Lexington County, SC Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

Sec. 22, rewritten in full by Ord. No. 23-17 on June 25, 2024, opens its list of restricted home occupation activities with item a: exterior displays, display of goods or chattels visible from the outside, or any exhibit on the premises, by any method, that would indicate from the exterior that the dwelling or accessory structure is being used in whole or in part as a home occupation. Unlike a typical commercial signage ordinance that sets a maximum square footage for a permitted sign, this provision does not authorize any exterior sign or display for a home occupation as a matter of right; the activity is grouped with other restricted uses, including hazardous equipment, outside material storage, and non-customary structural alterations, that require an appropriate variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals before they are allowed.

In practice this means a home-based business cannot post a yard sign, window display, or any other visible indicator that commercial activity is occurring at the residence without first obtaining that variance. The restriction is separate from, and does not affect, the county's general residential sign allowances (such as address numbers or temporary real estate signs) that apply to all dwellings regardless of home occupation status; it targets signage or displays specifically tied to advertising or revealing the business use itself.