Good signage is planned like part of the building, not bought like a finishing touch. This business signage guide brings together everything an owner or property manager needs to plan signs for a commercial property: what to put where, what the codes require, how tenant signs work, permits, budgets and upkeep.
Gogi Signs plans, designs, builds and installs signs for commercial properties across New Jersey and New York City from our shop in Linden. Each section below links to a detailed guide, so you can use this page as your starting point.
In this guide
The Five Jobs a Sign Does
Every sign has one main job. Naming it first stops one sign from trying to do everything, and it tells you the right size, wording and spot. A storefront sign identifies. An arrow directs. A door decal informs. A tactile room sign complies. A window graphic promotes.
What a Commercial Property Needs
| Area | Typical signs | Detailed guide |
|---|---|---|
| Street and storefront | Main building or tenant signs, blade signs, awnings | Retail storefront signs |
| Entrance | Address numbers, door lettering, hours, window graphics | Front door signage |
| Lobby | Lobby sign, directory, reception logo | Office sign planning |
| Wayfinding | Directional signs, floor numbers, site maps | Customer wayfinding |
| Rooms and code | ADA room signs, exit and stair signs, evacuation maps | ADA sign requirements |
| Temporary | Coming soon, leasing and event signs | Temporary vs permanent signs |
Plan the Property as One System
Walk the route a first time visitor takes, from the road to the last room, and note every place they have to make a choice. That is where a sign goes. Then design one family of signs with the same logo, colors, typeface and materials, so the property looks managed and visitors trust what they read.
For a single business, our guide to planning a complete business sign package turns this into a sign list. For larger buildings, see creating a signage system for large buildings. Our sister shop in New York covers sign types in depth in its wayfinding signs guide.
The Signs the Code Requires
These are the signs owners forget most often, and some can hold up an inspection.
ADA Signs
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, signs that identify permanent rooms and spaces must be tactile, with raised characters and braille, according to section 216. The U.S. Access Board’s guide to chapter 7 explains that directional and informational signs must meet the visual rules but do not need to be tactile, and that building addresses, directories, company names and logos, and signs posted for seven days or less are exempt. Tactile signs go beside the door on the latch side, between 48 and 60 inches above the floor.
Address Numbers and Door Labels
New Jersey towns set their own address rules. Maplewood requires numbers at least four inches tall in a contrasting color, visible from the street, under its address number ordinance. Brick Township’s fire code requires businesses in buildings with more than one exit to label each rear exit door with the business name, according to its code.
Exit Signs
The International Building Code, which New Jersey adopts, says exits must be marked by an approved exit sign readily visible from any direction of travel, as Building Code Trainer explains. Exit signs are usually supplied by your electrician, but they need to fit the sign plan.
Tenant Signs in Multi Tenant Buildings
On a shopping center or office building, the owner sets sign criteria in the lease: sign type, size, colors, lighting and sometimes the installers allowed. Brixmor’s storefront sign guide is a good example. It requires written approval, scaled drawings and a permanent sign within 60 days of opening. In New York City, a tenant cannot get an illuminated sign permit without the owner’s written authorization, according to the Department of Buildings.
Clear criteria save owners and tenants time. Our guides to tenant signage guidelines for property managers and shopping center sign requirements explain how to write and follow them.
Permits in New Jersey and New York City
In New Jersey, most permanent signs need landlord approval, zoning approval from the town and, for wall and lit signs, a construction permit with electrical review. In New York City, sign permits go through the Department of Buildings, with a separate electrical permit for lit signs and a licensed sign hanger for larger signs. Start with these guides:
Keep the Brand Consistent
The same logo, colors and typeface on every sign make a property look managed and help visitors trust what they read. A short sign standard, one page with the approved colors, fonts, materials and mounting heights, keeps every vendor and every tenant change on track. Our guides on how consistent signage builds customer trust and how commercial signs build brand recognition explain why it matters. If you manage more than one site, see multi location signage best practices.
Materials and Lighting for New Jersey Weather
Outdoor signs here face summer sun, freezing nights, road salt and wind. Aluminum, acrylic and cast vinyl hold up well, while lighter materials are better kept for short term use. Our guide to the best outdoor sign materials compares the options. For lit signs, LED lighting is now the standard, and every lit sign needs to be listed as an electric sign and wired by a licensed electrician.
Design for Visibility First
A sign only works if people can read it in time. Five factors decide that, and each has its own guide: viewing distance, sign size, color and contrast, typography and placement. If people arrive after dark, read illuminated vs non illuminated signs.
Buying Signs: Budget, Timeline and Choosing a Company
- Decide what to make custom. Custom signs vs ready made signs and why your business needs a custom sign.
- Set the budget. How much a business sign costs and how to budget for commercial signage.
- Prepare the request. What to prepare before requesting a sign quote and questions to ask before ordering custom signs.
- Compare and choose. Understanding business sign quotes and how to choose the right sign company.
- Plan the schedule. How long a custom sign project takes.
Temporary, Leasing and Construction Signs
Vacant units, new tenants and building work all need short term signs: leasing banners, coming soon window graphics and construction fence wraps. Every New Jersey town limits how long temporary signs can stay up and how big they can be. Linden, for example, says a temporary sign may not remain in place for more than six months, under its sign regulations. Our guides to temporary sign regulations and temporary vs permanent business signage explain when each one makes sense.
A sign keeps working only if someone looks after it. A simple routine catches loose fixings, dark letters and fading before customers notice. When repairs stop making sense, it is time to replace. These guides cover each step: how to maintain outdoor business signs, sign warranties and maintenance plans, how long commercial signs last, when to replace a business sign and who removes an old business sign. Gogi Signs also offers scheduled maintenance visits.
Maintenance, Replacement and Removal
A sign keeps working only if someone looks after it. A simple routine catches loose fixings, dark letters and fading before customers notice. When repairs stop making sense, it is time to replace. These guides cover each step: how to maintain outdoor business signs, sign warranties and maintenance plans, how long commercial signs last, when to replace a business sign and who removes an old business sign. Gogi Signs also offers scheduled maintenance visits.
Common Questions About Business Signage
What signs does a commercial property need?
Usually storefront or building signs, address numbers and door signs, a lobby sign and directory, wayfinding, ADA room signs, and code signs such as exit and stair signs. Many properties also need temporary leasing signs.
Which signs does the ADA require?
Signs that identify permanent rooms and spaces must be tactile, with raised characters and braille. Directional and informational signs must meet the visual rules but do not need to be tactile.
Are building directories covered by the ADA sign rules?
Building addresses and directories are exempt from the ADA sign requirements, along with company names and logos and signs posted for seven days or less.
Who approves tenant signs?
The property owner approves tenant signs against the lease criteria, and the town approves the permit. In New York City, a tenant needs the owner’s written authorization for an illuminated sign permit.
Do business signs need permits?
Most permanent outdoor signs do. In New Jersey, expect zoning approval and, for wall and lit signs, a construction permit. In New York City, permits go through the Department of Buildings.
How long do business signs last?
Well built permanent signs usually last many years with maintenance. Vinyl graphics and banners need replacing much sooner. Our guide on how long commercial signs last breaks it down by material.
Plan Your Property's Signs as One System
We plan, design, build and install complete sign programs for commercial properties, from the street to the last room sign. Request a free quote, book a site survey or browse our sign gallery.
Sources and further reading
- ADA Standards section 216, signs
- U.S. Access Board: guide to the ADA standards, chapter 7 signs
- Township of Maplewood NJ: street address numbers
- Brick Township NJ: fire code door labeling
- Building Code Trainer: where exit signs must be located
- Brixmor: ordering your storefront sign
- NYC Department of Buildings: illuminated sign questions
- City of Linden NJ: sign regulations
