Local Sign Survey, Code Checks and Permitting
Our team navigates the permitting process to maximize your branding and ensure compliance with local codes.
Sign Permitting Services
Sign permitting. It’s often the most challenging and time-consuming phase of any signage project. At PSCO Sign Group, we understand the critical importance of navigating this complex landscape efficiently and accurately. From initial code checks to final installation, we handle every step, ensuring your brand stands out while remaining fully compliant with local regulations.
Our project management team helps you navigate the entire process, ensuring the permitting process is underway from the beginning.
Based on the scope of work, our team performs a local code check. A “code check” refers to the process by which local authorities review proposed sign plans to ensure they comply with all applicable municipal codes, zoning regulations, and building standards before a permit is issued. This review is typically performed by planning or building departments and is a critical step in the sign permitting process.
We review all issues and considerations in conjunction with our design and engineering teams, and a location-specific site plan is created. This allows you to understand what is allowed and required by the municipality.
Local code, nationwide expertise. We’ve encountered the diverse regulations of countless municipalities, from intricate historic district guidelines to ever-evolving interpretations of grandfathered clauses. No matter the location, our proactive approach ensures a clear path to successful sign installation.
Our Expert Permitting Process
- Strategic Project Management: Our dedicated project managers oversee the entire process. They balance compliance with your branding goals, adapting to unique site challenges to maximize your signage’s impact.
- Thorough Code Analysis: We begin with comprehensive code checks, leveraging our in-depth knowledge of this process.
- In-House Design and Engineering: Our design and engineering teams assist as needed to help ensure the site drawings will meet code, address potential compliance issues, and ensure the final product is in alignment with local codes. This minimizes delays and costly revisions.
- Code-Compliant Installation: Our skilled installation teams are experts in local code requirements. They ensure precise installations that meet all regulatory standards. Whether it is strict city ordinances in historic districts or building requirements for after-hour installations, our team has the entire scope in mind throughout. We ensure that the installation process is completed with the highest level of professionalism and client satisfaction.
Case Studies: Securing Sign Variances for Our Clients
Navigating sign codes and permitting requirements can be complex, especially when a project requires exceptions to local regulations. Our team specializes in securing variances—special approvals that allow clients to achieve their branding and visibility goals even when standard codes would otherwise limit their options. The following case studies highlight how our expertise and proactive approach have delivered successful outcomes for clients facing unique permitting challenges.
HCLTech
HCLTech’s vision for prominently illuminated signage at their new East Coast headquarters faced initial regulatory hurdles. To overcome this, PSCO Sign Group recognized the necessity of securing a variance from the city.
Our project management team swiftly initiated the process, presenting a compelling case that led to the successful approval of extended illumination hours. PSCO’s expertise in navigating local regulations, coupled with our innovative engineering solutions, allowed HCLTech to achieve their desired brand visibility while adhering to city codes. Read the project story here.
Outback Steakhouse
Our team secured Outback Steakhouse’s brand refresh in Lebanon, TN, by navigating complex local codes. We assessed the need for an 83-foot pylon sign, exceeding the city’s 57-foot limit, to enhance visibility from the highway. Our team presented a compelling case to the city and the Lebanon Airport Commission, addressing concerns about lighting and structure, ensuring FAA compliance. We managed all filings and construction, delivering a safe, highly visible sign, achieving Outback’s desired outcome.Read the project story here.
Why Local Sign Permitting Matters
In the world of business signage, the importance of obtaining proper permits is often underestimated. While your focus may be on attracting customers and building your brand, neglecting the permitting process can lead to costly delays, fines, and even safety hazards. At PSCO Sign Group, we understand the critical role sign permitting plays in ensuring the success and safety of your signage project.
The Foundation of Safety and Compliance
Sign permits aren’t just bureaucratic hurdles; they’re essential for:
- Safety: Permits guarantee your signs are structurally sound, preventing potential accidents. Electrical components of illuminated signs are rigorously inspected to mitigate fire risks. Proper placement ensures your signage doesn’t obstruct traffic or pedestrian pathways.
- Aesthetics: Local regulations maintain the visual harmony of your community. Size, shape, and placement restrictions prevent visual clutter and preserve the area’s aesthetic appeal.
- Compliance: Permits ensure your signs adhere to zoning ordinances and building codes, avoiding legal issues and ensuring your business operates within established guidelines.
Let Us Help You Navigate the Permitting Landscape
Securing a sign permit is often far more complicated than most business owners expect.
Every municipality has its own maze of regulations covering everything from sign size and placement to lighting, materials, and even color schemes—especially in historic or environmentally sensitive areas. Overlooking a single detail can lead to costly delays, fines, or even forced sign removal.
That’s where PSCO comes in. Our team takes the stress and uncertainty out of the equation by handling every aspect of the permitting process for you:
- Expert Code Interpretation:Local sign codes and zoning laws can be confusing and vary dramatically from one location to another. Our experts know how to interpret and apply these rules, ensuring your signage is fully compliant from day one.
- Comprehensive Project Management: From preparing detailed plans and submitting applications to coordinating inspections and addressing city feedback, we manage the entire permit process—so you can focus on running your business.
- Strategic Problem Solving:Encounter a roadblock, like a variance need or unexpected code restriction? We know how to build a compelling case and advocate on your behalf, turning potential setbacks into approvals.
- Specialized Knowledge:Whether it’s electronic displays with strict brightness limits, monument signs in business parks, or signage in historic districts, we’re fluent in the nuances that matter for your specific project.
- Time and Cost Savings:Avoid the headaches of permit denials, reapplications, or last-minute design changes. With PSCO, you get it right the first time—saving you time, money, and frustration.
The bottom line: Sign permitting is a critical step that can make or break your project’s timeline and success. By partnering with PSCO, you gain a dedicated team that not only navigates the permitting landscape for you, but also maximizes your sign’s impact while minimizing risk and hassle. Let us handle the red tape—so your brand shines brighter, faster, and with total peace of mind.