# Sign Regulations in Walkertown, North Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Walkertown, North Carolina (NC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-carolina/walkertown
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/NC/Walkertown/codes/Unified_Development_Ordinance?nodeId=CHBZOOR_ARTIIIOTDEST_3-2SIRE)

## At a glance

Walkertown, North Carolina regulates 31 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (for Church, School, Rec. Uses, MF/PRD/MH Development, Community Facilities)s in the Residential Districts (YR, AG, RS-40, RS-30, RS-20, RS-15, RS-12, RS-9, RS-7, RSQ, RM-5, RM-8, RM-12, RM-18, RM-U, MH), YR, AG, RS-40, RS-30, RS-20, RS-15, RS-12, RS-9, RS-7, RSQ, RM-5, RM-8, RM-12, RM-18, RM-U, MH zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 36 sq ft (per sign), with a At least 1.5 ft from street R.O.W. All parts of sign must comply. setback (Sec. Table B.3.6, Section B.3-2.1(G)). Most commercial signs in Walkertown require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 20 | 10 ft | 36 sq ft | — |
| Historic District (H), Historic Overlay District (HO) | 2 | — | — | — |
| Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCO), Transitional Overlay (TO), Airport Overlay (AO) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Residential Districts (YR, AG, RS-40, RS-30, RS-20, RS-15, RS-12, RS-9, RS-7, RSQ, RM-5, RM-8, RM-12, RM-18, RM-U, MH), YR, AG, RS-40, RS-30, RS-20, RS-15, RS-12, RS-9, RS-7, RSQ, RM-5, RM-8, RM-12, RM-18, RM-U, MH | 5 | 10 ft | 36 sq ft (per sign) | — |
| Neighborhood Office (NO) | 1 | 6 ft | 8 sq ft (total, combined freestanding and attached) | — |
| Limited Office (LO), General Office (GO), Corporate Park Office (CPO), Institutional and Public (IP) | 2 | 6 ft (<600 ft frontage), 6 ft (>600 ft frontage) | 36 sq ft (<600 ft frontage), 36 sq ft (>600 ft frontage) | — |
| Neighborhood Business (NB) | 1 | 6 ft | 8 sq ft (total, combined freestanding and attached) | — |
| Pedestrian Business (PB), Limited Business (LB), Neighborhood Shopping Center Business District (NSB), Highway Business (HB), General Business (GB), Central Business (CB), Light Industrial (LI), General Industrial (GI), Central Industrial (CI), Campus (C), Mixed Use Special Use District (MU-S), Major Retail Business Special Use District (MRB-S) | 3 | 15 ft (main sign); extra sign 6 ft | 100 sq ft (main sign); extra sign 36 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Vehicular Entrance/Exit Signs | 3 ft | 6 sq ft each | — | — | One entrance and one exit sign per driveway | At vehicular entry/exit per driveway | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(7) |
| Incidental Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(8) |
| Information, Direction, Identification Signs (Gov.) | 6 ft (except as needed for health, safety, welfare) | 36 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises; installed by/request of govt authority | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(9) |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit or principal use | On-premises (one per dwelling or principal use) | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(10) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per principal use | Sidewalk (CB, PB, NB, MU-S districts only); sidewalk must remain at least 5 ft wide | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(11) |
| Construction, Development, Lender Sign | 10 ft | 32 sq ft if ≤5 acres, 64 sq ft if >5 acres and 500 ft frontage; 1 additional if 500 ft+ frontage | — | — | 1 per development or 2 if >5 acres & 500'+ frontage | On-premises only | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(12) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential: <2 acres) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On-premises | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(13) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential: ≥2 acres) | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On-premises | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(13) |

### Residential Districts (YR, AG, RS-40, RS-30, RS-20, RS-15, RS-12, RS-9, RS-7, RSQ, RM-5, RM-8, RM-12, RM-18, RM-U, MH), YR, AG, RS-40, RS-30, RS-20, RS-15, RS-12, RS-9, RS-7, RSQ, RM-5, RM-8, RM-12, RM-18, RM-U, MH

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (for Church, School, Rec. Uses, MF/PRD/MH Development, Community Facilities) | 6 ft | 36 sq ft (per sign) | — | At least 1.5 ft from street R.O.W. All parts of sign must comply. | 1 sign per permitted use per street frontage; up to 2 at each principal entrance for large developments | On-premises (church/religious, school, rec., MF/PRD/MHD/congregate/life-care) | — | Table B.3.6, Section B.3-2.1(G) |
| Freestanding Sign (Other permitted uses) | 6 ft | 18 sq ft | — | At least 1.5 ft from street right-of-way | 1 per use, per street frontage | On-premises | — | Table B.3.6 |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling | On-premises (residential use) | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(10) |
| Real Estate Sign (for properties <2 acres) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(13) |
| Real Estate Sign (for properties ≥2 acres) | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | Section B.3-2.1(D)(13) |

### Pedestrian Business (PB), Limited Business (LB), Neighborhood Shopping Center Business District (NSB), Highway Business (HB), General Business (GB), Central Business (CB), Light Industrial (LI), General Industrial (GI), Central Industrial (CI), Campus (C), Mixed Use Special Use District (MU-S), Major Retail Business Special Use District (MRB-S)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft (<600 ft frontage); 6 ft (>600 ft frontage); Shopping center main sign: 15 ft | 36 sq ft (<600 ft frontage); 36 sq ft (>600 ft frontage); Shopping center signs: 100 sq ft, max 15 ft tall (see below) | — | 1.5 ft setback from R.O.W. | 1 per street frontage, up to 2 with 200 ft separation | On-premises | — | Table B.3.6, Table B.3.6a, Section B.3-2.1(G) |
| Attached Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Any building wall (not above roofline) | — | Table B.3.6b, Section B.3-2.1(H) |
| Shopping Center Main Freestanding Sign | 15 ft (main sign); extra sign 6 ft | 100 sq ft (main sign); extra sign 36 sq ft | — | At primary entrance, 1.5 ft from R.O.W. | 1 main, 1 additional if >1 frontage, separation applies | At primary entrance to shopping center | — | Table B.3.6a |

## Prohibited signs in Walkertown

- Off-premises advertising signs are prohibited, except where regulation is controlled by State or Federal law.
- All signs not expressly permitted by this Ordinance are prohibited.
- No sign shall be located within the public right-of-way or sight distance triangles except as permitted by this Ordinance and with appropriate approvals.
- No sign shall be located in a manner which creates a traffic hazard.
- No sign shall be located in a manner that impairs ingress and egress through windows, doors, or other means of entering or exiting from a structure or building.
- Signs shall be maintained in sound and safe condition. Any sign or supporting structure declared unsafe must be repaired or removed immediately after notice.
- Prohibited signs or objects include: abandoned signs, roof signs, temporary and portable signs (unless otherwise allowed), signs with moving or flashing lights or parts, windblown signs (unless otherwise allowed), signs using warning words or symbols similar to traffic or safety signs, sexually oriented signs (as defined), and ground surface signs.
- Any externally illuminated sign shall be shielded so as not to cast direct light onto a residential district or create a safety hazard.
- No portion of a sign or its supports/embellishments may be attached to or painted on any utility pole, light standard, utility box or pedestal, tree, rock, or other natural object located within the public right-of-way or sight-distance triangles.

## Signs exempt from permit in Walkertown

- Local, state, national, corporate, and organizational flags (with some size restrictions for corporate/organizational flags).
- Government approved signs, required by law or installed/approved by a governmental authority.
- Historical markers erected or placed by a historical nonprofit corporation, the Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission, or other governmental authority (up to 12 sq. ft.).
- Church directional signs (must conform to referenced code).
- Gasoline pump, ATM, and vending machine signs that are integral parts of those devices.
- Menu boards for permitted restaurants with drive-through (up to 32 sq. ft., with other placement restrictions).
- Vehicular entrance and exit signs (up to 6 sq. ft. and 3 ft. high per driveway, non-commercial content except for establishment’s symbol/name/logo).
- Incidental signs (on-premises, up to 12 sq. ft. and 6 ft. high, non-commercial content except for symbol/name/logo).
- Information, direction, and identification signs installed by/at the direction of a governmental authority (up to 36 sq. ft. and 6 ft. high, with logo content limits).
- Home occupation sign (one per dwelling unit or principal use, maximum 1 sq. ft., non-illuminated).
- Sandwich board signs meeting specified design/placement/use restrictions.
- Construction, development, and lender signs (size and duration limits, non-illuminated).
- Real estate signs (area and height restrictions by district/property size, non-illuminated).
- Builder signs (up to 6 sq. ft. and 6 ft. high, must be removed upon sale), and fence wraps for construction projects until final certificate of occupancy.
- Agricultural signs (maximum two off-premises directional signs for produce grown/sold on site).
- Political signs (up to 2 sq. ft.).
- Yard sale signs (on-premises only, up to 2 sq. ft., time limited; off-premises directional signs allowed at limited times).
- On-premises temporary special event signs or banners for religious, charitable, civic, educational, fraternal, government, or similar non-profits (with limits on number, duration, and content requirements).
- Signs inside buildings (including electronic message boards) visible through doors/windows are not regulated by the Ordinance, except for expressly prohibited signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A zoning permit is required from the Zoning Officer prior to construction, reconstruction, erection, enlargement, relocation, structural alteration, repair, or removal of a sign, unless exempted (see Section B.3-2.1(E)).
- Signs within H and HO districts require issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness from Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission prior to permitting.
- Signs within NCO, TO, or AO overlay districts may be subject to additional approvals/requirements.
- Historic signs require classification and approval by the Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission as a precondition for permitting and alterations.
- Multi-tenant developments cannot have individual freestanding signs for tenants unless otherwise provided; shopping centers have specific signage provisions.
- Applications for alternative compliance for required landscaping, alternative bufferyard design, or building spacing must be accompanied by site plans prepared per Section B.7 and may require approval by the Planning Board.
- Requests to exceed maximum size for accessory structures, or requests for bufferyard/landscape variances, may require a special use permit or variance process through the Board of Adjustment.
- Shared parking or loading arrangements must be accompanied by a site plan for approval.
- Landscape plans are required for public or private schools prior to occupancy of new or expanded facilities.
- No sign permit or certificate of occupancy may be issued if required landscaping is not complete; a letter of intent and/or improvement security may be required if planting is delayed.
- All construction, subdivision, or site plans must indicate sidewalks and meet pedestrian connectivity (see street/pedestrian planning requirements).

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

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