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Brunswick County, NC Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing law
UDO § 5.4.4.F, unincorporated county only
Number of signs
One
Maximum size
3 square feet
Permitted content
Business name and address only
Adopted
Ord. No. UDO-16-02, § 24, 3-7-16

Summary

A home occupation in unincorporated Brunswick County, North Carolina, may display only one sign, no larger than 3 square feet, showing just the business name and address, under Unified Development Ordinance Section 5.4.4.F.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Brunswick County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

F.One sign is permitted. Such sign to be no larger than 3 square feet of commercial quality and design and shall be limited to the business name and address only.

View official code

Full Breakdown

4. F permits exactly one sign for a home-based business, capped at 3 square feet, and requires it to be of commercial quality and design. Content is restricted to the business name and address only, so pricing, product lists, hours or promotional language are not permitted on the sign. A) and the requirement that the business stay clearly incidental to the residential use of the dwelling. The provision traces to Ord. No. UDO-16-02, Section 24, adopted March 7, 2016, and remains part of the currently codified UDO.

Because Brunswick County's UDO governs only unincorporated territory, this 3-square-foot, one-sign limit does not apply inside Leland, Southport, Oak Island, Shallotte, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Calabash or Boiling Spring Lakes, each of which sets its own sign standards for home-based businesses under municipal code.

Violations & Fines

Sign compliance for home occupations is enforced by the Brunswick County Planning Department as part of zoning administration. A second sign, an oversized sign, or a sign carrying content beyond the business name and address violates Section 5.4.4.F and can result in a notice of violation requiring removal or replacement of the sign to bring it into compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big can my home business sign be in unincorporated Brunswick County?
No larger than 3 square feet. Section 5.4.4.F of the UDO limits home occupations to a single sign of that size, and it must be of commercial quality and design.
What can my home occupation sign say?
Only the business name and address. Section 5.4.4.F restricts sign content to those two items; it does not authorize pricing, hours, or advertising copy.
Does the 3-square-foot sign rule apply in Oak Island or Shallotte?
No. This is a Brunswick County UDO provision that applies only in the unincorporated county. Oak Island, Shallotte and the county's other incorporated towns set their own home-business sign rules.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Brunswick County

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsCustomer Traffic RestrictionsSome RestrictionsZoning & Home Occupation PermitsSome RestrictionsHome DaycareSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsLight RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSignificant Restrictions

All Brunswick County rules

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