Granville County, NC Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max area
- 2 square feet
- Location requirement
- Inside of building only
- Permit required
- None, permitted by right
- Districts covered
- AR-80, AR-40, R-25, MHPD, HB, NB, I-1, I-2
- Governing table
- Table 07.105, Sec. 32-497
- Nonpayment penalty
- $500.00 fine or 30 days jail
Summary
Window signs are permitted by right in every zoning district in unincorporated Granville County, with no permit required, under the Table of Permitted Signs at County Code § 32-497. The catch: a window sign is capped at 2 square feet and must be displayed inside the building, not affixed to the exterior glass or wall.
Sign Type AR-80 AR-40 R-25 MHPD HB NB I-1 I-2 Location Maximum Area Other Standards ... Window Signs X X X X X X X X Inside of building only. 2 sf ... X = Permitted as a use by right; no permit is required. ... Unless otherwise specifically provided, violation of any provision of this Code or any other county ordinance shall subject the offender to a civil penalty to be recovered in the nature of a debt ... Any willful failure to pay any civil penalty imposed within this Code is a misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4 and punishable by a fine of $500.00 or 30 days in jail or both.
Full Breakdown
Table 07.105 in Sec. 32-497 of the Land Development Code lists "Window Signs" with an X, meaning permitted as a use by right with no permit required, across all eight base zoning districts: AR-80, AR-40, R-25, MHPD, HB, NB, I-1 and I-2. The table's location column limits them to "inside of building only," and the maximum area column caps them at 2 square feet, the smallest allowance in the entire table, well below the 3 square feet given to nameplates or the 10 square feet given to real estate signs in the same row set.
Because the code measures sign area to include the entire sign face, lattice work, frame and supports under Sec. 32-494(i), a business cannot get around the 2-square-foot cap by mounting a larger backing behind a smaller printed message. The article's general standards still apply: no sign may block a required window surface needed for ventilation under the state building code, per Sec. 32-494(a), and the land development administrator may act against a sign displayed outside the permitted location. Article VII sets no sign-specific penalty, so the countywide default in Sec.
1-6 governs enforcement: a violation is pursued through a civil citation and penalty in the nature of a debt, escalating to a misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4 only if a violator willfully refuses to pay, punishable by up to $500.00 or 30 days in jail. Each day a sign remains posted in violation is a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
A window sign over 2 square feet, or one mounted outside the building rather than displayed inside it, violates Sec. 32-497's table. Development Services, through the land development administrator, can order correction or removal, with enforcement falling to the countywide civil penalty in Sec. 1-6; willfully refusing to pay an imposed penalty is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500.00 fine or 30 days in jail, with each day counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a window sign in unincorporated Granville County?
How large can a window sign be?
Can I mount a window sign on the outside of the glass?
What happens if a business exceeds the window sign limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Granville County
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