Fort Worth, TX Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max window sign area
- 25% of window area per facade
- Sign permit
- Not required if compliant
- Floor restriction
- First floor only in multi-story buildings
- 10% trigger
- Counts toward Sec. 6.408(f) sign cap
- Enforcement
- Chapter 29 sign code, City Code
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $500 fine, per day
Summary
Fort Worth caps window signs at 25% of the window area on each building facade, under Zoning Ordinance Section 6.403(f), and lets them go up without a sign permit at all. Signs covering more than 10% of the window area, though, count against the building's total allowed on-premise signage.
(f) Signs in windows subject to the following:
(1) Window signs may occupy a maximum of 25% of the window area on each building facade. However, signs exceeding 10% of the window area shall be included in the calculation of the maximum square footage of on-premise signage allowed as described in Sec. 6.408(f);
(2) Window signs shall be limited to the first floor of a multi-story building; and
(3) Window area shall be calculated as described in Sec. 6.406(c).
Full Breakdown
403 lists the signs Fort Worth exempts from needing a sign permit, and window signs are one of them, subject to three conditions in subsection (f). 406(c). 408(f), so a business with large window displays can eat into the attached-sign allowance it would otherwise have for wall or awning signs. 401, which the zoning sign article is enforced in conjunction with.
Violations & Fines
Sign code violations are enforced under Chapter 29 of the City Code as misdemeanors, punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 for most violations (up to $2,000 for violations involving fire safety or public health and sanitation). Each day a violation continues is a separate offense, and the building official can issue a stop-work order on noncompliant signage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for window signs in Fort Worth?
Can I cover my whole storefront window with signage?
Do window sign rules apply to upper floors in Fort Worth?
What is the penalty for exceeding Fort Worth's window sign limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Worth
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