Almost always yes for exterior signage. There is no national US sign code, so every rule below is set by your municipality, and in several cities only a licensed sign contractor may apply, not the tenant.
There are also two separate approvals, not one: the city permit and your landlord's sign criteria. Neither substitutes for the other. Most delays are missing paperwork rather than a problem with the sign.
There is no national sign code
This is the single most important thing to understand before you read anything else about sign permits, including this page.
So treat the sections below as a map of what to check, not as your answer. Your answer lives in your city's sign ordinance and your lease.
Two approvals, not one
Tenants regularly discover this halfway through, and it is an expensive place to discover it.
- ✓ The municipal permit governs public-interest matters: sign area, height, projection into the right of way, illumination limits, zoning district rules and electrical safety.
- ✓ The landlord's tenant sign criteria governs appearance and construction: permitted sign types, letter heights, materials, finishes, illumination method and mounting.
A landlord cannot waive a city requirement, and a city permit does not give you permission to attach anything to someone else's building. Real tenant criteria documents typically state explicitly that municipal compliance remains the tenant's responsibility, separate from landlord approval, and several require you to hand a copy of the issued permit back to the landlord before installation.
The construction rules in those documents are often very specific, and they frequently rule out choices you may already have made. There is more on that in the channel letter types guide.
You may not be allowed to apply yourself
This surprises people, and it varies more than most vendor content admits. Some real examples:
| City | Who may hold the permit |
|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | City-licensed sign contractors only |
| Austin, TX | Registered, insured Outdoor Advertiser, with a certificate of insurance naming the city, before the application is even accepted |
| Houston, TX | Plan review prerequisites form completed by the sign contractor |
| Denver, CO | No named applicant restriction in the published guide |
So the range runs from "any owner or agent" to "only a licensed contractor registered with this city". Check your city's contractor licensing rule before assuming you can file it yourself.
What the submission usually contains
The list varies, but the pattern across cities is consistent enough to prepare against:
- Completed application for the specific sign type.
- Site or plot plan showing property lines and existing and proposed signage.
- Building elevation with dimensions and mounting height.
- Shop drawing of the sign itself.
- Electrical load in amps or kVA for illuminated signs.
- Structural engineering stamped by a licensed engineer, above defined size thresholds.
- Proof of owner authorisation where the applicant is not the owner.
What a shop drawing has to show
Houston publishes one of the more detailed plan review checklists available, which is useful as a worked example of the level of detail expected even where your own city asks for less.
Two things follow from this. First, a shop drawing is an engineering document, not a pretty rendering, and a supplier who only sends you a visual is not giving you what the city wants. Second, the numbers that trigger a structural stamp are worth knowing early, because that stamp adds cost and time.
How long it takes
Published figures vary widely, and none of them include the time it takes you to get the drawings right.
| City | Stated review time |
|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | Around 4 business days |
| Seattle, WA | Around 1 week if the application is complete and accurate |
| Charlotte, NC | 15 business days for plan examination |
| Denver, CO | No review figure published, but the building permit must be pulled within 180 days of the zoning permit |
Note the qualifier in the Seattle figure. "If complete and accurate" is doing a lot of work in every jurisdiction.
Why permits get delayed
In our experience the sign itself is rarely the problem. Applications stall on incomplete or inconsistent drawings, missing structural or electrical stamps, and mismatches between the application and the drawing set. The fix is unglamorous: send your city's requirements and your landlord's criteria to whoever is fabricating the sign before production, so the drawings are built to satisfy both from the start.
The substantive rejection reasons, where they occur, cluster around a few themes: exceeding the sign area or height allowed in your zoning district, illumination that breaches local limits, encroaching into the public right of way, which can require a separate permit from a different department, failing to conform to an already approved master or comprehensive sign plan for a larger development, and historic district guidelines, which are often stricter and discretionary rather than objective.
The electrical side an inspector checks
For illuminated signs the electrical code matters as much as the zoning rules. Under NEC Article 600, electric signs generally must be listed and installed to that listing, an externally operable disconnect is required within sight of the sign, with a permanent locking provision where any energised part is out of sight, and metal sign parts must be grounded and bonded. Since the 2020 code a properly labelled remote disconnect is permitted in defined circumstances.
Which code edition applies is itself local, since cities adopt editions on their own timetable and may amend them. That is a question for your local sign contractor or electrical inspector, not for a national guide. What UL certification does and does not cover is a related and commonly confused topic, covered in what UL listed actually means.
Before you order anything
Send us your city's sign requirements and your landlord's tenant criteria along with the logo. We will build the drawings to satisfy both, and if what you have asked for will not clear one of them, you will hear that before production rather than at inspection.
Get a free quote and shop drawing, or browse channel letter types.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a business sign?
For exterior signage, almost always yes. Sign permitting in the US is municipal, so the specific requirements, thresholds and review times are set by your city rather than by any national code. In addition to the city permit, a leased property will usually have its own landlord sign criteria that must be satisfied separately. Interior signage is usually treated more lightly, which is one reason an indoor custom LED neon sign is a simpler starting point, though a sign placed to read through a window can still fall under the ordinance.
Can I apply for my own sign permit?
Sometimes, but not everywhere. Minneapolis issues sign permits only to city-licensed sign contractors. Austin requires the applicant to be a registered and insured Outdoor Advertiser with a certificate of insurance naming the city before an application is accepted. Houston requires the sign contractor to complete the plan review prerequisites. Other cities, such as Denver, publish no such restriction. Check your city's rule before assuming you can file it yourself. Where only a licensed contractor may hold the permit, you can still specify and buy the sign and hand your contractor the drawing set to file, so send us the city requirements and the landlord criteria when you request a quote.
What is a shop drawing and why does the city want one?
A shop drawing is the fabrication and engineering document for the sign, showing construction of the letter backs and returns, the attachment method, electrical load, and how the face is retained. It is what the plan reviewer uses to confirm the sign is safe and compliant. It is not a visual rendering, and a supplier who provides only a rendering has not given you what the city needs. A shop drawing comes with every quote we send, so you can see what you are getting before you commit.
How long does a sign permit take?
Published review times range from around four business days in San Diego and about a week in Seattle to fifteen business days for plan examination in Charlotte. Those figures assume a complete and accurate application, and none of them include the time needed to prepare drawings or to obtain a structural engineering stamp where one is triggered.
Does landlord approval replace a city permit?
No, and neither replaces the other. Landlord sign criteria govern appearance, materials and construction on their building, while the municipal permit governs area, height, illumination, zoning and electrical safety. A landlord cannot waive a city requirement, and a city permit does not authorise attaching anything to someone else's building. Tenant criteria commonly fix letter heights and permitted sign types, so read them before you settle on a design. Our guide to how tall storefront letters should be covers the readability side of the same decision.
Why do sign permits get rejected?
Most delays are documentation rather than the sign: incomplete or inconsistent drawings, missing structural or electrical stamps, and mismatches between the application and the drawing set. Substantive rejections usually involve exceeding the sign area or height for the zoning district, illumination beyond local limits, encroachment into the public right of way, non-conformance with an approved master sign plan, or historic district guidelines. Electrical objections tend to come down to listing and installation rather than the design, which is set out in what UL listed actually means.