# Sign Regulations in Asheville, North Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Asheville, North Carolina (NC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-carolina/asheville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ashevillenc/latest/asheville_nc/0-0-0-8173)

## At a glance

Asheville, North Carolina regulates 14 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Office I & II, Office Business, Institutional, Resort zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 60 square feet per face, with a Minimum setback of 10 feet setback (Sec. Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2)). Most commercial signs in Asheville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zoning Districts (RS-2, RS-4, RS-8, RM-6, RM-8, RM-16) | 2 | 6 ft. | 15 sq. ft. per face | — |
| Office I & II, Office Business, Institutional, Resort | 11 | 8 feet | 60 square feet per face | Yes |
| CB-II, Highway Business (HB), Regional Business (RB), River, Commercial Industrial (CI), Industrial | 11 | 25 ft. | 125 sq. ft. per face | Yes |
| Neighborhood Business District (NBD), Central Business District (CBD), Urban Village | 11 | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. per face | Yes |
| Urban Residential District, Urban Place | 11 | 12 ft. | 40 sq. ft. per face | Yes |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 4 ft. for residential; 8 ft. for non-residential | 4 sq. ft. per face for residential; 32 sq. ft. per face for non-residential | — |

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

### Office I & II, Office Business, Institutional, Resort

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 feet | 60 square feet per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Pole Sign | 8 feet | 60 square feet per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Ground Sign | 8 feet | 60 square feet per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 8 feet | 60 square feet per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Marquee Sign | 8 feet | 60 square feet per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Menu Board | — | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Maximum of two per restaurant | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 60 square feet per face | — | — | Two business or product identification signs per lot | Clearance over sidewalks shall be at a minimum of nine feet and clearance over streets, alleys, or driveways shall be at a minimum of 14 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Window Sign | — | 60 square feet per face | — | — | Two business or product identification signs per lot | Window signs are not allowed above the third story of a building | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |

### CB-II, Highway Business (HB), Regional Business (RB), River, Commercial Industrial (CI), Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft. | 125 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 ft. | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be freestanding | Minimum setback of 10 ft. | — | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Pole Sign | 25 ft. | 125 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Ground Sign | 25 ft. | 125 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 25 ft. | 125 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Marquee Sign | 25 ft. | 125 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Menu Board | — | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Maximum of two per restaurant | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 125 sq. ft. per face | — | — | Two business or product identification signs per lot | Clearance over sidewalks shall be at a minimum of nine feet and clearance over streets, alleys, or driveways shall be at a minimum of 14 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Window Sign | — | 125 square feet per face | — | — | Two business or product identification signs per lot | Window signs are not allowed above the third story of a building | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |

### Neighborhood Business District (NBD), Central Business District (CBD), Urban Village

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | No minimum setback requirement in CBD | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be freestanding | No minimum setback requirement in CBD | — | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Pole Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Ground Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Marquee Sign | 20 ft. | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Two business or product identification signs per lot, only one of which shall be a freestanding pole or ground sign | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Menu Board | — | 32 square feet | — | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Maximum of two per restaurant | Minimum setback of 10 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | — | Two business or product identification signs per lot | Clearance over sidewalks shall be at a minimum of nine feet and clearance over streets, alleys, or driveways shall be at a minimum of 14 feet | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |
| Window Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | — | Two business or product identification signs per lot | Window signs are not allowed above the third story of a building | Yes | Sec. 7-13-4(b)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Asheville

- Signs on roadside appurtenances, including roadside benches, bus stop shelters, planters, utility poles, trees, parking meter poles and refuse containers.
- Signs located in the city right-of-way, unless otherwise provided for in the article.
- Signs or advertisements on vehicles or trailers parked or located for the primary purpose of displaying said sign.
- Roof signs, except signs on the surfaces of a mansard roof and on parapets.
- Wind signs, except as allowed in specific subsections.
- Off-premises signs in all single-family residential zoning districts and certain other districts.
- Off-premises signs in national and local historic districts or on historic properties.
- Off-premises signs along scenic drives.
- Off-premises signs along federal aid primary and interstate system.
- Signs with optical illusion of movement.
- Signs resembling traffic signals.
- Animated signs and flashing signs.
- Abandoned signs or sign structures.
- Signs obstructing access.
- Sandwich board signs, except in the Central Business District.
- Portable or moveable display signs.
- Flags used in conjunction with a commercial promotion or as an advertising device.
- Snipe signs.
- Digital, non-conforming, off-premises signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Asheville

- Signs not designed to be visible beyond the boundaries of the lot upon which they are located.
- Official governmental notices and signs installed under governmental authority.
- Flags with insignia of any nation, organization, state, county, city, religious, civic, fraternal organization, or educational/cultural facility.
- American flags flown in accordance with federal guidelines.
- Temporary decorations or displays associated with holidays.
- Temporary or permanent signs by public utility companies or construction companies warning of danger or hazardous conditions.
- Merchandise, pictures, or models of products/services as part of a window display.
- Signs displayed on vehicles operated in the normal course of business.
- Trademarks or product names on vending machines, dispensing machines, and gasoline pumps.
- Signs required for or authorized for a public purpose by law, statute, or ordinance.
- Signs displaying information pertinent to safety or legal responsibilities of the general public.
- Signs attached to buildings existing as of August 28, 1990, identifying buildings and permanently integrated.
- Signs designated as historically significant and/or landmark signs by the city council.
- Temporary signs providing directions or information in conjunction with a community festival or event.
- Signs affixed to windows of vehicles displaying terms of sale.
- Signs approved as part of the city's officially adopted Wayfinding program.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No permit for a new sign may be issued on a property until any residual sign structure from a previous sign no longer in use has been removed.
- A certificate of appropriateness from the historic resources commission is required prior to the issuance of a sign permit for all signs located in local historic districts and on historic landmark properties.
- A temporary sign permit is required for A-frame signs in accordance with subsection 7-13-2(b).
- In granting a variance, the board of adjustment shall make written findings that all requirements have been met.

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

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