# Sign Regulations in Christiansburg, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Christiansburg, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/christiansburg
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/Christiansburg/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=SPBLADERE_CH42ZO_ARTXXIVSI)

## At a glance

Christiansburg, Virginia regulates 14 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Ground/Freestanding (on-premises)s in the B-1, Limited Business (B-1) zoning district are capped at 35 ft. tall and 50 sq. ft., with a 10 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from all other property lines, per Sec. 42-710(a) setback (Sec. Sec. 42-710 Table). Most commercial signs in Christiansburg require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural/Residential Districts (A, R1-A, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-MS) | 6 | 15 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| MU-1, Mixed Use: Residential/Limited Business (MU-1) | 8 | 20 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| MU-2, Mixed Use: Residential/Limited Business/Limited Industrial (MU-2) | 8 | 20 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| B-1, Limited Business (B-1) | 9 | 35 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| B-2, Central Business (B-2) | 9 | 35 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| B-3, General Business (B-3) | 10 | 75 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| I-1, Limited Industrial (I-1) | 9 | 15 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| I-2, General Industrial (I-2) | 9 | 35 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### B-1, Limited Business (B-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground/Freestanding (on-premises) | 35 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from all other property lines, per Sec. 42-710(a) | One sign with less than 200' of frontage. One per 200' of additional frontage. | On-premises | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Changeable Copy (on-premises) | 35 ft. | 18 sq. ft. | — | — | One sign as part or whole of one permitted ground/freestanding or wall sign. | On-premises as part or whole of one ground/freestanding or wall sign. | — | Sec. 42-710 Table; Sec. 42-709 |
| Marquee (on-premises) | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | One per side | On-premises (one per marquee side). | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Combined (on-premises) | 35 ft. | 150 sq. ft. (100 sq. ft. if only 2 businesses) | — | 10 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from all other property lines. | One; see also allowed replacement for additional ground/freestanding sign as permitted. | On-premises | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Portable Sign | 8 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from other property lines. | Not limited. | — | — | Sec. 42-704(e), 42-710 Table |
| Minor Sign | 6 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | Two per parcel. | — | — | Sec. 42-704(d), 42-710 Table |
| Directional (on-premises) | 7 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | Two signs per entrance or exit. | On-premises, at entrance/exit. | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Temporary Sign | 20 ft. (freestanding); wall sign may not project above roof line. | 100 sq. ft. (max 50 sq. ft. per sign for freestanding/ground sign) | — | 5 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from other property lines (if freestanding). | Not limited. | — | — | Sec. 42-704(c), 42-710 Table |

### B-2, Central Business (B-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground/Freestanding (on-premises/off-premises) | 35 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | 2 ft from back of street curb, may project 42 inches over public property. | One sign with less than 200' of frontage. One sign per 200' of additional frontage. | On-premises/off-premises | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Wall Sign | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | Not limited. | Attached to structure wall. | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Changeable Copy (on-premises) | 35 ft. | 18 sq. ft. | — | — | One sign as part or whole of one permitted ground/freestanding or wall sign. | On-premises as part or whole of one ground/freestanding or wall sign. | — | Sec. 42-710 Table; Sec. 42-709(b) |
| Marquee (on-premises) | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | One per side | On-premises (one per marquee side). | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Combined (on-premises) | 35 ft. | 150 sq. ft. (100 sq. ft. if only 2 businesses) | — | 2 ft from back of street curb, may project 42 inches over public property. | One | On-premises | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Portable Sign | 8 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from other property lines. | Not limited. | — | — | Sec. 42-704(e), 42-710 Table |
| Directional (on-premises) | 7 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | Two signs per entrance or exit. | On-premises, at entrance/exit. | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Temporary Sign | 20 ft. (freestanding); wall sign may not project above roof line. | 100 sq. ft. (max 50 sq. ft. per sign) | — | 5 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from other property lines (if freestanding). | Not limited. | — | — | Sec. 42-704(c), 42-710 Table |

### B-3, General Business (B-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground/Freestanding (on-premises/off-premises) | 35 ft. | 75 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from all other property lines, per Sec. 42-710(a) | One sign with less than 200' of frontage. One per 200' of additional frontage. | On-premises or off-premises | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Changeable Copy (on-premises) | 35 ft. (freestanding) | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | One sign as part or whole of one permitted ground/freestanding or wall sign. | On-premises as part or whole of one ground/freestanding or wall sign. | — | Sec. 42-710 Table; Sec. 42-709 |
| Marquee (on-premises) | — | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | One per side | On-premises (one per marquee side). | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Combined (on-premises) | 35 ft. | 200 sq. ft. (150 sq. ft. if only 2 businesses) | — | 10 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from all other property lines. | One; max one additional combined sign as replacement for another ground/freestanding sign. | On-premises | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Interstate Exit Ground Sign | 75 ft. | 150 sq. ft. | — | — | Max of one ground/freestanding sign at designated interchange. | Within 1,000-foot radius from the center of the interchange at I-81 Exit 114 and Exit 118C | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Portable Sign | 8 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from other property lines. | Not limited. | — | — | Sec. 42-704(e), 42-710 Table |
| Directional (on-premises) | 7 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | Two signs per entrance or exit. | On-premises, at entrance/exit. | — | Sec. 42-710 Table |
| Temporary Sign | 35 ft. (freestanding); wall sign may not project above roof line. | 100 sq. ft. (max 50 sq. ft. per sign for freestanding/ground sign) | — | 5 ft from right-of-way, 3 ft from other property lines (if freestanding). | Not limited. | — | — | Sec. 42-704(c), 42-710 Table |

## Prohibited signs in Christiansburg

- Signs that violate any law of the Commonwealth of Virginia relating to outdoor advertising.
- Signs attached to natural vegetation.
- Signs simulating, or which are likely to be confused with, a traffic control sign or any other sign displayed by a public authority.
- Vehicle or trailer signs as defined in the ordinance.
- Any sign displayed without complying with all applicable regulations of this chapter.
- Animated signs, except for flags expressly permitted or changing of message content no more often than once every four seconds.
- Flashing signs or other signs displaying flashing, scrolling or intermittent lights or lights of changing degrees of intensity, except where such signs are expressly permitted.
- Signs that emit smoke, flame, scent, mist, aerosol, liquid, or gas.
- Signs that emit sound.
- Any electronic sign except as expressly permitted.
- Off-premises signs unless specifically permitted by this chapter.
- Signs erected on public land or within the public right-of-way unless approved by an authorized town official in writing.
- Roof signs unless approved as part of a comprehensive sign plan by conditional use permit.
- Any sign located in the vision triangle formed by any two intersecting streets, as regulated by the provisions of section 30-14.
- Signs at or near any curve in a street in such a manner as to obstruct the clear vision of traffic from any one point on such curve to any other point on such curve or to any other point not more than 400 feet apart, as measured between each point from the nearest edge of the pavement.
- Side and rear wall signs facing and within 100 feet of a residential district.

## Signs exempt from permit in Christiansburg

- Signs owned or erected by a governmental body or required by law. Such signs are exempt from the regulations of this article.
- Flags.
- Signs on the inside of store windows, except those signs specified as 'prohibited signs' in this article.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required prior to the display and erection of any sign except as provided in section 42-704 (permit not required/exempt signs).
- An application for a sign permit must be filed with the town's planning department, except for those signs exempted in section 42-704.
- A comprehensive sign plan may be approved as a conditional use permit in the MU-1, MU-2, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1, and I-2 districts.
- Comprehensive sign plans may establish the time, manner, and placement of signs, frequency of display changes, construction materials, the hours of lighting, height of signs, the total number of square feet of sign surface, and the number of signs to be placed on a site.
- Roof signs are prohibited unless approved as part of a comprehensive sign plan by conditional use permit.
- A comprehensive sign plan may be submitted for a tax map parcel in lieu of district-based sign standards, subject to approval by conditional use permit.

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

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