# Sign Regulations in North Charleston, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** North Charleston, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/north-charleston
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-04
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/SC/North_Charleston/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_APXAZORE_ARTVIIISIRE)

## At a glance

North Charleston, South Carolina regulates 3 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 70 feet tall and 200 square feet, with a Minimum 10 feet from property lines setback (Sec. Section 8-11.a.1)). Most commercial signs in North Charleston 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 | 5 | 70 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3) | 1 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| Commercial District (ON, B-1, B-2, CRD) | 5 | 70 feet | 200 square feet | — |
| Industrial District (M-1, M-2) | 5 | 70 feet | 200 square feet | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 70 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | Within 1,000 feet of interstate highway interchange | — | Section 8-11.a.1) |
| Freestanding Sign | 50 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | Abutting interstate right-of-way or frontage road | — | Section 8-11.a.2) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | All other areas | — | Section 8-11.a.3) |
| Wall Sign | — | 15% of facade area | — | — | Unlimited per facade | Adjacent to street, highway, expressway, or off-street parking area | — | Section 8-11.e.1) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 65 square feet | — | — | One per frontage | Adjacent to street, highway, freeway, or off-street parking area | — | Section 8-11.e.5) |

### Commercial District (ON, B-1, B-2, CRD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 70 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | Within 1,000 feet of interstate highway interchange | — | Section 8-11.a.1) |
| Freestanding Sign | 50 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | Abutting interstate right-of-way or frontage road | — | Section 8-11.a.2) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | All other areas | — | Section 8-11.a.3) |
| Wall Sign | — | 15% of facade area | — | — | Unlimited per facade | Adjacent to street, highway, expressway, or off-street parking area | — | Section 8-11.e.1) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 65 square feet | — | — | One per frontage | Adjacent to street, highway, freeway, or off-street parking area | — | Section 8-11.e.5) |

### Industrial District (M-1, M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 70 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | Within 1,000 feet of interstate highway interchange | — | Section 8-11.a.1) |
| Freestanding Sign | 50 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | Abutting interstate right-of-way or frontage road | — | Section 8-11.a.2) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 200 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from property lines | One per road frontage | All other areas | — | Section 8-11.a.3) |
| Wall Sign | — | 15% of facade area | — | — | Unlimited per facade | Adjacent to street, highway, expressway, or off-street parking area | — | Section 8-11.e.1) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 65 square feet | — | — | One per frontage | Adjacent to street, highway, freeway, or off-street parking area | — | Section 8-11.e.5) |

## Prohibited signs in North Charleston

- All signs not meeting the standards set forth in this ordinance, the city's duly adopted building code, and the city's duly adopted electrical code are prohibited unless specifically permitted by this ordinance.
- Flashing signs and/or signs involving rotation, animation or other forms of movement or moving illumination, excluding image changing signs when set in a non-flashing and non-animated mode, shall not be permitted.
- Signs which by color, location, or design resemble or conflict with traffic-control signs or signals or other indicators of safety warnings.
- Abandoned signs must be remedied within forty-five (45) days or face penalties.
- Dilapidated signs that are insecure or structurally unsound are prohibited.
- Billboards are prohibited except for relocation agreements within designated billboard plazas.

## Signs exempt from permit in North Charleston

- Signs required by law, such as traffic control signs, informational signs on governmental buildings and public transportation facilities, and legally required notices.
- Emergency responders need street numbering/address/identification signs to locate persons and buildings needing services.
- Temporary signs of less than nine (9) square feet pose de minimis concerns and do not require registration.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Each application to erect a sign, where a sign permit is required by this ordinance, shall be accompanied by a common signage plan, where applicable, in accord with the requirements of section 5-4.
- Master sign programs for specific developments, planned developments, specific plans, and precise plans, as well as special sign districts or sign-related overlays, when duly approved by the city, may modify the rules stated in this article only as to the non-communicative aspects of signs.

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

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