Knoxville sign permit requirements

Attached signs allowed up to sign area equal to 10% of the wall area of the primary building elevation(s), and such area may be used on any elevation

“Attached signs with a total allowed sign area equal to 10% of the wall area of the primary building elevation(s), and such sign area may be used on any elevation of the building.”

10% of the wall area of the primary building elevation(s)

“Attached signs with a total allowed sign area equal to 10% of the wall area of the primary building elevation(s), and such sign area may be used on any elevation of the building.”

Primary detached sign area varies by roadway: 200 sf within 500 ft of interstate interchange, 200 sf adjacent to interstate ROW, 165 sf fronting federally designated highways, 100 sf all other roadway classifications (C-N District: 50 sf; I-RD District: 100 sf). Secondary detached sign max 32 sf.

Primary detached sign height varies by roadway: 35 ft within 500 ft of interstate interchange, 30 ft adjacent to interstate ROW, 20 ft fronting federally designated highways, 10 ft all other roadway classifications. Secondary detached sign max 8 ft.

At least 10 ft from a street right-of-way or 15 ft from edge of pavement (whichever is greater); at least 5 ft from side and rear property lines not also street right-of-way

“All detached on-premise signs must be set back no less than ten feet from a street right-of-way or 15 feet from the edge of pavement, whichever is greater.”

Signs cannot project more than 10 ft from a building and must maintain a minimum clear height of 10 ft (7 ft non-electrified / 8 ft electrified in H Overlay and DK Districts); where projecting over public property, cannot extend closer than 20 inches to the back of curb

“Signs cannot project from a building more than ten feet and must maintain a minimum clear height of ten feet, except in the following districts:”

In nonresidential districts, internally illuminated signs cannot exceed 200 footcandles and externally illuminated signs cannot exceed 75 footcandles of surface illumination; illuminated signs within 100 ft of residential property are prohibited unless designed not to shine/reflect onto that property

“In nonresidential districts, internally illuminated signs cannot exceed 200 footcandles and externally illuminated signs cannot exceed 75 footcandles of surface illumination.”

EMCs permitted only in commercial and industrial districts (not C-N District); each display must hold constant a minimum of 60 seconds; transition must be instantaneous with no special effects; images must be static; brightness max 3,000 nits daytime / 750 nits nighttime / 0.2 footcandles at property line; EMC as part of ground/monument sign min 20 sf matrix, max one-third of total signage or 100 sf whichever is less; as wall sign max 100 sf

“Each display on an EMC must hold constant for a minimum of 60 seconds.”

Each business may erect one attached and one detached temporary on-premise sign no more than four occasions per calendar year, not exceeding 15 days duration per occasion; no temporary sign may exceed 48 square feet in area

“Each business may erect or post one attached and one detached temporary, on-premise sign no more than four occasions during each calendar year, provided that the display of signs does not exceed 15 days in duration for each occasion.”

Prohibited in all districts: signs resembling/conflicting with traffic control devices; signs with moving parts and red/green/yellow/amber/blue lights; flashing, chasing, pulsating, etc. lights; signs in public right-of-way (with exceptions); signs on parked vehicles/trailers to advertise; billboards and off-premise signs; portable signs; roof signs

“H. Billboards and other off-premise signs. I. Portable signs. J. Roof signs.”

Values reported are for the Commercial and Industrial Districts (C-N, C-G, C-H, C-R, DK, I-MU, I-RD, I-G, I-H). The code varies materially by district — separate standards exist for agricultural/open space, residential, office, and institutional districts.

“Commercial and Industrial Districts: C-N, C-G, C-H, C-R, DK, I-MU, I-RD, I-G, I-H”