# Sign Regulations in Ware Shoals, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Ware Shoals, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/ware-shoals
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/SC/Ware_Shoals/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH32STSIOTPUPR_ARTVAD_S32-127SIRE)

## At a glance

Ware Shoals, South Carolina regulates 11 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Directional Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 30 inches above general level of roadway tall and 4 square feet, with a Must be at least 5 feet outside road right-of-way. setback (Sec. Sec. 32-127(i); Sec. 32-125). Most commercial signs in Ware Shoals 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 | 8 | 30 inches above general level of roadway | Not to exceed 70% of show or display window area | — |
| General commercial (C-2) | 1 | — | 50 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones (off-premises directional signs for churches and schools) | 1 | 6 feet (for consolidated structure) | Individual: 4 square feet; Consolidated Structure: 20 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones (automatic changeable copy boards on religious, public, educational and public recreational use properties) | 1 | — | 50 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | — | — | — | Ends: 6 feet from wall/fence/obstruction; 10 feet from any lot line. Not in buffer zones. | — | Ends must be at least 6 feet from any wall, fence, or obstruction, and at least 10 feet from any lot line; not permitted in required buffer zones. | — | Sec. 32-127(a); Sec. 32-125 |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached to building; shall not extend more than 12 inches beyond the building. | — | Sec. 32-127(b); Sec. 32-125 |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | May extend not more than 6 feet from building; no closer than 2 feet from face of curb. Minimum clearance of 9 feet above ground. | — | Sec. 32-127(c); Sec. 32-125 |
| Post Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 32-127(d); Sec. 32-125 |
| Marquee Sign | — | — | — | — | — | May extend 8 feet into a front yard. Marquee not less than 11 feet above ground at lowest level. Sign on marquee: not more than 3 feet above or 1 foot below marquee. | — | Sec. 32-127(e); Sec. 32-125 |
| Temporary Sign (Window Display) | — | Not to exceed 70% of show or display window area | — | — | — | Displayed in or attached to the inside of show or display windows | — | Sec. 32-127(f) |
| Portable Sign | — | — | — | 6 feet from wall/fence/obstruction; 10 feet from property line. | — | Ends at least 6 feet from any wall, fence, or obstruction, and at least 10 feet from any property line. | — | Sec. 32-127(g); Sec. 32-125 |
| Directional Sign | 30 inches above general level of roadway | 4 square feet | — | Must be at least 5 feet outside road right-of-way. | 1 per point of ingress or egress | At least 5 feet outside the road right-of-way | — | Sec. 32-127(i); Sec. 32-125 |

### General Regulations For All Zones (off-premises directional signs for churches and schools)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Off-Premises Directional Sign (Churches and Schools) | 6 feet (for consolidated structure) | Individual: 4 square feet; Consolidated Structure: 20 square feet | — | — | 1 per intersection directional change | Only on federally and state numbered highways; must be submitted to zoning administrator for approval prior to placement. | — | Sec. 32-127(h) |

### General Regulations For All Zones (automatic changeable copy boards on religious, public, educational and public recreational use properties)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Automatic Changeable Copy Board (Religious, Public, Educational, and Public Recreational Use) | — | 50 square feet | — | — | — | On the same property as a religious, public, educational, or public recreational use with minimum lot size of 3 acres | — | Sec. 32-127(k)(2); Sec. 32-125 |

## Prohibited signs in Ware Shoals

- It is unlawful to post any placards, posters or advertisements of any kind on public property within the town.
- No person shall print, paint, or in any other way deface the sidewalks, streets or other public property of the town for advertising or other purposes.
- It is unlawful to place, scatter, toss or throw booklets, waste paper or printed matter into or upon any street, sidewalk, alley or other public highway or to attach them to any door or place where they may reasonably be expected to be blown by the wind or thrown by passersby into or upon the streets, sidewalks, alleys, or other public highways.
- It is unlawful to throw into or attach any handbill, circular, advertising card, pamphlet, booklet or other printed matter published for advertising purposes to a motor vehicle.
- It is unlawful to place any advertisement or any notice or sign of any nature on private property within the town without the consent of the owner or occupant of the property.
- Paper posters applied directly to the wall or building or pole or other support, and letters or pictures in the form of advertising printed or applied directly on the wall of a building, are prohibited.
- Signs or devices which by color, location or design resemble or conflict with traffic control signs or devices are prohibited.
- No sign shall contain flashers, or animators of any kind, excepting time and temperature displays.
- No wall sign shall be so erected as to cover the doors or windows of any building or to otherwise prevent free ingress or egress to or from any window, door or fire escape of any building.
- No sign shall be placed within a road right-of-way.

## Signs exempt from permit in Ware Shoals

- Printing, painting, or marking of sidewalks by the police department or any other department of the town for the purpose of controlling traffic or for any other town purpose is exempt from the prohibition on defacing sidewalks, streets or public property.
- The provisions regarding scattering handbills do not apply to newspapers or magazines or anything delivered by the United States Postal Service.
- Temporary signs may be displayed in or attached to the inside of show or display windows provided the total sign area does not exceed 70 percent of the show or display window area.
- Time and temperature displays are exempted from the prohibition on flashers or animators.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any person erecting an outdoor advertising sign in the town must first file an application with the building inspector who shall approve the erection when, in his judgment, the proposed sign does not create a safety hazard and is otherwise consistent with all regulations of the town.
- Off-premises directional signs for churches and schools shall be submitted to the zoning administrator for approval prior to placement of the sign on the property.
- The zoning administrator may revoke the sign permit at any time he/she determines that the requirements of this section are not met.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/ware-shoals