# Sign Regulations in Albany, Georgia

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Albany, Georgia, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Albany, Georgia (GA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/georgia/albany
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/GA/Albany/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH4AD_ARTIVSIRE)

## At a glance

Albany, Georgia regulates 23 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Ground Sign (Multi-tenant, <25,000 sq ft gross area)s in the C-1, C-2, C-3, C-5, C-6, C-7, M-1, M-2, FH, AG zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall and 32 sq ft per sign face, with a At least 120 ft from primary ground sign setback (Sec. Sec. 4-74(3)(d)(1)). Most commercial signs in Albany require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | Tallest structure on lot plus 10 ft, maximum 60 ft | 150 sq ft | — |
| R-E, R-G, R-1, R-2, R-3, C-8, R-MHS, R-MHP, C-R | 3 | 4 ft | 25% of total window area facing road frontage | — |
| C-1, C-2, C-3, C-5, C-6, C-7, M-1, M-2, FH, AG | 16 | 35 ft | 382 sq ft per face (double-faced allowed) | — |
| Historic Districts | 2 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Direction Sign | 3 ft | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Freestanding or mounted on a building; may be located within ROW with city commission approval | — | Sec. 4-72(9)(d), Sec. 4-74(3)(e) |
| Flag | Tallest structure on lot plus 10 ft, maximum 60 ft | 150 sq ft | 1/4 (25%) of height of flagpole | — | 1 per lot | On pole on private property or building-mounted (heights may exceed if in building plan) | — | Sec. 4-75(7) |
| Banner | — | 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property or road frontage | Mounted/attached to building, pole, mast, arm or other structure on private property | — | Sec. 4-75(8); Permit fees Sec 4-73(8)(c) |
| Custom Flag | — | 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 per 120 ft road frontage, up to 6 per property | Mounted/attached as banner, restrictions same | — | Sec. 4-75(8) |
| Streamer or Balloon | — | — | — | — | — | On private property as decoration | — | Sec. 4-75(8) |
| Historic Sign | — | — | — | — | Counts toward maximum per lot or street | Anywhere on lot as provided | — | Sec. 4-74(3)(l) |

### R-E, R-G, R-1, R-2, R-3, C-8, R-MHS, R-MHP, C-R

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 3 per lot | On private property (not in right-of-way) per property owner permission | — | Sec. 4-74(2)(a); 4-75(5) |
| Ground Sign (Temporary during rent, sale, lease, or construction) | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 additional sign per lot | On private property (times of rent, sale, lease or construction) | — | Sec. 4-74(2)(d) |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of total window area facing road frontage | — | — | — | Inside or outside window | — | Sec. 4-74(2)(b) |

### C-1, C-2, C-3, C-5, C-6, C-7, M-1, M-2, FH, AG

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 25 ft | 100 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On private property, each street frontage | — | Sec. 4-74(3)(a); 4-75(5) |
| Ground Sign (Multi-tenant, <25,000 sq ft gross area) | 25 ft | 32 sq ft per sign face | — | At least 120 ft from primary ground sign | 1 additional sign per qualifying street frontage | Private property, on street frontage, multi-tenant lot | — | Sec. 4-74(3)(d)(1) |
| Ground Sign (Multi-tenant, 25,000+ sq ft gross area) | — | For 25k-100k sq ft: 175 sq ft For 100k-300k sq ft: 200 sq ft For 300k+ sq ft: 300 sq ft | — | No closer than 250 ft apart | One per 500 ft frontage | Private property, multi-tenant lots | — | Sec. 4-74(3)(d)(2) |
| Ground Sign (Temporary during rent, sale, lease, or construction) | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Per street frontage | — | Sec. 4-74(3)(f) |
| Menu Board | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — | Speakers at least 200 ft from residential zones or mitigated | 1 per eligible building | Drive-through areas; not in required front yard | — | Sec. 4-74(3)(h), 4-72(9)(c) |
| Preview Board | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per eligible building | Drive-through areas; not in required front yard | — | Sec. 4-74(3)(h), 4-72(9)(c) |
| Sidewalk, Sandwich, or A-frame Sign | 6 ft | 6 sq ft per side (double-sided sign allowed) | — | — | 1 per entrance | Within 10 ft of business entrance | — | Sec. 4-75(10); Sec. 4-73(8)(c) |
| Billboard | 35 ft | 382 sq ft per face (double-faced allowed) | — | 750 ft from any residential district (if visible); 1000 ft from any other billboard on the same street side. | Replacement only; must remove old billboard within 6 months | See separation/setback requirements | — | Sec. 4-74(4) |

## Prohibited signs in Albany

- No sign structure shall be placed or maintained within the city except in conformity with this sign ordinance.
- No person shall erect or assist in the erection, construction, maintenance, alteration, relocation, repair or painting of, or do any work upon any sign for which a permit is required but has not been obtained.
- No sign or sign structure may be erected or maintained which obstructs any fire escape, ventilation, or door; nor shall any sign or sign structure be attached to a fire escape.
- No sign or sign structure above a height of three feet shall be maintained within 25 feet of the intersection of the right-of-way lines of two streets, or of a street intersection with a railroad right-of-way.
- No sign or sign structure shall obstruct the traffic sight line, or the view of vehicles entering the roadway.
- No sign shall be erected on any traffic island.
- No portion of a sign or sign structure erected on private property shall encroach on or overhang the public right-of-way or any other person's property except as otherwise permitted.
- No sign shall be attached to any utility pole or other structure in the public right-of-way.
- No sign requiring a permit shall be attached to an existing sign, fence, rock, tree or other form of vegetation.
- No sign shall be attached to or placed against a building in such a way as to prevent egress through any door or window required or designed for access to any building; nor shall any sign be attached to or obstruct a fire escape, or interfere with openings required for proper light or ventilation.
- All signs shall be located in such a way that they maintain horizontal and vertical clearance from all overhead utilities in accordance with electrical code specifications. In no case shall any sign be installed within three feet horizontally or vertically from an overhead utility line or utility guide wire.
- Signs which contain or are an imitation of an official traffic sign or signal, or can be confused with an official traffic sign, are prohibited.
- Signs which emit or utilize in any manner any sound capable of being detected on any traveled road or highway by a person with normal hearing are prohibited.
- Portable signs are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Rotating signs are prohibited.
- Except where expressly permitted, changing copy, moving signs, or signs with moving parts are prohibited, including animated signs involving motion or sound; fluttering ribbons; 'trivision'-type signs; signs displaying moving pictures or images; LED signs or EVMC signs with content that changes more than once daily; signs with moving words; signs with waiving elements, whether motorized or wind-powered; or similar moving signs.
- Signs on public rights-of-way other than publicly owned or maintained signs, signs pertaining to railroad crossings, or signs otherwise permitted by this article are prohibited.
- Signs, including but not limited to banners, custom flags, streamers and balloons, erected by nailing, fastening or affixing the sign in any manner to any tree, fence, rock, utility pole, out-of-store marketing device, or other structure except as set forth herein are prohibited.
- Temporary signs not otherwise allowed by this article are prohibited.
- Signs with more than two sides are prohibited.
- No sign shall give off light which glares, blinds, or has any other adverse effect on traffic or adjacent properties.
- No sign shall exceed illumination levels as specified: No sign shall exceed 0.5 foot-candles at any adjacent property line in a residential district or two foot-candles at any public right-of-way.
- No sign or sign structure shall be erected or maintained which may pose a threat to public health, safety or welfare, or is not structurally sound or properly anchored.
- No sign shall depict obscenity, sexual conduct, or advertise any activity illegal under the laws of Georgia or the United States.

## Signs exempt from permit in Albany

- Signs having no electrical connection and a sign face with 32 square feet in area or less excluding banners, custom flags, sidewalk, sandwich, or A-frame signs.
- Small signs having no electrical connection, provided that when two or more such signs are used together to form a single message, then such group of signs shall be treated as one sign for purposes of this article, provided the sign faces together are not greater than 32 square feet.
- Menu and preview boards without electrical connections on properties with commercial or industrial buildings with drive-through (not on building front side).
- Directional signs without electrical connections.
- Governmental signs and legal notices posted, erected by, or at the direction of the city, county, state, or federal government.
- Holiday lights and decorations.
- Incidental or informational signs (one square foot or less in size).
- Any sign not visible from the public right-of-way.
- Temporary signs erected during the time that a property is actively being constructed or marketed for sale, lease, or rent (freestanding or wall sign).
- Flags displayed in accord with the U.S. Flag Code.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permit required for erection, construction, enlargement, movement, or conversion of any sign, except as otherwise expressly exempted.
- Application requirements include detailed drawing, and may require drawings signed by a licensed architect or engineer if determined by the planning and development services director.
- Where the application is for a multiple-message sign using electronic lighting as part of the display on the sign face, a copy of the sign manufacturer's specifications for luminosity shall be attached.
- Banners, flags, custom flags, streamers and balloons require permits, with written application to the planning and development services director.
- Applications for non-conforming historic signs must be made to the historic preservation commission to demonstrate historic qualification.
- Variance applications must be submitted to the planning and development director, and will be decided in writing within 20 days; appeals are heard under the same rules as other appeals.
- Appeals of decisions under this article are considered at public meetings by the planning commission within 35 days of filing.
- Signs that do not conform to this ordinance and are not covered by an exemption require a permit and must be brought into conformity.
- No master sign plan or comprehensive sign plan process is explicitly referenced in the provided ordinance text.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 4 zoning districts in Albany — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Albany+GA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-albany

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