Sign Surveys & Permitting in Philadelphia
We measure the site, draw the sign, file the permit, and see it through inspection. You sign the forms and stay open.
Every Good Sign Starts With a Tape Measure
Every sign we quote starts with a real site survey, not a guess from a street photo. We come out, measure, check the power, and note the things that wreck installs later: block behind the brick, an awning in the way, a landlord's mounting rules, a panel with no spare breaker.
- Exact measurements of the sign area and mounting surface
- Electrical check: circuits, switching, and whether new service is needed, with PECO coordination where required
- Photos and elevations for design and permit drawings
- Substrate and structure notes: brick, block, EIFS, stucco, steel
- Zoning and site constraints flagged before design starts
The survey feeds straight into sign design, so the drawings that go to the city show your actual building, at scale, with real dimensions.
The Permit Path
This is the typical route a sign takes from the first measurement to the final inspection. The order rarely changes. The calendar does, because city and township review times depend on the sign, the property, and how deep the queue is that week.
- Site survey. We come out and measure the building, the mounting surface, and the power, so everything after this is based on your actual site.
- Zoning check. We find out what the property is allowed to carry before anyone falls in love with a sign it cannot have.
- Permit drawings. The scaled sheets a reviewer needs in order to say yes, drawn by the people who will build the sign.
- Application and review. We file it, track it, and answer the examiner. When corrections come back, the dashed line is what happens: the drawings get revised and go straight back into review.
- Install and inspection. Our crew sets the sign, then the finished work is inspected to close the permit out.
How a Philadelphia Sign Permit Typically Goes
Most exterior commercial signs in the city go through the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Here is the shape of it.
Zoning check
We confirm what the property's zoning allows: sign type, size, height, placement, and illumination. Historic districts and overlay zones typically add review.
Permit drawings
L&I wants scaled drawings covering the sign, its construction, its mounting, and its electrical. We produce them in-house.
Application
We file the sign permit, typically with an electrical permit for illuminated signs, track it through review, and answer examiner questions.
Inspection
After installation, the work is typically inspected to close out the permit. We build and mount to pass.
Every Township Writes Its Own Sign Code
Bensalem is not Abington, and neither one is Cherry Hill. Townships in Bucks and Montgomery County and municipalities across South Jersey each have their own sign ordinance: different size limits, different height caps, different rules on electronic message boards and illumination, sometimes a review board of their own. We deal with these offices regularly, so we design to what your municipality will actually approve and file with the right people the first time.
This is also why permitting belongs inside the sign shop. When one company does the survey, the drawings, the application, and the installation, nothing gets lost in a handoff. If a reviewer wants a change, the people who drew the sign revise it and the shop builds the revision. No finger-pointing between your designer, your fabricator, and an expediter you never met.
Where Permitting Does the Heavy Lifting
Some sign types live or die on the zoning check. These are the ones to ask about before you fall in love with a rendering.
Permit Questions
Do I need a permit for a sign in Philadelphia?
In most cases, yes. Exterior commercial signs in Philadelphia typically need a permit from the Department of Licenses and Inspections, and illuminated signs typically need an electrical permit as well. We confirm exactly what your sign needs during the survey.
How long does a Philadelphia sign permit take?
It varies with the sign and the property. A simple wall sign typically moves faster than a pylon or anything needing zoning review. We prepare complete drawings the first time so the application does not bounce back for corrections.
What if my building is in a historic district?
Signs on historic properties and in certain overlay districts typically face extra review before L&I will issue the permit. We flag that during the zoning check and prepare the submission for it, so it is a step in the plan instead of a surprise.
Do you handle suburban and South Jersey sign permits?
Yes. Townships in Bucks and Montgomery County and municipalities across South Jersey each write their own sign ordinance, with their own size limits, height caps, and lighting rules. We work with these offices regularly and file the application for you.
One Call Covers the Survey and the Permit
Send us the address. We will check the zoning, survey the site, and tell you what your building can carry.
267-344-8492