# Sign Regulations in Santee, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Santee, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/santee
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/SC/Santee/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH30SI)

## At a glance

Santee, South Carolina regulates 27 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Office Commercial (OC) zoning district are capped at 12 ft. tall and 24 sq. ft., with a 2 ft. setback (Sec. Table 9-1, Table 9-2). Most commercial signs in Santee require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District (RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RG) | 4 | — | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| Office Commercial (OC) | 19 | 12 ft. | 24 sq. ft. | — |
| General Commercial (GC) | 17 | 35 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Industrial (I) | 15 | 12 ft. | 24 sq. ft. | — |
| Planned Development (PD) | 15 | 12 ft. | — | — |
| Institutional (INS) | 16 | 12 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Office Commercial (OC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 12 ft. | 24 sq. ft. | — | 2 ft. | 1 per occupied lot (see additional requirements for multi-frontage lots) | — | — | Table 9-1, Table 9-2 |
| Building Sign | — | — | — | — | 2 per building | On building wall | — | Table 9-1, Table 9-2 |
| Bench Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On bench or seat, adjacent to right-of-way | — | Table 9-1 |
| Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Suspended from, attached to, or forms part of a canopy | — | Table 9-1 |
| Directional Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Off-premises, points to location/direction | — | Table 9-1 |
| Festoon Lighting | — | — | — | — | — | Outdoor, between two or more points | — | Table 9-1 |
| Flag | — | — | — | — | — | Mounted using grommets or rope spline, hemmed edges. | — | Table 9-1 |
| Flat Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Parallel to building, extends not more than 12 inches, not above building | — | Table 9-1 |

### General Commercial (GC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (GC-F1) | 35 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — | 2 ft. | 1 per occupied lot (see Note E) | — | — | Table 9-1, Table 9-2 Note E |
| Freestanding Sign (GC-F2) | 12 ft. | 80 sq. ft. | — | 2 ft. | 1 per occupied lot | — | — | Table 9-2 |
| Building Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building wall | — | Table 9-1, Table 9-2 |
| A-Frame Sign | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Sidewalks, placed not to obstruct movement | — | Table 9-1, Table 9-3 |
| Bench Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On bench or seat, adjacent to right-of-way | — | Table 9-1 |
| Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Suspended from, attached to, applied to, or forms part of a canopy | — | Table 9-1 |
| Directional Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Off-premises, points to location/direction | — | Table 9-1 |
| Festoon Lighting | — | — | — | — | — | Outdoor, between two or more points | — | Table 9-1 |

### Institutional (INS)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 12 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — | 2 ft. | 1 per occupied lot | — | — | Table 9-1, Table 9-2 |
| Building Sign | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building wall | — | Table 9-2 |
| Bench Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On bench or seat, adjacent to right-of-way | — | Table 9-1 |
| Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Suspended from, attached to, or forms part of a canopy | — | Table 9-1 |
| Directional Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Off-premises, points to location/direction | — | Table 9-1 |
| Flat Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Parallel to building, extends not more than 12 inches, not above building | — | Table 9-1 |
| Roof Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Mounted on roof, projects above flat roof, or ridge line of mansard roof | — | Table 9-1 |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Extends more than 6 inches from facade | — | Table 9-1 |

## Prohibited signs in Santee

- All signs not expressly permitted by this ordinance are prohibited.
- Signs painted on or attached to trees, fence posts, utility poles, stationary 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 and no longer correctly direct or exhort any person, advertise a bona fide business, lessor, owner, product, or activity conducted or product available for 90 days.
- No new high-rise signs are allowed.
- No new billboard signs are allowed.
- Off-premise signs of any type are not allowed.
- Handbills (circulars)-distribution of is not allowed.
- Signs which have fallen into disrepair (dilapidated), are not properly maintained, are insecure or otherwise structurally unsound, have defective parts in the support, guys and/or anchors, or which are unable to meet minimum safety requirements of the Standard Building Code.
- Any nonconforming sign shall be removed or brought into conformity no later than 60 days following the effective date of this Ordinance.
- No sign illuminated using beacon, spot, search or stroboscopic light or reflectors is allowed that is visible from any public right-of-way, or adjacent property. Also any flood lights which are not hooded or shielded so as to not impair driver vision.
- Changeable Electronic Message signs shall not exceed maximum brightness standards: Dawn to dusk-not more than 7,500 nits, Dusk to dawn-no greater than 750 nits, as measured from the sign's face at maximum brightness.
- Signs located within a vision clearance area as defined in the town's Zoning Ordinance.
- No sign shall be allowed in the public right-of-way, except as specifically provided for public, informational, emergency, church, historic, and temporary yard sale/auction/ public gathering directional signs, with listed restrictions.

## Signs exempt from permit in Santee

- Signs not visible beyond the boundaries of the lot or parcel upon which they are situated, or from any public thoroughfare, or right-of-way.
- Any commercial communication intended to be solely viewed while stopped in location or primarily viewed by pedestrian or other nonmotorized travelers; provided, however, that the restrictions of prohibited signs still apply to such communications.
- Signage or markings authorized by the governing authority for public safety or public informational purposes.
- Pavement markings of a traffic directional nature.
- Temporary signs as specifically permitted for special events, parades, facility uses or outdoor vending under the authority of law in ordinances and regulatory procedures enacted by Town Council and then only during the duration of those events.
- Public signs erected by or on behalf of a government body to post legal notices, identify public property, convey public information and direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Informational signs of a public agency or utility.
- Church signs in accord with state law (for right-of-way placement).
- Historic signs and markers (for right-of-way placement).
- Emergency signs (for right-of-way placement).
- Directional signs of a temporary nature not exceeding three (3) square feet in area and 24 hours in duration for such events as yard sales, auctions, public gatherings, etc. when not closer than 500 feet apart (for right-of-way placement).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A Common Signage Plan is required as a prerequisite to the issuance of any sign permit involving two or more contiguous lots under the same ownership, any Planned Development (PD) project, or a single lot or parcel with more than one principal use/building or qualifying for more than one free-standing sign based on street frontage.
- The Common Signage Plan must contain all information required for sign permits generally, and specify standards for consistency among all signs on the affected lot(s) regarding lettering/graphic style, lighting, location, material, and proportions.
- Any new or amended Common Signage Plan filed for a property with existing signs shall include a schedule to bring nonconforming signs into compliance within three years.
- A sign permit is required for all signs except those defined as 'allowed without permit' (in Table 9-1, marked 'A'), and requires submission of an application with site plan, structural assurances, etc.
- Appeals or requests for relief from any part or provision of the ordinance, or from a decision of the Zoning Administrator, may be filed with the Zoning Board of Appeals.

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

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