# Sign Regulations in Williamston, South Carolina

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Williamston, South Carolina (SC)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/south-carolina/williamston
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-04
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/SC/Williamston/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH90ZO_ARTVIISIRE)

## At a glance

Williamston, South Carolina regulates 14 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Detached Signs in the Commercial and Industrial Districts zoning district are capped at 35 feet tall and 150 square feet multiplied by the number of signs permitted, with a No such sign shall be located closer than five feet to any street right-of-way. setback (Sec. Sec. 90-196(2)). Most commercial signs in Williamston 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 | 9 | 6 feet if illuminated | 100 square feet | — |
| Residential Districts | 2 | — | 60 square feet | — |
| Commercial and Industrial Districts | 2 | 35 feet | 150 square feet multiplied by the number of signs permitted | — |
| Central Business District (CC, RC) | 2 | — | 25 percent of the overall canopy size | — |

## 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 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 90-186, Sec. 90-198(a) |
| Ground-mounted Sign | — | — | — | Minimum of five feet behind the street right-of-way. | — | Minimum of five feet behind the street right-of-way. | — | Sec. 90-198(b) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per business entrance | Minimum of eight feet from the bottom of the sign above the finished grade of the sidewalk. | — | Sec. 90-198(c) |
| Arm Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | Minimum of five feet behind the street right-of-way. | — | Minimum of five feet behind the street right-of-way. | — | Sec. 90-198(d) |
| Banner | — | 32 square feet | — | — | Maximum of two banners | Securely attached to the ground or attached to the frontage wall of a principal structure. | — | Sec. 90-198(e) |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign | 6 feet if illuminated | 100 square feet | — | — | One or two signs per entrance | At each entrance of a residential subdivision. | — | Sec. 90-198(f) |
| Private Directional Sign | — | 6 square feet | 4 feet | — | Not more than one such sign for each 500 feet of street frontage | — | — | Sec. 90-198(g) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | One temporary sign at a time | Not permanently attached to the ground, buildings, or other structures. | — | Sec. 90-198(h) |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification Sign | — | 60 square feet | — | Set back at least five feet from any street right-of-way line. | One per entrance | Set back at least five feet from any street right-of-way line. | — | Sec. 90-195(2) |
| Subdivision Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 90-195(3) |

### Commercial and Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Detached Sign | 35 feet | 150 square feet multiplied by the number of signs permitted | — | No such sign shall be located closer than five feet to any street right-of-way. | Maximum of one per 300 feet of road frontage | Within the front or side setback area of any parcel. | — | Sec. 90-196(2) |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 90-196(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Williamston

- Signs imitating warning signals, such as intermittent lights resembling traffic signals or emergency vehicle lights.
- Signs within street or highway right-of-ways, except traffic signs and signals and information signs erected by a public agency.
- Signs painted on or attached to trees, fence posts, telephone or utility poles, rocks, or other natural features.
- Signs placed or painted on a motor vehicle or trailer parked with the primary intent of providing a sign not otherwise allowed.
- Billboards.

## Signs exempt from permit in Williamston

- Traffic, directional, warning, or information signs authorized by any public agency.
- Official notices issued by any court, public agency, or public office.
- One non-illuminated 'for sale,' 'for rent,' or 'for lease' sign not exceeding six square feet in residential districts and 20 square feet in other districts.
- Signs erected in connection with elections or political campaigns, subject to specific conditions.
- On-site directional signs bearing no commercial message and not exceeding four square feet in area.
- Identification sign indicating the name and street number or owner or occupant of a parcel, not exceeding four square feet of copy area.
- Bulletin board signs for noncommercial places of public assembly, not exceeding 36 square feet of copy area or five feet in height.
- Signs identifying a project under construction, subject to size and illumination restrictions.
- Signs attached or integrated into a gasoline pump, automatic bank teller machine, or drive-through component of a fast food restaurant.
- Signs on the interior side of window glass.
- Decorative flags and banners containing no commercial message when displayed on a residence.
- Restaurant menu boards not exceeding nine square feet.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign plan shall be submitted for all major site plans, major subdivisions, office and retail complexes, multitenant buildings, and multifamily developments.
- Development plans must denote maximum total sign area permitted for the project.
- All tenants must comply with the approved uniform sign plan.

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

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