Getting a sign permit, as you might have guessed, depends on a lot of factors. In general, the average time for a sign permit is 10 to 30 days—but it can be shorter or longer depending on what's involved in your project and what you need to do.

For example, if your business is located in a city and you're applying for an on-premises sign permit, this could take up to 30 days because the city has to consider its impact on public safety and aesthetics. On the other hand, if your business is located in an area where there is little oversite/regulations and you're applying for an off-premises sign permit (i.e., one that doesn't

involve any construction), this could take just 10 days because there's no need for any additional approvals or inspections.

Please remember, historic districts will take longer than other areas because of their stricter regulations. These are just some general examples of the complexity of permitting, we recommend checking with your municipality to find out how long sign permitting takes in your area.

Before contacting your permitting office, it is best to have your documentation ready to answer any specific questions they might have before giving you an accurate lead time.

These documents include but are not limited to:

• Scale Drawings
• Landlord Authorizations
• Engineering
• Site Plans
• Application

Remember, some of the longest lead times for permitting are in big city centers. The cities with the longest lead time for permitting include:

• Chicago
• SanFrancisco
• Miami-Design District
• SanDiego-Gaslamp District

If you are starting a project in any of these areas, you will want to start a permit at the very beginning of the project We've seen permitting take over a year in some of these districts because of overlays.

If you have questions about how long it takes to get a sign permit in your area, give us a call at 727-859-1044!

Or check out our project management page for more information about permitting and multi-site sign projects.