Corpus Christi, TX Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Coverage limit, single tenant
- 25% of wall square footage per elevation
- Coverage limit, multi-tenant
- 80% of tenant space length
- Permit needed if
- illuminated or electrified
- Max projection from wall
- 36 inches
- Governing rule
- treated same as wall signs (UDC § 7.5.27)
- Penalty
- Class C misdemeanor, up to $2,000/day
Summary
Corpus Christi treats window and advertising-poster signs the same as wall signs under the Unified Development Code. That means window signage on a single-tenant storefront cannot exceed 25% of the building wall square footage for that elevation, and unlit window signs skip the permit step entirely.
Window Signs/Advertising Posters. Signs intended to inform or advertise products or events that are placed in the windows of shops, stores, or similar establishments are considered on the same basis as other wall signs. ... A sign which does not project more than 24 inches above the wall-line or have more than 10% of the area project above the wall-line may be considered a wall sign. The square footage for electric, non-electric, attached or painted wall signage on any building/structure shall not exceed 25% of the building wall square footage for each elevation. All wall signs must be attached flat against the wall of the building, shall not project more than 36 inches from the wall of the building or structure.
Full Breakdown
27, Definitions). B, Single Tenant Wall Sign: electric, non-electric, attached, or painted wall signage on a building or structure "shall not exceed 25% of the building wall square footage for each elevation," and the sign cannot project more than 24 inches above the wall-line or have more than 10% of its area project above the wall-line before it stops counting as a wall sign at all. D caps wall signage, which by the same definitional link includes window signage, at 80% of the individual tenant space length with no height ceiling.
Physically, no wall (or window) sign may project more than 36 inches from the face of the building. 2. Businesses that want to run a lit window display, a static poster wall, or a large storefront graphic all measure against the same wall-elevation percentage, and property managers with multiple tenants use the 80% tenant-frontage rule instead of the single-building 25% figure. 5, Signs, of the UDC, which the city adopted separately from the general Code of Ordinances and enforces through its Development Services sign permit process.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the coverage cap or erecting an illuminated window sign without a permit is a Class C misdemeanor under UDC § 7.5.25.B, punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, and each day the sign remains out of compliance counts as a separate violation. The city can also seek abatement to force removal or modification of the noncompliant signage in addition to the criminal fine, and a rebuttable presumption of responsibility attaches to whoever's name, phone number, or address appears on the sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do window signs in Corpus Christi need a permit?
How much of my storefront window can I cover with signage?
What happens if my window sign exceeds the coverage limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Corpus Christi
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Corpus Christi to another location·View the Texas sign regulations overview
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