# Sign Regulations in Waxhaw, North Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Waxhaw, North Carolina (NC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-carolina/waxhaw
- **Data last verified:** 2025-11-26
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.waxhaw.com/home/showpublisheddocument/4109/638911101795030000#page=126)

## At a glance

Waxhaw, North Carolina regulates 13 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Residential Monument Signs in the Neighborhood Center (NC) zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 32 sq ft, with a 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback. No proposed ground-mounted sign shall be placed within 50 feet of an existing ground-mounted sign if located on separate parcels. When located on the same parcel this distance requirement shall be increased to 200 feet. setback (Sec. Section 10.13.4). Most commercial signs in Waxhaw require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single Family Residential (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 5 | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Main Street (MS) | 7 | 6 ft | 50% of a single window and 30% of the gross glass area on any side of the first floor of a building | — |
| Neighborhood Center (NC) | 11 | 8 ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | 50% of a single window and 30% of the gross glass area on any side of the first floor of a building | — |
| Town Center (TC) | 10 | 8 ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | 200 sq ft | — |
| Corridor Commercial (CC) | 10 | 8 ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | 50% of a single window and 30% of the gross glass area on any side of the first floor of a building | — |
| Employment Center (EC) | 10 | 8 ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | 50% of a single window and 30% of the gross glass area on any side of the first floor of a building | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 5 ft | 50% of a single window and 30% of the gross glass area on any side of the first floor of a building | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Neighborhood Center (NC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Window / Door Sign | n/a | 50% of a single window and 30% of the gross glass area on any side of the first floor of a building | — | — | n/a | On windows or doors | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Awning / Canopy Sign | May encroach over sidewalk area to within 4 feet of curb and shall have 8 feet clearance | 50% of the awning area | — | — | 1 per public entrance | First floor awnings only | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Blade / Projecting Sign | Must be below the roof, soffit, or parapet | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per tenant | May encroach over sidewalk area by 4 feet of curb with 8 feet clearance | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Residential Monument Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback. No proposed ground-mounted sign shall be placed within 50 feet of an existing ground-mounted sign if located on separate parcels. When located on the same parcel this distance requirement shall be increased to 200 feet. | 2 signs per major entrance | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Non-Residential Monument Sign | 8 ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | 50 sq ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | — | 5 ft minimum front setback and 10 ft minimum side setback | 1 per street frontage providing access to the site. For multi-tenant developments, see Master Sign Plan requirements | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Post & Arm Sign | 5 ft | 6 sq ft | — | 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback | 1 per lot | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Pylon Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback | 1 per street frontage | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Drive-thru Menu Board | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per Drive-Thru Line | To the rear of the building with no screening requirements. If located on a public frontage or side yard, landscaped screening is required | — | Section 10.13.4 |

### Town Center (TC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Window / Door Sign | n/a | 50% of a single window and 30% of the gross glass area on any side of the first floor of a building | — | — | n/a | On windows or doors | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Awning / Canopy Sign | May encroach over sidewalk area to within 4 feet of curb and shall have 8 feet clearance | 50% of the awning area | — | — | 1 per public entrance | First floor awnings only | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Theatre Marquee Sign | May not exceed the maximum height for the zoning district | 200 sq ft | — | — | 1 per theatre | Perpendicular to the façade of the building or at a 45 degree angle from the corner of the building | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Blade / Projecting Sign | Must be below the roof, soffit, or parapet | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per tenant | May encroach over sidewalk area by 4 feet of curb with 8 feet clearance | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Non-Residential Monument Sign | 8 ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | 50 sq ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | — | 5 ft minimum front setback and 10 ft minimum side setback | 1 per street frontage providing access to the site. For multi-tenant developments, see Master Sign Plan requirements | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Post & Arm Sign | 5 ft | 6 sq ft | — | 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback | 1 per lot | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Pylon Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback | 1 per street frontage | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Temporary Sign (New Development) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Not within a street right-of-way or sight distance triangle | — | Section 10.14 D |

### Employment Center (EC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Window / Door Sign | n/a | 50% of a single window and 30% of the gross glass area on any side of the first floor of a building | — | — | n/a | On windows or doors | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Awning / Canopy Sign | May encroach over sidewalk area to within 4 feet of curb and shall have 8 feet clearance | 50% of the awning area | — | — | 1 per public entrance | First floor awnings only | — | Section 10.13.2 |
| Residential Monument Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback. No proposed ground-mounted sign shall be placed within 50 feet of an existing ground-mounted sign if located on separate parcels. When located on the same parcel this distance requirement shall be increased to 200 feet. | 2 signs per major entrance | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Non-Residential Monument Sign | 8 ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | 50 sq ft (Multi-tenant developments can do 150% of requirement) | — | 5 ft minimum front setback and 10 ft minimum side setback | 1 per street frontage providing access to the site. For multi-tenant developments, see Master Sign Plan requirements | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Post & Arm Sign | 5 ft | 6 sq ft | — | 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback | 1 per lot | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Pylon Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | 5 feet minimum front setback and 10 feet minimum side setback | 1 per street frontage | Ground-mounted | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Drive-thru Menu Board | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per Drive-Thru Line | To the rear of the building with no screening requirements. If located on a public frontage or side yard, landscaped screening is required | — | Section 10.13.4 |
| Temporary Sign (New Development) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Not within a street right-of-way or sight distance triangle | — | Section 10.14 D |

## Prohibited signs in Waxhaw

- Signs which constitute a hazard to public health or safety
- Roof signs or signs that extend above the parapet of a building
- Animated/flashing signs
- Off-premises billboard signs, including outdoor advertising signs, except those placed by governmental agencies for public purposes
- Any sign placed on any utility pole, street sign post, hydrant, bridge, tree, or public street paving
- Signage in or affixed to a motor vehicle, boat, or trailer that is parked within right-of-way, and in the same location for a period of 30 days or longer
- Electronic message boards in MS, NC, and any single family zoning district
- Signs which obstruct ingress or egress from any fire escape, door, window, or other entrance or exit
- Signs, other than governmental signs, which contain lights, rotating disks, words and other devices not erected by a public authority, which may be erroneously construed as government signs, or emergency warning signs
- Pennants, streamers, balloons, feather flags, ribbons, inflatable signs, pinwheels and spinners
- Any sign or flag the Zoning Administrator deems to be significantly worn, torn, dilapidated, damaged, tattered, or otherwise in disrepair
- Signs displaying obscene or indecent matter
- Signs erected or displayed on or over public street rights-of-way, other than those erected by governmental agencies or for which appropriate encroachment agreements have been executed pursuant to this Code. Signs specifically protected by the provisions of NCGS 136-32 are not prohibited, provided the requirements of NCGS 136-32 are met.

## Signs exempt from permit in Waxhaw

- Warning and security signs, including signs placed by a public utility for the safety, welfare, or convenience of the public, including, but not limited to signs identifying fire department connections or high voltage, public telephone, or underground cables and/or gas pipe lines
- Government signs and signs for non-profit organizations sponsored by governments including insignia, statutorily required legal notices, informational, directional, wayfinding, and traffic safety signs
- Signs on athletic fields, scoreboards and internally-oriented signs on athletic fields
- Vending machine, ATM, gasoline pump or other similar signs. Incidental signs attached to and made an integral part of a vending machine, automatic teller machine, or gasoline pump if advertising or giving information about the products or services dispensed or vended by the machine
- Portable/A-frame signs. Pedestrian-scaled non-permanent signs which are used to display menus, daily specials, sale announcements and similar messages, provided they contain no more than 8 square feet per side and 4 feet in height with 1 per tenant
- Official government flags that do not exceed 60 square feet in area, and displayed on flagpoles not exceeding 60 feet in height. Flagpoles may be ground, roof or wall-mounted.
- Holiday, sports, and good-will decorations with message if not illuminated.
- Signs for “temporary uses” as defined in Chapter 4 of this Code. Signage is permitted for the maximum time allowed for the temporary business at a specific location
- Directional/identification signs. Such signs displayed strictly for the address, direction, safety, or convenience of the public, including signs which identify restrooms, parking areas, entrances or exits, warning, danger, and no trespassing signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master signage plan shall be submitted to the Town for developments containing one principal structure with over 10,000 square feet or any multi-tenant development or multi-building complex.
- Within a development, the coordination of styles and colors will be used to ensure continuity. The same type of materials must be used for all attached/freestanding signage on any single or multi-tenant structure.
- All types of attached/freestanding signs, as long as they produce a unifying theme and meet all area and height requirements, will be considered by staff except for those expressly prohibited by this Ordinance.
- Maximum square footage of wall signs shall be 10% of a single wall area. There is no limit on the number of wall signs, as long as the maximum square footage allowed is not exceeded.
- Only permitted freestanding sign to be used shall be a monument sign.
- Detailed designs of all proposed signs including size, height, copy, materials, and colors of such signs.
- Proposed number and location of signs.
- Sign illumination plans.
- Provisions for shared usage of freestanding sign(s).
- A master signage plan will be part of any non-residential construction document/civil plan submittal required for development and shall be processed simultaneously with such plan(s).
- A master signage plan will be approved prior to the issuance of sign permit(s).
- A master signage plan may be amended by filing a new plan, which complies with all the requirements of this Code provided that the new plan is accompanied with the necessary processing fees.
- After approval of a master signage plan, no sign will be erected, affixed, placed, painted or otherwise established except in conformance with such plan and such plan may be enforced in the same way as any other provisions of this code.
- Single-Tenant Buildings over 10,000 sq ft and multi-tenant buildings: see Master Sign Plan requirements in this Chapter.
- For multi-tenant developments, please see Master Sign Plan requirements in this chapter.

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

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