When most businesses start out to open up a new store or location, they look into many things like rent, salaries, insurance, utilities, etc. These are real concerns in order to build a business case to support a successful enterprise. One thing many owners don’t spend too much time worrying about in these early stages is what type of signs they will get, and whether or not they will be allowed under the local sign ordinances.
Each Government jurisdiction has it’s own individual sign ordinance, and each one of them is slightly different as to what is allowed and not allowed on buildings and store fronts. The key is to know what jurisdiction is in charge of regulating the specific location, and what those requirements might be. For example, within a 10 mile radius of our facility in Buford Georgia, there are no less than 12 different sets of rules, depending on the location of the establishment.
As you might imagine, going through these regulations is not an easy task at all. They are all slightly different and use different definitions for certain type of signs.
A competent local sign company should be able to walk a new or expanding business through the rules of the road, and take the guesswork out of what is possible in order to advertise your business.
- How big can your outside lighted sign be? Are you allowed banners?
- Are there limits to the size of the banners, or other types of signs, you can use?
- What about a monument sign in the front of the building?
- Have the sign company help you fill out the application and then go yourself to apply at the local government office, or,
- Hire your sign company to walk through the red tape for you, including filling out the paperwork and filing for the appropriate permits yourself.
It depends on how much time and energy a business wants to spend on this process. Since most sign companies do this on a regular basis, it might be worth the fee charged in order to allow the new business to focus on other issues.
Sign regulations are tricky. Make sure you consult with a professional who knows and understands them.
