Raleigh Sign Permit: $383, 2 sq ft per Foot & 300 sq ft Cap

Raleigh sign permit at a glance

Question	Short answer
Do I need a permit?	Yes for most signs. The UDO says a sign permit is required for wall, projecting, low, medium and high profile ground signs and tract identification signs. Window signs, awning, gallery and marquee signs, and A-frame signs do not need one. Temporary signs need a temporary sign permit (§7.3.4 to §7.3.12, §7.3.13.J). Other cities compared.
How big can my wall sign be?	Up to 2 sq ft per lineal foot of each building wall facing a public street (§7.3.4.B). In mixed use, IH and CMP districts, all the signs of one establishment together are limited to 2 sq ft per foot of building side facing a street, up to 300 sq ft (§7.3.16.B) (limits by sign type). Other cities compared.
What does it cost?	$383 per commercial sign and $285 per residential sign in the City's FY27 Development Fee Guide, plus a 4% technology surcharge ($398 and $296). A separate electrical permit fee may apply (fees). Other cities compared.
How long does it take?	We found no review time for a sign permit. The City points to review turnaround times and performance dashboards but gives no days for signs (timing). Other cities compared.
How long is the permit good for?	Installation of the sign must begin within six months of the date the City issues the permit (City sign permit page).
Sidewalk A-frame sign?	Yes, within limits. No sign permit is required, but the sign must be unlit, up to 6 sq ft and 5 ft high, within 5 ft of the main entrance, with 5 ft of clear walking space, and taken in when the business closes. On the right-of-way it needs a minor encroachment approval (§7.3.12) (sidewalk rules). Other cities compared.
Blade or projecting sign?	Up to 40 sq ft, one per business per street frontage, at least 9 ft of clear height, up to 6 ft out from the wall and at least 18 inches from the curb line. Over the right-of-way it needs City Council approval (§7.3.5). Other cities compared.
Grand opening banner?	Banners are windblown signs. They need a temporary sign permit, and special event banners are allowed for a total of up to 30 days. A site may have no more than 3 windblown signs (§7.3.13.J, §7.3.13.M) (banners). Other cities compared.
Digital or LED sign?	Prohibited, with one exception: a digital wall sign of up to 750 sq ft on a civic building in the DX- district with a place of public assembly seating at least 10,000. Flashing signs and signs lit with changing intensity are also prohibited (§7.3.13.N, §7.3.15.G). Other cities compared.
Already installed without a permit?	A sign that was unlawfully erected or maintained is prohibited (§7.3.15.O). We found no penalty amount for it in the UDO or the fee guide. Other cities compared.

Size limits Checker Fees How to apply Timing No permit Sidewalk signs Banners and other types What we could not confirm FAQ

Your size cap comes from the sign type, and for wall signs from the length of the wall.

Section 7.3.2 lists which sign types each zoning district allows. The residential districts R-1 to R-10 allow only tract identification signs. In the mixed use districts the wall sign allowance grows with the length of the wall facing the street, and all of one business's signs together are capped at 300 sq ft. Find your district, then the sign type, then check the lighting rules.

Raleigh sign limits by sign type (UDO §7.3.4 to 7.3.16)

These are the standards for the sign types most storefronts use. Special sign types such as crown, landmark, directory and off-premise signs are in §7.3.13 and §7.3.14 and are not covered here.

Sign type	What is allowed	Section
Wall sign	Up to 2 sq ft per lineal foot of each building wall facing a public street, or a private drive if the lot has no public street frontage. Not above the roof line, or 2 ft above it with a parapet wall; not above the lower eave line of a pitched roof	§7.3.4.B, C
Projecting sign	Up to 40 sq ft, or 16 sq ft for an unlit sign that swings in the wind. One per business per street frontage, at least 9 ft clear height, up to 6 ft projection, at least 18 inches from the curb. In some frontage districts: ground story up to 25 to 40 sq ft, upper story up to 25 to 72 sq ft	§7.3.5.B, C, D
Awning, gallery or marquee sign	Up to 2 sq ft per lineal foot of wall, letters up to 18 inches, at least 8 ft clear height. No sign permit required	§7.3.6
Window sign	Up to 50% of the windows on each side of the building facing a street, per floor, and not less than 32 sq ft per side per floor. No sign permit required	§7.3.7.B
Low profile ground sign	Up to 70 sq ft and 3.5 ft high, up to 5 lines of copy, one per street frontage. Up to 20 ft long in OP- and OX- districts	§7.3.8
Medium profile ground sign	Either up to 70 sq ft and 15 ft high, or up to 100 sq ft and 10 ft high. One per site; at least 100 ft of street frontage	§7.3.9
High profile ground sign	Up to 100 sq ft and 15 ft high. One per site; at least 200 ft of street frontage	§7.3.10
Tract identification sign	Up to 160 sq ft of sign area and 6 ft high, copy up to 16 sq ft; one per street frontage, plus one more if the site has over 400 ft of frontage	§7.3.11
A-frame sign	Up to 6 sq ft and 5 ft high, within 5 ft of the main entrance, one per establishment. No sign permit required	§7.3.12
All signs of one establishment	In mixed use, IH and CMP districts: 2 sq ft per linear foot of building side facing a street, up to 300 sq ft; up to 200 sq ft if there is also a ground or tract sign. Every premises may have at least 32 sq ft. Different limits apply on Fayetteville Street and in adopted streetscape plan areas	§7.3.16.B, C

Source: Raleigh UDO as the City posts it, Supplement 31, published May 2024 (the latest supplement on the City's UDO page), Article 7.3, Sec. 7.3.2 to 7.3.16, PDF pages 249 to 268; downloaded and read 27 October 2026.

Sign area is measured as the area of the smallest rectangles that enclose the sign, excluding supports, and a sign with three or more sides counts the sum of any two adjacent sides (§7.3.16.A). Any sign may carry a noncommercial message in place of a commercial one (§7.3.16.D).

Check your sign against the limit

This applies the size and height limits in §7.3.4, 7.3.5, 7.3.8 to 7.3.10 and the establishment total in §7.3.16.B for mixed use, IH and CMP districts. It does not see your zoning district, Fayetteville Street, streetscape plans, overlay districts or the other signs on the site.

Sign type

Length of the building wall facing the street (ft)

Street frontage of the site (ft, for ground signs)

Proposed sign area (sq ft)

Other signs already counted for this business (sq ft in total)

Height of the sign (ft; for a ground sign, its top above the ground)

The site also has a ground sign or tract identification sign

Calculated from UDO Supplement 31, Sec. 7.3.4, 7.3.5, 7.3.8, 7.3.9, 7.3.10 and 7.3.16.B, read 27 October 2026. The fee is shown from the FY27 Development Fee Guide.

How much does a Raleigh sign permit cost?

The fee is in the City's Development Fee Guide for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (FY27). Applications submitted on or after July 1, 2026 use these rates.

Fee	Amount	Source
Sign permit, commercial, per sign	$383, or $398 with the 4% technology surcharge	Fee guide, Zoning Fees, Permits
Sign permit, residential, per sign	$285, or $296 with the surcharge	Fee guide, Zoning Fees, Permits
Common signage plan, new	$84 per plan, $87 with the surcharge	Fee guide, Zoning Fees
Common signage plan, amended	$62 per plan, $64 with the surcharge	Fee guide, Zoning Fees
Custom signage plan	$116 per application, $121 with the surcharge	Fee guide, Zoning Fees

The line is "Signs - Electrical, Permanent, or Special Event." The guide describes it as the permit before installing signage under UDO Section 7.3, and notes that a separate Electrical Permit fee may apply. We found no fee for a sign permit by sign type or size.
The surcharge is 4%. The guide adds a 4% technology surcharge to the listed fees, and its summary table shows $398 as the total for the commercial sign permit.
Common signage plans are required before a sign permit when a project has more than one building or business (§7.3.16.H, §10.2.12). The plan does not itself allow any sign to be installed.
Minor encroachment for a sign over or on the public right-of-way is a separate application. The City's sign permit page asks for $1 million of liability insurance and, if a right-of-way permit is issued, a $5,000 performance bond. We found no fee for the encroachment in the guide's sign lines.

Sources: City of Raleigh Development Fee Guide, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (PDF pages 25 to 27 and 54); Sign Permit page; read 27 October 2026.

How to apply for a Raleigh sign permit — 4 steps

1. Check the rules for your district

The sign must meet UDO Chapter 7. Use §7.3.2 for the signs your district allows, and the City's iMaps link on its sign permit page to find your zoning. If the site has more than one building or business, a common signage plan has to be approved first.

2. Prepare the application

The City lists a sign permit application made in the Permit and Development Portal, a Sign Permit Checklist and Acknowledgement Form attached at the first submittal, and a Non-Residential Permit Application only if the sign is lit. Each sign needs its own application and package.

3. Submit and pay

Submit the full packet with the sign drawings as a PDF in the portal. Pay in the portal or at the Customer Service Center. If you cannot use the portal, call 919-996-2472 or email [email protected].

4. Build within six months

Installation must begin within six months of the date the permit is issued. The City advises not to fabricate a sign until the permit is issued. For a lit sign, the sign permit and an electrical permit must both be approved before installation (§7.3.16.G.5).

Steps from the City's Sign Permit page (updated January 5, 2026) and UDO Sec. 7.3.16.G, read 27 October 2026.

How long it takes

We found no review time for a sign permit. The City's sign permit page refers to review turnaround times and performance dashboards without giving a number of days, and Article 7.3 gives none. Ask Planning and Development for its current turnaround before you book an installer.

Source: City of Raleigh Sign Permit page, read 27 October 2026.

Signs that need no sign permit — 4 items

Window signs: a sign attached flat to the inside of a window or within 12 inches of it. A sign permit is not required; the area limit is 50% of the windows per side per floor, and not less than 32 sq ft (§7.3.7).
Awning, gallery and marquee signs: a sign permit is not required. Up to 2 sq ft per foot of wall, letters up to 18 inches (§7.3.6).
A-frame signs: a sign permit is not required. Up to 6 sq ft and 5 ft high, unlit (§7.3.12).
Outside the 300 sq ft cap: the establishment total does not count landmark signs, product and information signs, unit numbering signs under 10 inches, temporary signs, and window signs (§7.3.16.B.4). These can still have their own rules.

Source: UDO Supplement 31 Sec. 7.3.6, 7.3.7, 7.3.12 and 7.3.16.B, read 27 October 2026.

Sidewalk signs and projecting signs

Raleigh allows an A-frame on the sidewalk without a sign permit, with a long list of conditions.

Size and place: unlit, up to 6 sq ft and 5 ft high, within 5 ft of the main pedestrian entrance, 5 ft of clear pedestrian space, one per establishment (§7.3.12.B, C).
Hours: displayed only during business hours and removed when the business is closed. It must not block walking or the required accessible path (§7.3.12.D).
Right-of-way: allowed with a minor encroachment (§7.3.12.C3). The City's sign permit page asks for an application, a signed indemnity agreement delivered as a hard copy, and a certificate of $1 million in liability insurance naming the City as holder. In a historic district a Certificate of Appropriateness is also required.
Projecting signs: up to 40 sq ft, at least 9 ft of clear height, up to 6 ft out, at least 18 inches from the curb, and not above the roof line or parapet. Over the right-of-way they need City Council approval (§7.3.5).

Source: UDO Supplement 31 Sec. 7.3.5 and 7.3.12; City Sign Permit page, Minor Encroachments for Signs; read 27 October 2026.

Banners, digital signs and other types — 4 items

Banners and windblown signs: a banner, flag, pennant, spinner or streamer. No site may have more than 3. In mixed use and special districts, the total area of windblown signs is limited to 40% of the maximum signage for the site (§7.3.13.M).
Temporary signs: after a temporary sign permit is issued, unlit portable signs, 3-dimensional banners and windblown signs for special events may be up for a total of up to 30 days. Temporary signs are not allowed in the right-of-way except government signs (§7.3.13.J).
Digital signs: prohibited except a digital wall sign of up to 750 sq ft on a civic building in the DX- district that holds a place of public assembly with seating for at least 10,000 (§7.3.13.N). Flashing signs and signs animated by changing light intensity are prohibited (§7.3.15.G).
Changeable copy: no more than 3 horizontal pieces of information, and, apart from time and temperature signs, no more than 4 changes in 24 hours (§7.3.13.C).

Source: UDO Supplement 31 Sec. 7.3.13 and 7.3.15, read 27 October 2026.

What we could not confirm

Review time. We found no published review time for a sign permit.
A penalty for unpermitted work. The UDO prohibits a sign that is unlawfully erected or maintained (§7.3.15.O). We found no fine or added fee for it in Article 7.3 or the fee guide, and did not read the enforcement chapter.
Later amendments. The newest UDO file on the City's page is Supplement 31, published May 2024. The page was updated March 9, 2026 and also links text change cases; any change adopted after May 2024 may not be in the text we read.
Which district you are in. Which sign types are allowed depends on your zoning district. The table in §7.3.2 is laid out in columns we could read for the districts named on this page only; check your district in the UDO itself.
Special areas. Fayetteville Street, adopted streetscape plan areas, overlay and historic districts, and custom or common signage plans can change the limits. We did not read them.
Electrical and right-of-way fees. The guide says a separate electrical permit fee may apply; we did not look up its amount, and found no minor encroachment fee for signs.

Checked against UDO Supplement 31 Article 7.3, the FY27 Development Fee Guide and the City's Sign Permit page on 27 October 2026.

Raleigh sign permit questions

Do I need a permit for a new storefront sign?

Yes for most. A sign permit is required for wall, projecting, low, medium and high profile ground signs and tract identification signs. None is required for window signs, awning, gallery and marquee signs, or A-frame signs (UDO §7.3.4 to 7.3.12). Windblown and other temporary signs need a temporary sign permit (§7.3.13.J).

How big can my wall sign be?

Up to 2 sq ft for each lineal foot of each building wall facing a public street (UDO §7.3.4.B). In mixed use, IH and CMP districts, all signs for one establishment together are limited to 2 sq ft per foot of building side facing a street, up to 300 sq ft, or up to 200 sq ft if there is also a ground sign (§7.3.16.B).

What does a Raleigh sign permit cost?

The FY27 Development Fee Guide lists $383 per sign for a commercial sign permit and $285 per sign for a residential one, plus a 4% technology surcharge, which makes $398 and $296. A separate electrical permit fee may apply (fee guide, effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027).

Can I put an A-frame on the sidewalk?

Yes, within limits. An A-frame needs no sign permit but must be unlit, up to 6 sq ft and 5 ft high, within 5 ft of the main entrance, leave 5 ft of clear walking space, and be taken in when the business closes. On the public right-of-way it needs a minor encroachment approval (UDO §7.3.12).

Answers from UDO Supplement 31 Article 7.3 and the FY27 Development Fee Guide, read 27 October 2026.

Not sure how the code reads for your sign?

Send your dimensions and we will reply with how the Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance reads for that sign, at no charge. We are not a sign contractor and do not file permits.

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This is an informational guide based on the public Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance (Article 7.3, Signs) and the City of Raleigh's published pages, not a permit, legal advice, or a guarantee of compliance. Zoning districts, overlay districts and historic areas can change what is allowed. Always confirm with Raleigh Planning and Development before designing, ordering, or installing a sign.

Other US city sign guides

Sources & how this page is maintained

Sources and official references: Raleigh UDO, Supplement 31 (May 2024) · City of Raleigh UDO page · City Sign Permit page · Development Fee Guide, FY27

Last inspected against the official code: October 2026 · confirm current rules with the city before you file

Not sure your sign qualifies? Send your dimensions and we will tell you how the Raleigh code reads for it →

Ask us how the code reads for your sign

Send your dimensions and we will reply with what the Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance allows for that sign. No charge. We are not a sign contractor and not a permit agent.

Raleigh sign permit: $383 per commercial sign, and up to 2 sq ft per foot of wall