Davidson County, NC Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Sign type allowed
- One non-illuminated wall sign only
- Maximum size
- 3 square feet
- Districts covered
- RA-1, RA-2, RA-3, RS, RM-1, RM-2
- Approval needed
- Zoning Permit
- First-violation penalty
- $25 civil penalty
Summary
A home occupation in unincorporated Davidson County's residential districts may put up only one sign, and it must be a non-illuminated wall sign no larger than three square feet bearing the business name. A Zoning Permit is required before it goes up.
(I) On-Site Signs, Residential Districts. The following signs may be erected in the RA-1, RA-2, RA-3, RS, RM-1, and RM-2 districts in the manner described upon issuance of a Zoning Permit. ... 2) A single, non-illuminated wall sign not exceeding three (3) square feet in area and containing the name of a home occupation may be erected on the lot on which such home occupation is located.
Full Breakdown
5(I) sets the sign rules for the RA-1, RA-2, RA-3, RS, RM-1, and RM-2 residential districts, and item (2) is specific to home occupations: a single, non-illuminated wall sign not exceeding three square feet in area, containing the name of the home occupation, may be erected on the lot where the business operates. That size is far smaller than what the same section allows for other residential signage; a subdivision or multi-family development identification sign at a point of access can run up to two sign faces of 24 square feet each, and a permitted non-residential use in a residential district gets the same 24-square-foot allowance.
The home occupation sign must also be non-illuminated, unlike the residential subdivision and non-residential-use signs the ordinance allows to be internally or externally illuminated. 2(E), it must be erected 'in the manner described upon issuance of a Zoning Permit,' meaning the county reviews and permits the sign alongside, or as part of, the home occupation approval rather than allowing it to go up unpermitted.
Violations & Fines
A larger, illuminated, or additional sign beyond the single three-square-foot wall sign is a zoning violation. Article VIII civil penalties under § VIII.5(A) apply: $25 for a first violation, $50 for a second, $100 for a third, and $200 for the fourth and each violation after, with the county required to serve a Notice of Violation and allow five days to correct before a citation issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can my home business sign be in unincorporated Davidson County?
Can I light up my home business sign at night?
Do I need a permit for a small home business sign?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davidson County
Compare Davidson County to another location·View the North Carolina home business overview
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