Nearly every municipality regulates signs, and most require a permit before installation. The rules are found in a sign ordinance or within the zoning code, and they vary between neighbouring towns — which is why a sign that was fine at your last location may not be fine at this one.
What sign ordinances control
- Total sign area — often calculated from your building frontage, so a wider unit is allowed a larger sign.
- Number of signs — typically limits per frontage, with separate allowances for a secondary entrance.
- Type — wall, projecting, awning, window, monument and pole signs are usually treated separately, and some types are prohibited outright in some districts.
- Height and projection — how far a sign may extend from the building and its clearance above the pavement.
- Illumination — internal, external, or none; brightness limits; and restrictions on animation, flashing or scrolling messages. Digital displays are the most commonly restricted category.
- Window coverage — many codes cap the percentage of glazing that may be covered, partly for visibility into the premises.
- Materials and design — more prescriptive in historic or design-review districts.
Read the ordinance, then get landlord approval, then apply for the permit, then fabricate. Sign companies often handle permitting, but confirm it in the contract — assuming it was included is how businesses end up with a finished sign they cannot legally hang.
Three approvals, not one
| Approver | What they care about |
|---|---|
| The city | Compliance with the sign ordinance; structural and electrical safety |
| Your landlord | Consistency with centre or building criteria, which are frequently stricter than the ordinance |
| Design or historic review | Materials, lettering, colours and illumination, where the district requires it |
Landlord sign criteria are commonly an exhibit to the lease. Read that exhibit before designing — it may specify channel letters only, a fixed colour palette, or a maximum letter height that is tighter than anything the city requires.
Temporary and portable signs
Banners, A-frames, feather flags and window clings are usually regulated too, often with duration limits and sometimes a separate short-term permit. Grand-opening banners are a frequent citation precisely because they feel too temporary to need permission.
The storefront itself
Beyond signage, a few requirements attach to a public-facing entrance:
-
Accessibility
Places of public accommodation are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Common friction points are a step at the entrance, door width and hardware, and the path of travel to the counter. Alterations generally trigger an obligation to bring the altered area into compliance.
-
Occupancy and egress
Posted occupancy limits, unobstructed exits, exit signage and emergency lighting, set by the fire code and checked at inspection.
-
Required postings
Your business licence and health permit commonly have to be displayed where customers can see them, and employers have separate labour-law posting duties — see hiring your first employee.
-
Encroachment
Anything on the pavement — tables, racks, planters, A-frames — is usually on public property and needs its own permit, sometimes with an insurance requirement naming the city.
Questions owners ask
Can I reuse the previous tenant's sign box?
Often yes, and refacing an existing cabinet is usually simpler than a new installation. It generally still needs a permit for the new face, and if the original structure predates the current ordinance it may be non-conforming — in which case altering it can trigger a requirement to bring it into compliance.
What happens if I install without a permit?
Typically a notice to remove or apply retroactively, with fines that can accrue daily. If the sign does not comply, removal is at your cost — including the fabrication you have already paid for.
Are window graphics regulated?
Frequently, yes. Many codes count window signage towards your total allowance and cap the percentage of glass that may be covered.
Where to check
- Your city's sign ordinance, usually within the zoning code
- The sign criteria exhibit attached to your lease
- ADA — small business compliance guidance