Lee County, FL Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Coverage cap
- 30% of window glass surface area
- Permit required
- None, if under the cap
- Excluded from the cap
- Business information & affiliation signs
- Film graphics
- Only lettering/logo area counts, per § 30-91(d)
- Correction notice period
- 15 days before County removal
Summary
A business in unincorporated Lee County can cover up to 30 percent of its window glass with signage advertising what's inside without needing a sign permit. Business information and business-affiliation notices posted in a window don't even count toward the limit.
Window signs. Window signs which identify or advertise activities, services, goods or products available within the building, and which collectively cover 30 percent or less of the window glass surface area. Lettering on windows and signs required by federal or State laws or regulations of agencies thereof, business information signs, and business affiliation signs are excluded from the computation of the sign area limitations and restrictions specified in Section 30-153(1).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7 | Land Development Code: Supplement 3 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Section 30-6(1)w of the Land Development Code lists window signs among the categories that require no sign permit at all, provided the display stays within its own coverage cap: signs identifying or advertising the activities, services, goods or products available inside the building may collectively cover no more than 30 percent of the window glass surface area. The section carves out several categories from that 30 percent computation entirely: lettering required by federal or state law or agency regulation, business information signs (the same subsection separately permits signs posted on entrance doors or in windows giving hours, phone numbers, or notices like 'open,' 'closed' or 'no soliciting'), and business affiliation signs denoting trade or professional association membership.
Section 30-91(d) supplies the measurement rule for polyester film window graphics specifically: only the lettering and logo portions of the display count toward sign area, not the full film panel. Because window signs sit in the no-permit category under Section 30-6(1), they escape the general permit application, fee and inspection process in Section 30-54, but they are not exempt from the chapter's overall compliance duty in Section 30-51, and an oversized display can still be cited as an unlawful sign.
Violations & Fines
A window display exceeding the 30 percent cap becomes an unlawful sign under Section 30-51, subject to removal procedures in Section 30-8: the Building Official mails a notice describing the violation and giving 15 days to correct it, and if no appeal is filed within that period, the County can remove the excess signage or contract for its removal, assessing all removal costs against the property owner as a lien that accrues 12 percent annual interest if unpaid within 45 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my storefront window can I cover with signs in Lee County?
Do 'open,' 'closed,' or business hours signs count toward the 30 percent window sign limit?
What happens if my window signs exceed Lee County's 30 percent limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lee County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lee County to another location·View the Florida sign regulations overview
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