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Sign Permit in San Luis, Arizona

Required by San Luis City Code § 18.80.080(C)(1) for the installation, construction, reconstruction, alteration, or replacement of all signs and sign structures, on-site or off-site. The permit is issued by the City of San Luis Building Safety Division (administration of the sign chapter is shared between the Zoning Administrator and the Building Official per SLCC 18.80.080(B)). San Luis charges no flat per-sign fee: the sign permit fee is the City's standard valuation-based building permit fee, computed on the total valuation of the sign and sign structure, plus a plan check fee of 65 percent. A permit is also required for any temporary sign installation exceeding 32 square feet of sign face area or exceeding six feet in height; smaller temporary signs need no permit, but any temporary sign over 10 square feet must have its location registered with the Department of Planning and Zoning. Illuminated signs require a separate electrical permit.

Reviewed 2026-08-16 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A permit from the City of San Luis Building Safety Division is required for the installation, construction, reconstruction, alteration, or replacement of all signs and sign structures; failure to obtain one is a violation of Title 18 (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(1))
  • A permit is required for all permanent sign installations, including painting or otherwise attaching signage to the exterior of any building, wall, roof, fence, or other outdoor surface as a new sign installation; the sign owner must state in writing whether the sign is an on-site or off-site installation (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(1)(b))
  • A permit is required for any temporary sign installation exceeding 32 sq. ft. of sign face area or exceeding 6 ft. in height; the applicant must state in writing the date by which the temporary signage will be removed. Any temporary sign over 10 sq. ft. must register its location with the Department of Planning and Zoning even when no permit is required (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(1)(c))
  • A separate electrical permit is required if the sign or sign structure is illuminated by electrical means (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(1)(d))
  • Plans drawn to scale showing complete dimensions of the sign face area, the height of the sign structure if freestanding, or the dimensions of the wall, roof, or canopy on which the sign is mounted or painted (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(2)(a))
  • The total amount of sign face area already existing on the property — permanent and temporary, on-site and off-site — and the locations of those signs (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(2)(b))
  • The location of the sign installation on the property, plus all property lines, curb lines, curb cuts, and sidewalks pertinent to the sign location (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(2)(c))
  • The method of attachment, illumination, and structural support, including any calculations required by the Building Official (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(2)(d))
  • The exact location of the property, by address or legal description (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(2)(e))
  • The building permit number must be permanently affixed to each sign installation — permanent or temporary — by a weatherproof label, inscription, or other permanent means legible on close inspection (SLCC 18.80.080(E)(2))
  • No permit is required to change the copy of a sign previously designed with interchangeable panels or letters; to clean, repair, repaper, repaint, or replace a sign face without increasing the existing sign face area; to paint on-site signage within a window or modify a window merchandise display; or for temporary signage not exceeding 32 sq. ft. or 6 ft. in height (SLCC 18.80.020(F))

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Sign permit fee — valuation-basedSLCC 18.80.080(D)(1) sets the sign permit fee by 'the total valuation of the sign and sign structure, whether or not made locally,' using the fee table of 'Table No. 3A of the Uniform Building Code, current edition, and any successors or amendments, as adopted by the City.' The City's currently adopted successor table is the 'SCHEDULE OF BUILDING PERMIT FEES / BUILDING VALUATION DATA' in Resolution No. 2306, Exhibit A (adopted 2024-05-22, effective 2024-06-21), reproduced here; per that exhibit's header, building valuation is set at the beginning of each fiscal year from the ICC 'Building Valuation Data' published in Building Safety Magazine each February. Read from a 150 dpi rendered image of the adopted exhibit (2024-05-22 City Council agenda packet, PDF page 242), not from text extraction. Exhibit A carries no sign-specific fee line in either the Planning and Zoning Division or the Building Safety Division schedule. SLCC 18.80.080(D)(1)(a) additionally refers to a per-square-foot unit cost of sign face area for illuminated and nonilluminated signage within the Building Valuation Data 'maintained by the Building Safety Division'; that unit cost is not published on the City's website and is therefore not recorded here.
$50 (valuation $1 to $500); $50 for the first $500 plus $4 for each additional $100 to $2,000; $80 for the first $2,000 plus $16 for each additional $1,000 to $25,000; $450 for the first $25,000 plus $12 for each additional $1,000 to $50,000; $740 for the first $50,000 plus $8 for each additional $1,000 to $100,000; $1,140 for the first $100,000 plus $6 for each additional $1,000 to $500,000; $3,720 for the first $500,000 plus $6 for each additional $1,000 to $1,000,000; $6,450 for the first $1,000,000 plus $4 for each additional $1,000
Plan check fee — signsSLCC 18.80.080(D)(2): 'a plan check fee shall be collected by the Building Safety Division in the amount of 65% of the permit fee. The plan check fee shall be required at the time that a permit is applied for and plans are submitted, and shall be paid whether or not a permit is issued.' Independently corroborated by Resolution No. 2306, Exhibit A, Building Safety Division, 'FEE SCHEDULE FOR IBC, IRC, IEBC, IPMC,' which sets Plan Check Fee (Commercial) and Plan Check Fee (Residential) at 65% of the Building Permit Fee — read from a 150 dpi rendered image of the adopted exhibit (agenda packet PDF page 236).
65% of the sign permit fee
Investigation fee — sign work begun without a permitSLCC 18.80.080(D)(3): where work requiring a permit has begun and no permit has been issued, the Building Safety Division conducts a special investigation before issuing any permit and 'the investigation fee shall equal, and be in addition to, the permit fee.' Note that Resolution No. 2306, Exhibit A separately lists 'Performing work without approved and valid Permit(s) — Double Original Permit Fee' and 'Investigation Fee (Stop Work Order) — $100' under the Building Safety Division schedule. The Code section and the adopted schedule are not worded identically on this point and the City publishes no reconciliation, so both are recorded as published rather than merged into a single figure.
Equal to, and in addition to, the sign permit fee
Reinspection feeSLCC 18.80.080(D)(3)(b): 'A reinspection fee shall be assessed when the work for which the inspection is called is not complete, or when corrections previously noted have not been made. Such fee shall be as set forth in the current building code and its successors.' Resolution No. 2306, Exhibit A prices 'Re-inspections not covered by original Permit Fee (per house with 1/2-hour minimum)' at $100 per hour under the Building Safety Division schedule (read from a rendered image of agenda packet PDF page 236); the sign chapter does not itself state a dollar amount, so the hourly figure is cited rather than asserted as the sign reinspection fee.
$100 per hour, 1/2-hour minimum

Review timeline

Plan reviewSan Luis’s published plan-review target
7–12 business days

How long did your Sign Permit permit actually take in San Luis?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Inspection of the completed sign installation

    SLCC 18.80.080(D)(3)(b) provides for a reinspection fee 'when the work for which the inspection is called is not complete, or when corrections previously noted have not been made,' and SLCC 18.80.020(C)(2)/18.80.080(E)(4) refer to signage 'prior to final inspection and approval.' The building permit number must be permanently affixed to the sign (SLCC 18.80.080(E)(2)). The City publishes no sign-specific inspection sequence beyond this.

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

Tips

  • San Luis charges no flat sign permit fee. The fee is computed from the same valuation-based SCHEDULE OF BUILDING PERMIT FEES used for building permits, starting at $50 for a sign valuation of $1–$500, plus a plan check fee of 65% of the permit fee that is due when plans are submitted and is not refunded if the permit is never issued.
  • The permit is issued by the Building Safety Division, not Planning & Zoning — the Planning and Zoning Division schedule in Resolution No. 2306, Exhibit A contains no sign fee at all.
  • Temporary signs of 32 sq. ft. or less and 6 ft. or less need no permit, but any temporary sign over 10 sq. ft. must still have its location registered with the Department of Planning and Zoning (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(1)(c)).
  • Illuminated signs need a separate electrical permit in addition to the sign permit (SLCC 18.80.080(C)(1)(d)). Interior signs not visible from a right-of-way or adjoining property are exempt from the sign chapter but still require an electrical or structural permit where applicable (SLCC 18.80.020(G)(4)).
  • Off-site signs (billboards) are permitted only on parcels zoned C-2 (General Commercial) or L-I (Light Industrial) fronting a major or minor arterial street, with a 300 sq. ft. maximum sign face area, 35 ft. maximum height, 10 ft. minimum vertical clearance, a 600 ft. minimum radius between installations, and no more than four installations per linear mile. They are prohibited within 150 ft. of any residential zoning district boundary, within 1,500 ft. of any federal/state/county/municipal historic park, monument or district, and on Main Street south of Co. 22nd Street (SLCC 18.80.070).
  • Some signage is prohibited outright and is not variance-eligible: portable signs, balloons or inflatables over 4 ft. in diameter, swinging signs, signs rotating more than six revolutions per minute, banners other than for a special event, signs attached to a standpipe or fire escape, and signs impeding access to a door, window, or fire escape (SLCC 18.80.020(D)). SLCC 18.80.080(F) bars the City from granting relief for these.
  • A sign projecting above the roofline of a building requires a conditional use permit reviewed and approved by the City Council (SLCC 18.80.080(F)(3)); the conditional use permit fee under Resolution No. 2306, Exhibit A is $600 residential / $1,000 commercial-industrial.
  • When a business name changes, any nonconforming on-site signage for that activity must be replaced or modified to comply, unless the sign was originally built with interchangeable panels, letters, or copy (SLCC 18.80.020(C)(3)).

Frequently asked questions

Yes. San Luis City Code § 18.80.080(C)(1) requires a permit from the City's Building Safety Division for the installation, construction, reconstruction, alteration, or replacement of all signs and sign structures, on-site or off-site. Temporary signs need a permit if they exceed 32 square feet of sign face area or six feet in height. No permit is needed to change the copy on a sign built with interchangeable panels or letters, or to clean, repair, repaint, or replace a sign face without increasing its area.

There is no flat sign fee. Under San Luis City Code § 18.80.080(D) the permit fee is based on the total valuation of the sign and its structure, charged from the City's adopted valuation-based building permit fee table in Resolution No. 2306, Exhibit A — $50 for a valuation of $1 to $500, then $50 plus $4 per additional $100 up to $2,000, then $80 plus $16 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000, and so on. A plan check fee of 65% of the permit fee is charged when plans are submitted and is payable whether or not the permit is issued.

The City's A.R.S. § 9-835 Building Permit Processing Time Frames document lists 'Signs' at 2 business days for administrative completeness review, 5 business days for the first plan review, and 5 more business days for a second review if one is needed, for an overall review time of 12 business days.

You'll need: Sign permit application (form prescribed by the Building Safety Division); Plan or plans drawn to scale. Depending on your project, San Luis may also ask for: Structural calculations. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

San Luis requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Inspection of the completed sign installation. Schedule each through City of San Luis Development Services Department — Building Safety Division (928-341-8565).

Apply through City of San Luis Development Services Department — Building Safety Division at P.O. Box 3750 - 1090 E. Union Street, San Luis, AZ 85349. Phone: 928-341-8565, email: jcampa@sanluisaz.gov. Office hours: City Hall general hours Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Building Safety Division office line (928) 341-8565; dedicated Inspection Line/Hot Line for scheduling inspections is (928) 341-8564 (also available via online inspection scheduling). Building Permit Applications may be submitted with a complete set of plans/drawings (electronic PDF preferred; if hard copy, 2 sets for residential, 3 sets for commercial).. Official information: https://www.sanluisaz.gov/departments/development_services/building_safety/building_permits.php.

San Luis, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (e.g., A.R.S. Title 9 for municipalities). The City of San Luis independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Development Services Department, Building Safety Division. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page (sanluisaz.gov/departments/development_services/building_safety/building_inspections_codes).; 2018 International Building Code (IBC), adopted by reference as the City's current uniform building code. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, 'Current Codes' list, verified live July 2026.; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), adopted by reference as the City's current one- and two-family dwelling code. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, verified live July 2026.; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted by reference, governing repair, alteration, addition, and change of occupancy of existing buildings. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, verified live July 2026.; 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), adopted by reference, governing swimming pool, spa, and pool barrier construction. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, verified live July 2026.; 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted by reference, governing maintenance of existing structures and premises. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, verified live July 2026.; 2014 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference — one edition behind the current 2023 NEC cycle used by several neighboring Arizona cities; independently confirmed still listed as current on the City's live Building Inspections & Codes page as of July 2026 (not simply carried over from a stale directory). Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, verified live July 2026.; 2012 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference — independently confirmed still listed as current on the City's live Building Inspections & Codes page as of July 2026. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, verified live July 2026.; 2012 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference — independently confirmed still listed as current on the City's live Building Inspections & Codes page as of July 2026. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, verified live July 2026.; 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference — independently confirmed still listed as current on the City's live Building Inspections & Codes page as of July 2026; this is a notably older energy-code edition than most Arizona municipalities' current adoptions. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page, verified live July 2026.; All of the above codes (2018 IBC, IRC, IEBC, ISPSC, IPMC; 2014 NEC; 2012 IMC, IPC; 2009 IECC) are amended by City of San Luis Ordinance No. 390, per the City's Building Inspections & Codes page. The full text of Ordinance No. 390 was not separately located on the live site as a standalone downloadable document during this verification pass; the codes-adopted list itself is sourced directly to the City's official Building Inspections & Codes webpage, which is the authoritative live citation. Source: City of San Luis Building Inspections & Codes page (sanluisaz.gov/departments/development_services/building_safety/building_inspections_codes).; Manufactured homes and mobile homes: the City's Development Services fee schedule notes Manufactured Home (MH) Permit Fees for pit-set and ground-set installations are now referred to the 'State of AZ' rather than a City-set flat fee (Arizona Department of Fire, Building and Life Safety / Office of Manufactured Housing regulates factory-built construction/installation standards per A.R.S. § 41-4001 et seq.); the City separately issues a Building Permit Processing Time Frame track for 'Manufactured Home' and 'Park Model' placement (2 business days 1st review, 2 business days 2nd review, 5 business days overall). Source: City of San Luis Development Services and Public Works Application and Permit — Notice and Proposed Fees document; City of San Luis Building Permit Processing Time Frames (A.R.S. § 9-835 compliance document).. Local amendments apply — see the San Luis overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-16.

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 San Luis building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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