All new address assignments include one County-issued address sign as part of the address assignment process, with the exception of address assignments performed by the County within cities and villages. Additional or replacement County-issued signs may be purchased through the Van Buren County Digital Information Department for $25 per sign.
Van Buren County address signs are 6” x 18” reflective signs with 3” white numbers offset to one side of the sign for visibility from either direction of travel. Standard address assignment signs are green with white numbers. In limited cases involving Rural Identification (Rural ID) assignments, the signs are red with white numbers to help distinguish them from standard addressed properties.
Each County-issued sign comes pre-drilled in all four corners so it can easily be mounted using screws or other fasteners directly to a standard post, such as a 4”x4” treated wood post.
The County does not provide mounting brackets or specialty mounting hardware. If a property owner wishes to mount the sign to a decorative post, fence, mailbox structure, or other custom installation, any required brackets or specialty hardware are the responsibility of the property owner.
There is no requirement that the address sign be mounted on the same post as the mailbox. In many rural areas, mail delivery may only occur on one side of the roadway depending on postal routing. Because of this, property owners may place the address sign separately from the mailbox if doing so provides better visibility for emergency responders or more practical placement for the property.
Property owners may utilize privately sourced address signs provided the sign remains clearly visible from the roadway and generally meets the following minimum standards. Privately sourced signs should strive to meet the same visibility and reflectivity standards as County-issued signs whenever possible.
- Numbers should be at least 3 inches tall.
- Arabic numerals only (0–9).
- Numbers must clearly contrast with the background color.
- Signs should generally be mounted between 2 and 6 feet above grade.
- If the building or residence is located 100 feet or more from the roadway, the address number should also be posted at the driveway entrance.
As far as placement, the goal is simple: the sign should be clearly visible from the roadway and easy for emergency responders to locate day or night.
For general placement guidance, Van Buren County recommends following the mailbox placement standards utilized by the Van Buren County Road Commission and the United States Postal Service. General guidelines include:
- Mount the sign approximately 41” to 45” above ground level.
- Place the sign near the driveway entrance where it is clearly visible from both directions of travel.
- Avoid placing the sign behind trees, shrubs, snowbanks, parked vehicles, or other obstructions.
- On gravel roads, signs/mailboxes are generally placed approximately 2 feet back from the edge of the traveled roadway.
- On roads with curbs, signs/mailboxes are generally placed approximately 6” to 8” back from the face of the curb.
- Use a breakaway-style support such as a 4”x4” wood post or 2” diameter steel/aluminum pipe.
- Posts should generally not be buried more than 24” deep.
- Concrete-filled posts, railroad ties, large steel pipes, and similar rigid structures are discouraged for roadside safety reasons.
Property owners should also consult their local postmaster or the Van Buren County Road Commission for any site-specific placement concerns.
For best emergency visibility, reflective address signs should face approaching traffic and remain unobstructed year-round.
For more addressing information, check out the articles below.
