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Sign Permit (Building / Wall-Mounted, Monument, Banner) in Tempe, Arizona

Sign permits in Tempe are required for building/wall-mounted signs, monument signs, and banners. Sign permit applications (SGN) are submitted through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal under 'Planning/Signs' > 'Planning' > 'Sign Permit [SGN]'. A Sign Development Plan Review (DPR) is required for all developments in mixed-use (MU-X) zoning districts, commercial centers with more than one tenant, and for single-tenant buildings altering space for additional tenants. Banner permits (Sign Type 'K') are approved administratively by the Permit Center within 24–48 business hours. A Planning Plan Review Fee of $143 applies (Table 2-A flat fee).

Verified 2026-06-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Apply through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal: 'New' > 'Planning/Signs' > 'Planning' > 'Sign Permit [SGN]'
  • All items on the Sign Permit Submittal Checklist must be provided for the application to be accepted as Administratively Complete
  • Signs must comply with Tempe Zoning and Development Code (ZDC) Chapter 9 — Signs, Section 4-902 — General Sign Standards
  • Sign Development Plan Review (DPR) required for mixed-use (MU-X) districts, commercial centers with more than one tenant, and single-tenant buildings altered for additional tenants
  • Banner permits (Type 'K'): Grand Opening — 30-day permit (once per business); Significant Event — 21-day permit (twice per year, may be non-consecutive)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Planning Plan Review Fee — flat fee (Table 2-A, effective July 1, 2025)Table 2-A — Building Permit Flat Fees: 'PLANNING PLAN REVIEW FEE — $143.' Effective July 1, 2025. This fee applies to planning reviews including sign permits. Source: Table 2-A (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=APXASCFECH_TA2UIPEFLFE).
$143

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Tempe building department
~1–15 business days

How long did your Sign Permit (Building / Wall-Mounted, Monument, Banner) permit actually take in Tempe?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Sign installation inspection

    Inspection of sign installation per approved permit and Tempe ZDC Chapter 9 standards; scheduled through Citizen Access Portal.

See the full Tempe inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Use the Tempe Sign Package Criteria Map to verify approved sign criteria for commercial centers and multi-tenant buildings before applying.
  • Banner permits are processed within 24–48 business hours by the Permit Center.
  • Incomplete applications — missing any item on the Sign Permit Submittal Checklist — will delay processing.
  • The Sign Package Criteria Map shows approved sign criteria for various commercial zones.

Frequently asked questions

Tempe requires a sign permit (building / wall-mounted, monument, banner) for: Apply through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal: 'New' > 'Planning/Signs' > 'Planning' > 'Sign Permit [SGN]'; All items on the Sign Permit Submittal Checklist must be provided for the application to be accepted as Administratively Complete; Signs must comply with Tempe Zoning and Development Code (ZDC) Chapter 9 — Signs, Section 4-902 — General Sign Standards; Sign Development Plan Review (DPR) required for mixed-use (MU-X) districts, commercial centers with more than one tenant, and single-tenant buildings altered for additional tenants; Banner permits (Type 'K'): Grand Opening — 30-day permit (once per business); Significant Event — 21-day permit (twice per year, may be non-consecutive). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Tempe Community Development Department — Building Safety Division / Permit Center at 480-350-4311 before starting work.

In Tempe, the published Planning Plan Review Fee — flat fee (Table 2-A, effective July 1, 2025) is: $143. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for a sign permit (building / wall-mounted, monument, banner) in Tempe typically runs 1–15 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Tempe Community Development Department — Building Safety Division / Permit Center at 480-350-4311.

You'll need: Sign Permit Submittal Checklist. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Tempe requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit (building / wall-mounted, monument, banner), in order: Sign installation inspection. Schedule each through City of Tempe Community Development Department — Building Safety Division / Permit Center (480-350-4311).

Apply through City of Tempe Community Development Department — Building Safety Division / Permit Center at City of Tempe City Hall, 31 E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281. Phone: 480-350-4311, email: permitcenter@tempe.gov. Office hours: Contact the Permit Center at 480-350-4311 or permitcenter@tempe.gov for current hours; inspections are conducted Monday–Friday 6:30 AM–3:30 PM (inspection requests received before midnight are inspected the following business day). Official information: https://www.tempe.gov/government/community-development/building-safety/permit-center.

Tempe, Arizona has adopted: 2018 Tempe Building Safety Administrative Code (local administrative provisions) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEMC2018P2); 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEBC2018P1); 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPERC2018P11); 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEMC2018P11); 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEFGC2018P11); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEECC2018P1); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEEBC2018P22); 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEPC2018P11); 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPESPSC2018P1); 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEFC2018P1); 2018 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=CH8BUBURE_ARTXIINGRCOCO); 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published in the Tempe City Code (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=CH8BUBURE_ARTVIII2017NAELCO). Local amendments apply — see the Tempe overview page for the full list.

Apply through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal: 'New' > 'Planning/Signs' > 'Planning' > 'Sign Permit [SGN]'. All items on the Sign Permit Submittal Checklist must be provided. Signs must comply with Tempe ZDC Chapter 9 — Signs. Source: Tempe Building Safety Signs page (tempe.gov/businesses/signage).

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-06-29.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Tempe building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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