WorkOne - Find Employment

Legal Rights Question:

How will my business sign be regulated?

Signage is regulated through the following two categories:

1. Building & Electrical Codes
The construction, installation, and operation of any permanent business sign will need to conform to all applicable building and electrical codes. Because compliance with these codes requires specialized technical expertise, a business owner should specify that conformity to these codes is the responsibility of the sign company that builds and installs a business sign. This responsibility would extend to the sign company's subcontractors.

2. Local Zoning or Sign Codes
Nearly every local government regulates the display of business signs. Such regulations are found either in the local zoning code or a separate "sign code." Most codes will contain the following provisions regarding business signs (each a link to further information on this page):

A. Regulation of the size, number, and location.
B. Permit application requirements and review procedures.
C. Provision for a "variance."
D. Treatment of "nonconforming" signs.

A) Regulation of the Size, Number & Location of Signs
A local zoning or sign code will normally regulate the location, number, size, etc. of business signs. For example, a typical code might specify that:

1. a business is permitted only the following permanent signs: one "wall" sign, one "freestanding" sign, and one "directional" sign at each vehicular entry/exit.

2. the "wall" sign must be located on the "front" of the business, and may not exceed [a specified maximum size].

3. the "freestanding" sign must be set back [a specified distance] from the public right-of-way, and may not exceed [a specified maximum height and size].

4. the "directional" sign must be within [a specified distance] from the edge of the entry/exit, must be set back [a specified distance] from the public right-of-way, and may not exceed a [specified maximum height and size].

It is common for sign regulations, like those above, to vary depending on the zoning district in which a business is located. For example, businesses located in a "Highway Business" district might be allowed larger or taller signs than those located in a "Local Business" district. Such differences in regulatory treatment may be justified by differences in the size and speed of the roadways in each district.

Local governments are increasingly under scrutiny by federal and state courts to assure that differing treatment between sign users does not offend the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution. (See "How do the First and Fourteenth Amendments affect sign regulations?")

Back to A - D listing of Local Zoning or Sign Codes.

B) Permit Applications & Approvals
The permit process usually begins when the sign company or business owner obtains an application from a zoning or building official in the local government office. While applications normally require the applicant to submit information related to the construction and installation of the sign, and the site where it will be installed, requirements will vary from community to community.

The application must be filled out completely and accurately. In most communities, the application fee must be paid in full before the application will be reviewed.

There are two basic procedures for local government review of a sign permit application: (1) administrative approval, which stresses quantitative criteria, and (2) design review, which goes beyond quantitative criteria to consider qualitative guidelines.

Administrative approval is a straightforward process based on objective criteria. An administrator approves or rejects the application based on whether the proposed sign will be in compliance with the numerical standards in the sign code.

Design review, in contrast, supplements numerical standards with qualitative guidelines. These guidelines attempt to "fine-tune" sign approval decisions by evaluating the relationship between the sign, and its proposed site, based on specified criteria. For example, a design review process might try to achieve greater "compatibility" between structures and signs by adding design standards related to sign materials, lighting, and design.

Proponents of design review claim that the addition of this discretionary process promotes creativity and permits greater flexibility in sign approval. Critics argue that the process creates uncertainty about permit approvals and significantly increases both the cost and time required to obtain permit approval.

A design review code is more likely to run into First and Fourteenth Amendment problems than an administration approval code. For example, if the code is too subjective or gives the government too much leeway in deciding which signs to permit and which to disallow, either or both of these Amendments may be violated. (See "How do the First and Fourteenth Amendments affect sign regulations?")

Back to A - D listing of Local Zoning or Sign Codes.

C) Provision for a Variance
A variance is a "flexibility" device that allows a local government to provide a property owner with relief from the normal application of a restriction in the zoning code, such as minimum lot or building size or set back requirements. And it also applies to relief from a sign code provision. In effect, a variance works like a special code section or exception, specifically enacted by the local government on behalf of a specific property, or property interest. And once granted, a variance "runs with the land." In other words, subsequent owners are entitled to the same "right to vary" as granted the original applicant.

A sign permit applicant should request a variance when special circumstances, unique to the property in question, would create practical difficulties or hardship if the applicable code section is enforced as written. A business owner should never hesitate to request a variance if strict adherence to the sign code would seriously compromise the visibility of the subject sign, and thus potentially harm the economic viability of the business. This situation can occur, for example, when a significant grade difference exists between the property and an adjacent street or highway from which the business is expected to draw significant vehicular traffic. In such cases, limitations on height, type or location may render the site virtually invisible to passing motorists.

In the event a code provision, if enforced, would seriously impede a sign's ability to communicate with passersby, and thereby destroy most of a site's economic utility, then a variance should be granted. If a variance is not granted in these or similar circumstances, the government must justify its restriction on protected speech by proving the restriction advances a substantial state interest that cannot be advanced in a manner less burdensome on speech. (See "How do the First and Fourteenth Amendments affect sign regulations?")

When applying for a variance, the prudent business owner will consult a signage valuation expert to construct a benefit-cost analysis. The analysis should not only discuss the benefits of the proposed sign to the business and the costs to the business if not permitted, but also the benefits that will likely accrue for the community if the proposed sign is permitted.

In most cases, the benefits conferred on the community by a business able to maximize street visibility outweigh the costs to the community if the code is not strictly enforced as to the applicant. Generally, restrictive sign codes are enacted under the umbrella of "improving community aesthetics." Seldom do these codes take into consideration the benefits that flow from a local business that is economically viable because its sign catches the attention of mobile consumers who may have either a present or future need of the business's product or services. The benefits flowing from a successful business minimally include enhancement of local tax bases and employment opportunities. Additional benefits include preservation of a healthy business zone in lieu of deterioration when business fail and leave to locate further out. Blight and flight often lead to urban sprawl-something most communities would like to avoid.

The evident benefits of attractively designed and appropriately visible, legible and readable signage should outweigh the subjective aesthetic factor. Most of today's sign companies can craft a sign that reflects community standards while still effectively communicating to potential customers or clients. (For examples of signs, visit our "Types of Signs" section. For information about working with a sign company, tour "Obtaining Your Signage".)

Back to A - D listing of Local Zoning or Sign Codes.

D) Treatment of Nonconforming Signs & Amortization Provisions
Local governments commonly revise sections of zoning ordinances and sign codes from time to time. Less frequently, a local government will enact a comprehensive revision that replaces an existing zoning or sign code in its entirety. In either case, there will normally be a number of building lots, structures, or uses (including signs) that were in compliance with or "conformed" to the "old" code, but are out of conformance or compliance under the "new" code. A sign finding itself in this category becomes a "legal non-conforming" sign.

As a general matter, a business owner may retain a legal non-conforming sign, and does not have to bring it into compliance with new regulations. The owner may also maintain and repair the existing sign face and structure without running afoul of the new code. In these cases, the sign is said to have been "grandfathered in." Also as a general rule, if the owner sells the business, the new owner has the right to retain the non-conforming sign, although some sign codes make it unlawful to change sign face copy or design without making the whole sign conform to the new code. However, such a rule raises serious legal questions because it is a limitation of free speech. (See "How do the First and Fourteenth Amendments affect sign regulations?")

In contrast, examples of limitations on a non-conforming sign that are clearly lawful include a prohibition on increasing the area or height of a non-conforming sign, or requiring that a replacement sign structure conform to the new regulations when a non-conforming sign structure is removed.

Some sign codes contain provisions requiring the removal of non-conforming signs within a specified time limit-generally 2 - 10 years. This "grace period", referred to in the codes as an "amortization period", is based on what the local government has judged to be a sufficient passage of time to allow the owner to recoup the cost of the sign. In the absence of an express statutory provision that amortization is disallowed as a form of "just compensation", a majority of state courts have found, to date, that amortization is a constitutionally acceptable method for achieving removal or severe downsizing of non-conforming signs without paying monetary compensation. Where amortization has been upheld, the general rule is that the amortization period must provide the sign owner a reasonable time to recoup the initial investment.

Federal legislation has made amortization an impermissible method for compensating owners of signs that are removed or relocated pursuant to the federal Highway Beautification Act, and amendments. This proscription applies to all signs located within 660 feet of interstate and primary highways. Federal legislation and policy also requires payment of just compensation whenever a sign is removed, or its visibility compromised, as a result of highway or street improvements that in any way involve federal funds.

At the state and local level, business owners should be aware that amortization is a hotly debated, and rapidly changing, area of the law. The primary reason for this is the increasing awareness by legislative and judicial bodies that an on-premise business sign is worth far more than its original cost, and that an amortization period will not fairly compensate a business owner for business revenues that will be lost when the owner must finally conform to a code limiting the sign's visibility.

A business owner who has been informed that a non-conforming sign must be removed, due to the expiration of an amortization period, is well advised to consult legal counsel before agreeing to remove the sign without receiving compensation, or in the alternative a variance or exception to enforcement of the code. (For an example of a legal case regarding sign valuation and a legally non-conforming sign, visit the Michaels' Store Legal Case study.)

Back to A - D listing of Local Zoning or Sign Codes.

Back to the list of FAQs about Legal Rights.

Source:
http://www.sba.gov/starting/signage/regulated.html

Legal Rights Question:

What do I need to know about Copyrights, Patents and Trademarks?

The basic concept behind copyrights and patents is providing legal protection to the inventors, authors, and creators of artistic works that insures their right to economic benefit from the investment of their time, skill, energy, and vision of their inventions and creations. This nation's founders viewed legal protection for economic benefit resulting from one's creative efforts as so crucial to the encouragement of artistic and scientific inventions that they included it in the Constitution, and the first federal patent and copyright laws were enacted in 1790.

The basic concept behind trademarks is to prevent unfair competition. Trademark law protects the owner of a trademarked name or symbol, e.g., the name "Burger King" or McDonald's "Golden Arches", from a competitor using a name or symbol which is so similar that it causes confusion for consumers, who may be "stolen" from the owner of the trademark. For example, because the name "Burger King" has trademark protection, it would be illegal for a competitor to name its fast-food restaurants the same, or nearly the same. Similar protections are extended to unique services through "service marks."

Still, there's much more to learn about:

Copyrights - (see next)
Patents
Trademarks
How to use a trademark effectively.

Copyrights

Copyright law guarantees that the copyright owner has the exclusive right to: reproduce the work, prepare derivative versions of the work, distribute copies of the work, perform the work publicly, display the work publicly, or authorize others to do any of these activities.

Today, copyright protection attaches at the time the copyrightable work is created. However, only those works registered with the federal government within three months of "first publication" are entitled to the full range of remedies for copyright infringement.

Some elements of a sign are subject to copyright protection, and you must be careful not to infringe upon the copyrights held by others when designing a sign. Pictorial graphics, pictures, and company logos, but not typefaces are entitled to copyright protections, and unauthorized use or reproduction of these items may result in liability. For example, a business owner infringes on copyrighted material by copying the artwork or other pictorial elements displayed on someone else's sign (or shown to the business owner by a sign manufacturer) for his own use without prior authorization. When this happens, the infringing business owner is subject to legal action that can result in his having to pay the copyright owner monetary damages, attorney fees, and substantial financial penalties, including statutory penalties of $100,000 per infringement.

Information and forms for registering a work as copyrighted are available online from the U.S. Copyright Office http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/, or may be requested from:
U.S. Copyright Office
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. S.E., LM-401
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000. Telephone inquiries can be directed to the Public Information Office, (202) 707-3000, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday-Friday.

Back to top of the page.

Patents

The issuance of a patent is the grant of the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling one's invention, and this includes the right to license others to make, use, or sell it. Patents are registered with the United States Patent Office and have protections under federal law similar to copyrights.

Patent issues may arise concerning the design of a sign's frame, materials, components, or other structural elements. A patent holder may sue anyone he believes has infringed on his rights in the patent by using some, or all, of the basis of the patent without authorization. If successful in such a lawsuit, the patent holder is entitled, at minimum, to a court order barring further infringement of the patent, and compensation for any lost royalties that resulted from the infringement. Where the patent holder can demonstrate that the person who infringed on his patent did so knowingly, he may also be awarded attorney fees.

Information about patents is available from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office online at http://www.uspto.gov/. If you need answers to specific patent questions or want to know more about patents in general, please contact the Patent Assistance Center at 1-800-786-9199. If you are calling from Northern Virginia, the number is (703) 308-4357.

Back to top of the page.

Trademarks and Service Marks

A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, or design, or combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, which identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods or services of one party from those of others. A service mark is the same as a trademark except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product. Normally, a mark for goods appears on the product or its packaging, while a service mark appears in advertising for the services.

Trademark rights arise from either (1) actual use of the mark, or (2) the filing of a proper application to register a mark in the Patent and Trademark Office stating that the applicant has a bona fide intention to use the mark in interstate commerce. While federal registration is not required to create a trademark, there are several advantages to federal registration, including: notice to the public of the registrant's claim of ownership of the mark, a legal presumption of ownership nationwide, and the exclusive right to use the mark on or in connection with the goods or services set forth in the registration.

The federal Lanham Trademark Act (15 U.S.C., section 1051, et seq) protects federally registered names, marks, emblems, slogans, and colors, if included in the registration, from government interference. The first clause of section 1121 (b) of the Lanham Act reads as follows:

No state or other jurisdiction of the United States or any political subdivision or any agency thereof may require alteration of a registered mark, or require that additional trademarks, service, marks, trade names, or corporate names that may be associated with or incorporated into the registered mark be displayed in the mark in a manner differing from the display of such additional trademarks, service marks, trade names or corporate names contemplated by the registered mark as exhibited in the certificate of registration issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

While it is well accepted that a governing entity may regulate signs, subject to constitutional protections, the plain language of the Lanham Act prohibits federal, state and local governments from requiring alteration of a registered trademark, as registered. A Lanham Act issue may be raised should a community require, as a condition of obtaining a sign permit, that the trademark be altered. Also in such cases, either in the alternative or in addition to reliance on the Lanham Act, a sign owner precluded by a code from displaying a registered mark on a sign could argue that such preclusion violates the "content-neutrality" requirements imposed by the First Amendment.

Basic information about trademarks, including access to trademark forms and information about applying for a trademark, is available from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office online at http://www.uspto.gov/. This web site also contains information on how to conduct a trademark search to determine if your proposed trademark is already registered. You may also contact the Trademark Assistance Center at 1-800-786-9199. If you are calling from Northern Virginia, the number is (703) 308-9000.

Back to top of the page.

How to use a trademark effectively.

As a small business owner, one of your primary goals in signage should be to create "brand" recognition of your business in the community. One of the best, and most cost-effective, methods of doing this is to create an attractive company logo or pictorial graphic and use it on all of your signage. Repeated viewing by passing motorists of your company's "signature" signage will help brand your business site, and begin to create "top-of-mind awareness" with potential customers. Also, your company's trademark should appear for example, on company stationary and uniforms. And whenever possible or feasible, it should be featured in other media advertising, such as the Yellow Pages.

Back to "What do I need to know about Copyrights, Patents and Trademarks?"

Back to to the list of FAQs about Legal Rights.

Source:
http://www.sba.gov/starting/signage/copyrights.html

Government Regulations & Codes

Sign codes are written to protect the public health, safety, and welfare while remaining reasonable in light of Constitutional requirements that time, place and manner of display be controlled in a content-neutral manner. When you apply for a permit or variance, a basic understanding of the following points and operative phrases will help.

* Governmental regulation of signs falls into two main categories:
1. Material, electrical, and structural
2. land use (zoning) issues.

* Material, electrical, and structural

o An electric or internally illuminated sign is wired to receive power from an electrical utility source and must meet certain weight and wind load standards.

o Most sign companies laboratory test the electrical features on a sign. The laboratories used for testing include Electrical Testing Laboratory and Underwriters Laboratories. A label from a testing laboratory means that the sign has met electrical standards.

o If your sign is built locally, electrical components may be checked by a reputable and certified local electrical inspector.

o A sign has several structural components. For a ground-mounted sign, these components are the cabinet and the poles. A building-mounted sign will also have a cabinet to hold the sign faces. Structural components must pass inspections.

* Sign companies will usually obtain the necessary permits and install your sign in accordance with the local code(s). Records concerning sign installation should be kept on file to verify that the sign meets minimum code standards.

* Application for Permits and Variances

o Location of your business is controlled by a local zoning or comprehensive land use code. Placement and the physical parameters of your sign are controlled either by a section of the zoning code or by a separate "sign code."

o Most communities have an official, generally in the planning department, to whom you must go to obtain your initial application to construct and place your sign. Usually, the permitting criteria will be very specific, with ample instructions on how to complete the application.

* If it appears that a size, height, lighting or placement requirement would not allow your sign to be easily visible or readable, you should apply for a "variance from" or "exception to" that requirement. However, it is generally safe to say that 95% of signs in the United States were built and placed pursuant to an "over the counter" permit. (For additional information about sign design, see the "Design Tips" page in the "Obtaining Your Signage" section.) .

o Approach a variance by illustrating the benefit the sign will bring to the land use planning scheme, not to the business. For example, if you are in an older building, and seeking to renovate, point out how your proposed sign will contribute to revitalization of the district as a whole, thereby promoting a healthy tax base. A well-designed, optimally visible, and appropriately-placed sign fosters a partnership with the municipality and the chance to create financial opportunities for both the business and the community.

o Another concern that may give rise to the need for a variance is that enforcement of the code may, in your case, create a signing deficiency in that the sign cannot be detected in time for drivers trying to find your business to safely respond under existing roadway configurations (e.g., numbers of lanes) and designated speeds. Traffic safety is always a foremost community concern. If an ordinance, as applied to your sign, would prevent adequate legibility, readability or conspicuity, thereby compromising traffic safety, then the reason for a variance is expanded beyond your immediate communication needs.

o Almost all jurisdictions will consider a variance if the sign is not adequately sized.

o Many jurisdictions are amenable to a variance that would permit the renovation or retrofit of a building façade in order to enhance a district theme.

Back to Legal Considerations start page

Source:
http://www.sba.gov/starting/signage/regulations.html

U.S. Constitutional Amendments Pertinent to Signage

What follows are brief summaries of these U.S. Constitutional protections and entitlements under the First, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

First Amendment

Under the First Amendment, courts are most concerned when sign regulations seek to restrict or regulate the actual content of signs. Such content-based codes are subject to the strictest judicial scrutiny, and will be upheld only if a court finds that the regulation is justified by a compelling governmental interest, and is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.

Where a code is content-neutral, focusing only on the time, place or manner in which a sign is displayed, courts will apply a less strict standard of review, which requires government to show:
1. a substantial government interest which justifies the regulation,
2. the regulation directly advances that interest, and
3. the regulation leaves ample alternative avenues of communication for those subject to it.

In other words, a sign regulation must normally be content neutral, and not unduly abridge the commercial messenger's right to speak in the absence of a substantial state interest that cannot be advanced by other means.

Fifth Amendment

Under the Fifth Amendment, "just compensation" is due whenever property is taken by government for a valid public purpose. It is well settled that signs possess a property interest. The type of interest possessed, however, depends upon the type of sign at issue. For example, outdoor advertising (or off-premise signage) has been protected from non-compensable removal for many years by federal legislation. On the other hand, compensation for regulatory downsizing, removal, or ban of a previously legal sign, or for condemnation of a site and its accompanying signage, is relatively new to on-premise signage.

Regarding a regulatory "takings", however, case decisions supporting the constitutionality of zoning laws do not give municipalities carte blanch powers to substantially destroy all economically viable use of property through exercise of their police powers via land use regulations, including sign ordinances. In cases where the trier of fact determines either that the aggrieved party has been denied all economically viable use of his property or that the government's action does not substantially advance a legitimate public purpose, the government will be held liable for compensation. Therefore, while local governments may undertake zoning or regulatory actions that diminish property values without being required to compensate for the diminution, when the government takes "too much", compensation must be paid. How much is "too much", triggering the compensation requirement, is a question of degree, based on a weighing of the various factors and interests.

As on-premise business signage becomes more important to business success, sign codes which severely limit its ability to communicate to potential customers may reduce the value of both the business and the business site to such an extent that compensation will be due the owner. Additionally, in condemnation cases involving a government's exercise of its eminent domain power, if an on-premise business sign is involved, it is increasingly likely that the sign will be considered separately for purposes of assigning a value and paying compensation accordingly.

Fourteenth Amendment

The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees "due process and equal treatment" in the regulatory process. In the signage regulatory process, the Fourteenth Amendment commonly enters the picture at the permitting phase, including appeal of a permit denial.

Minimally, the permit standards must be clear, concise, and capable of objective interpretation and administration. Further, both the initial determination on a sign construction or placement application and a hearing on appeal of a denied permit must occur in a timely manner. A failure to provide any of these minimum procedural requirements can give rise to a claim that the process violates the "due process" clause.

In addition, due process irregularities may also violate the First Amendment. Because a sign is essential to communicating one's presence and effectively competing in the marketplace, in some circumstances a failure to meet minimum due process requirements can raise a "prior restraint" issue. A prior restraint occurs when the right to communicate is subject to the prior discretionary approval of a government official that may be exercised to censor speech.

To the degree that decisions about sign regulation are not based solely on objective quantitative criteria, the prior restraint issue is always potentially present in the sign permitting process. This potential makes it incumbent that the sign ordinance directs the permitting official to act pursuant to clearly defined standards that (1) strictly limit the official's discretion, and (2) guarantee resolution of application issues within a short period of time.

Another provision of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that similarly situated individuals receive equal treatment and protection of the law. As applied to sign codes and the permitting process, this means that the permitting authority must grant or deny a permit in accordance with the code without regard to the type of business involved, so long as the business activity is not illegal and is being conducted in the correct zone, and the proposed sign does not display any misleading information or inflammatory, morally offensive or sexually explicit language or graphics. Thus, if the business activity is legal and the proposed sign both truthful and not likely to outrage communities' sensibilities, whether a liquor store or a health food store, the code must be equally applied to the storeowners.

In addition to the above, review the answer provided to the Legal Rights question: "How do the First and Fourteenth Amendments affect regulations of my business sign?"

Summaries of legal cases illustrating court findings pertaining to signage and protection are provided in the "Legal Resources" section.

For more information on the legal rights enjoyed by owners of business signs, visit The Signage Foundation.

Source:
http://www.sba.gov/starting/signage/amendments.html

Types of Signage

Introduction

Signs are expanding communication mediums that respond to our mobile lifestyles. Signature buildings such as the widely recognized McDonalds restaurant building designs are signs. A facelift to a building such as the old western village false storefronts is also considered a sign. Thoughtful use of the visibility features of your business site expands your ability to communicate with passersby. Regardless of the type used, your signage must be appealing to your customers and the message must be readable.

When faced with the task of reviewing the many choices of signs available, it helps to approach it by first looking at the three primary locations in which you will typically use on-premise signs:

*

Building Mounted signs
*

Freestanding signs
*

Interior signs

Many of the sign types fall into more than one of the above location-based categories. For example, channel letters can be either building-mounted, freestanding, or even an interior sign. As you review this section, keep in mind that there are dozens of possible sign options and configurations, each as unique as a business' needs. We present in this section, as well as in our "Sign Gallery," the most commonly used types of signs.

Here are some generalized points, as an intoduction to sign types:

*

Building mounted on-premise signs may be attached to the roof, parapet, marquee, or building fascia. These signs may be either parallel or perpendicular to the building surface.

*

Freestanding on-premise signs are generally supported by a structure attached to or cast in a foundation. . The structure and attachments to the foundation may be concealed with a decorative covering. Freestanding signs can be further enhanced by landscaping.

*

On-premise signs can be either internally or externally illuminated (click to link to additional important detail about illumination). For retail businesses, on-premise signs should be illuminated to accomplish communication with potential customers during nighttime hours.

*

Sometimes a building itself functions as a sign. This occurs most often with franchise and chain retail operations, where standardized (or "signature") buildings and colors, as well as traditional on-premise signage, announce the presence of the business.

*

Buildings also may be fitted or retrofitted with "trade dress" to design a theme. Retrofitting of a building-façade is often described as a "face lift." Both building and freestanding signs should be designed to echo the theme or trade dress.

*

Changeable copy boards or electronic message centers enhance a sign's effectiveness by providing space to advertise time dependent messages. Such sign or sign additions can be electronically controlled (the electronic message center), or changed manually (the changeable copy sign).

*

Interior on-premise signs are those that advertise the location of businesses located in a common building such as a mall, office building, entertainment complex etc. They have two major purposes: (1) to influence buyer choices and encourage certain "point of purchase" transactions; and (2) to provide guidance in a safe and efficient manner, as required by local regulatory authorities (such as the Fire Marshall) and federal law, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (additional detail is in the "Interior Signage - The Background & The Evolution of an Industry" section, through the link shown below).

In summary...

Primarily, there are building mounted, freestanding and interior signs, within which are many types of signs. Carefully reviewing the many types of signs, and considering how well they will meet your location and business' needs, will enable you to select the kind of signs you need for your greatest business success.

The Signage Categories

Each of the following links expands on one of the primary signage categories and presents example photos of actual signs.

*

Building Mounted signage
*

Freestanding signage
*

Interior signage
o

Interior Signage - The Background & The Evolution of an Industry

Back to Signage Home

Source:
http://www.sba.gov/starting/signage/types.html