# Sign Regulations in Sandy Springs, Georgia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Sandy Springs, Georgia (GA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/georgia/sandy-springs
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/GA/Sandy_Springs/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=SPAGEOR_CH6ALBE_ARTIIVE_DIV4COBU_S6-138RESILI)

## At a glance

Sandy Springs, Georgia regulates 13 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Protected Neighborhood (RE, RD, PK, CON) zoning district are capped at 8' tall and 32 SF up to 500 feet frontage; 48 SF for 501-1,000 feet frontage; 64 SF for 1,001+ feet frontage, with a 10 feet from front lot line setback (Sec. Sec. 8.4.13.). Most commercial signs in Sandy Springs require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Protected Neighborhood (RE, RD, PK, CON) | 3 | 8' | 32 SF up to 500 feet frontage; 48 SF for 501-1,000 feet frontage; 64 SF for 1,001+ feet frontage | — |
| Urban Neighborhood (RU, RT, RM, RX) | 4 | No higher than 24' above avg. grade (at 1 story); not to exceed roof/parapet wall | 180 SF per sign | — |
| Corridors & Nodes (ON-, OX-, CX-, SX-, TX-, CS-, IX-, CC-, PR-, PX-, PM-) | 9 | No higher than 24' above adj. grade (1 story); not above roof/parapet wall | 180 SF per sign; 360 SF for 'high visibility' façades | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | Flagpole: 40' max | 30% of total fence wrap area | — |

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

### Protected Neighborhood (RE, RD, PK, CON)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 8' | 32 SF up to 500 feet frontage; 48 SF for 501-1,000 feet frontage; 64 SF for 1,001+ feet frontage | — | 10 feet from front lot line | 1 per 500 feet of frontage; must be 500 feet apart on same frontage | Must be set back at least 10 feet from front lot line; not allowed where structure’s façade is <10 feet from right-of-way. | — | Sec. 8.4.13. |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign | 8' | 32 SF (each, max 64 SF per entrance) | — | 10 feet from right-of-way | Up to 2 per entrance (1 per side) | Must be set back at least 10 feet from right-of-way; not to encroach on sight triangle | — | Sec. 8.4.17. |
| Temporary Sign | 6' (single unit); 5' at grade for others; 24' when mounted on building; cannot exceed roofline | 6 SF on single unit property; 16 SF on all other uses for all temp signs combined; Banners max 32 SF or up to 120 SF in limited cases | 2' (sidewalk sign); 32 SF for other temporary signs; banners up to 120 SF if allowed | — | Up to 2 (single unit property); unlimited for other use so long as area combined limit not exceeded | Sidewalk signs: placed within 12' of building façade with customer entrance; No signs in right-of-way/easement. | — | Sec. 8.4.18. |

### Urban Neighborhood (RU, RT, RM, RX)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 8' | 32 SF up to 500 feet frontage; 48 SF for 501-1,000 feet frontage; 64 SF for 1,001+ feet frontage | — | 10 feet from front lot line | 1 per 500 feet of frontage; must be 500 feet apart on same frontage | Must be set back at least 10 feet from front lot line; not allowed where structure’s façade is <10 feet from right-of-way. | — | Sec. 8.4.13. |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign | 8' | 32 SF (each, max 64 SF per entrance) | — | 10 feet from right-of-way | Up to 2 per entrance (1 per side) | Must be set back at least 10 feet from right-of-way; not to encroach on sight triangle | — | Sec. 8.4.17. |
| Wall Sign | No higher than 24' above avg. grade (at 1 story); not to exceed roof/parapet wall | 180 SF per sign | — | — | Per area allocation; see calculation | On wall; may encroach over sidewalk but not beyond curb line | — | Sec. 8.4.16. |
| Temporary Sign | 6' (single unit); 5' at grade for others; 24' when mounted on building; cannot exceed roofline | 6 SF on single unit property; 16 SF on all other uses for all temp signs combined; Banners max 32 SF or up to 120 SF in limited cases | 2' (sidewalk sign); 32 SF for other temporary signs; banners up to 120 SF if allowed | — | Up to 2 (single unit property); unlimited for other use so long as area combined limit not exceeded | Sidewalk signs: placed within 12' of building façade with customer entrance; No signs in right-of-way/easement. | — | Sec. 8.4.18. |

### Corridors & Nodes (ON-, OX-, CX-, SX-, TX-, CS-, IX-, CC-, PR-, PX-, PM-)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Canopy Sign (Nonresidential Use Only for RX, PR; otherwise allowed) | 3' | 32 SF per canopy sign | — | — | One per canopy | On canopy over ground-story doors/windows; may extend above or below canopy but not outside overall length/width; may encroach over sidewalk within limits. | — | Sec. 8.4.11. |
| Crown Sign | 10' (regular); 15' (high vis. façade) | 180 SF per sign; 360 SF for 'high visibility' façades | 75% of façade width; 50% for high vis. façade | — | Max 2 per building; 1 per façade | Upper portion of building wall (at least 4 stories); no lower than 4th story (10th on high vis. façade) | — | Sec. 8.4.12. |
| Monument Sign | 8' | 32 SF up to 500 feet frontage; 48 SF for 501-1,000 feet frontage; 64 SF for 1,001+ feet frontage | — | 10 feet from front lot line | 1 per 500 feet of frontage; must be 500 feet apart on same frontage | Must be set back at least 10 feet from front lot line; not allowed where structure’s façade is <10 feet from right-of-way. | — | Sec. 8.4.13. |
| Projecting Sign | 12'; max 24' above sidewalk | 48 SF per sign | Projection 6'; min spacing 20' between projecting/shingle; must not exceed top of building (2' above top on 1-story bldg.) | — | No limit, subject to area allocation and spacing | On façade, projecting at 90 degrees; may encroach over sidewalk within limits. | — | Sec. 8.4.14. |
| Shingle Sign (Nonresidential Use Only for RX, PR; otherwise allowed) | 3' | 9 SF per sign | — | — | 1 per ground floor tenant | On façade, hanging from a bracket at 90 deg angle; may encroach over sidewalk within limits. | — | Sec. 8.4.15. |
| Wall Sign | No higher than 24' above adj. grade (1 story); not above roof/parapet wall | 180 SF per sign | — | — | Per area allocation; see calculation | On wall; may encroach over sidewalk but not beyond curb line | — | Sec. 8.4.16. |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign | 8' | 32 SF (each, max 64 SF per entrance) | — | 10 feet from right-of-way | Up to 2 per entrance (1 per side) | Must be set back at least 10 feet from right-of-way; not to encroach on sight triangle | — | Sec. 8.4.17. |
| Temporary Sign | 6' (single unit); 5' at grade for others; 24' when mounted on building; cannot exceed roofline | 6 SF on single unit property; 16 SF on all other uses for all temp signs combined; Banners max 32 SF or up to 120 SF in limited cases | 2' (sidewalk sign); 32 SF for other temporary signs; banners up to 120 SF if allowed | — | Up to 2 (single unit property); unlimited for other use so long as area combined limit not exceeded | Sidewalk signs: placed within 12' of building façade with customer entrance; No signs in right-of-way/easement. | — | Sec. 8.4.18. |

## Prohibited signs in Sandy Springs

- No sign may be erected, altered, refurbished or otherwise modified except in accordance with the requirements of this Division.
- It is unlawful to post, display, substantially change, or erect a sign or advertising device in the City without first having obtained a sign permit, except as specifically excluded.
- Any sign constructed and maintained wholly upon or over the roof of a building is prohibited.
- Any sign that is not permanently affixed to the ground or to a structure, including trailer signs or signs mounted/painted on vehicles parked as advertising, except sidewalk signs, is prohibited.
- Any permanent freestanding sign that sits upon a base or pole that is less than 75% of the width of the sign face is prohibited.
- Rotating or animated signs involving motion or sound are prohibited.
- Flashing, blinking, or varying light intensity signs, including scrolling messages and video, are prohibited.
- Balloons or other air-filled devices are prohibited.
- Wind signs (temporary signs mounted on a pole and intended to flutter in the wind to attract attention) are prohibited.
- Any reflective or mirrored sign is prohibited.
- Signs that contain or are an imitation of an official traffic sign or signal are prohibited.
- Pennants, streamers and banners, except as expressly allowed, are prohibited.
- Search lights are prohibited.
- Changeable copy signs, except as expressly allowed in this Division, are prohibited.
- Signs mounted to a tree, traffic sign, utility pole or similar structure are prohibited.
- Signs advertising illegal activity are prohibited.
- Signs in poor condition or not in good repair (maintenance section) are prohibited.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- A sign held by or attached to a human for the purposes of advertising or otherwise drawing attention to an individual, business, commodity, service or product is prohibited. Mere costumes without wording or logos are not considered signs.
- Rope lighting (typically installed around windows and doors or along eaves) is prohibited.
- Any freestanding sign at a property on which the façade of the principal structure is 40 feet or less from the right-of-way is prohibited.
- No signs are allowed to be placed in the public right-of-way except those placed by City, County, State or federal government.
- No person may erect on any premises owned or controlled by that person any sign which does not comply with the standards of this Division.
- No person may maintain or permit to be maintained on any premises owned or controlled by that person any sign which is in a dangerous or defective condition.
- Any blinking, flashing, chasing lights or bare bulb illumination is prohibited as a sign light source.
- Colored lights used in any manner that could be construed as traffic control devices are prohibited.
- Direct reflected light that creates a hazard to operators of motor vehicles is prohibited.
- Visible transformers are not allowed.
- The Board of Appeals will not consider any variance to either sign area or sign height.

## Signs exempt from permit in Sandy Springs

- Signs of public interest, erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of their duty (including public notices, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, traffic and street signs, memorial plaques and signs of historical interest) do not require a permit.
- Any sign internal to a development and not visible from a street or neighboring property does not require a permit.
- Window signs installed inside a window for purposes of viewing from outside the premises (must not exceed 25% of window area) do not require a permit.
- Exposed neon window signs stating 'open' that are not greater than 5 square feet and limited to 1 per establishment (included in 25% sign area) do not require a permit.
- Construction fence wraps on fences securing new construction sites for the duration of the construction activity, subject to area and condition limitations, do not require a permit.
- Flags designed to be flown from a permanent flagpole, subject to quantity, area, and location limitations, do not require a permit.
- Sidewalk signs (as specified in Section 8.4.18.B.1) do not require a permit.
- Temporary signs located on single unit properties (as specified in Section 8.4.18.B.2) do not require a permit.
- Temporary signs located on all other use properties (as specified in Section 8.4.18.B.3) do not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- An application for a sign permit must be filed with the Director for all signs, except those specifically excluded in this Division.
- A sign permit is required for all sign types listed in Sec. 8.4.8, as shown in the sign type by district table.
- The Board of Appeals will not consider any variance to sign area or sign height; all other variance requests follow procedures outlined in Div. 11.6.

## 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 Sandy Springs — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Sandy+Springs+GA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-sandy-springs

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/georgia/sandy-springs