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Horry County, SC Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

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

Key Facts

Sign count limit
8 signs or pieces of info max
Glass area limit
25% of total window glass area
Permit needed?
No, if within these limits
Excluded from count
Hours, credit-card logos (incidental)
Over-limit consequence
Requires a standard sign permit
Penalty
Up to $500 fine, 30 days jail

Summary

Horry County lets window signs go up without a permit, but caps them at eight total signs or pieces of information per § 605.E, and no more than 25 percent of the window's glass area. Posted hours and accepted-credit-card notices don't count against either limit.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Horry County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

E.Window signs.1.No more than eight (8) total signs or pieces of information.2.Limited to 25% of the total glass area of the window.3.Incidental window signs displaying pertinent business information such as the business' hours of operation and credit cards accepted, shall be excluded from area calculations for window signs.

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 88).

Full Breakdown

E. A business may display no more than eight total signs or pieces of information in its windows, and whatever it displays cannot cover more than 25 percent of the window's total glass area. The county's sign definitions treat a 'window sign' as anything applied, painted or affixed to a window, or placed inside a window within three feet of the glass, that faces outward and is easily seen from outside; ordinary merchandise displayed behind the glass without lettering does not count. A narrower category, the 'incidental window sign,' covers routine information like posted hours of operation or which credit cards are accepted; those are excluded from both the eight-sign count and the 25-percent area calculation, so a store can post its hours and payment logos without eating into its main signage allowance.

Exceeding either the eight-sign cap or the 25-percent area limit takes the display out of the no-permit category in § 605 entirely, meaning the business would need to obtain a sign permit through the Horry County Planning and Zoning Department under § 606 and comply with the dimensional standards in § 607 and the district-by-district sign table in § 608.

Violations & Fines

A window display that tops eight signs or exceeds 25 percent of the glass area without a permit is a zoning violation. Horry County Code § 114 makes a Zoning Ordinance violation a misdemeanor carrying up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail, with each day the oversized display remains up counted as its own separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many signs can I put in my store window in Horry County?
Up to eight total signs or pieces of information under § 605.E, and combined they cannot cover more than 25 percent of the window's glass area. Routine 'incidental' signs like posted store hours or accepted credit cards don't count toward either limit.
Do window signs need a permit in Horry County?
No, as long as they stay within the eight-sign and 25-percent glass-area limits in § 605.E. Go over either limit and the display no longer qualifies for the no-permit exemption, so the business must apply for a standard sign permit through the Planning and Zoning Department.
What information can I post in a window without it counting against my sign limit?
Incidental window signs, meaning basic business information such as hours of operation or which credit cards are accepted, are excluded from both the eight-sign count and the 25-percent area calculation under § 605.E.3, as long as they carry no other commercial message.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Horry County

All Horry County rules

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