# Sign Regulations in Clinton, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Clinton, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/clinton
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/SC/Clinton/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH50OFMIPR_ARTXISMPR_S50-276POSI)

## At a glance

Clinton, South Carolina regulates 15 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Projecting Signs in the Central Commercial District (C-2) zoning district are capped at 6 sq. ft. for one side, with a Minimum clearance 8 ft. above ground setback (Sec. Sec. 4.6.7.C.3). Most commercial signs in Clinton require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Central Commercial District (C-2) | 7 | 24 ft. from finished grade | 30% of window area | — |
| General Commercial District (C-3) | 6 | 35 ft. | 20% of window area | — |
| Office and Professional District (O&P) | 7 | 35 ft from finished grade | 30% of window area | — |
| Light Industrial District (LI) | 6 | 35 ft. | 20% of window area | — |
| Industrial District (I-1) | 7 | 35 ft. | 45 sq. ft. for one side | — |
| Industrial District (I-2) | 6 | 5.5 ft. | 45 sq. ft. for one side | — |
| Planned Development District (PD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Musgrove Street Planned Development District | 2 | 8 ft. | 15% of exterior surface of awning | — |
| Historical Buildings and Maintenance District (HB-MD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Low Density, Residential (R-1); Medium Density, Residential (R-2); High Density, Residential (R-3); Manufactured Housing, Residential (R-MH); Agricultural-Reserve District (A-R) | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### Central Commercial District (C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 20 sq. ft. or 15% of front wall area (whichever is greater) | — | — | One per street frontage | Building wall facing street | — | Sec. 4.6.7.C.1 |
| Window Sign | — | 30% of window area | — | — | One per street frontage | Window | — | Sec. 4.6.7.C.2 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. for one side | — | Minimum clearance 8 ft. above ground | One per street frontage | Projecting from building | — | Sec. 4.6.7.C.3 |
| Awning Sign | Individual letters on awning max 10 inches tall | — | — | — | One per street frontage | On awning | — | Sec. 4.6.7.C.4 |
| Free Standing Sign | 24 ft. from finished grade | 20 sq. ft. per sign face | — | — | One per street frontage | Freestanding on lot | — | Sec. 4.6.7.C.5 |
| Secondary Window/Projecting Sign | — | 6 in. x 18 in. | — | — | One per business | Window or projecting, supplement to primary sign | — | Sec. 4.6.7.D.1 |
| Upper Floor Business Sign | — | 6 in. x 18 in. | — | — | One per business occupying upper floor | For upper floor business tenants | — | Sec. 4.6.7.D.2 |

### Office and Professional District (O&P)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 20 sq. ft. or 15% of front wall area (whichever is greater) | — | — | One per street frontage | Building wall facing street | — | Sec. 4.8.7.C.1 |
| Window Sign | — | 30% of window area | — | — | One per street frontage | Window | — | Sec. 4.8.7.C.2 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. for one side | — | Min. clearance 8 ft above ground. | One per street frontage | Projecting from building | — | Sec. 4.8.7.C.3 |
| Awning Sign | Individual letters max 10 in. | — | — | — | One per street frontage | On awning | — | Sec. 4.8.7.C.4 |
| Ground Sign (Monument) | 35 ft from finished grade | 20 sq. ft. per sign face | — | — | — | Freestanding/ground sign | — | Sec. 4.8.7.C.5 |
| Secondary Window/Projecting Sign | — | 6 in. x 18 in. | — | — | One per business | Window or projecting, supplement to primary sign | — | Sec. 4.8.7.D.1 |
| Upper Floor Business Sign | — | 6 in. x 18 in. | — | — | One per business occupying upper floor | For upper floor business tenants | — | Sec. 4.8.7.D.2 |

### Industrial District (I-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot of building wall | — | — | Max 2 types per street frontage | Building wall facing street | — | Sec. 4.10.7.E.1 |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of window area | — | — | Max 2 types per street frontage | Window | — | Sec. 4.10.7.E.2 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq. ft. for one side | — | Min. 8 ft clearance above ground. | Max 2 types per street frontage | Projecting from building | — | Sec. 4.10.7.E.3 |
| Awning Sign | — | 15% of exterior surface of awning | — | — | Max 2 types per street frontage | On awning | — | Sec. 4.10.7.E.4 |
| Ground Sign | 3.5 ft. | 45 sq. ft. for one side | — | — | — | Ground / monument sign | — | Sec. 4.10.7.E.5 |
| Directory Sign | — | 3 in. x 15 in. per identified activity | — | — | One per parcel | Directory/tenant info, design per allowable formats | — | Sec. 4.10.7.E.6 |
| Freestanding Sign | 35 ft. | 1 sq. ft. per 3 feet of street frontage | — | — | — | Freestanding on lot | — | Sec. 4.10.7.E.7 |

## Prohibited signs in Clinton

- No sign, or part thereof, may be altered, constructed, changed, converted, enlarged, or moved unless in conformity with the requirements of the applicable signage sections.
- Moving signs of any type (other than barber poles in certain districts) are prohibited.
- Signs projecting above the roof line are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Any sign not listed as being allowed is prohibited.
- Internally illuminated signs other than non-flashing neon are prohibited in the Office and Professional District.
- Freestanding signs are prohibited for certain conditional uses (e.g., sexually oriented businesses in the LI district).
- Monument signs are prohibited along main streets in the Office and Professional District.

## Signs exempt from permit in Clinton

- Barber pole moving signs are exempt from prohibition on moving signs in Central Commercial and Office and Professional Districts.
- Secondary signs: Window or projecting sign no larger than six inches by 18 inches solely for business identification, in addition to a wall or awning sign, are permitted in Central Commercial and Office and Professional Districts.
- One sign per business occupying the upper floors of a building, no larger than six inches by 18 inches, is permitted in Central Commercial and Office and Professional Districts.
- A directory sign (subject to specified limitations) is permitted in most commercial and industrial districts.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- In multiple places, districts state '[Requirements.] Refer to section 3.4[3.17]: signage for general sign requirements,' indicating that general sign plan (regulations or potentially review/permit requirements) apply.
- Master or development sign plan is not explicitly required in the zoning district chapters themselves, but Planned Development District (PD) rezoning requires a development plan application per Sec. 4.11.6, which must be approved by planning commission and city council.
- Submittals for Planned Development Districts must include details of all signage as part of the overall development plan.
- Facade and/or exterior improvements (including signs, awnings, paint color changes, etc.) in the Historical Buildings and Maintenance District must first be reviewed with the zoning administrator before construction/installation.
- Signage not conforming to these requirements requires approval via variance, which would include presentation to the appropriate city body as defined elsewhere in the ordinance.

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

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