A sign permit is required for any sign that will be constructed, erected, altered, refaced, relocated, or expanded, except where otherwise noted in Article 7 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Department of Planning and Development Alert:
A sign permit is required for any sign that will be constructed, erected, altered, refaced, relocated, or expanded, except where otherwise noted in Article 7 of the Zoning Ordinance.
All sign permit applications must be submitted electronically through the PLUS application portal.
For additional information on how to use the PLUS application portal, please visit the DPD PLUS Information & Support page. Instructional videos are available on the Fairfax County PLUS - YouTube channel.
If you have technical questions (e.g. account setup, password issues) regarding the PLUS system, please contact the Help Desk:
Signs located in the Town of Vienna or the Town of Clifton require the following:
An application may require the following documents:
Property Owner Permission Letter: A signed letter from the property owner/agent authorizing the applicant to install a sign on the property with valid contact information (name, title, business address, email address and phone number) and dated within six (6) months of submittal. This document type is only required if the applicant is not the property owner. This document type is not required if all of the proposed signs will be interior only or in the Town of Vienna or Clifton.
Sign Rendering: One color rendering of each proposed sign to include the length, width and height of each sign. If a sign includes two sign faces, include the measurement between the sign faces and the angle between the sign faces if they are not parallel. If the sign is building-mounted, show the location of the sign on the building. All renderings should be drawn to scale. This document type is always required.
Site Plan: One site plan drawn to scale, showing the location of the sign and the distance of the sign from the nearest property line in a residential district or to the nearest curb line in a commercial or industrial district. This document type is required only if a freestanding sign is proposed.
Building Plans: Stamped, engineered plans that provide details on how the sign(s) will be constructed and installed. Building plans should not be uploaded when the application is initially submitted. If building plans are required, the applicant will receive a separate notification with additional details after the application is submitted. Building plans should not be uploaded when the application is initially submitted.
Town Approval Letter: Letter of approval from the Town of Vienna or the Town of Clifton. This document type is only required if the sign will be located in the Town of Vienna or the Town of Clifton.
Administrative Comprehensive Sign Plan
How to Calculate the Area of a Building Mounted Sign
How to Calculate the Area of a Freestanding Sign
How to Determine Your Tax Map Number
How to Determine Your Zoning District
Research Historic Electronic Permit Records (PLUS)
Sign Permits - Frequently Asked Questions
| Topic | Department to contact | Contact information: |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission and review process | Sign Permits Office | (703) 324-4300 or DPDMailforZPB-SPS@FairfaxCounty.gov |
| Building plans | Building Division | (703) 631-5101 or ldsbdmail@fairfaxcounty.gov |
| Inspections | Building Division | (703) 631-5101 or ldsbuildinginspections@fairfaxcounty.gov |
| Special permit, special exception, or comprehensive sign plan | Zoning Evaluation Division | (703) 324-1290 or dpzzed@fairfaxcounty.gov |
| Historic Overlay Districts and the Architectural Review Board | Planning Division | (703) 324-1380 or dpzpd@fairfaxounty.gov |
| Signs in the right-of-way | Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) | 1-800-367-7623 |
| Enforcement | Department of Code Compliance | (703) 324-1300 or codecompliance@fairfaxcounty.gov |
| Research historic sign permit records maintained in the zoning street files | Zoning Permits Section | (703) 222-1082 or dpzmailforZPRB@fairfaxcounty.gov |