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Sign permits in Raleigh, NC
Most permanent business signs in Raleigh need a city permit before they go up. We prepare the drawings, file the application and handle the back and forth with the city.
What a Raleigh sign permit asks for
- A drawing of the sign with measurements, colors and materials
- Building elevations for wall signs
- A site plan showing property lines and the sign location
- Owner or landlord signature on the drawing
- Electrical details for lit signs
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Why the permit comes first
In Raleigh, a business sign visible from the public street needs a zoning permit, and it has to meet the sign rules in Chapter 7 of the city's Unified Development Ordinance. Those rules cover how big a sign can be, how tall, where it can sit and how it can be lit. The city strongly advises not building a sign until the permit is issued.
That's why we treat the permit as part of the design, not paperwork at the end. We size the sign to what your wall or lot allows, put together the drawings and site plan the city asks for, get your landlord's sign-off and submit the application. You get a sign that passes review instead of one that has to be rebuilt.
Older signs need care too. Raleigh allows routine maintenance on a sign that no longer meets current rules, but replacing or significantly altering it can mean the whole sign has to come up to code. We check that before we quote a change.
Which signs need a Raleigh permit
Based on the city sign permit page and UDO Article 7.3.
Wall signs
Permit required. Total wall sign area is based on the length of each building wall facing a public street, at two square feet per foot of wall.
Ground and monument signs
Permit required for low, medium and high profile ground signs. High profile signs top out at 15 feet tall and 100 square feet.
Projecting signs
Permit required. A sign that hangs over a public sidewalk also needs a separate minor encroachment approval.
Temporary signs
The city lists temporary signs among the signs that need a permit.
Window and A-frame signs
Window signs and A-frame sidewalk signs do not need a sign permit in Raleigh, but they still have size and placement rules.
What we handle for you
Check the rules
We look at your zoning, any common signage plan for your center and any HOA or landlord rules.
Size the sign
The design is built to fit what your wall or frontage allows.
Prepare drawings
Sign details, elevations, a site plan, and footing or electrical details when needed.
File and follow up
We submit the application and answer the city reviewers until it is approved.
Install and inspect
Once issued, we build and install, and line up any inspection the permit requires.
Things that can add a step
Not every sign needs these, but it helps to know about them early.
- Shared sites
- If more than one business or principal building is on the property, Raleigh will not issue a sign permit until a common signage plan for the site is approved.
- Historic districts
- A sign in a Raleigh historic district needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.
- Taller ground signs
- A ground sign over 42 inches needs a sealed, engineered footing detail with the application.
- Signs over the sidewalk
- A sign over or on the public right-of-way that is not fixed to the sidewalk needs a minor encroachment approval.
- Changes to older signs
- If you alter, replace or convert a sign that does not meet current rules, the whole sign has to be brought up to code.
Sign permit questions
Do I need a permit for my business sign in Raleigh?
Most likely. The city requires a permit for a business sign visible from the public street, including wall signs, ground signs, projecting signs and temporary signs. Window signs and A-frame signs are the main exceptions.
How much does a sign permit cost, and how long does it take?
Raleigh sets its permit fees in its Development Fee Guide and offers an online fee calculator, and it posts current review turnaround times online. Fees and review times come from the city and can change, so we check them for your sign when we quote the job.
What does the city need to see?
A drawing of the sign with its size, colors, materials and lighting, plus how it attaches. Wall signs need a building elevation, and the city wants a site plan with property lines and the sign's distance from the right-of-way. The drawing needs your owner or landlord's signature. We prepare all of it.
Do lit signs need anything extra?
Yes. In Raleigh, an illuminated sign needs a non-residential permit application in addition to the sign permit, and it gets an electrical inspection.
What about Cary, Durham, Apex and Wake Forest?
Each town has its own sign ordinance and its own application. Durham reviews signs under its Unified Development Ordinance and requires the permit before installation, with a final inspection after. Apex lists which signs need a permit in Section 8.7 of its UDO. Wake Forest covers signs in Chapter 11 of its UDO and takes applications through its online portal, and Cary takes sign permit applications through its online plan review system. We file in whichever town your sign is in.
What areas do you serve?
We're based in North Raleigh and work across the Triangle, including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Garner, Morrisville and Fuquay-Varina.
Related reading
- How Much Does a Business Sign Cost? Raleigh Price Ranges
Typical business sign costs in Raleigh, from PVC and ADA signs to channel letters and stone monuments, plus what drives the price and how to get a real quote.
- Types of Business Signs: A Practical Guide for Owners
The main types of business signs, grouped by where they go: ground, building, lit, interior and temporary. What each one does best and what it trades off.
Get a free sign quote, permit included
Tell us what you need and where it goes. Carlo will get back to you with questions or a price.
- Free quote, no obligation
- We handle the permit
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