Code of the City of Washington, North Carolina
Chapter 27 - Zoning
Article XVI. Signs
Illustrated Sign Ordinance
Section 167: Temporary signs, permit exemptions and additional regulations

(a) The following temporary signs are permitted without a sign permit. However, such signs shall conform to the requirements set forth below as well as all other applicable requirements of this Article except those contained in Section 27-170, Total Allowable Sign Surface Area, and Section 27-173, Number of Freestanding and Wall Signs:
(1) Signs containing the message that the real estate on which the sign is located (including buildings) is for sale, lease, or rent, together with information identifying the owner or agent. Such signs may not exceed four (4) square feet in area and shall be removed immediately after sale, lease, or rental.
For lots of less than five (5) acres, a single sign on each street frontage may be erected.
For lots of five (5) acres or more in area and having a street frontage of more than four hundred (400) feet, a single sign not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet in area may be erected on each street frontage.
(2) Construction site/opening soon identification signs. Such signs may identify the project, the owner or developer, architect, engineer, contractor and subcontractors, funding source, and may contain related information. Not more than one (1) such sign may be erected per site, and it may not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area. Such signs shall not be erected prior to the issuance of a building permit and shall be removed within ten (10) days after the issuance of the final Certificate of Occupancy.
One (1) "opening soon" sign may be permitted per building site provided such sign does not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area and is erected for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days.
(3) Signs attached temporarily to the interior of a building window or glass door. Such sign, individually or collectively, may not cover more than seventy-five (75) percent of the surface area of the transparent portion of the window or door to which they are attached. In the B1H and RHD districts, signs placed in windows, from the interior, shall occupy no more than twenty (20) percent of the area of the displaying window. Such signs shall be removed within thirty (30) days after placement.

(4) Displays, including lighting, erected in connection with the observance of holidays. Such signs shall be removed within ten (10) days following the holidays.

(b) Other temporary signs not listed in subsection (a) above shall be regarded and treated in all respects as permanent signs.
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