# Sign Regulations in Tazewell, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Tazewell, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/tazewell
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/Tazewell/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH3ADSI)

## At a glance

Tazewell, Virginia regulates 22 sign types across 13 zoning districts. Business, Location and General Advertising Signs in the Industrial District, General (M-1) zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 350 sq ft total (aggregate), with a 10 ft from street right-of-way (if 50' or more) or 35 ft from street centerline (if less than 50'), except for real estate signs up to property line (Sec. 23-55) setback (Sec. Sec. 23-53(29), Sec. 23-97(a), Sec. 23-97(c)). Most commercial signs in Tazewell require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (13 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural District (A-1) | 3 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| Conservation District (C-1) | 3 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| Residential District, Limited (R-1) | 5 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| Residential District, General (R-2) | 4 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| Residential District (R-3) | 4 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| Residential District (R-4) | 4 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| Business District, Neighborhood (B-1) | 4 | 30 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Business District, General (B-2) | 4 | 30 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| Industrial District, General (M-1) | 4 | 30 ft | 350 sq ft total (aggregate) | — |
| Historic Districts (HD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned Unit Development (PUD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Commercial Area and Development Overlay District (CA/DO) | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | — | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 13 zones)

### Residential District, Limited (R-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Sign (Sale/Rent) | — | 6 sq ft | — | May be up to property line | — | On property for sale or rent | — | Sec. 23-19(8), Sec. 23-21, Sec. 23-95(4) |
| Church Bulletin Board/Identification Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On building or property | — | Sec. 23-19(9), Sec. 23-95(2) |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises | — | Sec. 23-19(10), Sec. 23-1 (Directional Sign) |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | Only one | On property | — | Sec. 23-95(6) |
| Political Campaign Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property | — | Sec. 23-95(11) |

### Industrial District, General (M-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business, Location and General Advertising Sign | 30 ft | 350 sq ft total (aggregate) | — | 10 ft from street right-of-way (if 50' or more) or 35 ft from street centerline (if less than 50'), except for real estate signs up to property line (Sec. 23-55) | — | On property—wall or freestanding | — | Sec. 23-53(29), Sec. 23-97(a), Sec. 23-97(c) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | May be at property line | — | On property being sold/rented | — | Sec. 23-95(4), Sec. 23-55 |
| Billboard (Outdoor Advertising Structure) | 30 ft | 300 sq ft | — | — | — | On property | — | Sec. 23-95(12), Sec. 23-97(a) |
| Political Campaign Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property | — | Sec. 23-95(11) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | One per property | On building/property | — | Sec. 23-95(1) |
| Municipal, Government, Religious Facility Identification Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On building/property | — | Sec. 23-95(2) |
| Public Sign (Directional, Regulatory, Warning) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | Erected by public officer, for town/public use | — | Sec. 23-95(3) |
| Warning Sign (Trespassing, Danger, etc.) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | On property as appropriate | — | Sec. 23-95(5) |
| Construction Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 3 per site | At construction site | — | Sec. 23-95(7) |
| Parking Lot Sign (Entrance/Exit/Conditions) | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | — | Parking lot | — | Sec. 23-95(8) |
| Commemorative Plaque / Historic Marker | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | — | As designated | — | Sec. 23-95(9) |
| Yard or Garage Sale Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises of sale | — | Sec. 23-95(10) |

## Prohibited signs in Tazewell

- Signs which by reason of their location, position, size, shape, color, design or means of illumination may be construed as or confused with, or may interfere with, obstruct or obscure the view of all or any portion of a traffic control sign, signal, or device.
- Signs which imitate an official sign or signal or which contain the words 'stop,' 'go,' 'slow,' 'yield,' 'caution,' 'danger,' 'warning,' or similar words which imply any official warning or command or which may imply the need for special actions on the part of any vehicle or pedestrian.
- Any sign displaying flashing or intermittent lights or lights changing degrees of intensity, except a sign indicating time or temperature, with changes alternating on not more than five-second cycles, provided such time or temperature sign does not constitute a public safety hazard in the judgment of the town manager.
- Signs which contain or consist of pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, or other similar moving devices in residential areas. These devices, when not part of any sign, are similarly prohibited.
- Any sign or means of sign illumination which causes glare into or upon any building other than the building to which the sign may be related or any sign or means of sign illumination which causes glare into oncoming traffic.
- Any sign affixed to, hung, placed, or painted on any other sign, fence, cliff, radio, television, or similar tower, provided that this prohibition shall not affect official traffic, parking or informational signs placed on utility poles by the town government.
- No new portable or nonstructural sign over sixteen (16) square feet will be allowed in the town after passage of this article. No sign shall be allowed longer than sixty (60) days.
- Any sign which no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide business, lessor, service, owner, product, or activity located, conducted, or sold on the premises. Where the owner or lessor of the premises is seeking a new tenant, such signs may remain in place for not more than ninety (90) days from the date of vacancy unless permission to extend is acquired from the town manager.
- Signs advertising activities which are illegal under federal, state, or town laws or regulations.

## Signs exempt from permit in Tazewell

- One (1) identification sign not to exceed one (1) square foot in area and bearing only property numbers, post office box numbers, names of occupants or premises and hours of operation.
- Signs identifying municipal and governmental buildings or buildings used for religious purposes, when erected upon the building or property upon which such building is located, provided that such signs shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area.
- Public signs in the interest of, if erected by, or on the order of, a public officer in the performance of his public duty such as directional signs, regulatory signs, warning signs, and information signs. These would include fundraising efforts by nonprofit organizations and would be limited to an area of sixteen (16) square feet.
- Temporary real estate signs which advertise the sale, rental or lease of premises on which they are displayed, provided the advertisement display area does not exceed six (6) square feet in residential districts or thirty-two (32) square feet in commercial, industrial, or agricultural districts. Such signs shall not be illuminated.
- Signs warning the public against trespassing, dangerous animals, swimming or the like, provided such signs do not exceed three (3) square feet in area per sign.
- One (1) sign, not more than one (1) square foot in area and not illuminated, identifying a home occupation in any and all zoning districts.
- Not more than three (3) construction signs, when placed at the construction site. Such signs shall not be illuminated, shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet in area for each sign, and shall be removed within ten (10) days following completion of construction.
- Signs designating entrances, exits or conditions of use for parking lots. Such signs shall not exceed twenty-five (25) square feet in area.
- Commemorative plaques and historic markers recognized by the county, not to exceed twenty-five (25) square feet in area.
- Yard or garage sale signs displayed on the premises of such sale, provided that such signs shall not exceed four (4) square feet. No such sign is permitted elsewhere and if so displayed or placed, may be removed by the town. The cost of removal shall be charged to the occupant of the property on which the yard or garage sale is conducted.
- Political campaign signs, including posters, banners, writings, pictures, lights, models, displays, emblems, notices, illustrations, insignias, symbols, and any other advertising devices, the purpose of which is to announce a referendum or the nomination for election of individuals seeking an elected public office, shall be permissible without a permit so long as such signs comply with the following: the total area of such signs shall not exceed four (4) square feet in a residential zone and thirty-two (32) square feet in a commercial, agricultural, or industrial zone; such signs shall be confined within private property; such signs shall not encroach into or interfere with the visibility at street intersections; such signs shall not be located on or attached in any way to utility poles, meter posts, trees, or within or on any structure within any public street right-of-way, nor shall they be attached in any way to utility poles or meter posts located on private property; such signs shall not be erected more than forty-five (45) days prior to any election and shall be removed within five (5) days after any such election; if after reasonable notice the temporary political campaign signs are not removed in compliance herewith, the town may cause said signs to be removed, and the candidate, organization, or person who caused the signs to be erected may be charged with the costs for the removal thereof.
- Billboard or outdoor advertising structures are permitted in M-1 and B-2. They may have a maximum size of three hundred (300) square feet and must be spaced at least one thousand (1,000) feet apart.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit shall be required to erect, structurally alter, relocate, rearrange or replace any sign or advertising structure within the town, except as otherwise provided herein. A permit fee is required for each sign permit requested.
- Prior to the erection, installation, or alteration of any sign or advertising display requiring a permit, a permit application shall be submitted to the zoning administrator, accompanied by plans showing the exact dimensions, area and height above grade, proposed location, all existing signs, method of illumination, erection plans, and written permission of the land/building owner.
- No sign permit shall be required for signs meeting the listed exemptions, but these signs must still comply with all other regulations of the article.
- In developments subject to site plan review, the location of proposed signs is one of the required elements of both preliminary and final site plans.
- Signage exceeding 150 square feet requires a conditional use permit (special exception), as indicated in the fee schedule.
- In Planned Unit Developments (PUD), the 'site plan' submitted for approval must show the location of proposed signs.
- In the Commercial Area and Development Overlay District (CA/DO), preliminary site plans, as required before any development, must show proposed use of land and buildings, building lines, and may include plans for signage, with commission and council able to impose requirements concerning signs and advertising devices.

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

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