Sign Permit
Richmond Hill's Sign By-law 52-09 sets the size, location and number of signs allowed on any property, business or at special events in our community.
Signs Requiring a Permit or Permission
Temporary Signs | ||||||||||||||||||||
Temporary signs refer to signs that are not permanently attached or fixed to a structure or surface. List of temporary signs
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Permanent Signs | ||||||||||||||||||||
Permanent Signs are signs that are affixed to the ground or buildings. List of permanent signs
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Required Documents for Applications |
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The documents which you are required to submit will depend on the type of permit application.
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Election Signs |
Election signs are signs that advertise or promote the election of a political party or a Candidate for public office in a federal, provincial, or municipal election. Election signs are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. These signs must follow Section 7.14 of the Sign By-law. All Candidates and Third Party Advertisers are required to complete an Election Sign Application and pay the associated fee of $293 prior to erecting or displaying any election related signage. On December 13, 2023 Council enacted an amendment to the Sign By-law, to update Election Sign requirements. Sign By-law Amendment No. 126-23 updated definitions, placement and size restrictions surrounding election signs. |
Signs Not Requiring a Permit
View the information below about each type of sign, for which you don't need a permit in Richmond Hill.
Address sign |
Address signs are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. These signs must follow Section 6.2 of the Sign By-law. |
Agricultural sign |
You don't need a permit for agricultural signs advertising the sale of farm produce grown on the same property where the sign is located, erected or displayed. These signs are allowed in agricultural zones of Richmond Hill and are also allowed in any Oak Ridges Moraine zones according to By-law 128-04.
These signs must:
These signs can be non-illuminated or externally illuminated |
Banner sign |
Banner signs are allowed in all zones, except residential zones of Richmond Hill. These signs must follow Section 6.4 of the Sign By-law. |
Commemorative sign |
Commemorative signs are plaques or corners stones of a non-advertising nature. These types of signs are allowed all of Richmond Hill's zones. They must have a maximum sign area of 0.20 m2, be located, erected or displayed on a premises wall and can be non-illuminated or externally illuminated. |
Community special event sign |
Signs advertising community special events are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. These signs must follow Section 6.4 of the Sign By-law. |
Contractor advertising sign |
Signs advertising the contractor doing landscaping, repairs, renovations or maintenance on a property or premises are allowed in all zones. These signs must have a maximum sign area of 0.30 m2 and must be removed from the property within two days after the project is completed.
These signs can't be illuminated. |
Directional sign |
Directional signs are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. You can have a maximum of eight directional signs per property. These signs must:
These signs can be non-illuminated, externally illuminated or internally illuminated. |
Directory signs |
A directory sign is allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. These signs must follow Section 6.5 of the Sign By-law. |
Flag signs |
Flag signs of public education, religious, charitable or fraternal organizations are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. You can only have three of these signs per premises. These signs must:
These signs can be non-illuminated or externally illuminated. |
Flag signs of civic nature |
Flag signs of patriotic and civic nature are also allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. These signs must be a maximum height of 6 m, including the supportive structure and can be non-illuminated or externally illuminated. |
Incidental signs |
Incidental signs indicating something about a specific area of the premises are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. These kinds of signs include store hours or an open sign. These signs can be non-illuminated, externally illuminated or internally illuminated. |
Interior signs |
Interior signs are not meant to be seen off the premises where the sign is located, erected or displayed. These signs are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. |
No Trespassing signs |
No Trespassing signs are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill. They must have a maximum sign area of 0.20 m2 and can't be illuminated. |
Off-site directional signs |
Off-site directional signs are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill and must follow Section 6.7 of the Sign By-law. |
Pennant signs |
Pennant signs located, erected or displayed by Richmond Hill or any other of its agencies, boards or commissions can't contain commercial advertising content. This also applies to commercial advertising content by York Region or any of its agencies, boards or commissions. Pennant signs that follow these rules are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill and can't be illuminated. |
Public information signs |
Public information signs are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill and must be in the form of a wall sign, ground sign or projecting sign. These signs must follow the rules in Table D: Provision for Signs in Industrial, Institutional or Agricultural Zone of the Sign By-law. |
Poster signs |
Poster signs are allowed in all zones of Richmond Hill and must follow Section 6.8 of the Sign By-law. |
Real estate signs |
Real estate signs are located, erected or displayed for notification that a premises or property is for sale, rent or lease. These signs must:
Real estate signs can't be illuminated. |
Real estate open house signs |
The permitted use of Real Estate Open House Signs in Richmond Hill is as follows:
The Sign By-law also permits the erection of a Real Estate Sign on a property that is being offered for sale, rent or lease. The information displayed on the Real Estate Sign is not restricted and may include an insert advertising an open house event. |
Signs at a gas station |
Signs located, erected or displayed at a gas station are only allowed in commercial zones of Richmond Hill. These signs can't be illuminated. |
Signs for home businesses |
Signs that identify a home-based business on a private property or premises are allowed in residential zones of Richmond Hill. You can have a maximum of two signs per premises or property. These signs can be a ground sign, wall sign, window sign or a combination of any of these. Home business signs must:
Window signs can't be illuminated. Ground or wall signs can be non-illuminated or externally illuminated. |
Window signs |
Window signs are allowed in all zones, except residential zones of Richmond Hill, unless they are for a home business. You can have a maximum of six window signs per premises. These signs must have a maximum sign area of 0.15 m2 per sign and can't take up more than 25 per cent of a window, window section or window pane.
Window signs can be non-illuminated or internally illuminated. |
Sign Complaints
Residents are allowed to remove illegal signs from their property. To report illegal signs at other locations please contact the By-Law Enforcement Office at 905-771-0198 or Signpermits@richmondhill.ca.
Richmond Hill is not able to remove signs from Regional Roads. Illegal signs can be reported to York Region.