# Sign Regulations in Abbeville, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Abbeville, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/abbeville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-04
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/SC/Abbeville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_APXAZO_CH5SURE_ARTVSI)

## At a glance

Abbeville, South Carolina regulates 15 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Exempt Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 5 feet tall and 5 square feet, with a 10 feet setback (Sec. § 5-500. - Sign Regulations.). Most commercial signs in Abbeville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 20 feet above the peak of the principal roof | 100 square feet | — |
| R-10, R-8, R-6, GR, RM | 7 | — | 100 square feet | — |
| NC, OC | 1 | — | — | — |
| CC, GC, HC, LI, BI | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Sign Regulations | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 5-500. - Sign Regulations. |
| Exempt Signs | 5 feet | 5 square feet | — | 10 feet | One (1) sign advertising real estate for sale or rent per parcel. | No on-premises sign shall be located closer than ten feet (10') to the boundary of the right-of-way of any abutting street, road or alley. | — | § 5-500. - Sign Regulations. |
| Roof Sign | 20 feet above the peak of the principal roof | — | — | — | One (1) per building | On the roof of a building | — | § 5-500. - Sign Regulations. |
| Construction Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | — | One (1) per construction site | On the premises for work involving construction, alteration, or removal | — | § 5-500. - Sign Regulations. |
| Wall Sign | — | 20% of the front surface or the maximum area permitted by district regulations, whichever is less | — | — | — | Attached to, projecting from, or painted on the surface of the wall | — | § 5-500. - Sign Regulations. |
| Temporary Subdivision Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | Not less than ten (10) feet from a street right-of-way or subdivision boundary line | — | On the premises of the land subdivision | — | § 5-500. - Sign Regulations. |
| Private Directional Sign | — | 6 square feet | 4 feet | — | — | Off-premises, on private property | — | § 5-500. - Sign Regulations. |
| Political Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Only on private property | — | § 5-500. - Sign Regulations. |

### R-10, R-8, R-6, GR, RM

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-illuminated Business Identification Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | 10 feet | One (1) per building | Set back not less than ten (10) feet from a street right-of-way | — | § 5-501. - Permitted Signs. |
| Tourist Home Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | 5 feet | One (1) per tourist home | Set back not less than five (5) feet from a street right-of-way | — | § 5-501. - Permitted Signs. |
| Temporary Subdivision Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | Not less than ten (10) feet from a street right-of-way or subdivision boundary line | — | On the premises of the land subdivision | — | § 5-501. - Permitted Signs. |
| Private Directional Sign | — | 6 square feet | 4 feet | — | — | Off-premises, on private property | — | § 5-501. - Permitted Signs. |
| Mobile Home Park Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | § 5-501. - Permitted Signs. |
| Professional or Business Name Plate | — | 1 square foot | — | — | One (1) per home occupation | Mounted flat against the wall of a building | — | § 5-501. - Permitted Signs. |
| Church, Institutional, or Public Facility Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | 10 feet | One (1) per facility | Set back not less than ten (10) feet from a street right-of-way | — | § 5-501. - Permitted Signs. |

### NC, OC

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Sign Regulations | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 5-501. - Permitted Signs. |

## Prohibited signs in Abbeville

- No private sign shall be permitted which imitates or gives the appearance of an official traffic or emergency sign or signal.
- No private sign shall be permitted which utilizes flashing, blinking, or moving lights, pictures or images which are distracting to drivers of vehicles.
- No private sign shall be permitted which casts into a residential district illumination of intensity or duration incompatible with the residential district.
- No sign shall be painted on or attached to a tree, fence, utility pole, tower, tank, roof, rock or other natural feature.
- Any sign which displays intermittent or flashing illumination or lights of changing degrees of intensity, except a sign indicating time and/or temperature with changes alternating on not less than a five-second cycle.
- Any outside illuminated tubing or string of lights outlining property lines or open sales areas, outside roof lines, doors, windows or wall edges of any building, except for 'holiday season' lights.
- Off premises temporary signs are prohibited.
- No temporary, commercial or for profit signs will be allowed in the right-of-way.
- Temporary signs cannot be mounted by hardware or otherwise affixed in permanent nature to a structure or building.
- Temporary signs cannot be internally or externally illuminated.
- Temporary signs on or attached to utility poles or trees, shrubs, or plants are prohibited, except that approved community banners may be attached to utility poles.

## Signs exempt from permit in Abbeville

- Traffic, directional, street, warning, or information signs authorized by a public agency.
- Official notices issued by a court, public agency or office.
- No more than one (1) sign advertising real estate for sale or one (1) sign advertising real estate for rent or lease shall be allowed per parcel of land.
- Open House Signs: One (1) 'Open House' sign allowed on property for sale.
- Up to three (3) 'Open House' signs directing towards the house or subdivision in the case of multiple open houses.
- Signs must be placed within one mile of the open house.
- 'Open House' signs may only be displayed during daylight hours, while an agent is on site and must state 'Open House' on the sign.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign shall be erected, altered or reconstructed without a permit issued by the Zoning Administrator and compliance with all applicable regulations.

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

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