2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE NINE - Highways and Traffic (§§ 1-8 — 5725) › Chapter 2 - Uniform Signs and Advertisment Act of Puerto Rico of 1999 (§§ 51 — 56g) › Subchapter II - Specific Provisions (§§ 52 — 52d) › § 52a - Commercial districts, non-zoning areas with an authorized commercial use

(a) The installation of signs shall be permitted in commercial districts or in non-zoning areas with an authorized commercial use, provided that they comply with the provisions established in §§ 51—51 l of this title and those in this section.
(b) The installation of one (1) or more signs shall be permitted, in the desired proportion and amount, provided that they do not exceed the maximum size permitted in the district.
(c) The installation of signs, as provided hereinbefore, shall be permitted on each lot, building or premise with a main use, and may be installed parallel or perpendicular to a public road.
(d) In multi-floor buildings where there are different uses, one (1) sign per existing use may be installed on the first floor. For the existing uses on the other floors, one (1) sign may be installed, as a directory, with the purpose of identifying all the existing uses. The directory sign may be situated flat on the wall or on the ground, as permitted.
(e) Signs installed on a building frontage, pursuant to the following: —
(1) Size. — The sum of the sizes of the signs, for each business, service, recreation, profession or any of the permitted uses in commercial districts, shall not exceed thirty-five percent (35%) of the area of the primary frontage, and fifty percent (50%) of each of the other frontages.
(2) Situation and location. — The signs shall be placed flat against the structure of any of the building’s walls on the property grounds. Signs may be placed flat against the general body of a marquee, parallel to a public road, and shall not extend beyond the general body of the marquee or beyond the upper level of their roof.
(f) Signs installed on the ground pursuant to the following: —
(1) In addition to the sign permitted on the building or premise, another sign may be installed on lots or pieces of land where there exists a structure, or on vacant lots, parallel or perpendicular to the public road according to the following:
(A) No signs shall be installed on lots with a front to a public road at a distance of less than twenty-five (25) feet wide.
(B) A sign may be installed on lots with a front to a pubic road between twenty-five (25) up to less than forty-five (45) feet wide, with a maximum size of two hundred (200) square feet and a maximum height of thirty-five (35) feet on its highest point.
(C) A sign may be installed on lots with a front to a pubic road at a distance of forty-five (45) feet wide, with a maximum size of four hundred (400) square feet and a maximum height of sixty (60) feet on its highest point.
(D) The sizes of the signs to be installed on the ground shall not be considered within the percentage allowed in accordance with the provisions established as to the size of installed signs on a building frontage.
(E) A sign may be installed on corner lots facing each of the public roads, considering each face of the sign individually.
(F) In lots where there is more than one (1) structure or building operating according to the zoning area, a sign may be. The size and height of the permitted signs shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this section installed in front of each of the buildings. The sign may have non-intermittent illumination.
(g) Signs on the ground to identify shopping centers, extensive commercial recreation sites, and parks of intense active recreation. — In addition to the sign installed in the building pursuant to this section, any shopping center and center of commercial recreation may be identify by means of a sign, pursuant to the following:
(1) Size. — The size of the sign to be installed on marketing centers in Districts C-4, and extensive commercial recreation sites in Districts C-5 shall not exceed six hundred (600) square feet, and four hundred (400) square feet for shopping centers in other districts.
(2) Illumination. — Signs on marketing centers in Districts C-4, and in other commercial districts, and in extensive commercial recreation sites in Districts C-5 may have non-intermittent illumination.
(3) Situation and location. — Only a sign may be permitted for each shopping center or parks of intense active recreation. The height, measured from the ground level to its highest point, shall not exceed sixty (60) feet for marketing centers in Districts C-4 and extensive commercial recreation sites in Districts C-5, except that the height shall be forty-five (45) feet for shopping centers when located in other districts. In corner lots, a sign may be situated facing each of the roads, parallel or perpendicular to them.
(4) Accessory buildings. — In lots where there is more than one (1) structure or building operating according to the zoning area, a sign may be installed in front of each of the buildings, aside from the sign installed to identify the shopping center or extensive commercial recreation sites. The size and height of the permitted signs shall be established pursuant to the provisions of subsection (f)(1) of this section, correspondingly.
History —Dec. 22, 1999, No. 355, § 18, eff. 60 days after Dec. 22, 1999.