Memphis, TN Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing body
- Center City Commission design review board
- Review areas
- 13 sign-design categories across the CBID
- Appeal window
- 5 business days to CCC chairperson
- Permit required
- Yes, from construction code enforcement
- Default penalty
- Up to $50.00 per day, Sec. 1-24-1
Summary
Any exterior sign in Memphis's central business improvement district must clear a design review board process before a permit issues. City Code Chapter 12-36 divides downtown into 13 sign-review areas, from Beale Street to the Riverfront, each with its own graphic standards, and requires Memphis Landmarks Commission sign-off for buildings inside a historic district.
A.The following design regulations apply to any property located within the central business improvement district (CBID). The CBID is generally bound by the Wolf River on the north, Crump Boulevard on the south, the Tennessee state line on the west and Danny Thomas on the east, with an extension between Poplar and Linden to Watkins encompassing the medical center as shown in Exhibit 2 set out at the end of this section.B.For the purposes of these guidelines, the CBID has been divided into 13 general categories of review... In addition, alterations to properties located within a city historic district must also be reviewed by the Memphis Landmarks Commission. ... A.Requirements. No sign shall be erected, altered or relocated within the central business improvement district without a permit, except as provided herein.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32 | Charter: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
The central business improvement district (CBID) covers downtown Memphis between the Wolf River, Crump Boulevard, the Tennessee state line and Danny Thomas, with an extension through the medical center between Poplar and Linden. Sec. 12-36-4 splits that footprint into 13 review categories, including Main Street Mall, Beale Street, South Main/warehouse district, the Pinch, Victorian Village, the Riverfront and the Ballpark District, each carrying its own sign-design standards layered on top of the general CBID rules. A property owner must clear a pre-design conference with Center City Commission (CCC) staff, then file drawings, letter-style descriptions and photos with the CCC director of planning under Sec.
12-36-5. The design review board (DRB) votes on the application at its monthly public meeting; a denial can be appealed in writing to the CCC chairperson within five business days, and a final appeal runs to the Memphis City Council. Sec. 12-36-9 bars erecting, altering or relocating any sign in the CBID without a permit from the division of construction code enforcement, and no permit issues until the DRB, or an appeal decision, approves the design. Properties within a city historic district get an added layer of review from the Memphis Landmarks Commission.
Because the chapter carries no standalone penalty clause, violations default to the citywide general penalty at Sec. 00 per day, with each day of noncompliance counted as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Erecting, altering or relocating a sign in the CBID without a DRB-approved permit violates Sec. 12-36-9 and defaults to the citywide general penalty under Sec. 1-24-1: up to $50.00 for each violation, with every day the noncompliant sign remains up counted as a separate offense. The division of construction code enforcement issues permits and can decline to authorize an install until the design review board's letter of approval is on file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need approval before putting up a sign downtown?
What if my downtown sign design is denied?
Does a historic district add extra sign review?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Memphis
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