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Annapolis, MD Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Annapolis City Code § 21.70.060(B)(5)
Permit required
No, if bona fide and unilluminated
Illumination
Not permitted for this exempt category
Area cap
None specified: content test, not size
Enforcing agency
Director of Planning and Zoning

Summary

In Annapolis, window signs displaying merchandise, services, or matters of public interest inside a structure are exempt from the city's sign permit requirement, provided they aren't illuminated.

B.Illumination is Not Permitted....5.Window Displays. Signs erected or installed in the interior of a structure which form an integral part of a bona fide window display which is related to merchandise or services available within the structure or which are related to matters of public welfare or public interest.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

Annapolis Code § 21.70.060(B)(5) lists window displays among the sign types exempt from the permit requirement in § 21.70.020, so a business doesn't need Director of Planning and Zoning sign-off before dressing a storefront window. The exemption only covers signage erected inside the structure that forms an integral part of a bona fide window display tied to merchandise or services sold on the premises, or to matters of public welfare or interest, and, per the exempt-sign category it sits in, it can't be illuminated. There's no percentage-of-glass area cap; qualifying displays still must meet the general standards in § 21.70.050, including the sight-visibility triangle rule.

Violations & Fines

Displaying an illuminated window sign, or one unrelated to on-site merchandise/services or public interest, forfeits the exemption and requires a Chapter 17.60 sign permit from the Director of Planning and Zoning before installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a store window sign in Annapolis?
No, § 21.70.060(B)(5) exempts bona fide window displays tied to on-site merchandise, services, or public-interest matters from the sign permit process, as long as the display isn't illuminated.
Is there a size limit on Annapolis window signs?
The code sets no percentage-of-glass or square-footage cap for exempt window displays; the test is content-based, and the general standards under § 21.70.050 still apply.
Can I put a lit sign in my store window?
Not under this exemption, § 21.70.060(B) lists window displays under 'Illumination Is Not Permitted,' so a lit window sign instead needs a standard permit under § 21.70.020.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Annapolis

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsPolitical SignsSome RestrictionsDigital BillboardsHeavy RestrictionsGarage Sale SignsFew RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningSignificant Restrictions

All Annapolis rules

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