# Sign Regulations in Charlottesville, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Charlottesville, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/charlottesville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/Charlottesville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CO_CH34ZO_ARTIXGEAPRE_DIV4SI)

## At a glance

Charlottesville, Virginia regulates 15 sign types across 11 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall, 8 square feet per face (two faces max), and 24 inches (in pedestrian ROW); must allow 36 inches clearance wide (Sec. Sec. 34-1038(g)). Most commercial signs in Charlottesville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (11 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 25 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| Residential (non-dwelling uses) | 1 | — | 12 square feet | — |
| ADC Districts: N. Downtown, Wertland St, Ridge St, Oakhurst Circle, Rugby Road | 2 | — | 12 square feet | — |
| ADC Districts: Downtown, the Corner | 2 | — | 50 square feet | — |
| ADC Districts: West Main Street | 2 | — | 75 square feet | — |
| Entrance Corridors, Entrance corridor districts | 3 | 25 feet or height of use/establishment, whichever is less | 24 square feet per face | — |
| Mixed Use Corridors, Mixed-use corridor district | 6 | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| B1, B2, B3, M1, IC | 1 | — | 150 square feet | — |
| Downtown Architectural Design Control District, University Corner Architectural Design Control District | 1 | — | 50 square feet | — |
| West Main Street Architectural Design Control District | 1 | — | 75 square feet | — |
| North Downtown Architectural Design Control District, Wertland Street Architectural Design Control District, Ridge Street Architectural Design Control District, Oakhurst Circle Architectural Design Control District, Rugby Road Architectural Design Control District | 1 | — | 12 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 11 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 feet | 100 square feet | — | — | Max 2 per primary street frontage, plus 1 per linking street frontage | Attached to façade, does not project more than 1 foot; not above bottom of second story window. | — | Sec. 34-1038(i) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 30 square feet per sign face | — | — | Max 1 per parcel | On parcel, in landscaped base | — | Sec. 34-1038(b) |
| Projecting Sign | 25 feet | 30 square feet | — | — | Max 1 per parcel | Mounted at 90-degree angle to building façade, only allowed on buildings with 18+ feet of ROW frontage | — | Sec. 34-1038(f) |
| Monument Sign | 6 feet | 24 square feet | — | — | — | On parcel, landscaped bed | — | Sec. 34-1038(d) |
| Pole Mounted Sign | 12 feet | 12 square feet | — | — | — | On parcel, in landscaped bed | — | Sec. 34-1038(e) |
| Marquee Sign | Vertical maximum (sign+marquee) 5 feet above bottom, bottom no lower than 10 feet from grade | 60 square feet (any side or front section max 20 square feet, vertical max 5 feet) | — | — | — | On marquee; may extend above top, not below 10 feet from grade | — | Sec. 34-1038(c) |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | Not above bottom of second story window or lower than 8 feet from grade | 20 square feet | — | — | — | On face of awning/canopy, parallel to building | — | Sec. 34-1038(a) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 feet | 8 square feet per face (two faces max) | 24 inches (in pedestrian ROW); must allow 36 inches clearance | — | 1 per parcel | On property or adjacent property frontage, certain locations/designs allowed on specified commercial corridors and with sidewalk clearance | — | Sec. 34-1038(g) |

### Entrance Corridors, Entrance corridor districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Aggregate Signs (Wall and Projecting) | — | One half the regular aggregate allowed for zone/parcels outside entry corridor | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 34-1044 |
| Monument Sign (within 100 ft of EC ROW) | 6 feet | 24 square feet per face | — | — | — | Within 100 ft of entrance corridor ROW, provided not in intersection/entrance visibility zone | — | Sec. 34-1044(c) |
| Freestanding Sign (non-monument) | 25 feet or height of use/establishment, whichever is less | — | — | — | — | Outside of first 100 ft only | — | Sec. 34-1044(d) |

### Mixed Use Corridors, Mixed-use corridor district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Aggregate Signs (All Sign Types) | — | 100 square feet | — | — | 2 per establishment, plus directory | — | — | Sec. 34-1040 |
| Wall Sign (50%+ Residential GFA) | — | 30 square feet | — | — | 1 per non-res use, plus directory | On building façade | — | Sec. 34-1040(c)(1) |
| Wall Sign (<50% Residential GFA) | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per non-res use, plus directory | On building façade | — | Sec. 34-1040(c)(2) |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 feet | 30 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | On parcel/lot | — | Sec. 34-1040(b)(2) |
| Monument Sign | 6 feet | 24 square feet | — | — | — | At major entrance; 40 sq ft maximum for bldg/parcel with industrial/commercial mix. | — | Sec. 34-1040(b)(4), (c)(3) |
| Pole Mounted Sign | 8 feet | 12 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 34-1040(b)(5) |

## Prohibited signs in Charlottesville

- Signs that violate state or federal law, including laws related to outdoor advertising, the state building or fire codes, and federal control of outdoor advertising.
- Signs that are nailed, tacked, painted or otherwise attached to any tree, cliff, fence, utility pole or support, utility tower, telecommunications or radio tower, curbstone, sidewalk, lamp post, hydrant, bridge, or any kind of public property (except public authority signs).
- Signs on public land or right-of-way, other than those erected at the direction of a public authority, or as otherwise authorized.
- Signs attached to, rather than printed on, an awning which is not a marquee.
- Any sign that moves or contains or consists of a searchlight, beacon, strobe light, flashing lights, or similar forms of illumination, except public authority signs.
- Any off-premises sign, whether commercial or non-commercial, except for existing tenant signs for up to thirty (30) days after vacancy.
- Any sign that creates a public safety hazard, as determined by appropriate officials (fire, building, law enforcement, engineering, zoning, traffic), including signs that are obstructive or unsafe for traffic, prevent egress or ingress, block ventilation, or imitate official traffic signs.
- Any sign that obscures a sign displayed by a public authority.
- Any sign that produces sound, odor, liquid or visible matter (such as smoke or vapor).
- Roof signs.
- Any portable sign.
- Any sign consisting of a moored balloon, or other tethered floating or inflatable sign.
- Window signs that obscure more than fifty (50) percent of the total glazed area on each facade.
- Signs on or within a vendor stand, other than a price sign and a sign or logo identifying the vendor or product (no larger than two square feet).

## Signs exempt from permit in Charlottesville

- Signs not exceeding four (4) square feet in area advertising for sale or rental of the land or building on which they are located; not illuminated, not more than four (4) feet in height.
- Professional name plates or plaques, not exceeding one (1) square foot in area, affixed to the wall of a building.
- Signs not over twenty-five (25) square feet in area identifying municipal, governmental, or religious buildings, when erected on the building or land where the building is located.
- Commemorative plaques, historical markers, memorial signs, monumental inscriptions or tablets as approved by the board of architectural review, not exceeding fifteen (15) square feet.
- Signs denoting the architect, engineer or contractor on a construction site, not illuminated, not exceeding sixteen (16) square feet, removed after construction is complete.
- Traffic, utility, municipal, legal notice, directional, informational, railroad crossing, danger, safety, temporary or emergency signs and holiday decorations or signs/banners across a public right-of-way when erected or required by public authority or the city manager.
- Signs not exceeding six (6) square feet designating entrances, exits, or conditions of use for parking lots (including handicapped parking), required by public authority.
- Subdivision or housing development signs, not exceeding six (6) feet in height or twenty-five (25) square feet in area; displaying only the name of the development.
- On a property used for residential purposes, signs identifying a single-family dwelling, its occupant, or its location, or a home professional office (not home occupation), not exceeding one (1) square foot.
- "No trespassing" or other security/warning signs, not exceeding one (1) square foot.
- Political signs.
- Flags flying from a flagpole, with no more than three (3) flags at any one time and no flag exceeding fifty (50) square feet.
- Signs indicating hours of operation for a business, window-located, not in excess of two (2) square feet.
- Signs with the words "Private drive," not exceeding two (2) square feet, limited to one per entrance drive.
- Signs requested and approved as part of a provisional use permit.
- Official notices or advertisements posted according to law by officials or trustees.
- No more than two (2) "entrance" or "exit" signs per parking lot entrance/exit (not to exceed two (2) square feet each), or parking restriction signs (not to exceed three (3) square feet) appropriately spaced; signs may be freestanding (max two square feet, four feet in height) or wall mounted.
- Window signs that do not obscure more than 50% of the total glazed area on each facade.
- Café signs within café boundaries or attached to café structures, not taller than five (5) feet, up to three (3) square feet per side; only one café or sandwich board sign per business.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- City council may approve a comprehensive signage plan (also termed 'optional comprehensive signage plan') to modify standard sign requirements for a proposed development subject to site plan review and for any development subject to architectural review under Article II, Divisions 2, 3, or 5.
- A comprehensive signage plan requires a written plan detailing type, quantity, size, shape, color, and location of all signs; it is required when sign characteristics (number, type, or location) will not comply with standard requirements.
- City council may only approve a comprehensive signage plan upon a determination of good cause and that the plan serves the public purposes and objectives of the sign regulations as well or better than the base standards.
- Applications for a comprehensive signage plan are submitted to the director of neighborhood development services, with the required materials including narrative, illustrations, detailed descriptions, maps, and lighting information, and a fee.
- For new construction in architectural design control or entrance corridor districts, a certificate of appropriateness (Issued by the appropriate review board or commission) serves as the required sign permit—see permitting procedure in Sec. 34-1025(c).

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

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