# Sign Regulations in High Point, North Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** High Point, North Carolina (NC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-carolina/high-point
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/NC/High_Point/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_TIT6PUSE_CH1STSI_ARTAGEPR_S6-1-13SIERSUACSTETPR)

## At a glance

High Point, North Carolina regulates 30 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Announcement Sign (Freestanding)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall and 6 sf per sign (Sec. Table 5.7.7.A, 5.7.7.C). Most commercial signs in High Point require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 14 | Up to 40 ft (see additional) | 60 sf per pole | — |
| Residential Districts | 3 | 6 ft | 50 sf | — |
| AGR, TO, CB, MS, MX | 3 | 6 ft | 50 sf (AGR/TO/MS/MX); 200 sf (CB) | — |
| PNR | 3 | 12 ft | 60 sf | — |
| GCO | 2 | 6 ft | 100 sf, or lesser of underlying base district. | — |
| OI, LB, EC, MS | 2 | 12 ft | 100 sf | — |
| GB, LI, HI | 2 | 20 ft | 400 sf (GB), 400 sf (LI, HI) | — |
| RC | 2 | 25 ft | 400 sf | — |
| Nonresidential Districts | 3 | 8 ft | ≤25% of any window/door OR ≤25% of all combined | — |
| Institutional District | 11 | 8 ft | 200 sf | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Announcement Sign (Freestanding) | 4 ft | 6 sf per sign | — | — | 3/street frontage | — | — | Table 5.7.7.A, 5.7.7.C |
| Directional and Safety Sign (Freestanding / Attached) | 4 ft | 4 sf per sign | — | — | Not specified | — | — | Table 5.7.7.A |
| Flag (Freestanding & Attached) | Up to 40 ft (see additional) | 60 sf per pole | — | — | See additional | — | — | Table 5.7.7.A, 5.7.7.C.2 |
| Historical or Memorial Sign (Freestanding) | 10 ft | 10 sf per sign | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | Table 5.7.7.A |
| Real Estate/Construction Sign (Freestanding - Household Living not incl. MF/live/work) | 4 ft | 6 sf per sign | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | Table 5.7.7.A |
| Real Estate/Construction Sign (Freestanding - All Other Uses, incl. MF, live/work) | 8 ft | 32 sf per sign | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | Table 5.7.7.A |
| Weekend Sign (Freestanding) | 4 ft | 6 sf (per sign) | — | — | See additional | Must be at least 6 ft from back of curb/edge of pavement. | — | Table 5.7.7.A, 5.7.7.C.5 |
| Temporary Banner Sign (Freestanding) | 6 ft | 32 sf | — | — | 1 per lot/zone lot | — | — | 5.7.12.E |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 sf | — | — | 1 per building | Principal building facade. | — | Table 5.7.9.C, Table 5.7.9.D |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 40 sf | — | — | 1 per lot frontage | Nonresidential uses only. | — | Table 5.7.8.D |
| Development Entrance Sign | 6 ft | 50 sf | — | — | See additional | At major development entrances. | — | Table 5.7.8.E, 5.7.8.G.3 |

### Institutional District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 100 sf | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Per street frontage | — | 5.7.11.C.2 |
| Wall Sign | — | 100 sf per facade | — | — | — | Each building facade | — | 5.7.11.C.3 |
| Development Entrance Sign | 6 ft | 50 sf | — | — | See additional | Development entrance | — | 5.7.11.C.4.a, Table 5.7.8.E, 5.7.8.G.3 |
| Institutional Banner Sign | 6 ft | 32 sf | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | 5.7.11.C.4.b, Table 5.7.8.E, 5.7.8.G.4 |
| Light-pole Banner Sign | — | 15 sf | — | — | 2 per pole | Attached to light pole | — | 5.7.11.C.4.c, Table 5.7.8.E, 5.7.8.G.5 |
| Blade Sign | — | 6 sf | — | — | 1 per entrance | Building entrance | — | 5.7.11.C.5.a, Table 5.7.9.E, 5.7.9.G.2 |
| Crown Sign | — | 200 sf | — | — | 1 per facade, max 2 per building | — | — | 5.7.11.C.5.b, Table 5.7.9.E, 5.7.9.G.5 |
| Institutional Directional Sign | 8 ft | 32 sf | — | — | — | Street intersections, private drives, pedestrian connections. | — | 5.7.11.C.6 |

## Prohibited signs in High Point

- Any sign that is not expressly allowed under this Section, or under specific state law, is prohibited.
- Air-blown signs/devices are prohibited.
- Animated signs are prohibited, except video signs as allowed in Section 5.7.10.
- Flashing signs are prohibited.
- Mechanically moving signs are prohibited.
- Trailer signs are prohibited.
- Vehicle signs are prohibited.
- Windblown signs are prohibited, except pennants as allowed in Section 5.7.12.
- Signs projecting over a public right-of-way are prohibited, except as allowed in Subsection 5.7.5.D or through an approved encroachment agreement with the City or NCDOT.
- Signs that imitate a traffic control device are prohibited.
- Signs within the public right-of-way that are painted, pasted, stapled, taped, or otherwise affixed to benches, bus stop shelters, planters, utility poles, curbs, sidewalks, hydrants, bridges, trees, fences, fixtures, utility boxes or pedestals, or refuse containers are prohibited, except those signs erected by or on behalf of a utility or governmental entity.
- Signs projected onto a surface by use of lights are prohibited.
- Signs are allowed only as an accessory use or structure to a principal use. The selling or leasing of space on a sign is not an accessory use.
- Signs must not obstruct visibility for motorists at street intersections, interfere with pedestrian traffic, cover doorways or windows (except as allowed for window signs), interfere with fire escapes or exits, or interfere with drainageways.
- Signs may not be placed on private property without the consent of the landowner or occupant.
- Signs must not interfere with utility or ventilation openings, warning signs, or be in violation of state building code.
- Signs must be constructed of permanent materials and permanently attached (with exceptions for certain temporary/allowed sign types).
- Signs must not be installed in violation of the State Building Code.

## Signs exempt from permit in High Point

- Lights and decorations that are temporarily displayed on dates around holidays.
- Hand carried signs.
- Signs affixed to a vehicle where the vehicle is used on a regular basis for the normal transport of goods or persons.
- Signs not legible from a street or another zone lot.
- Signs painted on an active public water tower, with permission of the tower operator.
- Signs on the interior of a building, courtyard, athletic field, or other building or structure which are not designed or oriented in a manner to be legible from the exterior.
- Signs erected by or on behalf of the City of High Point, Guilford County, the State of North Carolina, or the United States federal government.
- Signs applied to an umbrella.
- Certain sign types as specified in Table 5.7.7.A, including A-frame, announcement, building marker, directional and safety, flags, historical or memorial, menu boards, murals, real estate/construction, vending, weekend, and window signs as described and subject to those category standards.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A common sign plan is required for site plans with multiple buildings, multiple lot developments, group developments, planned developments, preliminary subdivision plans, and the Institutional District (Section 5.7.14).
- A common sign plan shall be approved prior to the issuance of any sign permit(s) for applicable developments.
- All development with new signs requiring a sign permit within the Institutional District must submit a common sign plan (Section 5.7.11.B.1).
- For attached signs on multi-tenant buildings (3 or more tenants with separate entrances), a common sign plan is required (Section 5.7.9.F.3).
- Any new common sign plan must include a schedule for bringing all permanent signs within the plan area into compliance within 90 days.
- After approval of a common sign plan, no signs may be erected except in conformance with the approved plan.
- Sign variance may only modify standards for sign height and location (Section 5.7.4.E).
- Amendments to a common sign plan must conform to section 5.7.14, and appeals of amendments are provided for.

## 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 10 zoning districts in High Point — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=High+Point+NC&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-high-point

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