# Sign Regulations in Hartsville, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Hartsville, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/hartsville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/SC/Hartsville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICICO_CH74STSIOTPUPL_ARTIIISIPROB)

## At a glance

Hartsville, South Carolina regulates 31 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Single Tenant)s in the Central Business District (B-1) zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 8 sq ft (Sec. Sec. 7.b). Most commercial signs in Hartsville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 8 ft | 54 sq ft per flag | — |
| Residential zoning districts, Residential districts | 4 | 8 ft | 15 sq ft | — |
| Agricultural zoning districts | 1 | 8 ft | 15 sq ft | — |
| Professional Office Zone (P-1) | 4 | 8 ft | 12 sq ft | — |
| Central Business District (B-1) | 11 | 12 ft max, 8 ft min clearance | 15 sq ft per story | — |
| Neighborhood Business District (B-2) | 5 | 8 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| General Business (B-3), Industrial (M-1, M-2), Manufacturing (M-1, M-2) | 9 | 15 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Campus (CA) | 1 | — | 2 ft x 4 ft (light poles), 18 in x 3 ft (decorative 16 ft poles); optional 24 in x 12 in add-on | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### Central Business District (B-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Single Tenant) | 8 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel | On-premises | — | Sec. 7.b |
| Freestanding Sign (Multiple Tenants) | 8 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel | On-premises | — | Sec. 7.b |
| Projecting Sign / Marquee or Roof Overhang Sign | 12 ft max, 8 ft min clearance | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | Projecting from building | — | Sec. 7.d |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | No closer than 3 ft from curb | — | Attached to awning | — | Sec. 7.e |
| Canopy Sign | — | — | — | No closer than 3 ft from curb | — | Attached to canopy | — | Sec. 7.f |
| Portable Sandwich Board Sign (Special Event) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | On the property being advertised | — | Sec. 7.h |
| Blade Sign (3+ Stories) | — | 15 sq ft per story | — | Not closer than 2 ft from curb | 1 per building | Projecting from building | — | Sec. 7.i |
| Blade Sign (2 Stories, 1 per Business) | — | 15 sq ft per story | — | Not closer than 2 ft from curb | 1 per business | Projecting from building | — | Sec. 7.i |

### Neighborhood Business District (B-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Mounted Sign | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | Multiple (see additional requirements) | On building | — | Sec. 8.a |
| Freestanding Sign (Single Tenant) | 8 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | On-premises | — | Sec. 8.b |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center or >3 Tenants) | 8 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per shopping center/building | On-premises | — | Sec. 8.c |
| Projecting/Marquee/Roof Overhang Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | Max projection 5 ft from front, no closer than 2 ft from property line | — | Projecting/attached to marquee or roof overhang | — | Sec. 8.d |
| Internally Illuminated Wall/Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Flat on building or window | — | Sec. 8.e |

### General Business (B-3), Industrial (M-1, M-2), Manufacturing (M-1, M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Mounted Sign | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | Multiple (see additional requirements) | On building | — | Sec. 9.a.1 |
| Roof Sign | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | 2 per building | On roof | — | Sec. 9.a.2 |
| Freestanding Sign (Single Tenant) | 8 ft | 30 sq ft (sign), 40 sq ft (total structure) | — | — | 1 per property | Ground mounted, monument style | — | Sec. 9.a.3 |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center or >3 Tenants) | 15 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per center/building | On-premises | — | Sec. 9.a.4 |
| Projecting/Marquee/Roof Overhang Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | Not more than 6 ft from front, not closer than 2 ft from curbline | — | Projecting/attached to marquee or roof overhang | — | Sec. 9.a.5 |
| Office/Industrial Center Identification Sign | 10 ft | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 per major entrance | Ground mounted at major entrance | — | Sec. 9.a.6 |
| Off-Premises Directional Business Sign | 6 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per intersection | Within 25 ft of street intersection, on-premise for businesses without frontage on named streets | — | Sec. 9.b |
| Vertical Banner | — | 2 ft x 4 ft (light poles), 18 in x 3 ft (decorative 16 ft poles); optional 24 in x 12 in add-on | — | — | up to 20 single, 40 double hung banners | On-premise, mounted to light poles (not to utility/progress energy poles) | — | Sec. 10.B |

## Prohibited signs in Hartsville

- Signs which imitate an official traffic sign, and which are not otherwise authorized by other ordinances.
- Signs which are of a size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination which may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device, or which hide from view any traffic or street sign signal, or which obstruct the view in any direction at any street or road intersection.
- Signs not otherwise allowed in any public right-of-way. Signs projecting over public property shall be permitted in accordance with the building code only where zero setbacks are allowed.
- Signs which contain or consist of pennants, banners, ribbons, streamers, spinners, strings of lightbulbs, strobes, or other similar moving or flashing devices.
- Signs which are pasted or attached to utility poles, trees, or fences, or in an unauthorized manner to walls or other signs.
- Signs advertising activities which are illegal under federal, state, or city laws or regulations.
- Any sign displayed on an automobile, truck, or other motorized vehicle, when that vehicle is used primarily for the purpose of such advertising display, or is parked in such a way that it is being used for advertisement as a sign board.
- Signs projecting above the roofline.
- Signs that contain statements, words, or pictures of an obscene, indecent or immoral character.
- Flashing signs, except for time and temperature signs.
- Signs affixed to trees, other natural vegetation, or rocks.
- Signs that obstruct ingress or egress from any window, door, fire escape, stairway, ladder, or opening intended to provide light, air, ingress or egress for any room or building as required by law.
- Signs which cast or reflect a glare or light, directly or indirectly, on any public roadway or adjacent property within a residential district.
- Signs which are visible from any interstate federal highway, except for on-site sale or rental signs, and on-site business signs, as permitted.
- Signs, other than official road markers or public information signs, placed on an official road right-of-way.
- Signs located in such a manner as to materially impede the view of any road intersection; or in such manner as to materially impede the view of an intersection or a road with a railroad grade crossing.
- Signs greater than 15 feet aboveground.
- Billboards or signs which advertise businesses which are not on the same lot as the sign. (This shall not include off premises directional signage which is regulated and allowed in some zones.)
- Signs which revolve, rotate or otherwise move by mechanical means.
- Portable temporary signs whether mounted on vehicles, wheels, platforms or freestanding. Such signs existing prior to this ordinance shall be removed within six months to be in compliance of this ordinance.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hartsville

- Changeable copy signs, including bulletin boards and signs for theatres and gas stations.
- Signs not visible beyond the boundaries of the lot or parcel upon which they are located, or from any public right-of-way.
- Signs on trucks, buses, trailers, or other vehicles, while such vehicles are in use in the normal course of business.
- Commemorative plaques and historical markers erected by a recognized non-profit historical organization or a governmental body, provided that no such plaque or marker shall exceed three square feet in area.
- Flags, provided that no single flag shall exceed a maximum size of 54 square feet and no more than three flags may be displayed on any property.
- Handicap parking signs.
- Plaques or markers that are integrated into the construction of a building when made or carved into stone, concrete, bronze, aluminum, or some other permanent construction material, such as, by way of example only, names of buildings, dates of erection, or commemorative plaques.
- Signs erected by any public entity.
- Danger, warning, or private property signs.
- Traffic direction signs within a campus or premises.
- One temporary sign on each roadway frontage of a property during such time that the property is being actively marketed for sale or rent, or a structure on the property is actively under construction, provided size and height restrictions are met.
- Temporary signs (as defined by the ordinance), subject to area, height, time, and location restrictions: temporary signs shall not exceed eight feet in height, shall not exceed four square feet in residential districts or 32 square feet in other zoning districts, must be removed within 45 days, limited to one per street frontage, and are prohibited in the public right-of-way or on any public property, utility poles, or street signs.
- Banners (subject to use, location, and time restrictions) as described in Section 3.d, including business or organization banners up to 30 days, non-profit or religious organizations before events, and subject to maximum size of 48 square feet.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No business or advertising sign or structure shall be erected or altered without a proper zoning permit, except as provided in Section 3 for exempt signs. General maintenance does not require a permit.
- Any sign structure erected on a designated primary route must receive any required SCDOT approval before being submitted to the city planner for a zoning permit.
- Applicants for murals must submit a mural permit application to the zoning administrator and obtain review/approval from the architectural review board, including location, size, subject matter, medium, color palette, and visual representation.
- Streetscape banner program and vertical banner applicants must complete and return an application (with drawing/illustration, dimensions, text, color, and design) to the planning and development department for city review and approval.
- Deviations from approved banner or mural content or design will result in immediate revocation of the permit.
- In general, a zoning permit is required for signs unless specifically exempted in Section 3; and for certain programs (like murals or special banner programs), additional application and review/approval processes are specified.
- In residential, business, and industrial zones, sign area, placement, and number are regulated and may require submission of plans or approval as per zoning permit procedures.

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

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