Exactly what we cover — and how deep
Some tools claim thousands of cities an inch deep. We cover 12 cities and counties across Florida, Texas, and Arizona — 113 cited rules in all — and show you every one: which checks we run, how honest the fee numbers are, and the date each city’s rules were last verified against its own published code.
Florida
7 jurisdictions
Tampa
City · FLCity of Tampa, FL
5 cited rules · 7 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Height limits
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Historic and special district overlays
2 of the 5 rules are flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
City fee estimator
The city runs its own fee estimator — we link you straight to it instead of guessing.
Typical review
About 2–4 weeks observed for commercial sign permits
How you submit
Accela Citizen Access (City of Tampa)
Rules verified 2026-07-03
Read the sign codeHillsborough County
County · FLHillsborough County (unincorporated), FL
5 cited rules · 5 tracked documents
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Per-face size caps
- Height limits
- How far from the property line
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
No public fee table
The city doesn't publish a fee table — the portal quotes it at application, and we say so out loud.
Typical review
About 2–4 weeks observed for sign permits in the Tampa metro
How you submit
HillsGovHub (Accela Citizen Access)
Rules verified 2026-07-03
Read the sign codeOrlando
City · FLCity of Orlando, FL
6 cited rules · 10 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Height limits
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Historic and special district overlays
1 of the 6 rules is flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
Computed from job value
The city calculates the fee from your job's value — we show a labeled estimate, never an invented number.
Typical review
City goal: within 3 business days of submittal
How you submit
Email submission + ProjectDox plan upload
Rules verified 2026-07-03
Read the sign codeOrange County
County · FLOrange County (unincorporated), FL
4 cited rules · 6 tracked documents
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Height limits
- When a wall sign needs an engineer
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
2 of the 4 rules are flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
No public fee table
The city doesn't publish a fee table — the portal quotes it at application, and we say so out loud.
Typical review
About 2–4 weeks observed in the Orlando metro
How you submit
Orange County Fast Track Online Services
Rules verified 2026-07-03
Read the sign codeSt. Pete
City · FLCity of St. Petersburg, FL
10 cited rules · 9 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Height limits
- How far from the property line
- Spacing between signs
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Historic and special district overlays
6 of the 10 rules are flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
Exact published fees
The city publishes a fee table — we compute your fee from it to the dollar.
Typical review
About 10 business days for the initial commercial review (observed, not a city-published goal)
How you submit
St. Pete ePlan Review (ProjectDox) + Click2Gov
Rules verified 2026-07-07
Read the sign codePinellas County
County · FLPinellas County (unincorporated), FL
12 cited rules · 11 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Per-face size caps
- Height limits
- How far from the property line
- Spacing between signs
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a wall sign needs an engineer
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
4 of the 12 rules are flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
Computed from job value
The city calculates the fee from your job's value — we show a labeled estimate, never an invented number.
Typical review
Commercial permits: around 21 days for first review (county estimate); sign permits ride the commercial track
How you submit
Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela)
Rules verified 2026-07-07
Read the sign codeJacksonville
City · FLCity of Jacksonville, FL
12 cited rules · 7 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Height limits
- How far from the property line
- Spacing between signs
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Facade and window coverage limits
- Historic and special district overlays
1 of the 12 rules is flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
Published tiers, some ranges
The city publishes fee tiers, but a few land in honest ranges — we show the range, never an invented number.
Typical review
Sign plan review is offered as a same-day, first-come-first-served walk-through (weekdays 7–12:30 and 2–3:30 per the city's Sign Laws page); electronic JaxEPICS submittals queue for standard plan review — allow days to a couple of weeks
How you submit
JaxEPICS (City of Jacksonville e-permitting)
Rules verified 2026-07-07
Read the sign codeTexas
4 jurisdictions
Dallas
City · TXCity of Dallas, TX
10 cited rules · 8 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Height limits
- Spacing between signs
- Wording and item-count limits
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a wall sign needs an engineer
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Facade and window coverage limits
- Certificate of Occupancy precondition
- Historic and special district overlays
Published tiers, some ranges
The city publishes fee tiers, but a few land in honest ranges — we show the range, never an invented number.
Typical review
Detached signs: about 5 working days (field-inspector review)
How you submit
DallasNow (Accela) + ProjectDox for plans
Rules verified 2026-07-03
Read the sign codeFort Worth
City · TXCity of Fort Worth, TX
12 cited rules · 6 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Per-face size caps
- Height limits
- Spacing between signs
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a wall sign needs an engineer
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Facade and window coverage limits
- Historic and special district overlays
1 of the 12 rules is flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
Published tiers, some ranges
The city publishes fee tiers, but a few land in honest ranges — we show the range, never an invented number.
Typical review
Sign: 5 business days for first review comments (city's published standard)
How you submit
Fort Worth Online Permitting (Accela Citizen Access)
Rules verified 2026-07-07
Read the sign codeHouston
City · TXCity of Houston, TX
13 cited rules · 10 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Height limits
- How far from the property line
- Spacing between signs
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a wall sign needs an engineer
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Facade and window coverage limits
- Certificate of Occupancy precondition
- Historic and special district overlays
4 of the 13 rules are flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
Published tiers, some ranges
The city publishes fee tiers, but a few land in honest ranges — we show the range, never an invented number.
Typical review
4 to 11 business days (the city's published processing time)
How you submit
iPermits (online application) + ProjectDox (electronic plan review)
Rules verified 2026-07-07
Read the sign codeSan Antonio
City · TXCity of San Antonio, TX
12 cited rules · 7 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Height limits
- How far from the property line
- Spacing between signs
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a wall sign needs an engineer
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Historic and special district overlays
4 of the 12 rules are flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
Published tiers, some ranges
The city publishes fee tiers, but a few land in honest ranges — we show the range, never an invented number.
Typical review
Not published for signs — the code only promises review 'within a reasonable time' once the application is complete; shops commonly see about 5–10 business days for simple signs
How you submit
BuildSA Customer Portal (Accela Citizen Access)
Rules verified 2026-07-07
Read the sign codeArizona
1 jurisdiction
Phoenix
City · AZCity of Phoenix, AZ
12 cited rules · 9 tracked documents
- When a permit is required
- Sign size vs. street or storefront length
- Height limits
- How far from the property line
- Spacing between signs
- Wording and item-count limits
- Digital sign (EMC) rules
- When a wall sign needs an engineer
- When a freestanding sign needs an engineer
- Facade and window coverage limits
- Historic and special district overlays
2 of the 12 rules are flagged “needs human review” where the city’s own sources are ambiguous — we say so instead of guessing.
Exact published fees
The city publishes a fee table — we compute your fee from it to the dollar.
Typical review
Wall/window signs: about 7 days; ground signs: about 14 days (with complete, accurate submittals)
How you submit
SHAPE PHX (city-built Salesforce portal)
Rules verified 2026-07-07
Read the sign codeDon’t see your city?
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