Most Tarrant County cities prohibit or heavily restrict home business signage. Fort Worth and Arlington ban commercial signs in residential zones. Small non-illuminated name plates may be allowed with limits.
Home occupation signage rules in Tarrant County are set by each municipality and are generally restrictive. Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Chapter 5 prohibits exterior evidence of a home business, including signs, that would indicate commercial use of the residence. Arlington UDC Section 5.2.3 similarly disallows signs advertising a home occupation. Grapevine, Keller, Southlake, and Mansfield follow the same approach, banning on-premise commercial signage in residential districts. A small non-illuminated name plate (typically limited to 1 to 2 square feet) is sometimes allowed for professional offices or cottage food operations, but must be mounted flat against the dwelling and not illuminated. Unincorporated Tarrant County has no county signage ordinance, though homeowners associations and deed restrictions often ban residential business signs. Vehicle signage (lettering on work trucks parked in driveways) is usually regulated separately by each city.
Illegal home business signs in Fort Worth and Arlington are subject to removal by code compliance and fines of 500 to 2,000 dollars per violation per day. Sign violations are often cited alongside zoning violations during home occupation complaints.
See how Tarrant County's signage rules rules stack up against other locations.
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