# Sign Regulations in Thunderbolt, Georgia

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

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

## At a glance

Thunderbolt, Georgia regulates 17 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8-12 feet, depending on sign area tall, 40 sq ft per sign face, up to 480 sq ft total (largest developments), and 15-25 ft, depending on sign area wide, with a 20 ft from right-of-way setback (Sec. Article XIII. XIV). Most commercial signs in Thunderbolt require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 30 ft | 300 sq ft per side | — |
| Business (B), Industrial (I), Waterfront Industry (W-I), Institutional-Professional (I-P), Light Industrial (L-I) | 7 | 8 ft | 480 sq ft total, 120 sq ft per face, max 4 faces | — |
| Planning District (P) | 1 | — | — | — |
| One-Family Residential (R-1), Two-Family Residential (R-2), Multi-Family Residential (R-3), Residential-Mobile Home (R-M-H) | 3 | 6 ft (post sign) | 30 sq ft aggregate (max 3 flags) | — |
| Hotel-Motel (H-M) | 2 | 8-12 ft (see base business standards) | 40 sq ft | — |
| Marsh Conservation (M-C) | 1 | — | 30 sq ft aggregate (max 3 flags) | — |
| River Drive Mixed Use District (RDD) | 4 | 8 ft | See General Regulations For All Zones (max 40 sq ft per sign and 10% of facade area) | — |
| Victory Drive District (VDD) | 4 | 8 ft | 40 sq ft per sign | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 8-12 feet, depending on sign area | 40 sq ft per sign face, up to 480 sq ft total (largest developments) | 15-25 ft, depending on sign area | 20 ft from right-of-way | Depends on development size and frontage. 1-4 per development, maximum 2 per frontage. | Setback minimum 20 ft from edge of adjacent street ROW, may be reduced for safety by administrator; one per ≤200 ft street frontage; signs must be separated by at least 200 ft | — | Article XIII. XIV |
| Facade (Wall) Sign | — | 40 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per facade per building; shopping centers: 2/tenant/facade, but only 1 visible from street | On facade of building or tenant space; contained within single wall panel/window/door/etc. | — | Article XIII. XV |
| Directional Sign | 5 ft | 4-12 sq ft (depends on frontage) | — | — | One per entrance/exit | At entrances/exits; on private property unless by government | — | Article XIII. XVI |
| Incidental Sign | — | 8-20 sq ft aggregate (for certain zones/buildings) | — | — | — | — | — | Article XIII. XVII |
| Billboard | 30 ft | 300 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Only along major roads (i.e., Victory Drive) | — | Article XIII. IX |
| Temporary Sign | — | 50 sq ft on commercial/industrial property, 9 sq ft elsewhere | — | — | 1 per property (temporary basis) | — | — | Article XIII. V.E |
| Flag | — | 30 sq ft aggregate (max 3 flags) | — | — | Up to 3 per parcel | — | — | Article XIII. V.F |

### Business (B), Industrial (I), Waterfront Industry (W-I), Institutional-Professional (I-P), Light Industrial (L-I)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (≤2,500 sq ft GFA) | 8 ft | 40 sq ft | 15 ft | 20 ft from R-O-W | 1 | Min 20 ft setback from right-of-way | — | Article XIII. XIV.A(4), XIV.B(1), XIV.G |
| Freestanding Sign (>2,500≤40,000 sq ft GFA) | 8 ft | 160 sq ft total, 40 sq ft per sign face, max 4 faces | 15 ft | 20 ft from R-O-W | 2 | Min 20 ft setback from right-of-way | — | Article XIII.XIV.A(3), XIV.B(1), XIV.H |
| Freestanding Sign (>40,000≤100,000 sq ft GFA) | 8-10 ft (up to 60 sq ft: 10 ft) | 320 sq ft total, 80 sq ft per face, max 4 faces | 15-20 ft | 20 ft from R-O-W | 3 | Min 20 ft setback from right-of-way, max 2 per frontage, max 3 total if more than 1 street | — | Article XIII.XIV.A(2), XIV.B(1-2), XIV.H |
| Freestanding Sign (>100,000 sq ft GFA) | 8-12 ft (up to 120 sq ft: 12 ft) | 480 sq ft total, 120 sq ft per face, max 4 faces | 15-25 ft | 20 ft from R-O-W | 4 | Min 20 ft setback from right-of-way, max 2 per frontage, max 4 total if more than 1 street | — | Article XIII.XIV.A(1), XIV.B(1-3), XIV.H |
| Facade (Wall) Sign | — | 40 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per facade per building | On building facade within architectural element | — | Article XIII.XV.A-B |
| Directional Sign | 5 ft | 4-12 sq ft | — | — | One per entrance/exit | At entrances/exits | — | Article XIII.XVI |
| Incidental Sign | — | 8-20 sq ft based on frontage | — | — | — | Building, window, or door | — | Article XIII.XVII |

### Victory Drive District (VDD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding (Monument) Sign (Single Tenant) | 8 ft | 25 sq ft | 6 ft | — | — | Outside public ROW, logical locations near entrance | — | VDD: Article X(a), Article XIII, Sec. XIII.2, XIV.1 |
| Freestanding (Monument) Sign (Multiple Tenants) | 8 ft | 30 sq ft | 6 ft | — | — | Outside public ROW, logical locations near entrance | — | VDD: Article X(b), Article XIII, Sec. XIII.2, XIV.1 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Attached to building facade | — | VDD: Article X(b), Article XIII.XIV.2 |
| Facade (Wall) Sign | — | 40 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per facade | On building facade | — | VDD: Article X(c), Article XIII.XV |

## Prohibited signs in Thunderbolt

- Billboards, except in accordance with section IX of this ordinance.
- Signs on the public right-of-way, to include medians, sidewalks, curbs, and all other public land except as specifically allowed.
- Any sign larger than nine square feet on property that is currently vacant or in use for residential or agricultural purposes; such sign shall not have a height of greater than five feet above grade.
- Any sign, the erection of which would increase the total aggregate area of all sign faces on property that is currently vacant or in use for residential or agricultural purposes to more than 20 square feet.
- Any sign larger than 60 square feet on a property that is currently primarily used for commercial or industrial purposes, except in accordance with permitted exceptions.
- Any sign, the erection of which would increase the total aggregate area of all sign faces on a property that is currently primarily used for commercial or industrial purposes to more than 80 square feet except where permitted.
- Signs attached to the roof of a building or structure.
- Portable signs.
- Any sign that is taller than 25 feet from the ground at its highest point, except as expressly allowed.
- Signs which simulate an official traffic control or warning sign or hide from view any traffic or street sign, signal, or public service sign.
- Signs which interfere with road or highway visibility or obstruct or otherwise interfere with the safe and orderly movement of traffic.
- Signs erected by nailing, fastening, or affixing the sign in any manner to any tree, post, utility pole, or other structure except as set forth in the ordinance.
- Signs requested to be erected in marshland.
- Any sign within 50 feet of the right-of-way of Victory Drive.
- Any sign within ten feet of the right-of-way line of all other streets within the Town of Thunderbolt.
- All signs as described and prohibited in state law (O.C.G.A. § 32-6-75 (a)(1) through (a)(10), (a)(12) through (a)(16), and (a)(20) through (a)(21)).
- All signs where a home occupation is located except as allowed.
- Home occupation signs except as specifically allowed in the ordinance.

## Signs exempt from permit in Thunderbolt

- One sign smaller than nine square feet in area may be posted on any parcel of land.
- Signs posted by authorized government officials in the strict performance of their official duties on public land or right-of-way.
- Signs not visible from public thoroughfares or signs within a business, office, building, or other enclosed heated or cooled structure.
- Any sign of six square feet or smaller that is posted by a town resident at the location of their residence.
- One temporary sign or banner of a size not larger than 50 square feet may be posted on property that is currently primarily used for commercial or industrial purposes for a period not exceeding 15 days (with $250 deposit for removal); on all other properties a temporary sign may be posted for up to 30 consecutive days (only twice per year per property) with same removal requirements.
- Up to three flags measuring no more than an aggregate of 30 square feet.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs not exempted require a sign permit.
- A permit is required prior to the erection of a sign for either on-premises or off-premises advertising.
- Applications for sign permits must include information such as location, aggregate area of all signs, owner consent, contractor data, area, height, mounting method, sign distances, parcel size, tree trimming plans, and any other information required under the zoning ordinance or for building permits/site plans.
- The administrator must act on all complete applications for sign permits within 15 business days.
- For developments where the owner or developer seeks permission to post signs as part of the general plan approval process, such signs must be approved by the administrator or their designee as part of normal process for approving design/building plans.
- For the River Drive District and Victory Drive District, all plans and petitions for change in use, new buildings, or exterior changes (including new signs) must be submitted to the zoning administrator for presentation to the planning and zoning commission for approval, with additional submittal requirements for preliminary and final design review as described in Article XV(Q) and related district articles.
- In the River Drive District and Victory Drive District, as part of design review, sign location, size, number, and lighting type must be shown; all exterior modifications and signs may require planning and zoning commission and mayor/council review unless specifically allowed to be approved by staff under preapproved colors/materials.
- Design/Building/Sign plan reviews must follow specified application and submittal requirements, including site plans, landscape plans, materials samples, elevations, and context as detailed in Article XV(Q).

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

---

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