# Sign Regulations in Johnsonville, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Johnsonville, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/johnsonville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/SC/Johnsonville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH32SI)

## At a glance

Johnsonville, South Carolina regulates 25 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Wall Sign (Group Residential and Nonresidential Use)s in the Residential Districts zoning district are capped at Cannot project above roof line. tall and 50 sq ft per street frontage (Sec. Sec. 32-5(4)). Most commercial signs in Johnsonville 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 | 6 | 25 feet above grade (absolute max). | — | — |
| Residential Districts | 10 | Not to exceed 4 ft above ground if in required front yards; 6 ft elsewhere. | 50 sq ft | — |
| General Commercial District (GC), Light Manufacturing District (LM) | 9 | No sign shall project higher than 7 feet above the eaves of the building. | 72 sq ft (max) | — |
| Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts | 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached flat and parallel to the exterior wall or surface of a building or other structure. | — | Sec. 32-1, Sec. 32-2(b), Sec. 32-2(e), Sec. 32-7 |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet above grade (absolute max). | — | — | — | — | Permanently affixed to the ground and not part of a building. Shall not obstruct the vision of any motorist. | — | Sec. 32-1, Sec. 32-2(d), Sec. 32-3(3) |
| Kiosk | 25 feet above grade (absolute max). | — | — | — | — | Freestanding, 1-4 faces, on a single premises. | — | Sec. 32-1, Sec. 32-3(3) |
| Mobile Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 32-1, Sec. 32-4(6) |
| Portable Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 32-1, Sec. 32-4(6) |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Projects from and is supported by a building. | — | Sec. 32-1, Sec. 32-2(d) |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Exempt Signs | — | 1 sq ft (identification signs not of commercial connotation) | — | — | — | On premises. | — | Sec. 32-5(1), Sec. 32-1(1) |
| Temporary Subdivision Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | Setback 20 feet from property line. | — | On premises of subdivision, set back at least 20 ft from any property line. | — | Sec. 32-5(2), Sec. 32-4(1) |
| Craftsmen's Sign | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises. | — | Sec. 32-5(2), Sec. 32-4(2) |
| Contractor's Sign (Under Construction) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per site | On premises of work under construction. | — | Sec. 32-5(2), Sec. 32-4(3) |
| Permanent Subdivision Sign | Not to exceed 4 ft above ground if in required front yards; 6 ft elsewhere. | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | At entrance or within subdivision. | — | Sec. 32-5(3) |
| Wall Sign (Group Residential and Nonresidential Use) | Cannot project above roof line. | 50 sq ft per street frontage | — | — | One per street frontage | Flat wall sign on building for group residential/nonresidential use. | — | Sec. 32-5(4) |
| Freestanding Sign (Group Residential and Nonresidential Use) | 4 ft above ground if in required front yards; 6 ft elsewhere. | 50 sq ft per street frontage | — | — | One per street frontage | Freestanding sign for group residential/nonresidential. | — | Sec. 32-5(4)(c) |
| Bulletin/Notice Board (Group Res./Nonresidential) | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot frontage | On premises; one per lot frontage. | — | Sec. 32-5(4)(d) |

### General Commercial District (GC), Light Manufacturing District (LM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Shopping Plaza/Mall - Individual Business) | — | — | — | — | — | On exterior wall of business within plaza or mall. | — | Sec. 32-6(1)(a) |
| Kiosk | — | Each sign for each business: 3 sq ft (dominant tenant: 6 sq ft); Total: 25 sq ft (≤5 businesses), 40 sq ft (6–10 businesses), 60 sq ft (>10 businesses), per face. | — | — | One kiosk per plaza/mall | Off-street shopping plaza/mall. | — | Sec. 32-6(1)(a) |
| Wall Sign (Non-Mall Building) | — | 72 sq ft (max) | — | — | — | Each building in the city. | — | Sec. 32-6(1)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign (Business, non-mall) | No sign shall project higher than 7 feet above the eaves of the building. | 36 sq ft per face (max); product sign up to 16 sq ft may also be placed or incorporated. | — | — | — | On premises. Not closer than 100 ft to another freestanding sign. | — | Sec. 32-6(1)(c) |
| Product Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises, or incorporated into business sign. | — | Sec. 32-6(1)(c) |
| Changeable Copy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | As component of any allowed sign. | — | Sec. 32-6(1)(d) |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft above grade | 5 sq ft | — | — | — | Placed at driveway locations. Must only indicate ingress/egress, contain no advertising, and requires permission of the city administrator. | — | Sec. 32-6(1)(e) |
| Advertising Sign (Off-premises, GC/LM only) | — | 9 sq ft (max off-premises). | — | — | — | Off-premises in GC/LM only. | — | Sec. 32-6(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Johnsonville

- No person shall erect, modify or move any signs visible from the public way without first applying for and obtaining from the city administrator a sign permit, except as otherwise provided.
- No signs shall be allowed to deteriorate to a condition in which they are unsightly or require repairs or renovations exceeding 75 percent of their current replacement cost.
- No permit shall be issued for any proposed sign which will project into or over any public right-of-way.
- No sign employing confusing, distracting or intense illumination shall be permitted.
- No sign utilizing pulsing (strobe type) lights, flashing or blinking lights, or any type of pulsating or moving light shall be permitted.
- No sign shall employ lighting that casts illumination onto any residential area or traffic right-of-way.
- No sign shall be permitted which imitates an official traffic sign or signal, or contains words or symbols that might mislead or confuse drivers, or displays intermittent lights resembling those used in traffic signals or law enforcement vehicles, except as part of a permitted traffic control sign.
- No sign shall be permitted which moves or presents the illusion of movement in any manner that may confuse, distract or unduly divert drivers.
- No freestanding sign or kiosk shall exceed a height of 25 feet above grade.
- No freestanding sign or kiosk shall be constructed or situated so as to obstruct the vision of any motorist on, or attempting to enter, any road right-of-way.
- No sign shall be attached to any utility pole or street sign, or attached to or painted on tree trunks, rocks or other natural objects.
- Signs which advertise a discontinued product, place, activity, person, institution or business shall be removed within 30 days from the date of termination.

## Signs exempt from permit in Johnsonville

- Signs not exceeding one square foot in area bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, names of occupants of premises, or other identification of premises not having commercial connotations.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- Legal notices, identification, informational or directional signs erected or required by governmental bodies.
- Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit requirement for a master sign plan or similar document is stated; however, a sign permit is required for most new, modified, or relocated signs visible from the public way unless exempt.
- Applications for sign permits must be on forms prescribed and provided by the city administrator, setting forth information required for a complete understanding of the proposed work.
- All on-premises signs over six square feet and all off-premises advertising signs, regardless of size, require the issuance of a zoning permit before erection or replacement.
- All signs must comply with all ordinance regulations, regardless of whether a permit is required.
- Persons aggrieved by a permit decision or order regarding signs may appeal to the board of appeal, which has authority to interpret provisions and grant variances when enforcement would result in undue hardship.

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

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