# Sign Regulations in Amherst, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Amherst, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/amherst
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-24
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/Amherst/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH24ZOSU_ARTIXSI)

## At a glance

Amherst, Virginia regulates 4 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial and Industrial Sign District zoning district are capped at 12 feet tall and 40 square feet, with a Seven feet setback (Sec. Sec. 24-577).

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial and Industrial Sign District | 3 | 12 feet | 60 square feet | — |
| Mixed Use District | 3 | 12 feet | 60 square feet | — |
| Residential and Agricultural Sign District | 4 | 12 feet | 24 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 32 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Commercial and Industrial Sign District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 12 feet | 40 square feet | — | Seven feet | One | — | — | Sec. 24-577 |
| Building-mounted Sign | Below ridge line or parapet | 60 square feet | — | — | Up to four | Mounted flat against the building | — | Sec. 24-577 |
| Temporary Sign | 12 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 24-576 |

### Mixed Use District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 feet | 20 square feet | — | Seven feet | One | Grass or landscaped area of at least 200 square feet | — | Sec. 24-578 |
| Building-mounted Sign | Below ridge line or parapet | 60 square feet | — | — | Up to four | Mounted flat against the building | — | Sec. 24-578 |
| Temporary Sign | 12 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 24-576 |

### Residential and Agricultural Sign District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building-mounted Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | One per dwelling unit | Single-family, duplex and townhouse dwelling units | — | Sec. 24-579 |
| Building-mounted Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | — | One or more | Multifamily buildings | — | Sec. 24-579 |
| Freestanding Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | No more than two per street frontage | Subdivisions, apartment or condominium complexes and planned developments | — | Sec. 24-579 |
| Temporary Sign | 12 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 24-576 |

## Prohibited signs in Amherst

- Any sign that impedes sight distance for a VDOT owned right-of-way.
- Any sign that obscures a sign display by a public authority for the purpose of giving traffic instructions or directions or other public information.
- Any sign, except official notices and advertisements, that is nailed, tacked, posted or in any other manner attached to any utility pole or structure or supporting wire, cable, or pipe; or to any tree on any street or sidewalk or to public property of any description.
- Any sign that is attached to or mounted on a roof or projects above the plane of the building facade. This shall include decorative roofs such as a mansard roof.
- Portable freestanding signs larger than 24 square feet or displayed for more than 60 days per year.
- Except for time and temperature, no sign shall display flashing or intermittent lights, moving signs, inflatables or other lights of changing degrees of intensity, brightness or color.
- The light from any illuminated sign shall not cause direct glare into or upon any building or property other than the building or property to which the sign may be related.
- Neither the direct nor reflected light from an illuminated sign shall be located so as to create a traffic hazard to operators of motor vehicles on public thoroughfares.
- Off-premises signs, other than those specifically permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Amherst

- Repainting or refacing an existing sign or minor nonstructural repairs.
- Signs specifically excluded from permit requirements.
- Signs permitted in all sign districts as outlined in section 24-576.

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

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