, if applicable, and the property owner.

  (2) If the sign permit holder or the property owner fails to cure the violation, the sign may be removed by the City at the expense of the sign permit holder or the property owner.

  (3) The City may cause any sign or other structure defined in this title that is an immediate peril to individuals or property to be removed summarily and without notice.

*History: Ord.18-216*

## § 17-206 Special rules.

Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 17-206 (2026)

(a)

  (1) Except for roof signs, any lot with more than 1 principal building on that lot may have signage on each building that complies with the rules of the respective sign type in this title, <em>Table 17-201: Sign Regulations</em>, and <em>Table 17-306: Maximum Cumulative Areas of Signs</em>.

  (2) Unless otherwise provided in this title, the aggregate maximum area of signage allowed for each building may not be combined or split.

(b) Freestanding monument signs may be installed on lots adjacent to and contiguous with residential developments of 20 units or more if the units are in a single building or part of a major subdivision or redevelopment of contiguous and adjoining lots.

(c) The aggregate maximum sign area per sign type, as calculated under <cite data-path="|32|§17-306">§ 17-306 of this title</cite>, may be split into multiple signs and dispersed on a single lot for the following sign types, zoning districts, and uses:

  (1) freestanding monument signs and freestanding pylon signs for approved drive-through facilities in the C-2, C-3, C-4, and C-5 Zoning Districts;

  (2) freestanding monument signs and freestanding pylon signs for uses in the C-2, C-3, C-4, and C-5 zoning districts where the lot is 10,000 square feet or greater or has more than one principal building on a lot;

  (3) freestanding monument signs, freestanding pylons signs, and wall signs where there is more than 1 principal building on a lot in the EC-1, EC-2, OS, H, OIC, and BSC zoning districts. This option must be documented in a signage package;

  (4) wall signs above ground floor in the C-1, C-1-E, and C-2 zoning districts may be split into no more than 4 signs;

  (5) wall signs above ground floor in the C-3, C-4, C-5, TOD-4, BSC, H, I-1, I-2, and PC Zoning Districts; and

  (6) the maximum area of a sign cannot be varied to create more sign area and then split into multiple signs nor can a sign that results from the split be later replaced with a larger sign; and

  (7) multi-family dwellings of 50 units or more in the R-8, R-9, R-10, or OR-2 zoning districts that have ground floor commercial uses and are subject to § 14-327 {“Multi-family dwellings - Accessory non-residential uses.”}, may follow projecting sign and wall sign requirements for the C-1 zoning district as provided for in <em>Table 17-201: Sign Regulations </em>and <em>Table 17-306: Maximum Cumulative Area of Signs</em>.

(d) If sign splitting is used, a 15% automatic total maximum area increase may be applied to the aggregate base maximum area permitted before the sign splitting is used, subject to the following:

  (1) the maximum sign area automatic increase under this subsection may not be further increased by the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals; and

  (2) all signs under this subsection must be permitted at the same time on the same permit and the increase documented on the permit.

(e)

  (1) Single-story, single-tenant buildings that are 15,000 square feet or greater in the C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5, and PC zoning districts may use the above ground floor signage allotment for wall signs in <em>Table 17-201: Sign Regulations </em>if the sign type distinguishes the allotment between ground floor and above ground floor.

  (2) Ground floor tenants 15,000 square feet or greater in a multi-tenant building with direct street access in the C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5, and PC zoning districts may use the above ground floor signage allotment for wall signs in <em>Table 17-201: Sign Regulations </em>if the sign type distinguishes the allotment between ground floor and above ground floor, subject to the following:

    (i) applicable only to uses outlined in the commercial and institutional use categories of the underlying zoning district;

    (ii) for the application of this title, <em>Table 17-201: Sign Regulations</em>, and <em>Table 17-306: Maximum Cumulative Areas of Signs</em> for buildings whose main entrance does not front a right-of-way (not including an un-named alley or named alley),  the building frontage is designated as the elevation that has the main entrance to the building or tenant; and

    (iii) the building frontage or tenant frontage must be 40 feet wide or greater.

(f) The following rules apply for signage within planned unit developments:

  (1) Unless otherwise specified in an individual planned unit development ordinance, all existing planned unit developments established or that have had a major change after June 5, 2017 must follow the rules specified in this title, Table 17-201: Sign Regulations, and Table 17-306: Maximum Cumulative Areas of Signs.

  (2) Any designated business planned unit development established prior to June 5, 2017 that has an underlying residential zoning and that does not expressly address signage must follow the rules specified for the C-2 zoning district in this title, Table 17-201: Sign Regulations, and Table 17-306: Maximum Cumulative Areas of Signs

  (3)

    (i) Subject to Title 17, Subtitle 5 of <cite data-path="|32">this article</cite>, Title 15 of <cite data-path="|32">this article</cite>, and any other applicable portions of this Code, an Area of Special Signage Control may be incorporated in the ordinance of a new planned unit development.

    (ii) This paragraph applies only to new planned unit developments or existing planned unit developments that are being repealed and replaced.  This paragraph does not apply to existing planned unit developments.

  (4)

    (i) For a planned unit development that does not have an Area of Special Signage Control, either incorporated within the planned unit development ordinance or separately, the aggregate of the maximum allowable freestanding monument and pylon signage may be split among all buildings on that lot, not to exceed the aggregate area allowed by adding the maximum allowable area of each sign by the quantity of signs allowed by Table 17-201: Sign Regulations and Table 17-306: Maximum Cumulative Areas of Signs, unless otherwise provided within this title. This option must be documented in a signage package within the planned unit development ordinance.

    (ii) For existing planned unit development where there is a signage package, the signage package may be amended as a minor change.

  (5) If there is a conflict between an Area of Special Sign Control and a planned unit development ordinance, the planned unit development ordinance prevails.

  (6) If using the sign splitting option, the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals may not increase the aggregate area of a sign.

*History: Ord. 22-181*