Maintenance, safety and removal.
Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 744-904
in effectSec. 744-904. - Maintenance, safety and removal.
A. Maintenance required; maintenance of signs.
1. All signs and sign structures including all supports, braces, guys and anchors, shall be kept in good repair and maintained in a safe and legible condition at all times. Activities that do not alter the design or structure of the sign, including the replacement of defective or damaged parts, painting, repainting, cleaning, and other services required for maintenance of the signs shall not require an ILP as determined by the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services.
2. Unmaintained signs shall be removed or brought into compliance immediately upon written notice from the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services.
B. Maintenance and restoration of legally established nonconforming signs and sign structures.
1. Safety, maintenance and repair. Nothing in this article shall relieve the owner or user of a legal nonconforming sign, or owner of the property on which the legal nonconforming sign is located, from any provisions regarding safety, maintenance and repair of signs.
2. Any legally established nonconforming sign shall be permitted to be maintained without alteration in size or location or change in materials. Maintenance of such signs shall not include:
a. Any changes made to the size, height, bulk, or location of the sign.
b. Temporary or permanent removal of the sign.
3. Any abandoned sign and its sign structure shall be removed. However, any heritage sign may remain as provided in Section 744-909(A).
[image omitted; see the official code]
Example of Abandoned Sign
C. Required relocations or elevations; Outdoor Advertising Signs.
1. In accordance with I.C. 8-23-20-25.6 and 8-23-20.5-3, legally-established Outdoor Advertising Signs which are required to be elevated or relocated due to a noise abatement or safety measure, grade changes, construction, directional sign, highway widening, or aesthetic improvement made by any agency of the state along the interstate and primary system or any other highway may be elevated or relocated to the extent allowed by state or federal law and upon approval of a special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals. The elevated or relocated sign shall comply with all applicable development standards of this ordinance. An improvement location permit shall be required for signs that are elevated or relocated pursuant to I.C. 8-23-20-25.6.
(G.O. 10, 2019, § 1; G.O. 23, 2023, § 9; G.O. 1, 2025, § 1)
Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIIPUHEWE_CH744DEST_ARTIX2018RESIRE_S744-904MASAREFetched: 10/27/2026