Sign permits in Fort Worth, TX: rules, fees, and how to apply

Most permanent signs in Fort Worth need a permit through the Zoning Section, applied for online only. Exemptions are listed in Sec. 6.403 — including window signs up to 25% of the window area, one small temporary sign per business, small real-estate and construction signs, and nameplates up to one square foot.

“The following signs are exempted from the requirements of this Article and may be erected or constructed without a permit:”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.403 — Signs Not Requiring a Permit

Pole signs are flat-out prohibited in Fort Worth, and pylon signs are only allowed as part of a unified sign agreement (a pylon under a USA can run 8 ft at the right-of-way line plus one foot of height per foot of setback, up to 25 ft, with up to 300 sq ft of message area). If your customer wants a pole or pylon sign on a single ordinary lot, the answer is a monument sign instead.

“The following signs are expressly prohibited within the City of Fort Worth: … 4. Pole signs.”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.405 — Prohibited Signs (pylon signs at Sec. 6.409.A.2)

Detached sign area is capped at the LESSER of one square foot per linear foot of street frontage, or a flat cap that depends on the street's classification in the Master Thoroughfare Plan: 120 sq ft on minor arterials/neighborhood streets, 165 sq ft on major arterials, 195 sq ft on principal arterials, 600 sq ft on freeways or toll roads. We can't read the street classification from an address alone — confirm it with the Zoning Section before locking the sign size.

“The maximum allowable sign area shall be the lesser of one square foot of signage per linear foot of street frontage, or: 1. 120 square feet for minor arterials or neighborhood streets; 2. 165 square feet for major arterials; 3. 195 feet for principal arterials; 4. 600 square feet from freeways or toll roads.”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.409.F — detached sign maximum allowable area

No matter how big the wall is, attached signage on one facade can't exceed 500 square feet — so a single sign face over 500 sq ft is over the cap before any percentage math.

“The signs may have a total area of 10% of the area of the facade to which the signs are attached, with a maximum aggregate area of 500 square feet per facade.”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.408.A — 500 sq ft per-facade ceiling

Monument signs (the by-right detached sign in commercial and industrial districts) top out at 8 feet tall, 16 feet wide, and 96 square feet of advertised message area, with at least 75% of the structure's width touching the ground. Freeway signs are a separate animal — only on property immediately adjacent to a designated freeway: 25 ft at the right-of-way line plus one foot per foot of setback up to 35 ft, and 320 sq ft of message area.

“Monument Signs 1. Maximum height: 8 feet 2. Maximum width: 16 feet 3. Maximum advertised message area: 96 square feet 4. Minimum ground contact: 75% of structure’s width”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.409.B — Monument Signs (freeway signs at Sec. 6.409.D)

Normally it's one detached sign per platted lot. On lots with more than 100 feet of street frontage you can add more, but the signs must be at least 100 feet apart and the combined area must stay under the frontage allowance. (Inside a unified sign agreement the spacing tightens to a 300-ft minimum between detached signs.)

“On lots having more than 100 feet of street frontage, more than one detached sign may be installed provided that such signs are at least 100 feet apart and the total area of all signs does not exceed the maximum allowable sign area set forth in paragraph F below;”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.409.E.2 — detached sign spacing

Digital signs (electronic changeable copy) aren't allowed by right anywhere in Fort Worth — animated and flashing signs are prohibited, and electronic changeable copy takes a special exception from the Board of Adjustment first. Even with the exception: at most 25% of the sign face can be changeable copy, messages must hold at least 20 seconds, no animation or flashing, sound is prohibited, automatic dimming to no more than 0.3 footcandles above ambient is required, and on detached signs it's limited to monument signs. Budget board-calendar time before promising an install date.

“Electronic changeable copy signs may be permitted by special exception of the Board of Adjustment in commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and community facility zoning districts, subject to the following conditions: 1. A maximum of 25% of the sign face may be devoted to changeable copy 2. The message rate shall not change at a rate faster than one message every 20 seconds.”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.411 — Electronic Changeable Copy Signs

Attached signs need Texas PE-sealed engineering only when any portion of the sign sits above 25 feet in height above grade. At or below 25 feet, no engineer's stamp is required.

“Any portion of a Sign above 25 feet in height above grade: shall be designed by an engineer licensed by the State of Texas. Plans for such designs shall have affixed thereto the seal of the engineer.”

Source: Fort Worth Sign Permit Checklist — engineering over 25 feet

Detached signs need Texas PE-sealed engineering only when any part of the sign is above 25 feet — and those tall signs also get a 510 foundation inspection (hole depth and diameter checked against the engineered drawings) before any concrete is poured. Under 25 feet, no stamp is required.

“Engineering required if any part of the sign is above 25’.”

Source: Fort Worth Sign Permits page — 'What is Required', detached signs

Attached signs on a facade are capped at 10% of that facade's area, with a hard 500 sq ft ceiling per facade. The facade area counts doors and windows and is figured as width times height with the height capped at 15 feet; for buildings taller than 15 feet the allowance switches to 1.5 sq ft per linear foot of building facade. Sign length can't exceed 75% of the building or lease space, projection is capped at 3 feet, and one business can't exceed 1,340 sq ft of attached signage across everything.

“The signs may have a total area of 10% of the area of the facade to which the signs are attached, with a maximum aggregate area of 500 square feet per facade.”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.408.A — attached sign size limits

One business or tenant can carry at most 1,340 square feet of attached on-premise signage in total — the city's checklist asks you to add up every existing and proposed sign to show you're under it. Count what's already on the building.

“A maximum of 1,340 square feet of attached on-premise signage shall be allowed, regardless of the number of facades or buildings associated with a single business or tenant.”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.408.F — 1,340 sq ft aggregate cap

Fort Worth layers extra sign review in a lot of places: ten scenic preservation areas (Stockyards, Central Business District, Cultural District, Fairmount and more), designated arterial and freeway scenic corridors, historic districts (Historic Preservation review), the downtown design district (Downtown Design Review Board), and Urban Design Districts where these standard sign rules are replaced by the district's own standards with the most restrictive reading applying. Check the zoning map before designing.

“Signs located within the boundaries of an Urban Design District shall be generally exempt from the regulations of this Article and shall be in accordance with the pertinent district standards of the Zoning Ordinance. However, the most restrictive sign regulations contained in this Article shall apply unless otherwise indicated in the pertinent district standards.”

Source: Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.407.E (scenic areas at Sec. 6.402)