Home occupation signage in Richmond is tightly restricted. Most residential zones prohibit any external signage advertising a home business. Where permitted, signs are limited to a single non-illuminated sign no larger than 2 square feet mounted flat against the dwelling.
Richmond City Code Chapter 30, Article VII (Sign Regulations) and the home-occupation standards in Article IV prohibit exterior advertising of a home business in most R-1 through R-5 residential districts. In the R-6, R-7, and R-8 districts and in some mixed-use and B-district transitional areas, a single non-illuminated identification sign not exceeding 2 square feet and flat-mounted against the principal dwelling is permitted. Window signs count toward the 2-square-foot allowance. No freestanding, pole, roof, or internally illuminated signage is allowed for a home occupation. Historic overlay districts (Monument Avenue, Jackson Ward, Church Hill, The Fan) require a separate Commission of Architectural Review certificate of appropriateness for any sign regardless of size. VA Code §15.2-2280 grants Richmond authority to regulate sign type, size, and illumination in residential zones. The Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015) content-neutrality standard still applies, so restrictions are based on size and location rather than sign content.
Unlawful sign: notice of violation, 10-day cure period, civil penalty $100-$500 per VA Code §15.2-2209 escalating with repeat offenses. Historic district sign without CAR approval: $1,000 penalty plus removal order under VA Code §15.2-2306.
Richmond, VA
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See how Richmond's signage rules rules stack up against other locations.
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