# Sign Regulations in Mount Airy, North Carolina

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

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

## At a glance

Mount Airy, North Carolina regulates 14 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding Ground Signs in the B-1 District zoning district are capped at 12 ft tall and 48 sq ft, with a Min. 20 ft from ROW (structure); Min. 50 ft from other freestanding signs setback (Sec. 9.4.C.4.c). Most commercial signs in Mount Airy require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| B-1 District | 7 | 12 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| B-2 District, B-4 District, M-1 District | 8 | 35 ft | 378 sq ft | — |
| B-3 District, B-5 District, R-4 District | 7 | 12 ft | 64 sq ft | — |
| All Other R Districts | 1 | 6 ft (8 ft for Education/Institutional use) | 24 sq ft (48 sq ft for Education/Institutional use) | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts | 2 | — | — | — |
| Educational & Institutional Uses | 1 | 8 ft | 48 sq ft | — |
| Recreational Uses | 2 | — | — | — |
| Business, Professional & Personal Services, Retail Trade, Wholesale Trade, Manufacturing & Industrial Use | 1 | — | Max 36 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### B-1 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 60 sq ft | — | — | No limit per building wall | Any building wall with customer or public entrance or facing parking area | — | 9.4.B.8 |
| Freestanding Ground Sign | 12 ft | 48 sq ft | — | Min. 20 ft from ROW (structure); Min. 50 ft from other freestanding signs | 1 per street frontage | Permitted only if principal building/canopy/awning is setback at least 20 ft from ROW | — | 9.4.C.4.c |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per awning over entrance | Awnings installed over customer entrance | — | 9.4.D |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | Minimum 7 ft clearance above pedestrian walkways | One per permitted wall or one at a building corner | On any wall where wall sign permitted; can also be on building corner or above/below wall sign | — | 9.4.E |
| Canopy Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | One per side of canopy | Each side of canopy covering vehicular use/canopy | — | 9.4.F |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Street-level windows/doors | — | 9.4.G.7 |
| Suspended Pedestrian Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | Min 7 ft above walkway | One per customer entrance | Suspended from awning/canopy/cover in front of entrance | — | 9.4.G.1 |

### B-2 District, B-4 District, M-1 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | No limit per building wall | Any building wall with customer or public entrance or facing parking area | — | 9.4.B.4 |
| Freestanding Ground Sign | 15 ft for signs up to 64 sq ft; 20 ft for >64 sq ft | 96 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage; 1 per entrance (combined dev.) | Not within 50 ft of another ground sign (unless separated by street ROW); not in sight triangle | — | 9.4.C.4.a |
| Billboard (Outdoor Advertising) | 35 ft | 378 sq ft | — | Min 500 ft from any other billboard; Min 300 ft from residential zoning | — | Property with frontage on US 52 Bypass, US 601 (SW from US 52 Bypass) or NC 89 (W from US 52 Bypass), within 330 ft of highway ROW | — | 9.5.A |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per awning | Awnings installed over customer entrance | — | 9.4.D |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | Min 7 ft above pedestrian walkway | One per permitted wall or at building corner | On any wall where wall sign permitted; may also be at building corner | — | 9.4.E |
| Canopy Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | One per canopy side | Each side of canopy covering vehicular area | — | 9.4.F |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Street-level windows/doors | — | 9.4.G.7 |
| Suspended Pedestrian Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | Must be at least 7 ft above walkway | One per customer entrance | Suspended from awning/canopy/cover in front of customer entrance | — | 9.4.G.1 |

### B-3 District, B-5 District, R-4 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | No limit per building wall | Any building wall with customer/public entrance or facing parking | — | 9.4.B.4 |
| Freestanding Ground Sign | 12 ft | 64 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage; 1 per entrance (combined developments) | Not within 50 ft of another ground sign unless separated by street ROW; not in sight triangle | — | 9.4.C.4.b |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | One per awning | Awnings above customer entrances | — | 9.4.D |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | Min 7 ft above pedestrian walkway | One per permitted wall or building corner | On any wall where wall sign permitted; building corner (see mounting req) | — | 9.4.E |
| Canopy Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | One per side | Each side of canopy over vehicular use area | — | 9.4.F |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Street-level windows/doors | — | 9.4.G.7 |
| Suspended Pedestrian Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | Min 7 ft above pedestrian walkway | One per customer entrance | Suspended from awning/canopy/cover in front of entrance | — | 9.4.G.1 |

## Prohibited signs in Mount Airy

- All signs not expressly permitted by this Article are prohibited.
- Animated signs as defined by this Ordinance are prohibited.
- Electronic Message Boards, Dynamic Signs, and Electronic Time and Temperature Displays displaying blinking, flashing or intermittent lights, animation, and moving parts are prohibited unless otherwise expressly permitted.
- Glaring signs as defined by this Ordinance are prohibited.
- Running signs as defined by this Ordinance are prohibited.
- Portable signs are prohibited unless otherwise expressly permitted.
- Signs which approximate official highway signs, warning signs, or regulatory devices are prohibited.
- "Wrap-around" signs or other continuous wall signs that extend around building corners or radii are prohibited.
- Signs placed within any required sight triangle are prohibited.
- Signs attached to or painted on utility poles, telephone poles, trees, parking meters, bridges, overpasses, rocks, other signs, benches, and refuse containers are prohibited, except that benches and refuse containers may contain a logotype.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Signs placed within or extending into the right-of-way of city and state maintained streets and roads are prohibited, except those erected by a duly constituted government body or expressly permitted by the Ordinance or the North Carolina General Statutes.
- Signs that contain language and/or pictures obscene to the public in accordance with NCGS 14-190.1 are prohibited.
- Indirect illumination for signs, such as floodlights, erected in such a manner as to cause glare that impairs driver vision on streets or roadways, or that causes a nuisance to adjoining property, is prohibited.
- Signs that obstruct fire escapes, windows, doors, or other openings used as means of egress or as required legal ventilation are prohibited.
- Signs containing or consisting of pennants, ribbons, streamers, festoon lighting, balloons (or inflatable signs), spinners, or windblown devices are prohibited.
- Signs that do not conform to the provisions of these regulations are prohibited except as otherwise provided in this Article.

## Signs exempt from permit in Mount Airy

- Official signs installed by units of local government having jurisdiction within the City of Mount Airy, agencies of the State of North Carolina, and federal government agencies are exempt from the regulations established by this Ordinance, provided that such signs are installed upon public property or within a right-of-way owned or maintained by said governmental agency and fully conform to all safety provisions established by this Ordinance.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- For any lot on which the owner proposes to erect one or more signs requiring a permit or for a combined development or other multi-tenant development, a signage plan shall be required, which includes a plot plan, locations, computations, and future sign locations.
- Sight triangles must be shown on all submitted plans depicting the location of signage for sign permit applications.

## 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 9 zoning districts in Mount Airy — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Mount+Airy+NC&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-mount-airy

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