Raleigh, NC Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

Raleigh strictly limits home business signage under UDO Section 6.7.3 combined with the sign regulations in UDO Section 7.3. The general rule for home occupations in all residential districts is no exterior evidence of the business, which includes no freestanding signs, no wall signs, no window signs, no banners, no vehicle lettering visible from the right-of-way when parked on the premises, and no sandwich boards. A single professional nameplate is permitted under UDO 7.3.6 for licensed professionals (attorneys, physicians, CPAs, architects, engineers, therapists) who practice from a home office. The nameplate must be wall-mounted, no larger than 1 square foot, contain only the professional's name and licensure, and not be internally illuminated. No permit is required for a compliant nameplate. Commercial vehicles bearing business lettering may be parked in the driveway if they are 10,000 pounds GVWR or less and are the primary vehicle of a resident; larger commercial vehicles (box trucks, service vans over 1 ton) are prohibited from overnight parking in residential districts regardless of signage. Temporary signs advertising services (yard sale, garage sale, open house) are permitted for limited durations under UDO 7.3.8 but cannot be used to route ongoing customer traffic to a home business. Violations start with a written warning; repeated non-compliance brings $100 per day civil penalties and can trigger revocation of the home occupation right.