# Sign Regulations in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (NC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-carolina/kitty-hawk
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/NC/Kitty_Hawk/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIIICOOR_CH42ZO_ARTVISURE_DIV3SI)

## At a glance

Kitty Hawk, North Carolina regulates 25 sign types across 19 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the BC-1 zoning district are capped at 14 ft. tall and 48 sq. ft., with a 10 ft. setback (Sec. Sec. 42-577, Table I, III, IV, V and Sec. 42-577(i)). Most commercial signs in Kitty Hawk require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (19 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All BR | 6 | 5 ft. | 60 sq. ft. for government flag; 24 sq. ft. for business flag; 30 sq. ft. for banner flag | — |
| All VR & KHW | 6 | 5 ft. | 60 sq. ft. for government flag; 24 sq. ft. for business flag; 30 sq. ft. for banner flag | — |
| VC-1 | 7 | 8 ft. | 8 sq. ft. | — |
| VC-2 | 7 | 14 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| OS and VC-3 | 7 | 14 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| BC-1 | 10 | 14 ft. | 60 sq. ft. per individual sign, or 10% of building facade per business in multiple occupancy building | — |
| MS-1 and BC-2 | 10 | 14 ft. | 60 sq. ft. per individual sign, or 10% of building facade per business in multiple occupancy building | — |
| BC-3 | 10 | 20 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| BH | 8 | 20 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| BH-2 | 8 | 20 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| PCD | 9 | 14 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential zones | 2 | 35 ft. | 16 sq. ft. | — |
| Commercial zones | 1 | — | 16 sq. ft. | — |
| Beach and village commercial | 1 | Per zone's base sign limits | Per zone's base sign limits | — |
| Planned commercial | 1 | Per zone's base sign limits | Per zone's base sign limits | — |
| Hotel zoning districts | 1 | Per zone's base sign limits | Per zone's base sign limits | — |
| BC-3 zoning district | 1 | — | One banner up to 36 sq. ft.; up to four small signs not exceeding 16 sq. ft. each (one per 25 ft of road frontage, max 4/l,ot) | — |
| Non-residential zoning districts | 1 | — | Total of 250 sq. ft. for all signs (may be one sign, or several, but not exceeding total max area) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | Flagpole up to 40 ft. | See Sec. 42-577(n); up to 60 sq. ft. for government, 24 sq. ft. business flag, 30 sq. ft. banner flag | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 19 zones)

### BC-1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 14 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 2 per lot (per conditions above) | On lot, outside public ROW | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, III, IV, V and Sec. 42-577(i) |
| Banner (Building/Miscellaneous) | — | 48 sq. ft. | — | — | As allowed by permit | On building or freestanding, not in public ROW | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, IV; Sec. 42-587 |
| Building Marker Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | Sec. 42-577 Table I |
| Canopy Sign | — | 15% of vertical surface of canopy | — | — | 1 per building | On canopy, 9 ft. clearance from sidewalk/drive, 12 ft. from street | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Incidental Building Sign | — | 3 sq. ft. | — | — | As determined by plan | — | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Projecting Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | 9 ft. vertical clearance from sidewalk/drive; 12 ft. from street | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Temporary Sign | — | 36 sq. ft. for banners or temporary signs (see permit) | — | — | See above | On building (sign); banners freestanding or attached | — | Sec. 42-577 (Table I, IV), Sec. 42-587 |
| Wall Sign | — | 60 sq. ft. per individual sign, or 10% of building facade per business in multiple occupancy building | — | — | One per business in multiple occupancy bldg; see note | On building facade | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, III, IV, V, and note g |

### MS-1 and BC-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 14 ft. | 48 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 2 per lot (per conditions above) | On lot, outside public ROW | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, III, IV, V and Sec. 42-577(i) |
| Banner (Building/Miscellaneous) | — | 48 sq. ft. | — | — | As allowed by permit | On building or freestanding, not in public ROW | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, IV; Sec. 42-587 |
| Building Marker Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | Sec. 42-577 Table I |
| Canopy Sign | — | 15% of vertical surface of canopy | — | — | 1 per building | On canopy, 9 ft. clearance from sidewalk/drive, 12 ft. from street | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Incidental Building Sign | — | 3 sq. ft. | — | — | As determined by plan | — | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Projecting Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | 9 ft. vertical clearance from sidewalk/drive; 12 ft. from street | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Temporary Sign | — | 36 sq. ft. for banners or temporary signs (see permit) | — | — | See above | On building (sign); banners freestanding or attached | — | Sec. 42-577 (Table I, IV), Sec. 42-587 |
| Wall Sign | — | 60 sq. ft. per individual sign, or 10% of building facade per business in multiple occupancy building | — | — | One per business in multiple occupancy bldg; see note | On building facade | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, III, IV, V, and note g |

### BC-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — | 15 ft. | 1 per lot | On lot, outside public ROW | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, III, IV, V |
| Banner (Building/Miscellaneous) | — | 48 sq. ft. | — | — | As allowed by permit | On building or freestanding, not in public ROW | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, IV; Sec. 42-587 |
| Building Marker Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | Sec. 42-577 Table I |
| Canopy Sign | — | 15% of vertical surface of canopy | — | — | 1 per building | On canopy, 9 ft. clearance from sidewalk/drive, 12 ft. from street | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Incidental Building Sign | — | 3 sq. ft. | — | — | As determined by plan | — | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Projecting Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | 9 ft. vertical clearance from sidewalk/drive; 12 ft. from street | — | Sec. 42-577 Table IV |
| Temporary Sign | — | 36 sq. ft. for banners or temporary signs (see permit) | — | — | See above | On building (sign); banners freestanding or attached | — | Sec. 42-577 (Table I, IV), Sec. 42-587 |
| Wall Sign | — | 64 sq. ft. per individual sign, or 10% of building facade per business in multiple occupancy building | — | — | One per business in multiple occupancy bldg; see note | On building facade | — | Sec. 42-577, Table I, III, IV, V, and note g |

## Prohibited signs in Kitty Hawk

- No sign may be erected, placed, established, painted, created, or maintained except in conformance with standards, procedures, exemptions, and requirements of this division.
- All signs not expressly permitted by this division or exempt from regulation are prohibited.
- No signs, including supports or frames, are allowed within any public right-of-way or attached to any utility pole, light standard, telephone or telegraph pole, tree, rock, or other natural object (except where specifically exempted).
- No animated, rotating, or moving or apparently moving signs are permitted.
- No beacons are permitted.
- No pennants are permitted.
- No flashing lights are permitted (except time/temperature displays).
- No strings of lights (except as allowed for holidays).
- No portable signs (except for vehicular signs used/displayed in compliance).
- No inflatable signs and tethered balloons are permitted.
- No billboards are permitted.
- No neon tube illumination exterior to building (unless specifically provided otherwise in Table V, section 42-577).
- No tourist-oriented directional signs (TODs).
- No LED signs are permitted.
- No roof or integral roof signs are permitted.
- All signs must be constructed of permanent materials (except for flags, window signs and regulated temporary signs conforming to requirements).
- All signs must be maintained in good structural condition, in compliance with building and electrical codes.
- Maximum height, number, area and location standards for each sign type must be followed (see tables).

## Signs exempt from permit in Kitty Hawk

- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation, or division.
- Any sign inside a building not attached to a window or door.
- Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message, from mid-November until mid-January, provided they do not create glare or nuisance to adjacent properties.
- Traffic control signs on private property (e.g. Stop, Yield), meeting DOT standards and no commercial message.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No permit shall be issued for any individual sign requiring a permit unless and until a master signage plan or common signage plan for the lot has been submitted to the planner and approved by the planning board.
- For any lot on which the owner proposes to erect one or more signs requiring a permit, unless such lot is included in a common signage plan, the owner shall submit a master signage plan.
- A master or common signage plan must be included in any development plan, site plan, planned unit development plan, PCD plan, or other official plan required by the town for the proposed development and shall be processed simultaneously with such other plan.
- A common signage plan may be filed by owners of two or more contiguous lots or by the owner of a single lot with more than one building (excluding accessory buildings).
- An application for a sign construction permit must be accompanied by drawings showing dimensions, design, structure, and location of each sign, unless already shown on an approved sign plan.

## 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 19 zoning districts in Kitty Hawk — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Kitty+Hawk+NC&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-kitty-hawk

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