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Seattle · Land Use Code SMC 23.55

Seattle sign permit: what to file, in what order

By USSignCode Editorial · Last updated October 11, 2026 · How we check this page

Seattle regulates signs by the zoning of the property they're on — a sign that's legal in one zone may be banned in the next. There's no single citywide formula. Here's what actually controls your sign, when you need a permit, and the special-district traps that catch new owners.

Brick storefront building in Pioneer Square, Seattle

Seattle sign permit at a glance

QuestionShort answer
Do I need a permit?Yes once a sign exceeds 5 sq ft or is connected to electrical power, including outline and border tube lighting. Other cities compared.
What sets my limit?Your zone (neighborhood commercial, commercial, downtown, industrial or mixed-use) and any overlay such as a shoreline, historic or special review district (calculator).
How many signs?In NC and C zones, one wall, awning, canopy or marquee sign for each 30 lineal feet of street frontage and one ground, roof, projecting or combination sign for each 300 lineal feet.
How big?NC1 and NC2 cap all signs at 185 sq ft per business; C1 and C2 have no total cap but limit each wall sign to 672 sq ft (confirmed numbers). Other cities compared.
What does it cost?$193.20 for the first 32 sq ft, then $31.45 per additional 10 sq ft up to 100 sq ft, plus a technology fee and electrical fees for an illuminated sign (fee table).
How long does it take?About one week to permit issuance, only when the application is complete, accurate, and does not require any corrections (timing). Other cities compared.
Who files?Applications go through the Seattle Services Portal; electrical work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor unless the owner does it (who files). Other cities compared.
Grand opening banner?Commercial messages, banners included, may be displayed for four 14-consecutive-day periods a calendar year in all zones; temporary signs not made of rigid material may total 100 sq ft per building lot, no single one over 36 sq ft, and none may be placed on public property (SMC 23.55.012). Other cities compared.
Digital or LED sign?A sign using a video display must be an on-premises sign and may not be in a residential, NC1 or NC2 zone, Special Review District, Historical District, Preservation District or shoreline environment; each video portion runs two to five seconds and is followed by 20 seconds of still image or blank screen, brightness is held to 500 nits after dusk, and the video may run after dusk only until 11 p.m. (SMC 23.55.005). Other cities compared.

Confirmed numbers Calculator Who files How to apply Fees overview Timing Checklist Permit fees Sign companies

Seattle's sign rules change zone by zone.

Under the Seattle Land Use Code (SMC 23.55), what you're allowed depends on whether you're in a neighborhood commercial zone, a downtown zone, an industrial zone, or a mixed-use zone — and on overlays like shoreline, historic preservation, and special review districts. The city's own guidance warns the code is complex enough that questions can't be answered by phone. That is why the checker below asks for your zone first.

The numbers that are confirmed citywide — 5 items

Across zones, these are confirmed in the Land Use Code and SDCI's own permit guidance. Use them as a sanity check before you talk to a fabricator:

  • The number of signs follows your frontage; the area cap follows your zone. In NC and C zones each business may have one wall, awning, canopy or marquee sign (Type B) for each 30 lineal feet of street frontage and one ground, roof, projecting or combination sign (Type A) for each 300 lineal feet. NC1 and NC2 cap all signs at 185 sq ft per business; NC3 and SM size Type A signs from frontage; C1 and C2 have no total cap but limit each wall sign to 672 sq ft.
  • A sign permit is required once a sign exceeds 5 sq ft or is connected to electrical power (including outline and border tube lighting).
  • Electrical signs must be installed by a licensed electrical contractor (unless installed by the owner), and an electrical permit is included with the sign permit.
  • Over the sidewalk: a sign projecting into a street right-of-way needs at least 8 ft of clearance, may not come within 2 ft of the curbline, and may not extend more than 6 ft beyond the property line (§23.55.004).
  • Prohibited in every zone: flashing signs; signs that rotate, or have moving parts that revolve faster than seven revolutions per minute; signs on parked vehicles and trailers other than a vehicle’s own sale or lease sign; portable signs other than readily detachable ones with a fixed base; banners, pennants, flag clusters, balloons and other wind-animated devices except where the code allows them; signs that imitate traffic devices; and video displays except as §23.55.005 or Part 4 allows (§23.55.003).

Source: Seattle Municipal Code §23.55.003, §23.55.004, §23.55.028 and §23.55.030 (amended by Ord. 126845, 2023), read on Municode 9 October 2026; Seattle SDCI permit guidance (Tip 126).

⚠ The special-district trap

Parts of Seattle — shoreline districts, historic preservation areas, and special review districts — carry additional, stricter sign requirements on top of the base zone rules. Signs projecting over the public right-of-way must also meet SDOT Director's Rule 05-2023. If your storefront is in one of these areas, the standard zone allowance is not the final word, and review takes longer.

Check your signs against your zone

This applies SMC 23.55.024, 23.55.028 and 23.55.030 to on-premises signs for a business establishment. Downtown, industrial, shoreline, Pike/Pine and special review districts add or replace rules and are not sized here.

Calculated from Seattle Municipal Code §23.55.024, §23.55.028 and §23.55.030, read on Municode 9 October 2026. Wall-sign height is 20 ft or the cornice height of the building, whichever is greater; the checker cannot see your cornice, so a sign above 20 ft is flagged for you to compare.

Who can pull the permit?

All sign permit applications go through the Seattle Services Portal, and SDCI reviews your plans against the code before issuing. If your sign is electrical, the electrical permit is bundled in — but the work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor unless you (the owner) do it yourself. For anything illuminated, projecting, or in a special district, a licensed Seattle sign company can confirm the zone rules and handle the permit end to end.

Not sure how the code reads for your sign?

Send your dimensions and we will reply with how the Seattle code reads for that sign, at no charge. We are not a sign contractor and do not file permits; the sign companies listed on this page say they handle the permit.

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How to apply for a Seattle sign permit — 9 steps

Seattle bundles the electrical permit into the sign permit, so there is one application for both.

1. Confirm your zone
It decides what is allowed; the allowance is zone-specific.
2. Test the permit trigger — and note it is not only signs
A sign permit is required once a sign exceeds 5 sq ft or is connected to electrical power — including outline and border tube lighting. The same permit also covers awnings: installing one, altering one, re-covering an existing awning with new material, or changing or adding a business name on an existing awning. Recovering an awning you already have is a permit event, which catches owners who think they are doing maintenance.
3. Settle which application type you are filing
SDCI runs two: on-premises signs, which identify the business at its own location (and may also carry non-commercial messages), and off-premises advertising signs — billboards. Billboards are a closed class: registrations must be renewed every year and are limited to existing registration numbers, so a new billboard is not a permit question.
4. Clear the two approvals that must come BEFORE you apply
SDCI is explicit about the order, and getting it backwards means filing an application that cannot be issued. If the sign projects over a public right-of-way — a street, sidewalk, or alley — you must obtain the SDOT street-use permit first, before you apply for the sign permit; it is a second, separate permit, renewed annually, and it does not end when the sign is installed. And if the sign is in a historic or special review district, or on the same lot as a landmark structure, you need a certificate of approval from the Department of Neighborhoods before you apply — the lot condition catches sites that are not themselves in a district. Shoreline districts add their own sign standards, and projecting signs must also meet SDOT Director's Rule 05-2023.
5. Check what your sign has to satisfy, not just where it sits
SDCI lists five codes the sign must meet, and two of them are the ones owners forget: the Seattle Building Code, the Electrical Code for wiring, installation and listed equipment, the Energy Code for controller and exterior lighting-limit requirements, the Sign Code zoning rules for location, size and quantity, and Historic Preservation requirements in Special Review Districts. An illuminated sign is an energy-code object as well as an electrical one.
6. File the right permit type in the Seattle Services Portal
Select the "Sign, Awning, and Canopy Permit" — that is the exact item name, and searching the portal for anything else will not surface it. SDCI reviews your plans against the code before issuing. If the sign is electrical the electrical permit is included with the sign permit, but the work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor unless you install it yourself. Filing online is the standard route; if you need to ask in person, the SDCI counter is at 700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000, Seattle, WA 98104, and the permit line is (206) 684-8600.
7. Pay in the structure the City uses
SDCI’s fee page sets two patterns for building permits. If your permit requires plan review, you pay 75 percent of the plan review and permit fees when the application is accepted and the final fees before the permit is issued. If it qualifies as a subject-to-field inspection permit, all fees are due when the permit is issued. Either way the permit is not in your hands until the fees clear.
8. Book the footing inspection at least 24 hours before the pour
A ground or pole sign needs a footing inspection before the concrete foundation is poured, and SDCI sets the lead time: you must schedule it at least 24 hours before the concrete is delivered or the hole is permanently covered. Get this wrong and the fix is not paperwork — it is breaking out and re-pouring what you already built. Seattle also staffs this directly: the sign inspector's line is (206) 684-8419.
9. Pass the final inspection before the permit expires
Every sign, awning, outline lighting and border tube installation must pass a final inspection before the permit expires. If the permit expires first, you may have to reestablish it and pay an additional fee — and if enough time has passed, you need a new permit and must comply with the regulations in force then, not the ones you designed to. A special inspection may also apply if the construction is complex enough to need a technical expert on the structure, attachments or soil; SDCI issues a special inspection schedule form to be completed by the engineer of record or the project owner.

Steps assembled from Seattle SDCI official permit pages (Sign, Awning & Billboard Permit; Fee Subtitle), with the zone and frontage figures from the confirmed items on this page. Fees and timing are handled in their own sections below — not repeated here.

Fees

Seattle publishes its permanent sign fees as a tier table, and it is listed in what a Seattle sign permit actually costs below. The shape is legible: a basic fee for signs up to 32 sq ft, then an additional amount for each 10 sq ft increment above the first 32. On top of all of it sits a separate technology fee. Payment timing matters too: fees are due when you submit the application, and where an application goes to review you pay a portion up front and settle the balance before the permit is issued — so the permit can be complete on the City's side and still not be in your hands. SDCI says plainly that its fees may change annually, so confirm the current amounts in the City's Fee Subtitle at seattle.gov/sdci before you file.

Detail

Awnings, border tube and outline lighting are billed differently again — those are based on the total value of the project, including all labor and materials — and electrical fees are added for any electrically operated or illuminated sign.

How long it takes

Seattle is one of the few cities that states a turnaround itself, so the top line here is the City's own — not an industry estimate. The conditions attached to it are where the real schedule lives:

SDCI's stated turnaround
About one week to permit issuance — but SDCI attaches the condition in the same sentence: only when the application is complete, accurate, and does not require any corrections. City-published: Seattle SDCI, Sign, Awning & Billboard Permit
What has to happen before the clock starts
The SDOT street-use permit and the Department of Neighborhoods certificate of approval are prerequisites, not parallel tracks — the City requires both before you apply. Their own lead times sit in front of the one week, and a shoreline, historic, or special review district adds review on top. City-published: Seattle SDCI, same page
Detail
What resets that clock
A correction request. SDCI states it will either contact you with questions or notify you of corrections required before the permit is issued, so a single incomplete upload moves you out of the one-week case entirely. City-published: Seattle SDCI, same page
Why we quote no wider range
SDCI publishes a figure, so we do not add a secondary-source bracket next to it. Where your case falls outside the "no corrections" condition, ask SDCI at (206) 684-8600 rather than plan against a number nobody stands behind. No secondary source registered for this page — the City figure stands alone

Every timing statement above is City-published by Seattle SDCI. No secondary-source estimate appears on this page because the City publishes its own figure; we do not stack an industry bracket on top of it.

Seattle sign checklist — 5 items

Before you design or order anything, confirm:

  • What's my zone? (Sign rules differ across commercial, downtown, industrial, and mixed-use zones.)
  • Is my sign over 5 sq ft or electrically powered? → permit required (SDCI sign permit page).
  • Is it illuminated? → licensed electrical contractor + electrical permit.
  • Am I in a shoreline, historic, or special review district? → expect stricter rules and longer review.
  • Does my sign project over the sidewalk/street? → must meet SDOT Director's Rule 05-2023.

Official Seattle resources

Go straight to the city for permits and the binding code:

Seattle SDCI Sign, Awning & Billboard Permit — applications, the Seattle Services Portal, and Land Use Code 23.55.

SDCI — How Much Will Your Permit Cost? — the 75% due at application and the balance before issuance are stated here.

I'm a new business owner and English isn't my first language — where do I start?
First confirm your zone — it decides what's allowed. Then check whether your sign is over 5 sq ft or electrical (both need a permit). Because the code is zone-specific and overlays are common, a licensed sign company can confirm the rules and pull the permit as part of the job.
Why can't this page just tell me my exact square footage?
Seattle's allowance depends on your specific zone, your frontage, and any shoreline/historic/special-review overlay — variables that need site-specific confirmation. We give you the confirmed caps and the official sources so you don't get blindsided.
This is an informational guide based on the public Seattle Land Use Code (SMC 23.55) and SDCI permit guidance, not a permit, legal advice, or a guarantee of compliance. Sign allowances in Seattle depend on zoning, frontage, and district overlays that require professional confirmation. Always verify with Seattle SDCI and a licensed Seattle sign contractor before designing, ordering, or installing a sign.

Other US city sign guides

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Sources & how this page is maintained

Sources and official references: Seattle SDCI — Sign, Awning and Billboard Permit · SDCI — How Much Will Your Permit Cost. Measured on 21 August 2026: these SDCI pages carry the exemption threshold and the prepayment share quoted here. SMC 23.55 could not be opened from any readable source on 21 September 2026; it was read on Municode 9 October 2026 (Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 23.55, Signs), and the zone caps in the checker come from that text.

Last inspected against the official code: October 2026 · confirm current rules with the city before you file

How much does a Seattle sign permit cost?

Seattle's permanent sign fee is a published tier table. A basic fee covers the first 32 square feet, and above that the fee rises by a marginal rate for each additional 10 square feet, with the rate stepping up as the sign gets larger.

Sign sizeMarginal rate per additional 10 sq ftFee applied
0 to 32 sq ft—$193.20 for the first 32 sq ft or fraction thereof
32 to 100 sq ft$31.45$193.20 for the first 32 sq ft, plus $31.45 per additional 10 sq ft
100 to 150 sq ft$34.65$413.35 for the first 100 sq ft, plus $34.65 per additional 10 sq ft
150 to 200 sq ft$34.65$586.60 for the first 150 sq ft, plus $34.65 per additional 10 sq ft
200 to 250 sq ft$38.25$759.85 for the first 200 sq ft, plus $38.25 per additional 10 sq ft
250 to 300 sq ft$38.25$951.10 for the first 250 sq ft, plus $38.25 per additional 10 sq ft
300 to 350 sq ft$42.30$1,142.35 for the first 300 sq ft, plus $42.30 per additional 10 sq ft
350 to 400 sq ft$42.30$1,353.85 for the first 350 sq ft, plus $42.30 per additional 10 sq ft
400 to 450 sq ft$46.60$1,565.35 for the first 400 sq ft, plus $46.60 per additional 10 sq ft
450 to 500 sq ft$46.60$1,798.35 for the first 450 sq ft, plus $46.60 per additional 10 sq ft
500 to 550 sq ft$51.45$2,031.35 for the first 500 sq ft, plus $51.45 per additional 10 sq ft
550 to 600 sq ft$51.45$2,288.60 for the first 550 sq ft, plus $51.45 per additional 10 sq ft
600 to 650 sq ft$56.85$2,545.85 for the first 600 sq ft, plus $56.85 per additional 10 sq ft
650 sq ft and up$62.70$2,830.10 for the first 650 sq ft, plus $62.70 per additional 10 sq ft

There is one cap worth knowing: the maximum fee for a sign painted on or otherwise applied directly to the building wall, without a frame or mechanical fasteners, is $884.

Source: Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, 2026 Fee Subtitle (PDF), Table D-16 for 22.900D.160 — Permanent Sign Fees; changes effective January 1, 2026. Read 7 October 2026. SDCI states its fees may change annually; confirm the current amount before filing.

Detail

These are the permanent sign fees only. Awnings, border tube and outline lighting are billed on the total value of the project including all labor and materials, electrical fees are added for any electrically operated or illuminated sign, and a separate technology fee sits on top.

Seattle sign companies that say they handle the permit

Compiled from each company's own public website. We are not affiliated with any of them and we are not paid to list them. Confirm licensing and pricing yourself before you hire.

CompanyPhoneLocationWhat their site says about permitsIn-house
National Sign Corporation(206) 282-07001541 S 92nd Pl Suite B, Seattle, WA 98108Our dedicated permit team manages the process for youAll our signs are artist-designed and fabricated in-house.
Plumb Signs(253) 473-3323909 S 28th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409Plumb Signs prepares the permit package, submits it, and follows it through to approval.Plumb Signs handles all of it from one shop floor on S. 28th Street in Tacoma
FASTSIGNS of Seattle, WA - Downtown(206) 203-88611515 9th Ave, Ste 4, Seattle, WA 98101Our specialists will perform accurate surveys and procure the appropriate permits to ensure your signage is in full compliance.-

Each company's website is linked from its name. Source pages read 7 October 2026.

Not sure your sign qualifies? Send your dimensions and we will tell you how the Seattle code reads for it →

Ask us how the code reads for your sign

Send your dimensions and we will reply with what the Seattle code allows for that sign. No charge. We are not a sign contractor and not a permit agent.