Sign Regulations in Durham, NC (2026)
4 verified sign regulations for Durham, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Durham's UDO lets political and election signs go up in the public right-of-way without a permit, but the (City only) provision caps each sign at six square feet and four feet in height, keeps them clear of intersection sight lines, and enforces a strict clock: up 45 days before the election, down within 15 days after.
Durham Political Sign Size & Timing Rules
Some RestrictionsDurham UDO § 11.5.1
(City only) Signs erected in connections with elections, referenda, or current political events provided that they do not exceed six square feet per sign in area and are no more than four feet in height. The signs shall be located so as not to obstruct drivers' vision clearances at intersections. Such signs may be posted 45 days prior to an election in which a person identified on the sign is a...
Garage Sale Signs
A Durham yard or garage sale sign needs no sign permit, but each sign is capped at four feet in height and six square feet in area, and the lot gets one sign. It can go up five days before the sale, must come down within two days after, and must stay out of the public right-of-way.
Durham Yard and Garage Sale Sign Rules
Some RestrictionsDurham UDO § 11.4.2.R; § 11.4.1.A-D
11.4.1. General A . The signs ... under this section shall be allowed in all zoning districts. B . No sign ... permit shall be required; however, the property owner ... ’s consent shall be obtained before erecting such signage. C . Other than vending machines, automatic tellers, and gasoline pumps, no signs ... allowed under this section shall be illuminated. D . All signs ... shall be located ...
Digital Billboards
Durham's UDO bans animated, blinking, chasing, flashing or moving-effect signs, the standard for digital billboards and LED message boards, in every zoning tier except Downtown, where one is allowed only with a discretionary minor special use permit. Static changeable-copy displays are allowed on-premise in nonresidential and institutional settings but capped at 50% of sign area (80% for theaters) and no more than eight copy changes a day.
Durham Changeable Copy & Animated Sign Ban
Significant RestrictionsDurham UDO § 11.3.1; § 11.2.7
11.2.7. Changeable copy on on-premise signs ...changeable copy shall be allowed only on on-premise signs that are: in nonresidential districts, associated with nonresidential uses in the PDR District, or associated with places of worship and institutional uses in any district... No more than 50% of the area of a sign shall be devoted to changeable copy, except for signs for theaters which can d...
Window Signs
Durham lets businesses put window signs up without a sign permit in every zoning district, but all window signs on one façade together cannot cover more than 10% of the window area. The signs also count against the lot's total allowed sign area and cannot be illuminated.
Durham Window Sign Rules: 10% Cap, No Permit
Some RestrictionsDurham UDO § 11.4.2.Q
that are attached to, painted on, or etched into a window or displayed within 12 inches (measured horizontally) of the window and are legible from outside of the window. ... shall not exceed 10% of the window area on each façade. ... area for the lot.
Looking for Durham County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Durham city rules.
Sign Regulations in Durham County →