About sign permit actions
Summary
In this section of EveryBlock, we publish sign permit actions in the city. In other words, this is the place to find out about recent governmental actions regarding applications for outdoor business signs — including ones near you.
Each report includes the date of the last action taken, the location of the proposed sign, a job number, the estimated cost of the sign, whether the sign will be illuminated, whether the sign is for a business or is for separate advertising, the sign's location (wall, ground) and other details.
Probably most important is the job status field, which tells you where the application is in the process — approved by Department of Buildings exam, assigned for exam, approved, etc.
Source
The data comes from the Sign Monthly Statistical Reports published by the New York City Department of Buildings. The data is updated regularly and we at EveryBlock publish it shortly thereafter.
What else should I know about the sign permit process?
Storefront signs greater than six square feet in total area must be approved by the Department of Buildings and comply with the local zoning regulations.
Many aspects of a sign (height, size, illumination, etc.) are governed by its zoning district and location. There are three types of zoning district — residential, commercial and manufacturing — and each has different rules and regulations for signs.
Most sign applications in New York are for businesses they are attached to — a McDonald's sign outside a McDonald's. But advertising signs on separate structures are permitted in some commercial and manufacturing zoning districts. However, with the exception of some grandfathered signs, they aren't permitted in residential districts.
For more information on permitting, including a possible timeline of the process, the Department of Buildings has a How to File an Application and Get a Permit page. Applicants can use the Professional Certification Program to speed up the process.
The department also provides Storefront Sign Requirements.
