Mebane, NC Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

Mebane's UDO regulates window signage as its own sign type under Section 6-7.7(O), allowed in the O&I, B-1, B-2, B-3, LM and HM districts. The core coverage limit sits in Section 6-7.7(O)(4): signage applied to the inside or outside of a window, and visible from the exterior of the building, cannot cover more than 30% of the window area of a building façade. A tighter cap applies to lit displays under Section 6-7.7(O)(3): neon signs and LED signs may cover only 10% of the window area of a building façade, less than a third of the general limit, reflecting the code's broader caution around bright interior-facing illumination near the street.

Height is restricted too: Section 6-7.7(O)(5) confines window signs to the ground level only, so a business cannot use a second-story or upper-floor window for signage under this category. The ordinance builds in a small-sign carve-out at Section 6-7.7(O)(9)(a): a door or window sign covering less than 10% of the window area does not require permitting at all, which lets a shop post routine notices, hours-of-operation stickers or small decals without going through the Zoning Administrator. Anything larger than that 10% threshold, up to the 30% cap, or the 10% cap if illuminated, needs a sign permit under Section 6-7.2 before it goes up, and any illuminated window sign also needs the accompanying electrical permit required of illuminated signs generally under Section 6-7.5(B).