# Sign Regulations in Purcellville, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Purcellville, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/purcellville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-24
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/Purcellville/codes/Zoning_Ordinance?nodeId=ZONING_ORDINANCETOPUVI_ART6SURE_S3GESIRERE71012)

## At a glance

Purcellville, Virginia regulates 21 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Subdivision Signs in the Residential District zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 32 square feet (Sec. Section 3.10, Residential signs).

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 6 feet | 33% of the glass area for each pane | — |
| Industrial District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Residential District | 5 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Commercial District (C-1, MC, CM-1, M-1) | 4 | 8 feet | 60 square feet | — |
| C-4 zoning district | 4 | 8 feet | 40 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | — | — | — | Five feet from all public rights-of-way unless further restricted. | — | — | — | Section 3.10, General sign regulations for all districts |
| Hanging Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Section 3.10, General sign regulations for all districts |
| Marquee Sign | — | 30 square feet | — | — | — | Affixed flat to the face of the marquee, projecting not more than three inches therefrom. | — | Section 3.10, General sign regulations for all districts |
| Canopy or Awning Sign | — | 30 square feet | — | — | — | Professionally painted or printed directly on the canopy or awning. | — | Section 3.10, General sign regulations for all districts |
| Menu Sign | 6 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | — | Near the entrance to the restaurant. | — | Section 3.10, General sign regulations for all districts |
| Open and Related Signs | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per business | — | — | Section 3.10, General sign regulations for all districts |
| Iconic Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Section 3.10, General sign regulations for all districts |
| Window Sign | — | 33% of the glass area for each pane | — | — | — | Placed in or on a window. | — | Section 3.10, General sign regulations for all districts |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Section 3.7, Exempt signs |
| Security and Warning Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Section 3.7, Exempt signs |
| Subdivision Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | One per primary entrance | Ground mounted | — | Section 3.10, Residential signs |
| Church or Synagogue Sign | 8 feet | 24 square feet | — | — | One per frontage | — | — | Section 3.10, Residential signs |
| Garage Sale and Yard Sale Sign | 4 feet | 4 square feet per face | — | — | — | — | — | Section 3.10, Residential signs |

### C-4 zoning district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall or Marquee Sign | — | 40 square feet | — | — | Two signs per zoning lot | Installed parallel to the wall of a building to which it will be attached and shall not extend from the wall more than 12 inches. | — | Section 3.10, Signs in the C-4 zoning district |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Section 3.10, Signs in the C-4 zoning district |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | — | No less than seven feet above the sidewalk grade. | — | Section 3.10, Signs in the C-4 zoning district |
| Freestanding or Monument Sign | 8 feet | 30 square feet | — | — | Two signs per zoning lot | May be permitted on East and West Main Street and North Hatcher Avenue south of the W&OD Trail. | — | Section 3.10, Signs in the C-4 zoning district |

## Prohibited signs in Purcellville

- Any sign or sign structure which is structurally unsafe, or constitutes a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation or abandonment, or which is not kept in good repair, or is capable of causing electrical shocks to persons or other living beings that are likely to come into contact with it.
- Any sign, which was or is unlawfully installed, erected or maintained in violation of the requirements of this article.
- Any sign, which would project above the height, as, of the building roofline, except that a sign may be mounted on a parapet wall provided that the sign does not extend above the parapet wall.
- Any sign mounted on the roof of a building behind the front facade.
- Snipe signs except as otherwise provided for in these regulations.
- Unauthorized signs on property owned by or under the control of the town.
- Any addition and/or enlargement or other alteration of an existing sign unless such addition and/or enlargement or other alteration has been approved by issuance of a new sign permit by the town.
- Animated and moving signs. Including, but not limited to, pennants, flags with commercial messages, banners, streamers, propellers, discs, and searchlights unless otherwise provided for in this chapter.
- Flashing signs.
- Changeable copy signs. Excluding approved institutional bulletin boards, theater signs and fuel price signs as permitted by this ordinance.

## Signs exempt from permit in Purcellville

- Address or identification signs indicating the address and/or names of occupants of premises, not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Directional signs giving on-site directional assistance for the convenience of the public, not exceeding two square feet in area or located closer than five feet to any property line.
- Flags, emblems and insignia of any governmental agency or religious, charitable, public or nonprofit organization, college, or sport team flags in residential districts.
- Handicapped parking space signage.
- Security and warning signs posted on private property warning the public against trespassing, or similar message, provided that any such sign does not exceed two square feet.
- Official notices or advertisements posted by any public or court officer or any trustees under deeds of trust, or other similar instruments.
- Private drive signs limited to one per drive entrance, not exceeding two square feet in area, with language limited to the words 'private drive' and the address of any residences utilizing the private roadway.
- Public signs including, but not limited to, traffic, utility and other regulatory signs erected by government agencies.
- Any sign not visible from a public right of way or adjoining properties (residential and commercial).
- Public information signage placed by the town and used to inform the general public about an in-town event, meeting, gathering, or similar circumstance.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master sign plan for special events is required and reviewed by the community development department.
- Sign permits shall be issued only for signs which conform to requirements of this chapter including, where applicable, an approved sign plan for the real property on which the sign is to be located.
- Sign plans may be submitted and approved concurrently with an application for a site development plan or other land development order.
- Internal directional and directory signs must be approved as part of the master 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 5 zoning districts in Purcellville — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Purcellville+VA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-purcellville

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/purcellville