Rural 911 Civic Address Sign

Reflective 911 address number requirements in Canada are set by your municipality, not by a province-wide law. Lambton County, Ontario requires reflective numbers at least 4 inches high in reflective white or silver on a reflective dark green background.

Emergency services cannot help an address they cannot find. A reflective 911 civic address sign at the end of your driveway means fire, police and paramedics identify your property at night, in rain, and in winter, from a moving vehicle.

Regulatory summary

Sources

• County of Lambton, Ontario, "911 Address Signs". lambtononline.ca
• Livingston County, Michigan, "Reflective Address Signs". milivcounty.gov

What this page does and does not claim

The specification above is one Ontario county's addressing policy and one Michigan county's ordinance. Sizes, colours and whether a sign is mandated vary from municipality to municipality, and this research identified no province-wide reflective address sign law in Ontario. This sign is not presented as meeting every municipal requirement, and no product is universally "911 certified". Check your own municipality's addressing policy or bylaw before ordering.

What you get

• Engineer-grade reflective face. Reads under headlights from well down the road
• Rigid outdoor panel, made for permanent post or fence mounting
• Your civic number in the large, plain, high-contrast digits emergency responders are trained to scan for
• Double-sided option so the number reads from both directions of travel
• Built in Niagara, Ontario for Canadian winters

Common for rural routes, long driveways, private lanes, cottages, farms and any property where the house is set back from the road.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big do 911 address numbers have to be?
It depends on the municipality. Lambton County, Ontario specifies reflective numbers at least 4 inches high; Livingston County, Michigan specifies 3-inch reflective numbers. Check your own municipality's addressing policy.

What colour should a rural address sign be?
Lambton County specifies a reflective white or silver number on a reflective dark green background. The Michigan county example uses reflective white numbers on green.

Where should the sign be placed?
At the main driveway, visible from the travelled road, within the road allowance close to the property line, on its own post 1.2 m (4 ft) above grade under the Lambton County policy.

Is a reflective address sign required everywhere in Ontario?
No province-wide reflective address sign law was identified in this research. Requirements are municipal and vary, so confirm locally.

Do I need a double-sided sign?
A double-sided sign lets the number be read from both directions of travel, which matches the "visible from both directions of approach" wording used in the Michigan county ordinance.

Why reflective rather than plain paint?
A reflective face returns headlight light back toward the driver, so the number stays readable at night and in poor weather from a moving vehicle.