Sign.
El Paso City Code § 20.02.874
in effect20.02.874 - Sign.
"Sign" means any outdoor display surface, structure, search light, banner, pennant, inflatable and airborne device, whether mounted on land, air, or water, which is visible from any portion of the public right-of-way to vehicular or pedestrian traffic, a principal purpose of which is to attract attention to a communicative visual or graphic image. The term "sign" includes any moving part, lighting, sound equipment, framework, background material, structural support, or other part thereof. A display, device, or thing need not contain lettering to be a sign. Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, the following are not within this definition:
• Aerial signs or banners towed behind aircraft.
• Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) not used for general advertising for hire.
• Architectural features. Decorative or architectural features of buildings (not including lettering, trademarks or moving parts), which do not perform a communicative function.
• Barber poles displayed outside establishments providing hair cutting and styling services.
• Fireworks.
• Foundation stones and cornerstones which are permanent in nature and incapable of modification once installed.
• Grave markers, grave stones, headstones, mausoleums, shrines, and other markers of the deceased.
• Holiday and cultural observance decorations on private residential property which are on display for not more than 45 calendar days per year (cumulative, per parcel or use).
• Inflatable games and gymnasiums. Inflatable, temporary, moveable, gymnasium devices commonly used for children's birthday parties, and similar devices. Also called "party jumps."
• Manufacturers' marks. Marks on tangible products, which identify the maker, seller, provider or product, and which customarily remain attached to the product even after sale.
• Mass transit graphics. Graphic images mounted on duly licensed and authorized mass transit vehicles that legally pass through the city merchandise on public, display and presently available for purchase on-site.
• News racks and newsstands.
• Personal appearance. Items or devices of personal apparel, decoration or appearance, including tattoos, makeup, wigs, costumes, masks, etc. (but not including commercial mascots or hand-held signs);
• Public art located on city property.
• Search lights and klieg lights when used as part of a search and rescue or other emergency service operation; this exclusion does not apply to search lights or klieg lights used as attention attracting devices for commercial or special events.
• Shopping carts, golf carts, horse drawn carriages, and similar devices; any motorized vehicle which may be legally operated upon a public road is not within this exclusion.
• Symbols of noncommercial organizations or concepts including, but not limited to, religious or political symbols, when such are permanently integrated into the structure of a permanent building which is otherwise legal; by way of example and not limitation, such symbols include stained glass windows on churches, carved or bas relief doors or walls, bells, religious statuary, etc.
• Vehicle and Vessel Insignia On street legal vehicles and properly licensed watercraft or aircraft: License plates, license plate frames, registration insignia, noncommercial messages, messages relating to the establishment of which the vehicle or vessel is an instrument or tool (not including general advertising) and messages relating to the proposed sale, lease or exchange of the vehicle or vessel.
• Vending machines, product dispensing devices and automated product intake devices which do not display offsite commercial messages or general advertising messages; by way of example and not limitation, "automated product intake devices" means machines which accept recycle materials, or "book return" slots at libraries, or "leave your clothes here" boxes at laundry places.
• Window displays. The display of merchandise in a store window.
(Ord. 16653 § 2 (part), 2007) (Ord. No. 17318, § 1, 5-4-2010)
Source: City of El Paso, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/el_paso/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT20ZO_CH20.02GEPRDE_ARTIIDE_20.02.874SIFetched: 10/28/2026