Permitting, demystified
Sign permits in Houston & the surrounding cities: who issues what
Every jurisdiction in the metro runs sign permits differently: different office, different code, different quirks. Here's the map, sourced from each authority's own published rules.
In the Houston metro, who issues your sign permit depends on the address: the City of Houston's Sign Administration (Chapter 46 of the Building Code, 4–11 business days), each suburb's own permit office (Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Pasadena), The Woodlands' covenant review committees, or Harris County itself for unincorporated areas like most of Spring and Cypress (3–5 business days). Most permanent signs need a permit, most jurisdictions require a licensed sign contractor, and illuminated signs usually add an electrical permit. We handle the correct jurisdiction's process as part of every job.
| Where | Who reviews it | Stated processing time |
|---|---|---|
| City of Houston | Sign Administration (Houston Public Works) via the Houston Permitting Center | 4–11 business days |
| City of Katy | Permit and Building Services Division (applications via the Civic Access portal) | Not published |
| City of Sugar Land | Permits & Inspections; sign rules in Development Code Chapter 4 (Planning & Development Services) | Not published |
| The Woodlands Township | Covenant Administration / Development Standards Committee (covenant review, not a city permit office) | Not published |
| City of Pearland | Community Development, Planning Division | Not published |
| City of Pasadena | Permit Department | Not published |
| Spring & Cypress (unincorporated Harris County) | Harris County Engineering Department, Permits Division, Sign Permitting Group | 3–5 business days |
City of Houston
Sign Administration (Houston Public Works) via the Houston Permitting Center
- Signs are governed by Chapter 46 of the City of Houston Building Code. Erecting, reconstructing, altering, relocating, or using a sign requires a written permit from the Sign Administrator (Sec. 4605(a)), with limited exceptions.
- Most sign permits are issued only to licensed sign contractors. Owners can self-permit only certain small non-electrical signs (ground signs up to 60 sq ft and 8 ft tall, or wall signs up to 16 ft above grade).
- Scenic and historic districts add review: designated scenic rights-of-way have their own rules, and in historic districts the Planning Department requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior changes, including signs.
- The city's stated processing time is 4–11 business days, with fees starting around $69 plus per-square-foot charges over 32 sq ft.
Official sources: Sign Administration · Houston Sign Code (Ch. 46, PDF) · On-Premise Sign Permit Application (PDF) · Fees & processing times
City of Katy
Permit and Building Services Division (applications via the Civic Access portal)
- Katy's sign rules live in Article 3.06 ("Signs") of the city's Code of Ordinances; the city has adopted the 2021 International Building Codes and 2023 National Electrical Code.
- Applications, plan submittal, payment, and inspections all run through Katy's online Civic Access portal.
Official sources: Permits & Building Services · Sign Permit Application (PDF)
City of Sugar Land
Permits & Inspections; sign rules in Development Code Chapter 4 (Planning & Development Services)
- Placing, erecting, replacing, or altering a monument sign requires a sign permit first; repainting or changing only the letters/message does not. Monument-sign permits are valid 180 days.
- Sugar Land prohibits several sign types outright, including electronic signs, revolving or moving signs, and portable signs.
- Monument sizes are capped by district (36 sq ft/4 ft in residential, 60 sq ft/6 ft nonresidential, 100 sq ft/10 ft with US-59 frontage), with setback and spacing rules.
- One temporary unlighted freestanding sign (up to 32 sq ft, 10 ft) is allowed without a permit for up to 75 days per calendar year.
Official sources: Permits & Inspections · Sign Regulations: key excerpts (PDF)
The Woodlands Township
Covenant Administration / Development Standards Committee (covenant review, not a city permit office)
- The Woodlands works differently: it's covenant (deed-restriction) review. The Commercial Planning and Design Standards cover signage, and all exterior improvements must be approved by the appropriate Plan Review Committee before construction begins.
- Applications go through the Township's Civic Access portal; the Development Standards Committee oversees commercial projects.
Official sources: Covenant Administration · Commercial Planning & Design Standards (PDF)
City of Pearland
Community Development, Planning Division
- A sign permit is required before erecting, installing, or modifying any sign, under the Sign Ordinance (Chapter 4, Division 5).
- All permanent signs requiring a permit must have their design certified by a professional engineer for structural integrity.
- New tenants and name changes need an approved Operating Certificate or Certificate of Occupancy first, and a Business Registration must be on file for the address.
Official sources: Sign Standards & Requirements · Sign Permit Checklist (PDF)
City of Pasadena
Permit Department
- The sign permit application requires a licensed sign contractor's number and signature, and illuminated signs need a separate electrical permit pulled by a licensed electrical or sign electrical contractor.
- Pylon and monument signs need a scaled site plan, structural design per the City Building Code, electrical design per the City Electrical Code, an elevation drawing, and landscaping around the sign per city ordinance.
- All foundations must be inspected before concrete is poured.
Official sources: Permits & Licenses · Sign Installation Permit Application (PDF)
Spring & Cypress (unincorporated Harris County)
Harris County Engineering Department, Permits Division, Sign Permitting Group
- Yes, the county itself permits signs: permits are required before placing on-premise signs in unincorporated Harris County, which covers most of Spring and Cypress.
- New off-premise signage (billboards) is prohibited countywide.
- Banners over 40 sq ft need a permit; up to 5 on-premise signs can be permitted per business address; ground signs 30 ft or taller need engineer-sealed foundation drawings and a hole inspection.
- The county's stated plan-review time is 3–5 business days; permits are valid 180 days and all signs are inspected.
Official sources: Harris County sign permits · Sign Permit Checklist (PDF)
The part nobody tells you
City code is only half the approval. Your landlord's sign criteria (letter style, colors, mounting) apply on top of everything above, and a sign can pass the city and still get rejected by the property. The order that avoids paying for a sign twice: lease criteria first, jurisdiction rules second, permit approval third, fabrication last. That's the order we run on every job: we confirm the criteria, prepare permit-ready drawings, submit to the right office above, and install after approval.
Facts on this page were read from each authority's official published sources (linked above) in August 2026. Rules change, so always confirm current requirements with the issuing office, or let us do it as part of your project.