Setting up a new business quickly leads you to make the acquaintance of city hall workers. With so many business and sign permits for Gilbert, AZ, companies to fill out and put together, starting the actual store or service location seems like a snap. At Spotlight Signs and Imaging Solutions, we know that even getting your signage approved takes a few applications and occasionally additional conversations with staff members from the city’s offices.

We have put together a quick FAQ on Gilbert sign permits that might just make the process a bit easier.

Do I need permits for temporary signs? When you want to advertise your grand opening celebration with a banner or some posters, you need a temporary sign permit. You must apply for it during the first year of occupying your space. Moreover, the permit is good for 120 consecutive days. It is lawful to display your temporary signage up to 90 days before actually opening. Of course, it is always a good idea to have your grand opening signage ordered before the 90-day period starts.

What about temporary sale and discount signs? You do need a permit for these temporary signs, too. You are allowed 180 cumulative days for any 12-month period. The countdown starts on the day that you receive your sign permit. This only pertains to temporary flags and advertising banners that you place on the store’s exterior.

Do I need a permit for window graphics and signs? No, you do not. Since these graphics generally attach to the interior of your glass panes, they are considered to be inside markers, which do not fall under the permitting process. That said, please note that only 25 percent of a first-floor window area may be covered with graphics and signs.

Are there rules about A-frames? Indeed, there are. The city limits the size of the typical A-frame to a maximum measurement of 31 inches in width and 45 inches in height. You may not display more than three exterior signs – A-frames and flying banners – at one time.

There are, of course, additional rules and regulations in place. When it comes to installing your permanent building sign, you will have to past muster not just with the city’s permitting officials but also with your leasing office. At times, these rules vary from one another. When you work with our experienced signage professionals, you have the opportunity to avoid a lot of the hassle and time wasted at city hall. We handle all the permitting and can usually tell you from prior experience what will most likely be permitted and what types of signs may require you to file for a variance.

Moreover, if you run your building out of your Gilbert home, and if this home is situated in a covenant-controlled community, you are looking at yet another set of rules that you must contend with. As a result, we usually recommend that you start your signage search with a phone call to our specialists. We will listen intently to your situation and know what questions to ask. Before long, you will have a fairly good idea of the signage requirements that are germane to your part of town.

Image credits: Waymarking.com