# Sign Regulations in Camden, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Camden, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/camden
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Camden, South Carolina regulates 22 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign - Principals in the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district are capped at 6 ft (≤400 ft frontage); 15 ft (≥400 ft frontage) tall, 40 sq ft (≤400 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (≥400 ft frontage), and 10 ft wide (Sec. § 157.106, § 157.107(A)(3)(c)). Most commercial signs in Camden require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Estate (RE), Residential District (R-15, R-10, R-6, R-6S) | 5 | 15 ft | 20 sq ft | — |
| Central Business District (CBD) | 12 | 20 ft | 40 sq ft (≤400 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (≥400 ft frontage) | — |
| General Business District (GBD), Industrial District (IND), Commercial Mixed Use District (CMU) | 11 | 8 ft | 40 sq ft (≤400 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (≥400 ft frontage) | — |
| Office Institutional (OI), Limited Business District (LBD) | 8 | OI: 15 ft; LBD: 20 ft | 20 sq ft | — |
| Planned Development District (PDD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Historic Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Corridor Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Downtown Core | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | — | 50% of permitted sign area | — |

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

### Central Business District (CBD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Principal | 6 ft (≤400 ft frontage); 15 ft (≥400 ft frontage) | 40 sq ft (≤400 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (≥400 ft frontage) | 10 ft | — | 1 per street frontage | Allowed in required yards and front yard buffer areas. One per street frontage. | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(A)(3)(c) |
| Freestanding Sign - Sidewalk | 4 ft | — | 2.5 ft | — | 1 per business | On sidewalk in front of building, no further than 12 ft from building. | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(A)(6) |
| Building Sign - Canopy | — | 20% of total canopy area | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On canopy facing public street/sidewalk | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(4) |
| Building Sign - Marquee | — | 20% of total marquee area | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On marquee facing public street/sidewalk | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(4) |
| Building Sign - Identification | 8 ft | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(5) |
| Building Sign - Integral Roof | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On building roof | — | § 157.106 |
| Building Sign - Projecting | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Projecting from building toward street/sidewalk | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(8) |
| Building Sign - Wall | 20 ft | see formula | — | — | — | On building wall | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(9) |

### General Business District (GBD), Industrial District (IND), Commercial Mixed Use District (CMU)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Principal | 6 ft (≤400 ft frontage); 15 ft (≥400 ft frontage) | 40 sq ft (≤400 ft frontage); 100 sq ft (≥400 ft frontage) | 10 ft | — | 1 per street frontage | Permitted in all required yards and front yard buffer. | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(A)(3)(c) |
| Freestanding Sign - Incidental | 2.5 ft | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(A)(5) |
| Building Sign - Canopy | — | 20% of total canopy area | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On canopy facing public street/sidewalk | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(4) |
| Building Sign - Identification | 8 ft | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(5) |
| Building Sign - Integral Roof | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On building roof | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(7) |
| Building Sign - Marquee | — | 20% of area of marquee | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On marquee | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(4) |
| Building Sign - Projecting | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Projecting from building | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(8) |
| Building Sign - Wall | Height of building (no explicit cap) | see formula | — | — | — | On wall | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(9) |

### Office Institutional (OI), Limited Business District (LBD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Principal | 6 ft | 20 sq ft | 10 ft | — | 1 per street frontage | Permitted in all required yards and buffer areas. One per street frontage. | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(A)(3)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign - Incidental | 2.5 ft | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(A)(5) |
| Building Sign - Canopy | — | 20% of total canopy area | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Canopy facing public street/sidewalk | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(4) |
| Building Sign - Identification | 8 ft | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(5) |
| Building Sign - Incidental | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | On building | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(6) |
| Building Sign - Wall | OI: 15 ft; LBD: 20 ft | see formula | — | — | — | On wall | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(9)(e),(g) |
| Building Sign - Projecting | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Projecting from building | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(8) |
| Building Sign - Window | — | see formula | — | — | — | Window facing public street | — | § 157.106, § 157.107(B)(10) |

## Prohibited signs in Camden

- No sign shall be located within visual clearance areas as defined in § 157.191.
- Signs shall not obscure building elements such as windows, cornices, or decorative details, except inside windows as permitted.
- Signs extending over a sidewalk, walkway, or pedestrian area must have at least eight feet of clearance above the ground.
- Signs extending over vehicle areas must have at least 14 feet of clearance above the ground.
- Signs must not have light-reflecting backgrounds (but may use light-reflecting lettering).
- Sign illumination must use only shielded white lights, directed entirely onto the sign face.
- Light sources used for sign illumination must not be visible from a street right-of-way, cause hazardous glare, or create nuisance to adjacent properties.
- No illumination simulating traffic control devices or emergency vehicles is allowed; no lights intermittently switched on and off, changing in intensity or color, or creating the illusion of flashing or movement.
- Illumination using exposed bulbs is prohibited.
- Lights illuminating signs must remain at a constant intensity.
- Neon or strip lights are not allowed on building exteriors unless used as an internal light source of translucent panels or signs.
- No fluorescent colors shall be used on signs.
- Background colors for signs are limited to white, grey, or pastel (with district-specific exceptions for certain signs).
- All signs not expressly permitted by this Zoning Ordinance are prohibited.
- Signs that do not meet requirements of the Zoning Ordinance are prohibited.
- Off-premise signs are prohibited.
- Signs with moving, flashing, or animated lights, or with moving or movable parts, or that give the appearance of motion, are prohibited.
- Signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked or located to attract attention to businesses/products are prohibited.
- Signs emitting sound, odor, steam, bubbles, particulates or similar devices to attract attention are prohibited.
- Signs that obstruct fire escapes, downspouts, windows, doors, stairways, ladders, or open air passages are prohibited.
- Signs that mimic government or traffic direction/safety signs are prohibited.
- Signs interfering with or obscuring a traffic sign, device, or signal are prohibited.
- Signs that use words, phrases, symbols or characters likely to mislead, confuse, or distract drivers (e.g., 'stop', 'danger') are prohibited.
- Signs attached to, or painted on, trees, rocks, natural features, fences, utility poles, or roofs (visible from a public thoroughfare) are prohibited.
- Abandoned or unsafe signs must be removed or repaired.
- Signs with pornographic or obscene content are prohibited.
- Signs using mechanical devices to create wind pressure and movement (attention-getters) are prohibited.
- Portable signs are prohibited except for compliant sidewalk signs.
- Strobe lights are prohibited.
- Pennants, moving signs, and motorized signs are prohibited.
- Spotlights or lasers, moveable or non-moveable, to attract attention or advertise are prohibited.
- Illuminated highly reflective signs that hamper vision of motorists, pedestrians, or cyclists are prohibited.
- Any sign, banner, or display (other than a government sign) placed on any curb, sidewalk, post, pole, hydrant, bridge, tree, or other surface on, over, or across any public street or right-of-way is prohibited unless otherwise permitted.
- Any sign that obstructs the view of bicyclists or motorists is prohibited.
- Temporary signs are prohibited in the public right-of-way or on any public property, utility poles, or street signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Camden

- Official sign or notice issued by any court, public agency, or office.
- Directional, warning, traffic, or informational signs authorized by the City of Camden, Kershaw County, or any State of South Carolina agency.
- 911 address signs, limited to one per lot and not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Official historic plaques and markers, as well as memorial signs and grave markers which are noncommercial in nature.
- One onsite temporary real estate sign per street frontage, provided that no sign in a commercial district exceeds 32 square feet and no sign in a residential district exceeds three square feet.
- Flags (permits are not required to display flags, subject to other flag-specific standards).
- Public signs erected by or on behalf of government bodies for legal notices, public property identification, public information, and pedestrian or vehicular traffic direction/regulation.
- Bus stop signs and bench/bus shelter signs installed by public transit agencies.
- Informational signs of public agencies or utilities regarding their facilities.
- Emergency signs.
- Directional signs of a temporary nature for events like yard sales, auctions, or public gatherings (with time limitations).
- Church signs in accordance with state law.
- Canopy, marquee, projecting, sidewalk, and awning signs meeting specific requirements are allowed in the public right-of-way as exceptions.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A common signage plan is required for any permit involving two or more contiguous lots or parcels under the same ownership developed as a coordinated site.
- A common signage plan is required for any single lot or parcel with more than one principal use or building (excluding accessory structures) or qualifying for more than one freestanding sign on the basis of street frontage.
- A common signage plan is required within a Planned Development District (PDD).
- Buildings containing multiple building signs are required to submit a common signage plan meeting the requirements of § 157.108.
- The common signage plan must contain all information required for sign permits, and specify standards for consistency among affected signs (e.g., lettering, lighting, location, materials, proportions).
- All lots or development tracts with multiple uses or buildings (in all zoning districts) must comply with common signage plan requirements to limit the number of freestanding signs and facilitate shared/common usage.
- Approved common signage plans become binding on all businesses and uses occupying the covered lots, but may be amended with a new or revised plan compliant with these requirements.
- New or revised common signage plans for properties with existing non-conforming signs must include a schedule for bringing all signs into conformance within 18 months.

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

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