Loudoun County, VA Sign Regulations: Garage Sale Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 8.06.D, Table 8.06-3
- Permit duration
- 120 days within any 12-month period
- Size cap
- 32 sf, 8 ft max height
- Setback
- 5 ft minimum from right-of-way
- Spacing
- 20 ft minimum from other signs
- Illumination
- No digital, backlit or illuminated signs
Summary
Garage sale signs in unincorporated Loudoun County fall under the Zoning Ordinance's Temporary Sign standard, Section 8.06.D. A Sign Permit is required, valid for 120 days within any 12-month period, and each sign is capped at 32 square feet and 8 feet tall, set back at least 5 feet from the right-of-way, and must come down before the permit expires.
Temporary Signs must comply with Table 8.06-3. Sign Permits for Temporary Signs are limited to 120 days within a 12-month period. The Zoning Administrator may grant extensions to a Sign Permit for a Temporary Sign based on written justification for the need of an extension. Signs must be removed prior to Sign Permit expiration. The Sign Permit Application must include the dates of sign display, which do not have to be consecutive.
Full Breakdown
The Zoning Ordinance's definitions section expressly lists "garage sale signs" as an example of a Temporary Sign, alongside real estate and political signs. 06-3. Sign Permits for Temporary Signs are limited to 120 days within a 12-month period... The Zoning Administrator may grant extensions to a Sign Permit for a Temporary Sign based on written justification for the need of an extension... Signs must be removed prior to Sign Permit expiration... 06-3 sets the physical standards that apply to every Temporary Sign, garage-sale signs included, regardless of sign group: a Sign Permit is required, each sign is capped at 32 square feet with a maximum height of 8 feet, it must sit at least 5 feet back from the road right-of-way, and must stand at least 20 feet from any other sign.
Temporary Signs cannot be digital, backlit, or externally or halo-illuminated. " Because the code counts display dates rather than consecutive calendar days, a homeowner running several garage sales across a year can spread the 120 permitted days across multiple weekends, but the Sign Permit application must list each date up front, and the sign has to come down once the permit expires or the 120-day allotment within the rolling 12-month window is used up.
Violations & Fines
A garage sale sign left up past its Sign Permit's 120-day window, placed closer than 5 feet to the right-of-way, or built past the 32-square-foot/8-foot cap violates Section 8.06.D and Table 8.06-3. Most sign violations carry a $200 civil penalty for the first offense and $500 for each additional offense under Section 10.13.E, capped at $5,000 before criminal misdemeanor charges apply under Section 10.13.D.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Sign Permit required for a garage sale sign in Loudoun County?
How long can a garage sale sign stay up?
How big can a garage sale sign be?
Can a garage sale sign light up or flash?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loudoun County
Compare Loudoun County to another location·View the Virginia sign regulations overview
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