Temporary Sign Information

Portable Sandwich Board Signs

Sandwich Board Sign Permit Link: https://apps.bainbridgewa.gov/Forms/SandwichBoardSignPermit

Fee Clarification: The total cost of one sign is $55, the total cost of two signs is $255, the total cost of three signs is $755

Portable signs (Sandwich Board signs, also know as A-frame signs) are a type of temporary sign requiring an annual permit. Sandwich Board signs are limited to:

• Size: Signs are limited to six (6) square feet of sign area per face and no more than two sign faces.

• Height: A minimum of three (3) feet and a maximum of four (4) feet tall 
• Number of Signs: Three (3) per business.
• Location. Portable signs may be placed on private property in the location in which it is permitted. Sandwich Board Signs may not:
  • Be in public right-of-way
  • Block pedestrian, bicycle or vehicle traffic
  • Be on public property 
  • Signs shall not block the sight clearance area defined in BIMC 18.12.040.B

• A permit is not required.
• Must display the date on which the temporary sign was first placed.
• Prohibited within any City-owned or maintained park, planters, medians, or landscaped areas. See the "Temporary Sign Location Limitations" tab below for the complete list.
• Maximum 24" in width and 9" in height.
• May be displayed for up to 36 days in a 12-month period except for signs advertising a candidate for public office or relating to a ballot proposition for a specific election.
• Those advertising a specific event, meeting, or occurrence must be removed within 7 days after the event.
• Located no further than two (2) miles from the location of the business they advertise.
• Must receive permission from the property owner.
• If on public right-of-way, must also receive permission from the abutting property owner.
• Signs can be in the public right-of-way but cannot block the sight clearance area defined in BIMC 18.12.040.B.
• There is no fee to install these type of temporary signs.

• A permit is not required.
• Must display the date on which the temporary sign was first placed.
• Prohibited within any City-owned or maintained park, planters, medians, or landscaped areas. See the "Temporary Sign Location Limitations" tab below for the complete list.
• Maximum 24" in width and 9" in height.
• May be displayed for up to 36 days in a 12-month period except for signs advertising a candidate for public office or relating to a ballot proposition for a specific election.
• Those advertising a specific event, meeting, or occurrence must be removed within 7 days after the event.
• Located no further than two (2) miles from the location of the business they advertise.
• Must receive permission from the property owner.
• If on public right-of-way, must also receive permission from the abutting property owner.
• Signs can be in the public right-of-way but cannot block the sight clearance area defined in BIMC 18.12.040.B.
• There is no fee to install these type of temporary signs.

Education for Real Estate Brokers

The City received feedback that further education was needed for Real Estate Signs and the who, what, when, where, why on how the updated sign code applies to their work. Below are some instructions/information to be aware of.

Sandwich Board Signs

Sandwich board signs have a specific call out in the City Code. You must register you sandwich board sign on an annual basis. You can apply for a permit here Version OptionsTemporary Sign InformationContact UsHeadline. For these signs, here is some useful information:

• You only need to apply for a sandwich board sign once and can be used at any open house for the duration of the permit. You do not need to apply for a permit for each open house.
• Any person, registered LLC, or business can have up to three sandwich board signs.
• The font of the permit number must be at least 1 inch in height.
• Because these permits are annual, we recommend not making the permit number a permanent fixture on your sign. Use a material that can withstand the weather, but can be removed and updated annually. 
• These signs cannot be in the public right-of-way, meaning roads or sidewalks. In rural areas, if you are unsure where the public right-of-way is, the general rule of thumb is you can place your sign at least five feet away from the edge of the road. If you are at least five feet away, you will likely be on private property and can place your sandwich board sign.

Temporary Signs

The City defines signs that have metal wiring that goes in the ground as temporary signs.

Here is useful information for these signs:

• Not allowed in City median and street landscape areas.
• Please ensure that each sign displays the date it is installed. Signs are permitted to remain in place for a maximum of 36 days each calendar year. It is essential to indicate the installation date clearly. The font of the date must be at least 1 inch in height. 
• An administrative exception to exceed the 36 days allowed for a temporary sign can be applied for with the documentation of hardship. If the exception is approved, sign will still need to be maintained clean and readable for the full time.
• The face of the sign may only be a maximum of 9" x 24".
• These signs do not need a permit.
• They cannot be more than 2 miles from the listed home.
• These signs can be placed in the public right-of-way
• There is not code specified limit on the number of these signs.

Per City Code, temporary signs are not allowed in the following locations:

1. Winslow Way planters
2. Madison Avenue between Winslow Way and Wyatt Way
3. Wyatt Way between Grow Avenue and Madison Avenue (sidewalk plantings)
4. High School Road Roundabout
5. High School Road between SR 305 and Ferncliff
6. High School Road between Hildebrand and Madison Avenue
7. Ericksen “park”
8. Ericksen median islands
9. Sportsman/New Brooklyn triangle
10. Eagle Harbor bike lane median
11. Blakely School Islands
12. North Madison/Manitou triangle
13. Ferncliff between High School Road and Wing Point
14. Bjune planters near Community Center
15. City maintained planters at Lynnwood Center
16. Brien Drive planters
17. Any other planters, medians, and other landscaped areas now or hereafter maintained by the City of Bainbridge Island.

Enforcement

If a sign is not complying with City Code, the City may pick up the sandwich board or temporary sign. 

If you think your sign might have been picked up because of not following the City temporary sign code, please call 206-842-1212 to confirm that the sign is in fact being held by the City of Bainbridge Island. Confirmation will take approximately 1-2 business days. 

You will need to call back a second time after the 1-2 business days of your first phone call to confirm the sign is with the City.

Once you have confirmed that the City does have the sign, you can schedule an appointment to pickup the sign at the City's Operations and Maintenance Facility at 7305 Hidden Cove Road, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. Pick times are Monday-Thursday, 8:00AM - 3:00PM, and 8:00AM - 2:00PM on Fridays.

If you do not have an appointment, you cannot pick up your sign.

Signs will be stored with the City for up to 90 days.

Failure to comply with the ordinance may lead to a citation of up to $500.00, however, the City is primarily focused on education rather than financial penalties. 

Learn more

• Sandwich Board Sign Educational Flyer
• Temporary Sign Educational Flyer
• Political Sign Education Flyer