WAC 468-66-050
Sign classifications and specific
provisions. Signs shall be classified and restricted to the
provisions following:
(1) Type 1 -- Directional or other official signs and
notices. Directional or other official signs and notices may
be erected and maintained on private property or public
property, other than state highway right of way, for the
purposes of carrying out an official duty or responsibility.
The signs may only be installed by public offices or public
agencies within their territorial or zoning jurisdiction and
shall follow federal, state, or local law.
(a) Type 1(a) - Directional sign. A directional sign may
only be installed in accordance with the provisions following:
(i) Publicly or privately owned places - Directional
signs for publicly or privately owned places that feature
natural phenomena; historical, cultural, scientific, or
educational opportunities; areas of scenic beauty, or outdoor
recreation areas:
• Publicly owned places - Directional signs for public
places owned or operated by federal, state, or local
government, or their agencies;
• Privately owned places - Directional signs for
nonprofit privately owned places that feature scenic
attractions. The attractions must be nationally or regionally
known, or of outstanding interest to travelers.
(ii) A sign message shall be limited to identification of
the activity or attraction and directional information.
Directional information is limited to that which helps the
motorist locate the activity, such as providing mileage to the
activity, highway route or exit numbers.
(iii) Descriptive words, phrases, and photographic or
pictorial representations of the activity or attraction are
prohibited.
(iv) Type 1(a) signs shall not exceed twenty feet in
length, width, or height, or one hundred fifty square feet in
area, including border and trim but excluding supports.
(v) The department must approve the proposed installation
location.
(vi) Along the interstate system and other limited access
highways having grade separations (interchanges), a sign shall
not be located within two thousand feet of an interchange or
rest area, measured from the ramp physical gore, or within two
thousand feet of a parkland or scenic area.
(vii) Type 1(a) signs shall not be spaced closer than one
mile apart.
(viii) Visible to a state route approaching an activity
or attraction, a maximum of three signs per direction of
travel are allowed for each activity or attraction.
(ix) Type 1(a) signs located along the interstate system
shall be within seventy-five air miles of the activity or
attraction.
(x) Type 1(a) signs located along the primary and scenic
systems shall be within fifty air miles of the activity or
attraction.
(b) Type 1(b) - Official sign. An official sign may be
installed subject to the provisions following:
(i) Type 1(b) signs may only be erected and maintained by
public offices or public agencies.
(ii) Type 1(b) signs may only be located within the
governing jurisdiction of the public office or public agency.
(iii) Type 1(b) signs shall follow federal, state, or
local law.
(iv) Type 1(b) signs have no restrictions on message
content, provided the activity being described furthers an
official duty or responsibility.
(v) Type 1(b) signs shall not exceed twenty feet in
length, width, or height, or one hundred fifty square feet in
area, including border and trim but excluding supports.
(vi) Type 1(b) signs may be historical markers authorized
by federal, state, and local law.
(vii) Type 1(b) signs are not regulated by the act with
regard to visibility to highways, zoning requirements, number
of signs, or spacing.
(c) Type 1(c) - Service activity sign. A service
activity sign may be installed subject to the provisions
following:
(i) Type 1(c) signs shall contain only the name of a
nonprofit organization, its address, and the time of its
meeting or service.
(ii) Type 1(c) signs shall not exceed eight square feet
in area.
(iii) Type 1(c) signs are not regulated by the act with
regard to visibility to highways, zoning requirements, number
of signs, or spacing.
(2) Type 2 -- For sale or lease sign. A Type 2 sign may
only advertise the sale or lease of the parcel of real
property upon which the sign is located. The name of the
owner of the property offered for sale or lease, or the
owner's agent and phone number shall not be displayed more
conspicuously than the words "for sale" or "for lease." No
other message may be displayed on the sign.
(a) Type 2 signs shall not exceed twenty feet in length,
width, or height, or one hundred fifty square feet in area,
including border and trim but excluding supports.
(b) Not more than one Type 2 sign may be installed that
is visible to traffic proceeding in any one direction on an
interstate, primary, or scenic system highway.
(c) The act does not regulate Type 2 signs with regard to
zoning requirements or spacing.
(3) Type 3 -- On-premise signs.
(a) Type 3(a) - On-premise sign. A Type 3(a) on-premise
sign may only advertise an activity conducted on the property
upon which the sign is located.
(i) A Type 3(a) on-premise sign shall be limited to
advertising the business or the owner, or the products or
services offered on the property. A sign consisting mainly of
a brand name, trade name, product or service incidental to the
main products or services offered on the property, or a sign
bringing rental income to the property, is not an on-premise
sign.
(ii) A Type 3(a) on-premise sign more than fifty feet
from the advertised activity may not exceed twenty feet in
length, width, or height, or one hundred fifty square feet in
area, including border and trim but excluding supports. The
act does not regulate the size of Type 3(a) on-premise signs
located within fifty feet of the advertised activity.
(iii) A Type 3(a) on-premise sign located at a shopping
center, mall, or business combination is not authorized more
than fifty feet from the individual activity it advertises,
unless it is installed together with a Type (3)(b) business
complex on-premise sign as described in (b)(i) of this
subsection.
(iv) For the purpose of measuring from the advertised
activity, the distance shall be measured from the sign to the
nearest portion of that building, storage, or other structure
or processing area, which is the most regularly used and
essential to the conduct of the advertised activity as
determined solely by the department.
(b) Type 3(b) - Business complex on-premise sign. A Type
3(b) business complex on-premise sign may display the name of
a shopping center, mall, or business combination.
(i) Where a business complex erects a Type 3(b)
on-premise sign, the sign structure may display additional
individual business signs identifying each of the businesses
conducted on the premises. A Type 3(b) on-premise sign
structure may also have attached a display area, such as a
manually changeable copy panel, reader board, or
electronically changeable message center, for advertising
on-premise activities and/or presenting public service
information.
(ii) Type 3(b) on-premise signs are not regulated by the
act with regard to size. Any Type 3(a) on-premise sign and
any display area, installed together with a Type 3(b)
on-premise sign, may not exceed twenty feet in length, width,
or height, or one hundred fifty square feet in area, including
border and trim.
(c) Type 3(c) - Future site on-premise sign. A Type 3(c)
future site on-premise sign may only display the name of a
business activity, or other activity of interest to motorists,
planned for the property upon which the sign is located and
the anticipated opening date of such activity.
(i) The owner, or owner's representative, shall by letter
notify the department at least thirty days prior to the
installation of the proposed Type 3(c) future site on-premise
sign. Said notice shall include the location, sign message,
and installation date.
(ii) Type 3(c) future site on-premise signs may remain
until the business activity is operational, but shall not
exceed one year from the planned installation date. The sign
must be removed at the end of one year after the planned
installation date if the business activity is not yet
operational.
(iii) Type 3(c) future site on-premise signs shall not
exceed twenty feet in length, width, or height, or one hundred
fifty square feet in area.
(d) Type 3(d) - Temporary political campaign sign. A
Type 3(d) temporary political campaign sign may express a
property owner's endorsement of a political candidate or
ballot issue.
(i) Type 3(d) temporary political campaign signs are
limited to a maximum size of thirty-two square feet.
(ii) Type 3(d) temporary political campaign signs must be
removed within ten days after an election. After primary
elections, temporary political campaign signs endorsing a
successful candidate may remain up to ten days after the
succeeding general election.
(e) Not more than one Type 3(a) or 3(b) sign, visible to
traffic proceeding in any one direction on an interstate
system highway; on a primary system highway outside an
incorporated city or town or commercial or industrial area; or
on a scenic system highway, may be permitted more than fifty
feet from the advertised activity. Not more than one Type
3(c) sign may be installed visible to traffic proceeding in
any one direction on an interstate system highway; on a
primary system highway outside an incorporated city or town or
commercial or industrial area; or on a scenic system highway.
The act does not regulate Type 3(d) signs with regard to the
number of signs installed, visibility from highways, zoning
requirements, or spacing.
(i) For Type 3(a) on-premise signs, the fifty-foot
distance from the advertised activity shall be measured from
the sign to the nearest portion of that building, storage, or
other structure or processing area, which is the most
regularly used and essential to the conduct of the advertised
activity as determined solely by the department.
(ii) For Type 3(b) on-premise signs, the fifty-foot
distance from the advertised activity may be measured in the
same manner as for Type 3(a) on-premise signs, or may be
measured fifty feet from the nearest portion of a combined
parking area.
(f) A Type 3(a) or 3(b) on-premise sign more than fifty
feet from the advertised activity shall not be erected or
maintained at a greater distance from the advertised activity
than one of the options following, as applicable, selected by
the owner of the business being advertised:
(i) One hundred fifty feet measured along the edge of the
protected highway from the nearest edge of the main entrance
to the activity advertised;
(ii) One hundred fifty feet from any outside wall of the
main building of the advertised activity; or
(iii) Fifty feet from any outside edge of a regularly
used parking lot maintained by, and contiguous to, the
advertised activity.
(g) Electronic signs may be used only as Type 3
on-premise signs and/or to present public service information,
as follows:
(i) Advertising messages on electronic signboards may
contain words, phrases, sentences, symbols, trademarks, and
logos. A single message or a message segment must have a
static display time of at least two seconds after moving onto
the signboard, with all segments of the total message to be
displayed within ten seconds. A one-segment message may
remain static on the signboard with no duration limit.
(ii) Displays may travel horizontally or scroll
vertically onto electronic signboards, but must hold in a
static position for two seconds after completing the travel or
scroll.
(iii) Displays shall not appear to flash, undulate, or
pulse, or portray explosions, fireworks, flashes of light, or
blinking or chasing lights. Displays shall not appear to move
toward or away from the viewer, expand or contract, bounce,
rotate, spin, twist, or otherwise portray graphics or
animation as it moves onto, is displayed on, or leaves the
signboard.
(iv) Electronic signs requiring more than four seconds to
change from one single message display to another shall be
turned off during the change interval.
(v) No electronic sign lamp may be illuminated to a
degree of brightness that is greater than necessary for
adequate visibility. In no case may the brightness exceed
8,000 nits or equivalent candelas during daylight hours, or
1,000 nits or equivalent candelas between dusk and dawn.
Signs found to be too bright shall be adjusted as directed by
the department.
(h) The act does not regulate Type 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), and
3(d) on-premise signs located along primary system highways
inside an incorporated city or town or a commercial or
industrial area.
(4) Type 4 -- Off-premise signs; and
(5) Type 5 -- Off-premise signs. Type 4 off-premise signs
are distinguishable from Type 5 off-premise signs only by
message content. Type 4 off-premise sign messages are those
that do not qualify as Type 5 sign messages described in (b)
of this subsection.
(a) A Type 4 sign shall be located within twelve air
miles of the advertised activity. A Type 4 sign that displays
any trade name which refers to or identifies any service
rendered or product sold, used, or otherwise handled more than
twelve air miles from such sign shall not be permitted unless
the name of the advertised activity, which is within twelve
air miles of such sign, is displayed as conspicuously as such
trade name.
(b) A Type 5 sign displays a message of specific interest
to the traveling public. On Type 5 signs, only information
about public places operated by federal, state, or local
governments, natural phenomena, historic sites, areas of
natural scenic beauty or outdoor recreation, and places for
lodging, camping, eating, and vehicle service and repair is
deemed to be in the specific interest of the traveling public.
A trade name is authorized on a Type 5 sign only if it
identifies or represents a place of specific interest to the
traveling public; or identifies vehicle service, equipment,
parts, accessories, fuels, oils, or lubricants being offered
for sale at such place. The display of any other trade name
is not permitted on Type 5 signs.
(c) Type 4 and Type 5 signs are restricted in size to the
following:
(i) Visible to interstate highways, signs may not exceed
twenty feet in length, width, or height, or one hundred fifty
square feet in area including border and trim but excluding
supports.
(ii) Visible to primary highways, the maximum area for
any one sign, except as provided in (c)(iii) of this
subsection, shall be six hundred seventy-two square feet with
a twenty-five-foot maximum height and a fifty-foot maximum
length, including the border and trim but excluding the base
or apron, supports, and structural members. Cut-outs and
extensions may add up to twenty percent of additional sign
area.
(iii) Each sign face of a double-faced (flanking and
side-by-side) sign may not exceed three hundred twenty-five
square feet.
(d) The spacing of Type 4 and Type 5 signs along
interstate highways and visible to traffic traveling in one
direction shall be restricted as follows:
(i) Type 4 and Type 5 signs visible to traffic
approaching an intersection of the main-traveled way of an
interstate highway and an exit roadway may not exceed the
number following:
Distance from intersection
Number of signs
0 - 2 miles . . . . . . . . . . . .
0
2 - 5 miles . . . . . . . . . . . .
6
More than 5 miles . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average of one sign per
mile
The specified distances shall be measured to the nearest point
of intersection of the traveled way of the exit roadway and
the main-traveled way of the interstate highway.
(ii) Not more than two such signs may be permitted within
any mile distance and no such signs may be permitted less than
one thousand feet apart.
(iii) Type 1, 2, and 3 signs shall not be considered in
determining compliance with the above spacing requirements.
(iv) Type 4 and Type 5 signs may not be permitted
adjacent to interstate highway right of way within the limits
of an interchange, including its entrance or exit roadways.
(v) Type 4 and Type 5 signs visible to interstate highway
traffic, which has passed an entrance roadway, may not be
permitted within one thousand feet of the point where the
entrance roadway intersects with the interstate highway. The
distance shall be measured from the intersection point
farthest from the preceding interchange.
(vi) Not more than one Type 4 or Type 5 sign, advertising
activities conducted as a single enterprise or giving
information about a single place, may be erected or maintained
in such manner as to be visible to traffic moving in any one
direction on any one interstate highway.
(e) The spacing of Type 4 and Type 5 signs visible to
primary highways shall be restricted as follows:
(i) On limited access highways, no two signs may be
spaced less than one thousand feet apart, and no sign may be
located within three thousand feet of the center of a grade
separated interchange, a safety rest area, or an information
center, or within one thousand feet of an at-grade
intersection. Not more than a total of five sign structures
may be permitted per mile, including both sides of the
highway. Double-faced (flanking or side-by-side) signs are
prohibited.
(ii) On nonlimited access highways inside the boundaries
of incorporated cities or towns, not more than a total of four
sign structures, including both sides of the highway, may be
permitted within a space of six hundred sixty feet or between
platted intersecting streets or highways. There shall also be
a minimum of one hundred feet between sign structures,
including both sides of the highway.
(iii) On nonlimited access highways outside the
boundaries of incorporated cities or towns, the minimum
spacing between sign structures on each side of the highway
shall be five hundred feet.
(iv) Back-to-back signs and V-type signs shall be
considered one sign structure.
(f) The minimum space between sign structures located on
the same side of the highway shall be measured between two
points along the nearest edge of pavement. The measurement
points are established at the origin of lines extending
perpendicular from the edge of pavement to the apparent
centers of the sign structures.
(g) The minimum space between sign structures located on
opposite sides of the highway shall be measured in the
applicable manner following:
(i) Along tangent sections, sign spacing is measured
between two points along the edge of pavement in the
increasing milepost direction of travel. One measurement
point is established at the origin of a line extending
perpendicular from the edge of pavement to the apparent center
of the sign structure located in the increasing direction of
travel. The second measurement point is established at the
origin of a line extending perpendicular from the edge of
pavement to the apparent center of the sign structure located
in the decreasing direction of travel.
(ii) Along horizontal curve sections, sign spacing is
measured between two points on the edge of pavement along the
arc on the inside of the curve. One measurement point is
established at the origin of a line extending perpendicular
from the edge of pavement to the apparent center of the sign
structure located along the highway in the increasing milepost
direction of travel. The second measurement point is
established at the origin of a line extending perpendicular
from the edge of pavement to the apparent center of the sign
structure located along the highway in the decreasing milepost
direction of travel.
(h) Type 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8 signs shall not be considered
in determining compliance with the above spacing requirements.
(i) Type 4 and Type 5 signs may be permitted within
commercial and industrial areas adjacent to interstate and
primary highways, provided that spacing is available as
specified in (d) and (e) of this subsection.
(j) Type 4 and Type 5 signs are not permitted visible to
the scenic system.
(k) Pursuant to the 1991 Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act, a National Scenic Byway
Demonstration Project is established on State Route 101, from
the Astoria/Megler Bridge to Fowler Street in Raymond and from
the junction with State Route 109 near Queets to the junction
with State Route 5 near Olympia. No new Type 4 or Type 5
signs may be permitted within the limits of this project.
Type 4 or Type 5 signs installed prior to July 25, 1993, may
remain as nonconforming signs.
(6) Type 6 -- Landmark signs.
(a) Type 6 signs shall have been lawfully in existence on
October 22, 1965, and have historic or artistic significance,
including signs on farm structures or natural surfaces.
(b) Historic or artistic significance shall be determined
by the department and approved by the Federal Highway
Administration.
(c) Within the limits of the National Scenic Byway
Demonstration Project identified in (5)(h) of this subsection,
Type 6 signs may remain as nonconforming signs.
(7) Type 7 -- Public service signs located on school bus
stop shelters. Type 7 signs may display safety slogans or
messages, and identify the donor, sponsor, or contributor of a
school bus stop shelter. No other message(s) may be
displayed.
(a) Safety slogans or messages must occupy at least sixty
percent of the sign area, and appear more predominant than the
name of the donor, sponsor, or contributor.
(b) Type 7 signs may be located on school bus stop
shelters only as authorized or approved by state law or
regulation, or city or county ordinance or resolution, and may
be installed visible to primary and scenic system highways.
(c) Type 7 signs may not exceed thirty-two square feet.
A sign shall not protrude above the roofline or beyond the
sides of the school bus stop shelter.
(d) Not more than one sign on each shelter may face in
any one direction.
(e) The act does not regulate Type 7 signs with regard to
zoning requirements or spacing between Type 7 signs and other
types of signs.
(8) Type 8 -- Temporary agricultural directional signs. Type 8 signs provide directional information to places of
business having seasonal agricultural products for sale.
(a) Type 8 signs may display the business name,
product(s) for sale, travel direction, and travel distance to
the nearest mile from the state highway to the business.
(b) Type 8 signs may not exceed thirty-two square feet.
(c) There shall be at least three hundred feet spacing
between Type 8 signs.
(d) Not more than two signs advertising a place of
temporary agricultural business may be installed visible to
traffic proceeding in one direction of travel on any one state
route.
(e) Premises on which the seasonal agricultural products
are sold must be within fifteen air miles of the state
highway.
(f) Type 8 signs may be posted only during the period of
time the seasonal agricultural product(s) is being sold.
(g) Any necessary supplemental follow-through signs along
city streets or county roads must be installed before the Type
8 signs may be installed visible to the state highway.
(h) The signs may be installed visible to primary system
highways outside incorporated cities or towns, and scenic
system highways.
(i) Type 8 signs may not be installed visible to
interstate highways, including interstate highways that are
also part of the scenic system, or visible to primary system
highways within incorporated cities or towns.
(j) The act does not regulate Type 8 signs with regard to
zoning requirements or spacing between Type 8 signs and other
types of signs.