# Sign Regulations in Hendersonville, North Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Hendersonville, North Carolina (NC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-carolina/hendersonville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/NC/Hendersonville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=APXAZOOR_ARTXIIISIREMAEN)

## At a glance

Hendersonville, North Carolina regulates 22 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Off-premises/Advertising) (C-3, I-1 Only)s in the PCDCZD, RCT, Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), MIC, CMU, Industrial District (I-1), PMDCZD, PIDCZD, GHMU, HMU, UVCZD, URCZD, MSH, CHMU zoning district are capped at 35 ft (for signs 73 to 380 sq ft); 25 ft (0 to 72 sq ft) tall and Up to 380 sq ft face area, with a 10 ft (0-72 sq ft); 20 ft (73-380 sq ft) from right-of-way setback (Sec. Sec. 13-2-2, Table 13A). Most commercial signs in Hendersonville 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 | 13 | 10 ft | 32 sq ft per face | — |
| Residential District (R-40, R-20, R-15, R-10, R-6), PRDCZD (Planned Residential Development Conditional Zoning District), PMHCZD | 3 | 12 ft | — | — |
| PCDCZD, RCT, Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), MIC, CMU, Industrial District (I-1), PMDCZD, PIDCZD, GHMU, HMU, UVCZD, URCZD, MSH, CHMU | 4 | 35 ft (for signs 73 to 380 sq ft); 25 ft (0 to 72 sq ft) | Up to 380 sq ft face area | — |
| Downtown Special Tax District | 2 | — | 250 sq ft per main entrance | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address/Name Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Any district | — | Sec. 13-1-1 (a) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Residential) | 4 ft | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | 2 per lot | On property for sale/rent/lease | — | Sec. 13-1-1 (b) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Non-Residential) | 8 ft | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | 2 per lot | On property for sale/rent/lease | — | Sec. 13-1-1 (b) |
| Directional/Information Sign (General) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | Any district | — | Sec. 13-1-1 (c) |
| Subdivision/PRDCZD Entry Sign | 5 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | At subdivision or PRDCZD entry | — | Sec. 13-1-1 (c) |
| Church/Public Building Sign | — | 15 sq ft | — | Must meet district yard requirements | — | On church or public building property | — | Sec. 13-1-1 (d) |
| On-premises Agricultural Product Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises where products are sold | — | Sec. 13-1-1 (e) |
| Construction Sign | 10 ft | 32 sq ft per display face | — | — | 1 per construction site | On construction site only | — | Sec. 13-1-1 (i) |

### Residential District (R-40, R-20, R-15, R-10, R-6), PRDCZD (Planned Residential Development Conditional Zoning District), PMHCZD

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free-standing Sign (Residential) | 12 ft | — | — | — | — | On residential parcel | — | Sec. 13-1-4 (a), Sec. 13-1-2 |
| Wall Sign (Residential) | May not project more than 10 ft above top of exterior wall | — | — | — | — | On structure | — | Sec. 13-1-3 (a) & (b), Sec. 13-1-2 |
| Double-faced Sign (Residential) | — | — | — | — | — | Where allowed by code | — | Sec. 13-1-3 (c) |

### PCDCZD, RCT, Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), MIC, CMU, Industrial District (I-1), PMDCZD, PIDCZD, GHMU, HMU, UVCZD, URCZD, MSH, CHMU

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Business Identification) | May not project more than 10 ft above wall | 250 sq ft | — | — | Multiple wall signs allowed as long as aggregate total does not exceed business allowance | Any building facade/awning/canopy/marquee associated with facade | — | Sec. 13-1-6, 13-1-5, 13-1-2 |
| Freestanding Sign (Business Identification) | 18 ft (measured from street grade) | 70 sq ft | — | — | One per thoroughfare with driveway | Permanently affixed on parcel with driveway access to thoroughfare | — | Sec. 13-1-7.1, Sec. 13-1-2 |
| Freestanding Sign (Off-premises/Advertising) (C-3, I-1 Only) | 35 ft (for signs 73 to 380 sq ft); 25 ft (0 to 72 sq ft) | Up to 380 sq ft face area | — | 10 ft (0-72 sq ft); 20 ft (73-380 sq ft) from right-of-way | One per structure, one face per side | C-3 and I-1 Only | — | Sec. 13-2-2, Table 13A |
| Animated Sign | — | Up to 50% of permitted sign face area or 35 sq ft, whichever is less | — | — | — | C-2, C-3, I-1 zones, any location; HMU only if property fronts thoroughfare | — | Sec. 13-1-5 (a)-(g) |

## Prohibited signs in Hendersonville

- No type of exterior sign may be erected, posted, reposted, placed, replaced, hung, painted, or repainted in any use district except in accordance with this article.
- Signs not specifically authorized by these regulations are prohibited.
- The board of adjustment shall not have the authority to grant variances so as to allow prohibited signs to be installed.
- No painted wall advertising signs are permitted except in association with a previously-existing painted advertising sign.
- No sign except those erected for governmental purposes shall be permitted on any public property or right-of-way.
- Portable signs are prohibited as free-standing signs; free-standing signs must be permanently affixed to the site.
- Other signs and devices including plaques, banners, pennants, streamers, and posters are not permitted for mobile food vendors.
- No sign shall be in a state of disrepair where more than 20 percent of its surface area is covered with disfigured, cracked, ripped or peeling paint or poster paper.
- No sign shall be allowed to stand with bent or broken sign facing, broken supports, loose appendages or struts, or be allowed to stand more than 15 degrees from the perpendicular.
- No sign shall be allowed to have weeds, trees, vines or other vegetation growing on it or obscuring it from the street or highway from which it is intended to be viewed.
- No neon or electronic sign shall be allowed to stand with only partial illumination.
- After the effective date of this ordinance, it is unlawful to erect, construct or place any sign which does not conform to the requirements set out herein on any parcel of real property within the jurisdiction.
- No sign shall be allowed to obscure distinctive architectural features, such as cornices and windows (Downtown Special Tax District design guideline).

## Signs exempt from permit in Hendersonville

- Any sign not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only address numbers, names of occupants or business and professional signs not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Temporary signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of the property on which the signs are located, provided such signs are non-illuminated, limited in number, size, and height, and removed within seven days after closing.
- Directional signs or information signs of a public or quasi-public nature, not exceeding eight square feet in area.
- Signs identifying a residential PRDCZD or subdivision, not exceeding 24 square feet in area and five feet in height, and only lighted indirectly.
- Signs for churches or public buildings (including bulletin boards), lighted or unlighted, not exceeding 15 square feet in area, subject to yard requirements.
- Signs advertising agricultural products for sale which are produced on the premises, not to exceed 20 square feet in area.
- Legal notices, identification, information or directional signs required by governmental bodies.
- Signs not exceeding six square feet in area directing and guiding traffic to parking areas on private property but bearing no advertising material.
- Other signs and devices including plaques, banners, pennants, streamers and posters for a period of not more than two weeks before and after the opening of a new business or sale (zoning department must be notified; portable commercial signs are not included).
- One construction sign per construction site, not exceeding 32 square feet per face and ten feet in height, erected after the issuance of a building permit and removed within seven days of certificate of occupancy.
- Signs which are not visible beyond the boundaries of the lot upon which they are located and/or from any public thoroughfare or right-of-way.
- Political signs not exceeding three square feet, permitted from 60 days prior to three days following the day of the election.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Each application for a sign permit must be accompanied by plans showing property owner, location, present use, location of the sign on the lot in relation to property lines and existing signs or structures, complete structural specifications, and any additional information needed to determine compliance.
- In the Downtown Special Tax District, no permit for a sign shall be issued until it has been reviewed by the community development director or designee; applicant must submit drawings indicating materials, color, message, dimensions, building facade and proposed sign location, and site and adjoining properties' existing graphics.
- For Downtown Special Tax District, the community development director or designee judges signs according to style, color, location, ornamentation, materials, and the architecture of the building; applicant must submit a drawing or photograph of the site and adjoining properties' existing graphics.

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

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