# Sign Regulations in Thomasville, Georgia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Thomasville, Georgia (GA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/georgia/thomasville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/GA/Thomasville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH22ZO_ARTXISIRE)

## At a glance

Thomasville, Georgia regulates 34 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Marquee Sign - Horizontal (C-1A, C-1, C-2)s in the R-2, C-1A, C-1, C-2, M, M-1 zoning district are capped at 5 feet vertical; minimum clearance 10 feet above sidewalk tall, 250 square feet, and Commercial entity width maximum wide, with a 2 feet from curb setback (Sec. Sec. 22-478(d)). Most commercial signs in Thomasville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A, R-1A, R-1B, R-1, R-2A (Single- and Two-Family Residential Use) | 8 | 6 feet overall; 36-inch maximum clearance; yard mount 12-inch minimum | 24 square feet | — |
| A, R-1A, R-1B, R-1, R-2A (Non-Single or Two-Family Residential Uses) | 3 | 6 feet overall; 36-inch maximum clearance; yard mount 12-inch minimum | 14 square feet | — |
| R-2, C-1A, C-1, C-2, M, M-1 | 26 | 80 inches | 250 square feet | — |
| Bypass/highway commercial area | 3 | 18 feet (monument sign) | 150 square feet | — |
| Urban center area | 3 | 7 feet (monument sign) | 32 square feet | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### A, R-1A, R-1B, R-1, R-2A (Single- and Two-Family Residential Use)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Standard Informational Sign | 3 feet (single-/two-family residential), or 5 feet if suspended from mailbox post | 6 square feet per sign, 16 square feet aggregate per lot | — | — | No more than 16 square feet aggregate per lot | In the yard, mounted on wooden stake/metal frame adjacent to public right-of-way, or suspended from mailbox post | — | Sec. 22-474(a)(1), Sec. 22-479(b) |
| Warning Sign / No Trespassing / Other Required Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 22-474(a)(2), Sec. 22-468(3) |
| Flag | — | 24 square feet | — | Minimum equal to height of flagpole | 2 | — | — | Sec. 22-474(a)(3), Sec. 22-480 |
| Address Numerals | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 22-474(a)(4), Sec. 22-468(9) |
| Residential Wall Plaque | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 1 per dwelling | On or within 1 foot of the primary entrance | — | Sec. 22-474(a)(5), Sec. 22-468(10) |
| Name Plate (Home Occupation) | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 1 | On or within 2 feet of door | — | Sec. 22-474(a)(6), Sec. 22-468(13) |
| Banner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 22-474(a)(7), Sec. 22-468(12) |
| Yard Sign | 6 feet overall; 36-inch maximum clearance; yard mount 12-inch minimum | 14 square feet | 54 inches maximum | — | 1 per building | Mounted in yard; must not be located within right-of-way | — | Sec. 22-474(a)(8), Sec. 22-477(h) |

### A, R-1A, R-1B, R-1, R-2A (Non-Single or Two-Family Residential Uses)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Standard Informational Sign | — | 6 square feet per sign, one sign at a time | — | — | 1 at a time | — | — | Sec. 22-475(a)(1), Sec. 22-468(4) |
| Yard Sign | 6 feet overall; 36-inch maximum clearance; yard mount 12-inch minimum | 14 square feet | 54 inches | — | 1 per building | Mounted in yard; must not be in right-of-way | — | Sec. 22-475(a)(2), Sec. 22-477(h) |
| Banner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 22-475(a)(3), Sec. 22-479(c) |

### R-2, C-1A, C-1, C-2, M, M-1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Yard Sign | 6 feet overall; 36-inch maximum clearance; yard mount 12-inch minimum | 14 square feet | 54 inches | — | 1 per building | Mounted in yard; must not be in right-of-way | — | Sec. 22-477(h) |
| Freestanding Sign - Single Tenant (Urban Center) | 7 feet (monument sign) | 24 square feet | — | Monument: 8 feet from curb/back of ROW; Pole: Can be zero, but no part may overhang property line or be within 8 feet of power lines. | 1 per lot/frontage +1 if >500 ft | One per lot/frontage; if frontage exceeds 500 ft, one additional permitted | — | Sec. 22-477(b,c,d) |
| Freestanding Sign - Multi-Tenant (Urban Center) | 7 feet (monument sign) | 32 square feet | — | Monument: 8 feet from curb/back of ROW | — | One per lot/frontage; >500 ft frontage may allow 1 additional | — | Sec. 22-477(b,c,d) |
| Wall Sign (Primary and Secondary Facades, 80 ft or less) | — | 80 square feet | Storefront width maximum | — | Per aggregate areas | On building facade, may be installed with zero setback (no part overhangs property line or within 8 ft of electric power lines). | — | Sec. 22-478(b) |
| Marquee Sign - Horizontal (C-1A, C-1, C-2) | 5 feet vertical; minimum clearance 10 feet above sidewalk | 250 square feet | Commercial entity width maximum | 2 feet from curb | 1 (or 2 if >1 frontage and separated by >100ft) | Mounted to or hung from marquee | — | Sec. 22-478(d) |
| Marquee Sign - Vertical (C-1A, C-1, C-2) | 10 feet extension above roofline max (not beyond eave of pitched roof) | — | 24 inches max width, 12 inches depth max | 2 feet from curb | 1 (or 2 if >1 frontage and separated by >100ft) | Mounted to/hung from marquee; min clearance 10 feet above sidewalk | — | Sec. 22-478(d) |
| Suspended Sign | 36 inches vertical limit; clearance at least 7 feet 6 inches | 6 square feet | 36 inches | — | 1 per facade | Under beam, porch ceiling, arcade, etc. | — | Sec. 22-478(f) |
| Sidewalk Sign - A-Frame | 42 inches | 6 square feet | 30 inches | — | 1 per entity, unless sidewalk >10ft wide | On/adjacent to sidewalk (private property); must not block 4-foot pedestrian path; base no more than 18 inches from facade | — | Sec. 22-479(e) |

## Prohibited signs in Thomasville

- Roof signs are prohibited in all zoning districts, except for signs mounted on the lower slope of a gambrel or mansard roof existing on the date of adoption which may continue as nonconforming.
- Animated signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- New technology signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Electronic message boards are prohibited in all zoning districts, except stationary electronic window signs and allowable electronic changeable copy as part of freestanding/landscape wall signs where authorized by this ordinance.
- Tri-vision signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Signs on public rights-of-way are prohibited except for those erected by the jurisdiction controlling the right-of-way.
- Signs that obstruct free ingress to or egress from a required door, window, fire escape or other required exit way are prohibited.
- Signs placed in a manner that constitutes a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic, including obstructing sight distance or confusing/interfering with official traffic control devices, are prohibited.
- Portable signs are prohibited except where permitted as sidewalk signs, standard informational signs, feather flags, or banners.
- Signs attached to or painted on any telephone pole, light pole or telegraph pole are prohibited, except for identification or access signage erected by the owners of such poles.
- Signs attached to or painted on any tree, rock or other natural object are prohibited.
- Signs mounted, attached or painted on a trailer, boat, or motor vehicle when parked, stored, or displayed to attract public attention for advertising a business premise are prohibited, except for permanent business name signs on vehicles actively used and lawfully parked.
- Any sign placed or erected on property without permission of the property owner is prohibited.
- Abandoned or discontinued signs or sign structures are prohibited.
- Any sign not specifically authorized by this article is prohibited.
- No sign shall have blinking, flashing, scrolling, fading, or fluctuating lights or other illuminating devices that have changing light intensity, brightness, color, or form.
- No revolving or rotating beam or beacon of light shall be used as part of any sign.
- The use of colored lamps for external lighting of signage is not permitted.
- Signs made of paper, cloth or non-durable material are prohibited (as nonconforming signs).
- Signs located in public right-of-way (except as permitted by owners of the rights-of-way) are prohibited (as nonconforming signs).
- Any sign displayed in a manner as to constitute a nuisance as defined by O.C.G.A. § 41-1-1 is prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected on a foundation located on a public right-of-way or overhang a public right-of-way.

## Signs exempt from permit in Thomasville

- Traffic control devices and other public safety signs on public streets and highways conforming to the Uniform Manual for Traffic Control Devices are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Directional signs located on private property, limited to two per driveway, a maximum of four square feet in size and erected to a height of no more than three feet, are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Warning signs, no trespassing signs, and other signs erected or required by federal, state or local law not exceeding four square feet in size are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Standard informational signs that comply with section 22-479(b) are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Signs within enclosed businesses, offices, malls or other enclosed areas, not posted within 12 inches of a window or not readable from public right-of-way or from any sidewalk adjoining the premises, are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Signs painted on or applied to the window or door of the building and not obscuring more than 30 percent of the total window glazing per building facade are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Stationary electronic window signs erected in windows of commercial entities not exceeding two square feet in sign area for each individual sign or an aggregate of five square feet in sign area for all such signs are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Flags, subject to the limitations of section 22-480, are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Address numerals not exceeding four inches in height for residential uses or eight inches for nonresidential uses are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Residential wall plaques are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Sidewalk signs meeting the standards of section 22-479(e) are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Banners meeting the definition of section 22-466 on lots containing single- and two-family residences are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Name plates not exceeding two square feet for customary home occupations, mounted on or within two feet of the door, are exempt from the permit requirements.
- Signs erected, maintained, or otherwise posted, owned or leased by the state, the federal government, or the city are not subject to these regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Sign permits are required for all signs except those specifically exempted by section 22-468.
- Each sign for which a permit is required will require an application with detailed information, drawings, site plans, photographs, etc.
- For multi-tenant signs, the property owner must secure a permit for the sign structure and separate permits for each panel.
- No permit will be issued for a sign that extends over a public right-of-way without documentation of $1,000,000 liability insurance.
- Permit applications are reviewed by the zoning administrator for compliance; denied permits may be appealed to the sign appeals panel.
- Banners (except those exempted for single- and two-family residences) and feather flags require truncated permit applications and permit fees before display.
- An appeal of a denied or revoked permit is considered by the sign appeals panel in a noticed hearing.
- Permits are not transferable except to a new owner or agent who succeeds to the legal interest of the permit holder, with approval.
- No explicit requirement for a master sign plan as a prerequisite for permitting is mentioned in these general provisions, but detailed individual and multi-tenant sign applications are.

## 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 6 zoning districts in Thomasville — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Thomasville+GA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-thomasville

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