# Sign Regulations in West Point, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** West Point, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/west-point
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/West_Point/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CO_CH70ZO_ARTXXISIRE)

## At a glance

West Point, Virginia regulates 18 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential Use)s in the R-1 Low Density Residential District (R-1), R-2 Medium Density Residential District (R-2), R-3 High Density Residential District (R-3), R-4 Downtown Residential District (R-4), R-5 Multi-Family Affordable Subsidized Residential District (R-5) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 16 square feet for sign face, and additional 16 sq ft for architectural elements (non-message), with a 5 feet from street line, alley, or driveway; 15 feet from other property lines setback (Sec. Sec. 70-373(1), (2), Article XXI). Most commercial signs in West Point require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1 Low Density Residential District (R-1), R-2 Medium Density Residential District (R-2), R-3 High Density Residential District (R-3), R-4 Downtown Residential District (R-4), R-5 Multi-Family Affordable Subsidized Residential District (R-5) | 5 | 8 feet | 32 square feet (aggregate of up to 3 signs) | — |
| B-1 Highway Business District (B-1), SD-1 Special Development District (SD-1) | 6 | 25 feet | 150 square feet | — |
| B-2 Central Business District (B-2) | 3 | 20 feet | 40 square feet | — |
| M-1 Light Industrial District (M-1), M-2 Heavy Industrial District (M-2) | 3 | As permitted for B-1; otherwise industrial park entrance sign may be 20 ft high | 150 square feet (for lot frontage of 200 ft+); otherwise as per B-1 (75 sq ft) | — |
| CB-1 Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Overlay District (CB-1) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Overlay 14th Street (Route 33) Corridor District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Waterfront Mixed-Use District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Waterfront Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| MU-1 Mixed-Use Corridor District (MU-1) | 2 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 3 feet (if within 5 feet of street/alley/driveway/property line) | 8 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### R-1 Low Density Residential District (R-1), R-2 Medium Density Residential District (R-2), R-3 High Density Residential District (R-3), R-4 Downtown Residential District (R-4), R-5 Multi-Family Affordable Subsidized Residential District (R-5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Nonresidential Use) | — | 16 square feet | — | N/A for wall sign | — | Attached flat against main building | — | Sec. 70-373(1), Article XXI |
| Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential Use) | 8 feet | 16 square feet for sign face, and additional 16 sq ft for architectural elements (non-message) | — | 5 feet from street line, alley, or driveway; 15 feet from other property lines | 1 per street entrance for subdivisions | Within subdivision at each street entrance (for subdivisions); within property of the use being identified | — | Sec. 70-373(1), (2), Article XXI |
| Freestanding Sign (Identifying Multiple-family, Attached Development, Nursing Home, or Group Home) | 8 feet | 8 square feet | — | 5 feet from street line, alley, or driveway; 15 feet from other property lines | 1 per site | On property for development identified | — | Sec. 70-373(3), Article XXI |
| Temporary Sign (For Sale/Rent/Lease) | — | 6 square feet (aggregate) | — | 5 feet from street line, alley, or driveway; 15 feet from other property lines | One or more, not exceeding aggregate area | On premises for sale/rental/lease | — | Sec. 70-373(4), Article XXI |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 32 square feet (aggregate of up to 3 signs) | — | 5 feet from street line, alley, or driveway; 15 feet from other property lines | Up to 3 | On property under construction | — | Sec. 70-373(5), Article XXI |

### B-1 Highway Business District (B-1), SD-1 Special Development District (SD-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 1.5 square feet per linear foot (see formula) | — | — | 1 per 20 feet of lot frontage; minimum two allowed per lot | Vertical surface of main or accessory building facing public street | — | Sec. 70-375(2), (8), Article XXI |
| Roof Sign (On Mansard/Sloped Roof >60 deg) | — | Part of wall sign total | — | — | — | Mansard/sloped roof, parallel and not projecting beyond extremities | — | Sec. 70-375(3), (8), Article XXI |
| Suspended Sign (Under Canopy/Walkway) | — | 8 square feet (aggregate of such signage per walkway/entrance) | — | — | — | Under porte cochere, walkway, or covered entrance | — | Sec. 70-375(4), Article XXI |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 75 square feet | — | 5 ft from any street line, alley, driveway, or property line; 50 ft from residential lot | Max 2 per lot (1 per eligible frontage) | Along street frontage where main building is set back 25 ft or more | — | Sec. 70-375(5), Article XXI |
| Directory Sign (Shopping Center) | — | 150 square feet | — | 5 ft from street line/alley/driveway/property line; 50 ft from residential lot | 1 per qualifying shopping center site | On shopping center site | — | Sec. 70-375(6), Article XXI |
| Electronic Display Sign | — | — | — | — | — | In commercial district as permitted | — | Sec. 70-375(7), Article XXI; Definition Article II |

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

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 1.5 sq ft/linear foot of frontage (see formula); aggregate for all wall signage per building | — | — | 1 per 20 linear feet of lot frontage, minimum 2 per lot; see Sec. 70-375(10) | Facades facing public street | — | Sec. 70-376(2), Article XXI (cross-references B-1 rules) |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | Property frontage | — | Sec. 70-376(2, a, b), Article XXI |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per building | Attached to building, may extend over right-of-way | — | Sec. 70-376(3), Article XXI |

## Prohibited signs in West Point

- Billboard signs and portable signs, as defined in article II, are prohibited in any district. (Sec. 70-380)
- Such other signs as may be prohibited by the general laws of the commonwealth or the town shall not be permitted in any district. (Sec. 70-380)
- No bulb, lamp, or other source of illumination shall be directly exposed to any street, alley, driveway, or adjacent property, nor shall the exterior of any building, structure or portion thereof be illuminated by outlining such with lights, except for temporary seasonal decoration purposes. (Sec. 70-381)
- No sign shall be moved, replaced, structurally altered, or modified as to size, shape, or height except in conformity with the provisions of Article XXI. (Sec. 70-383)
- Any nonconforming sign due to lighting or animation must be eliminated or made to conform with lighting/animation regulations within 90 days of adoption. (Sec. 70-383)
- Any nonconforming portable sign or nonconforming temporary sign must be eliminated or made to conform within 30 days of adoption. (Sec. 70-383)
- Any sign identifying or pertaining to a use which has vacated the premises, or any sign structure with no message, must be removed within 90 days after vacancy or removal of message. (Sec. 70-383)

## Signs exempt from permit in West Point

- Directional signs, as defined in article II, are permitted in any district and are exempt from regulations pertaining to freestanding signs and are not included in calculations for aggregate area or maximum number of signs, provided no directional sign exceeding three feet in height shall be within five feet of any property line. No commercial off-site directional sign is permitted in any zoning district except for Town of West Point governmental signs. (Sec. 70-379(a))
- Temporary sale, announcement or merchandising sign, as defined in article II and not exceeding eight square feet in area, is permitted in any district and is not included in calculations for aggregate area or maximum number of signs. (Sec. 70-379(b))

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Applications for a sign permit must be accompanied by a $25.00 fee. (Sec. 70-53)
- Permanent signs must not be erected or installed until a zoning permit has been approved by the zoning administrator. (Sec. 70-49(a))
- Plans for a zoning permit must show the location of buildings and permanent signs on the lot. (Sec. 70-49(c))
- For all commercial and industrial uses requiring approval of a plan of development, a landscape plan is required per Sec. 70-347, which must indicate the location of all existing and planned utilities. (Sec. 70-347(a))
- New signage erected along designated roads in the Overlay 14th Street Corridor District must be designed as part of a unified program for the development of sites within the district, with colors, materials, and scale drawings submitted for approval at the time of application. (Sec. 70-308(d)(6))

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

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