Lexington County, SC Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Coverage cap
- 10% of gross transparent window/door area
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 26.53
- Permit required
- No zoning permit listed for window signs
- Applies to
- Interior and exterior window/door signage
- Jurisdiction
- Unincorporated Lexington County only
Summary
Window signs on Lexington County businesses can't cover more than 10 percent of a building's gross transparent window and door area. The limit, set in Zoning Ordinance Section 26.53, applies to any sign attached inside or outside glass and doors that's meant to be read from outside, whether it's a static decal or a temporary poster.
Window Signs are signs attached to the interior and/or exterior of windows and doors and are intended for view from the exterior of the building or structure. Window signs cannot exceed 10 percent of the gross transparent window and door area of a building or structure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
53 defines Window Signs as any signage attached to the interior or exterior of windows and doors that's intended for view from outside the building. The rule is a single, simple cap: total window-sign coverage cannot exceed 10 percent of the gross transparent window and door area of the building or structure, measured across the whole building rather than pane by pane. The section sits inside the Business Signs chapter alongside Canopy Signs, Directory Signs, Wall Signs, and Sponsorship Signs, all of which carry their own separate size and height caps that don't count against a business's window-sign allowance or vice versa.
Because window signs are regulated by area percentage rather than a flat square-footage number, a storefront with more glass gets more sign area, while a business with small windows has a correspondingly tighter limit. 14. This standard applies only to businesses in unincorporated Lexington County; incorporated municipalities inside the county, including the Town of Lexington, administer separate sign codes for their own commercial districts.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 10 percent window-coverage cap is enforceable under Sections 174.00 and 174.10 of the Zoning Ordinance. The Zoning Administrator can direct the business to bring the signage into compliance, and continued noncompliance is a misdemeanor punishable up to the maximum fine and imprisonment the magistrate's court can impose, with each day of the violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my storefront window can I cover with signs in Lexington County?
Does a temporary paper sign in my window count toward the limit?
Do I need a permit for window signs in Lexington County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lexington County
Compare Lexington County to another location·View the South Carolina sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.