Phoenix sign permit fees: wall, ground, plan review and penalties
Confirm with the city before you build or bid. This page is a plain-English summary for planning only. It is not legal advice and not the official code. The City Clerk's Office has the official version of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance [1]. Planning & Development Sign Section: 602-495-0301, pdd.signservices@phoenix.gov [2]. If anything here disagrees with the code or city staff, the city is right.
Wall-type sign permit
| Item | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wall-type sign permit | $98 per sign (wall, marquee, projecting, roof, painted wall, flag and gasoline pump, per complex, and window signs) | City Code App. A.2 Pt. 8, §81 [3] |
| Directional signs | directional signs $98 per sign | [3] |
| Double face and "v" shape signs | a permit fee for each separate structure of double face and "v" shape signs | [3] |
Ground sign permit
| Item | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ground sign permit | $195 per sign, plus $98 for each additional sign cabinet on the same structure | App. A.2 Pt. 8, §81 [3] |
Plan review and inspections
| Item | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Plan review | $195 per hour, minimum $195 (1 hour), including over-the-counter review of 1 to 2 signs | [4] |
| Office review of non-billboard signs | $195 per hour, minimum $195 (1 hour) for office review of non-billboard signs | App. A.2 Pt. 7, §71 [4] |
| Sign engineering plan review | sign engineering plan review minimum $390 (2 hours) | [4] |
| Electric signs | add $195 per hour | [3] |
| Expedited plan review (optional) | (availability limited, subject to the Planning & Development Director's approval): initial review 3 times the basic plan review fee; 2nd review only, 1 time the basic plan review fee | [5] |
| Design review | fee $195 per hour, minimum $195 (1 hour) | App. A.2 Pt. 7, §71 [1][4] |
| Electric component inspection | $195 per sign, charged to applications that do not include a UL Listing and warrant staff review of electrical components | [3][6] |
| Re-inspection | $195 each when called before work was ready, when there is no access, or for second and later re-inspections | [7] |
Design review is available to increase ground sign area and height (§705.E.1) [1][4]
Penalties, extensions and charge accounts
| Item | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Work started without a permit | Investigation fee: $250 or the permit fee, whichever is greater, not to exceed $2,500 for every day or portion of a day until a permit is obtained | App. A.2 Pt. 9, §91 [8] |
| Permit extension or reinstatement | one-time permit extension or reinstatement: 50% of the current permit fee, applied and paid for before the permit expires | [9] |
| Charge accounts | sign contractors may pay permit and inspection fees on a charge account after filing a one thousand dollar ($1,000) bond | §705.H.2.d [1] |
Comprehensive sign plan and variance fees
| Item | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive sign plan application | $1,710 | PDD fee schedule [1][5] |
| Major amendment | major amendment $1,080 | PDD fee schedule [1][5] |
| Minor amendment | minor amendment $270 | PDD fee schedule [1][5] |
| Variance and use permit applications | $1,080 | PDD fee schedule [10] |
Comprehensive sign plans are use permits issued by the Zoning Administrator or Board of Adjustment (§705.E.2). [1][5]
Outdated fees in the city's Sign FAQ
The current sign fees are the City Code App. A.2 amounts above (the online City Code says it is current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026) [3][4][11]
The city's Sign FAQ (TRT/DOC/00615, rev. 08/22) itself says "All sign fees are found in Appendix A.2 of the Phoenix City Code," but the fee list printed in that FAQ is outdated: [3][4][11]
- $150 for office review and $150 field check [3][4][11]
- wall, window and directional sign permit $75 [3][4][11]
- ground sign permit $150 [3][4][11]
- sign design review $150 per hour [3][4][11]
- structural engineering $150 per hour (minimum 2 hours, $300) [3][4][11]
- electrical sign inspection $150 [3][4][11]
- electrical component inspection $150 per sign [3][4][11]
If you have seen the $75/$150 amounts, they come from that FAQ. [3][4][11]
Confirm with the City of Phoenix Sign Section (602-495-0301, pdd.signservices@phoenix.gov) before you fabricate or submit. [2] Codes and fees change. Last checked October 2026.
Section numbers (§) refer to the city's zoning ordinance unless noted. Each statement on this page is checked against a saved copy of an official city source, and where official sources disagree we show both. Spotted an error or an outdated fee? Report an error.