Charleston sign permit requirements

Zoning permit and building permit required before any sign visible from a public street is erected, altered, moved, repaired or replaced, except signs exempted under Sections 54-405 and 54-411.

“No signs which are visible from a public street or way, except signs exempted by Sections 54-405 and 54-411 shall be erected, altered, moved, repaired or replaced within the city until a zoning permit has been granted by the zoning administrator and a building permit has been issued by the chief building inspector”

Facade sign faces shall not occupy more than 10% per facade of the building (general commercial districts HI, LI, GB, LB, GO, BP, MU)

“Sign faces shall not occupy more than ten (10) percent per façade of the building.”

10% per facade of the building

“Sign faces shall not occupy more than ten (10) percent per façade of the building.”

Development with 3 or fewer business units: 40 sq ft per face / 80 sq ft total. More than 3 and fewer than 20 units: 60 sq ft per face / 120 sq ft total. 20 or more units or 150,000+ sq ft: 100 sq ft per face / 200 sq ft total.

“No sign shall exceed forty (40) square feet per face or eighty (80) square feet of total sign face area.”

12 ft for developments with 3 or fewer business units; 14 ft for larger developments

“No sign shall exceed twelve (12) feet in height.”

Freestanding signs must be on private property and not within the vision clearance triangle at intersections; no specific setback distance stated for general commercial signs.

“All freestanding signs shall be located on private property and shall not be located within the vision clearance triangle at street intersections.”

Right angle sign per individual business unit: 9 sq ft per face. Right angle sign in lieu of freestanding: 18 sq ft per face (40 sq ft per face / 80 sq ft total for buildings with 3+ conditioned stories and more than 40,000 sq ft conditioned space).

“Right angle signs shall not exceed nine (9) square feet per face.”

No more than 20% of any single window area may be covered; limited to ground floor windows/businesses

“In addition to signage permitted under "Façade Signs," window signs may be displayed provided no more than twenty (20) percent of any single window area is covered by such signage.”

Monument/freestanding signs may be illuminated internally or with a shielded spot light at the base; plastic face signs shall have opaque backgrounds allowing only text and logos to illuminate. Light sources must be shielded from adjacent residential buildings/streets and not cause hazardous glare. Signs shall not have light reflecting backgrounds but may use light reflecting lettering.

“Monument signs may be illuminated internally or with a shielded spot light located at the base of the sign. Plastic face signs shall have opaque backgrounds allowing only the text and logos to illuminate.”

Signs using individual bulbs or electronic means to produce a message are prohibited (excluding time and temperature signs), with limited exceptions for large school facilities and accommodations uses near the Hwy 17/I-526 interchange. Reader boards allowed only as part of a monument sign, max 50% of allowable sign face area, not to be internally illuminated.

“a sign which utilizes individual bulbs or electronic means to produce a message, excluding time and temperature signs”

Grand opening banners (in lieu of project/real estate sign) allowed without permit up to 30 days from initial opening, one per entrance, max 48 sq ft each. Temporary civic/philanthropic/educational/religious event signs (permit required) max 32 sq ft per face / 8 ft height, erected no more than 14 days before event and removed within 5 days after. Temporary window signs allowed without permit up to 60 days.

“Said banners may be in place for up to thirty (30) days from the date of the initial opening. Banner signs used in this manner shall be restricted to one banner at each entrance to the development, not to exceed forty-eight (48) square feet in size for each banner.”

Snipe signs; sandwich board and pedestal signs (except as provided); off-premises signs (except billboards as provided); flashing or animated signs; individual-bulb/electronic message signs (with exceptions); signs projecting above the roof peak; vehicle signs and signs pulled behind vehicles; signs emitting sound/odor/visible matter; signs obstructing required exits; misleading traffic-word signs; signs in street right-of-way (without permit); signs on trees/rocks/utility poles; signs in salt marsh; abandoned/dilapidated signs; portable and temporary signs (except as provided); fluttering signs (pennants, balloons, ribbons); banners (except as provided); gas filled figures; advertising flags; and TV/computer monitors oriented to right-of-way for commercial messages.

“any sign that projects above the peak of a roof;”

Figures reported are for the general commercial districts (HI, LI, GB, LB, GO, BP, MU) governed by Sec. 54-417 'In all other districts.' Rules vary materially by district; special overlay/transitional districts (Savannah Highway Overlay, Residential Office, Commercial Transitional, Daniel Island Town Center, etc.) and AG districts have their own separate, more restrictive standards.

“In all other districts, only the following signs shall be permitted:”