# Sign Regulations in Cayce, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cayce, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/cayce
- **Data last verified:** 2025-12-15
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://caycesc.gov/files/planning/zoningordinance.pdf#page=161)

## At a glance

Cayce, South Carolina regulates 30 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding On-Premise Monument Signs in the C-4 Highway Commercial District zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and 75 sq. ft., with a 5 ft from property line setback (Sec. Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding On-Premise Monument P), Table 8-B (J)). Most commercial signs in Cayce require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single-Family Residential Districts (RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RS-4, RS-4A), General Residential Districts (RG-1, RG-2) | 11 | 12 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| C-1 Office and Institutional Commercial District | 10 | 20 ft | 200 sq. ft. total for building signs | — |
| C-2 Neighborhood Commercial District | 17 | 20 ft | 200 sq. ft. total for building signs | — |
| C-3 Central Commercial District | 17 | Not to extend above roof, mansard, or parapet; min 12 in. from edges | 200 sq. ft. total for building signs | — |
| C-4 Highway Commercial District | 18 | 35 ft | 200 sq. ft. total for building signs | — |
| M-1 Light Industrial District | 18 | 40 ft | 672 sq. ft. | — |
| M-2 Heavy Industrial District | 18 | 40 ft | 672 sq. ft. | — |
| D-1 Development District | 9 | 20 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| Planned Development District (PDD) | 1 | As per underlying district, increased in C-3 only | As per underlying district, increased by 1 sq. ft. per linear ft frontage over 100 ft, max 200 sq. ft. | — |

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

### C-4 Highway Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding On-Premise Monument Sign | 20 ft | 75 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot (additional per frontage per E) | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding On-Premise Monument P), Table 8-B (J) |
| Freestanding On-Premise Other Sign | 20 ft | 75 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot (additional per frontage per E) | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding On-Premise Other P), Table 8-B (J) |
| Canopy Sign | — | 200 sq. ft. total for building signs | — | — | Included in 6 per building | On canopy of building | — | Table 8-A (Building Canopy P), Table 8-B |
| Wall Sign | Not to extend above roof, mansard, or parapet; min 12 in. from edges | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 6 per building | On building wall, parallel to facade | — | Table 8-A (Building Wall P), Table 8-B, Section 8.5 |
| Temporary A-Frame Sign | 4 ft | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per entrance | Sidewalk adjacent to business, within 15 ft of entrance | — | Table 8-A (Temporary A-Frame A), Section 8.6 A |
| Temporary Portable Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Portable (5)), Section 8.6 D |
| Temporary Identification Sign | 6-8 ft | See Condition G | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per street frontage | Private property, one per street frontage | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Identification A), Section 8.6 G |
| Temporary Other Commercial Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per frontage | Private property, one per street frontage | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Other), Section 8.6 H/I |

### M-1 Light Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Off-Premise Billboard | 40 ft | 672 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft from property line (50 ft for billboards? Table says 10' for billboards) | 1 per 500 linear ft frontage or per lot, whichever less | Fronting or within 600 ft of Interstate ROW | — | Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding Off-Premise P(4)), Table 8-B (C,D,F) |
| Freestanding On-Premise Monument Sign | 40 ft | 75 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot (additional per frontage per E) | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding On-Premise Monument P), Table 8-B (F) |
| Freestanding On-Premise Other Sign | 40 ft | 75 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot (additional per frontage per E) | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding On-Premise Other P), Table 8-B (F) |
| Wall Sign | Not to extend above roof, mansard, or parapet; min 12 in. from edges | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 6 per building | On building wall, parallel to facade | — | Table 8-A (Building Wall P), Table 8-B, Section 8.5 |
| Temporary A-Frame Sign | 4 ft | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per entrance | Sidewalk adjacent to business, within 15 ft of entrance | — | Table 8-A (Temporary A-Frame A), Section 8.6 A |
| Temporary Portable Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Portable (5)), Section 8.6 D |
| Temporary Identification Sign | 6-8 ft | See Condition G | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per street frontage | Private property, one per street frontage | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Identification A), Section 8.6 G |
| Temporary Other Commercial Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per frontage | Private property, one per street frontage | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Other), Section 8.6 H/I |

### M-2 Heavy Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Off-Premise Billboard | 40 ft | 672 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft from property line | 1 per 500 linear ft frontage or per lot, whichever less | Fronting or within 600 ft of Interstate ROW | — | Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding Off-Premise P(4)), Table 8-B (C,D,F) |
| Freestanding On-Premise Monument Sign | 40 ft | 75 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot (additional per frontage per E) | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding On-Premise Monument P), Table 8-B (F) |
| Freestanding On-Premise Other Sign | 40 ft | 75 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot (additional per frontage per E) | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Permanent Freestanding On-Premise Other P), Table 8-B (F) |
| Wall Sign | Not to extend above roof, mansard, or parapet; min 12 in. from edges | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 6 per building | On building wall, parallel to facade | — | Table 8-A (Building Wall P), Table 8-B, Section 8.5 |
| Temporary A-Frame Sign | 4 ft | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per entrance | Sidewalk adjacent to business, within 15 ft of entrance | — | Table 8-A (Temporary A-Frame A), Section 8.6 A |
| Temporary Portable Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 | Private property | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Portable (5)), Section 8.6 D |
| Temporary Identification Sign | 6-8 ft | See Condition G | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per street frontage | Private property, one per street frontage | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Identification A), Section 8.6 G |
| Temporary Other Commercial Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per frontage | Private property, one per street frontage | — | Table 8-A (Temporary Other), Section 8.6 H/I |

## Prohibited signs in Cayce

- All signs not expressly permitted under this ordinance are prohibited.
- Signs painted on or attached to trees, fence posts, telephone or other utility poles, non-operating vehicles, or natural features.
- Signs displaying intermittent lights resembling the flashing lights customarily used in traffic signals or in police, fire, ambulance, rescue vehicles or other warning signals, and signs using the words “stop”, “danger”, or any other word, phrase, symbol, or character in a manner that might mislead or confuse motorists.
- Signs which have been abandoned, or no longer correctly direct or exhort any person, advertise a bona fide business, lessor, owner, product, or activity conducted or product available on site.
- Signs which have fallen into disrepair (dilapidated), are not properly maintained, are insecure or otherwise structurally unsound, or have defective components.
- Roof signs are not allowed in any zoning district.
- Animated signs are not allowed in any zoning district.
- Signs with exposed bulbs or neon illumination are not allowed in any zoning district.
- No sign shall be allowed in the public right-of-way except for specifically permitted types.
- No sign may be erected, modified, or enlarged unless it conforms to the requirements of this Article.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cayce

- Identification signs (permanent and temporary) are allowed without prior permit approval in all zoning districts.
- Indirect illumination is allowed without permit in all zoning districts.
- Internal illumination is allowed without permit in all zoning districts.
- Public signs erected by or on behalf of a governmental body to post legal notices, identify public property, convey public information, and direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic are allowed in the public right-of-way.
- Bus stop signs erected by a public transit company are allowed in the public right-of-way.
- Informational signs of a public agency or utility regarding its facilities are allowed in the public right-of-way.
- Church signs in accord with state law are allowed in the public right-of-way.
- Historical signs and markers are allowed in the public right-of-way.
- Directional signs of a temporary nature not to exceed three (3) square feet in area and 24 hours in duration for such events as yard sales, auctions, public gatherings, etc., provided they are located no closer than 500 feet apart, are allowed in the public right-of-way.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A Common Signage Plan is required as a prerequisite to the issuance of any sign permit for a single lot or parcel with more than one principal use or building (not including accessory uses or buildings) or qualifying on the basis of street frontage for more than one free-standing sign.
- A Common Signage Plan is required for any PDD (Planned Development District) project.
- The Common Signage Plan must specify standards for consistency among all signs on the affected lot regarding lettering or graphic style, lighting, location of each sign on the buildings, material, and sign proportions.
- A Common Signage Plan limits the number of free-standing signs to a total of one for each street on which there is frontage and provides for shared or common usage of such signs.
- Under a Common Signage Plan, the maximum sign area for the district may be increased by one square foot for each linear foot of street frontage over 100 feet, not to exceed 200 square feet of sign area.
- Under a Common Signage Plan, the maximum sign height may be increased in the C-3 District only by one foot for each linear foot of street frontage, not to exceed 12 feet in height.
- Once approved by the Planning Director, the Common Signage Plan becomes binding on all businesses and uses occupying the affected lots, but may be amended by filing a new or revised Plan in conformance with the requirements of this Ordinance.
- Any new or amended Common Signage Plan filed for a property with existing signs must include a schedule for bringing into conformance, within one year, all signs not conforming to the proposed amended Plan or to the requirements of this Ordinance in effect on the date of submission.
- All signage must be in compliance at the time of an approved revised Common Signage Plan.

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

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