Richmond sign permit requirements

A certificate of zoning compliance is required for permitted signs unless a building-code permit is required; noncommercial flags/banners, minor signs, governmental signs and public-utility signs are exempt.

“any sign permitted by this article for which a permit to erect a sign is not required by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code or any other building code which may be adopted by the City shall require a certificate of zoning compliance as set forth in Article X, Division 3 of this chapter.”

B-3 General Business: aggregate area of all signs directed toward/viewed from any street frontage shall not exceed 2 sq ft per linear foot of lot frontage, max 200 sq ft per street frontage (not less than 50 sq ft per street frontage). This is an aggregate, not a wall-sign-specific, cap.

“The aggregate area of all signs directed toward or intended to be viewed from any street frontage shall not exceed two square feet for each linear foot of lot frontage along the street nor in any case 200 square feet for each street frontage, provided that this shall not be construed to restrict any lot to less than 50 square feet of sign area per street frontage.”

Painted wall signs only: total area of all wall signs painted on a building wall shall not exceed 25 percent of the area of such wall (applies in all districts).

“The total area of all wall signs painted on a building wall shall not exceed 25 percent of the area of such wall.”

B-3 General Business: freestanding sign shall not exceed 100 sq ft in area, one per street frontage.

“The total square footage attributable to a freestanding sign shall not exceed 100 square feet in area, nor shall a freestanding sign exceed 35 feet in height.”

B-3 General Business: freestanding sign shall not exceed 35 feet in height.

“The total square footage attributable to a freestanding sign shall not exceed 100 square feet in area, nor shall a freestanding sign exceed 35 feet in height.”

B-3 General Business: no projecting sign shall exceed 24 sq ft in area, nor be located within 25 ft of another projecting sign on the same building wall.

“No projecting sign shall exceed 24 square feet in area or be located within 25 feet of another projecting sign on the same building wall.”

Projecting, awning, canopy and suspended signs shall have an underclearance of not less than 8 feet (all districts). B-3: may not project more than 5 ft from the building face or extend above the wall height.

“Projecting signs, awning signs, canopy signs, and suspended signs shall be provided with an underclearance of not less than eight feet.”

Window signs are prohibited where their aggregate area on a window or door exceeds 25 percent of the total area of the window or door (all districts).

“Window signs whose aggregate area on a window or door exceed 25 percent of the total area of the window or door.”

Permitted signs may be illuminated provided the illumination source is of a type and located/directed/shielded so as not to shine directly on adjoining properties or streets. No brightness limit or curfew hours stated.

“Unless otherwise specified by this article, permitted signs may be illuminated, provided the source of illumination is of such type and is located, directed or shielded so as not to shine directly on adjoining properties or streets.”

Prohibited in all districts (unless specifically permitted): animated signs; portable signs; commercial flag/pennant/streamer/balloon/inflatable attention-getting devices; vehicle or trailer signs; signs emitting smoke/flame/scent/mist/aerosol/liquid/gas; signs emitting sound; off-premises signs; window signs over 25% of window/door area.

“(1) Animated signs. (2) Portable signs. (3) Commercial flag signs, pennant signs, and any other attention-getting signs or devices such as streamers, balloons, or inflatable devices of any configuration acting to attract attention to any use other than noncommercial activity at a residential use. (4) Vehicle or trailer signs. (5) Signs that emit smoke, flame, scent, mist, aerosol, liquid, or gas. (6) Signs that emit sound. (7) Off-premises signs.”

Values reported are for the B-3 General Business District, the closest to 'general commercial.' The code varies materially by district (separate sections for UB, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, B-5, B-6, B-7, etc.), with sign-area formulas and freestanding limits differing per district.

“the following signs shall be permitted and the following sign regulations shall apply in the B-3 General Business District”