Raleigh, NC Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- No. Sec. 7.3.7.A
- Max coverage
- 50% of window area, per street side, per floor
- Minimum allowance
- 32 sq ft per side per floor
- Governing section
- UDO Sec. 7.3.7
- Not permitted in
- R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10 districts
Summary
Raleigh doesn't require a permit for window signs, but UDO Sec. 7.3.7 caps how much glass they can cover: no more than 50% of the window area facing any street, per floor, per side of the building, with a floor of at least 32 square feet even where 50% of the glass would be less. The rule only reaches mixed-use and frontage districts; window signs aren't a listed use in the R-1 through R-10 residential districts.
A window sign is an on-premise sign attached flat but parallel to the inside of a window or is within 12 inches of the inside of the window. A sign permit is not required. ... Area per business (max combination of all windows covered by window signs): 50% per side of the building facing along any street per floor and not less than 32 square feet per side of the building facing along any street per floor.
Full Breakdown
Sec. A defines a window sign as an on-premise sign attached flat and parallel to the inside of a window, or hung within 12 inches of the inside of the glass, a broad enough definition to reach both permanent decals and paper signage taped up for a sale. 3 (wall signs under Sec. 4, projecting signs under Sec. 5, and ground signs under Sec. 10 all require a sign permit). The tradeoff is a coverage cap. Sec. B1 limits the maximum combined area of all window signs on a business to 50% of that side of the building facing a given street, calculated per floor, so a two-story storefront is measured separately on each level rather than as one combined total.
The same subsection guarantees a minimum allowance of 32 square feet per side per floor, so a narrow storefront with little street-facing glass isn't capped below a usable amount even if 50% of its actual window area would work out to less. The district table in Sec. 2 shows where the use applies: window signs are listed as permitted ('P') in RX, OP, OX, NX, CX, DX, IX and the frontage overlay districts (-PW, -DE, -PL, -GR, -UL, -UG, -SH, -GP), but marked not applicable ('--') in the R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6 and R-10 residential districts and in CM and AP.
A Custom Signage Plan approved under Sec. 21 can modify the Sec. 7 standard for a defined geographic area, but only after all applicability criteria for that plan are satisfied.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the Sec. 7.3.7 coverage cap is a sign-code violation under UDO Sec. 10.4.1, which reaches anyone who places or maintains a sign contrary to Chapter 7's standards. Sec. 10.4.2 sets a $100 civil penalty per citation, collectible as a civil debt if unpaid within 48 hours, with each day of continued over-coverage counted as a separate violation; the City can also pursue an injunction or abatement order under Sec. 1.1.10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a storefront window sign in Raleigh?
How much of my window can I cover with signage?
Are window signs allowed in residential zoning districts?
Can Raleigh change the window sign limits for my area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Raleigh
Compare Raleigh to another location·View the North Carolina sign regulations overview
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Window Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle window signs.