What the published sign by-law allows at an address, with the source behind every number — early, while you are still estimating. Two short steps to an answer. Start with the location; add dimensions when you have them.
Start with the location. You do not need sign dimensions yet.
Saved in this browser only. Nothing here is sent to SignAllow. Loading one fills in the form; running it again follows the normal check rules.
Choose an address suggestion to check available government maps. You can also type an address and select the municipality for a manual check, or leave the address blank to explore the general rules.
Not identified automaticallyToronto sign districts need a manual check in SignView. Automatic sign-district selection is not available here yet. Heritage map checks are separate.
Don’t know it? SignView — the sign-district map, not the zoning map ↗ — search your address there.
The map area or by-law category used to select sign rules. It may differ from zoning. Confirm the applicable category using the municipality’s map or written advice.
General explanation; local definitions and measurement rules control. Check Toronto’s source ↗
This changes the presentation and available report options, not the rules or calculation. You can change it after the check.
Want to read it as written? Municipal Code Chapter 694 — Signs, General ↗ — consolidated 3 June 2024.
Choose the type that matches your sign. Dimensions can come later.
Other sign purposes
These categories currently prepare a municipal review. Size limits, fees and permit exemptions are not calculated yet.
Count display faces on this one sign, not separate signs. Dimensions can come later.
Each municipality can count faces differently. A per-face limit is not permission to multiply the total allowance.
Review guidance only: no size allowance, permit exemption, fee or permitted display period is calculated for these categories yet. You can record a proposal and save a preliminary report with the open questions.
Enter your intended dates, not a permitted duration. Renewal, repeat displays and removal deadlines still need confirmation.
Initial coverage: Oakville’s commercial, employment, mixed-use and institutional categories. Other municipalities and special uses need a separate review. This is a preliminary check against the published 2022 consolidation; later amendments remain unverified.
Motor vehicle businesses, drive-through facilities and third-party advertising need separate review. Choose “Other content or a special use” above. Illuminated signs and electronic displays are outside this initial calculation.
Measure one rectangular window, excluding its frame. Use explicit units: m, cm, ft or inches; bare numbers mean feet. Do not combine panes or transfer spare area between windows. For the proposed sign, enter the enclosing rectangle around the complete message; irregular layouts need confirmation.
This is the building’s storey count, not the sign’s location. Clarington uses it to select the shared wall-and-awning allowance. Subdivision sales offices have a separate table provision.
Exclude the sign you are proposing or replacing and any signs being removed. Leave uncertain quantities blank. Your answer is not independently verified.
No single sign-count limit is calculated for this selection. Confirm how the municipality counts existing signs.
A size limit for one sign is not automatically spare capacity on a wall or property. No shared-area deduction is calculated for this selection.
Not sure about placement? Leave it as “Not sure” and review the limits first. A sign type that is not listed needs a separate review.
Review what the maps found, then work through one follow-up at a time. You can leave questions open while exploring a sign before it is designed.
You can download a preliminary report before a sign is designed. Missing dimensions and unresolved reviews remain clearly identified.
Local history and team links keep basic details: location, sign type, district, building type, lighting and building measurements. They do not keep proposed sign dimensions, site-review answers or reports. Choose Save to my account to retain the full proposal and dated reports. For a customer handoff, download the neutral customer assessment.
—
No sign design yet? That is fine. A wall or frontage measurement helps calculate the size allowance; proposed sign dimensions are optional. Use feet/inches or metric: 12 ft, 6 in, 3.5m or 150mm. Numbers without a unit are read as feet. Leave anything unknown blank.
Wall signs are usually sized off the wall they sit on, so this is the measurement that turns the rule into a number. A rough answer is fine.
The length of the property along the relevant street. Building frontage can mean something different. Use the measurement basis in your result; do not add street edges together unless the rule allows it.
General explanation; local definitions and measurement rules control. Check Toronto’s source ↗
The display area counted toward the sign-size limit. Separate letters, borders and multiple faces can be counted differently. Confirm the local method before entering the sign’s width and height.
General explanation; local definitions and measurement rules control. Check Toronto’s source ↗
Sign height is the display’s vertical size. Overall height runs from the required ground reference to the top of the sign. Check the local ground reference and what must be included.
General explanation; local definitions and measurement rules control. Check Toronto’s source ↗
Type them exactly as the drawing reads — 54'-1", 16m (52 ft), 11' 4" all work.
Manual review of the property and sign location. Address, zoning and heritage checks do not settle this overlay. Open the official district index and maps. If the boundary is unclear, ask Building Services and leave this unchecked.
Manual confirmation — an address or projecting sign does not establish an overhang. Compare the proposed sign with the property line on a survey or reliable site plan. Leave “Haven’t checked” if the location is undecided.
| Standard | Allowable | Proposed | Ref |
|---|
Every reference in that last column is a link into the by-law text itself.
Chapter 694 · Consolidated 3 June 2024 · PDF
A consolidation is the by-law’s text with its later amendments folded in; the date says how current that copy is.
Open the by-law ↗Straight to the sections the numbers above come from:
| What you want | Where it is | |
|---|---|---|
| Wall / fascia area | §694-20, then the district table in §694-21 | open ↗ |
| Ground sign area and height | §694-21, district tables | open ↗ |
| Variance | §694-30; Sign Variance Committee at §§694-32–694-39 | open ↗ |
| Structure | §694-5B(6) — no sign permit until the Chief Building Official’s approval under the Building Code Act is obtained, where applicable | open · p.14 ↗ |
Page jumps are close, not exact — a cover sheet or table of contents can shift a PDF by a page or two. The section number is the reliable part.
Also worth having open:
Permission requested to depart from a by-law requirement. Approval is not guaranteed, and a variance does not replace any other permits or approvals the proposal needs.
General explanation; local definitions and measurement rules control. Check Toronto’s source ↗
Each figure shows when it was last checked and against what. Anything over a year old, or a fee we checked before the most recent January (when most cities raise their fees), is marked out of date and is not shown as current. How we keep it current →
Search quotes, rule labels and citations on file for Toronto across all sign districts. This is not the complete by-law. A match may not apply to your address; check its district and source.
Showing the original excerpts for this check below. Search uses no additional checks.
Each figure above, in the by-law’s own words. Every quote was checked against the published document, and is re-checked whenever the document is re-read; a figure without one is not published.
“B. No sign permit shall be issued until approvals have been obtained, where applicable, from the following: (1) Ontario Ministry of Transportation; (2) Toronto and Region Conservation Authority; (3) City's General Manager, Transportation Services, in accordance with § 694-17 of this chapter; (4) City's Heritage Preservation Services, City Planning; (5) City's Tree Preservation Services, Parks Forestry and Recreation; and (6) The Chief Building Official, pursuant to the Building Code Act, 1992 .”
Structure: §694-5B(6) — no sign permit until the Chief Building Official’s approval under the Building Code Act is obtained, where applicable
“the total sign face area of all wall signs erected on an office building shall not exceed 20 percent of the area of the wall at the first storey on which the signs are erected”
“The total sign face area for all wall signs erected on a wall shall not exceed 15 percent of the area of the wall at the first storey on which the signs are erected less the sign face area of any electronic wall signs erected on the wall at that storey”
Wall signs may cover up to 15% of first-storey wall area, less any electronic wall sign on that wall. For example, a storefront 10 m (33 ft) wide with a 4 m (13 ft) tall first storey works out to 6 m² (65 sq ft).
“wall sign - a sign erected on and entirely supported by the wall of a building with a sign face which projects no more than 0.60 metre from the wall”
It can stick out no more than 0.6 m (2 ft) from the wall.
“There shall be no more than one sign erected on each wall of a building to a maximum of two signs”
“The sign shall only be erected on an office building containing 10 or more storeys”
Building: an office building of 10+ storeys
“The sign face area shall not exceed 20 percent of the area of the wall at the uppermost storey, mechanical penthouse or parapet wall on which the sign is erected”
The upper-storey sign may cover up to 20% of the wall.
“The sign face area shall not exceed 0.3 square metres for each 1.0 metre or part thereof of frontage at which the sign is erected to a maximum of 15.0 square metres”
The ground sign allowance tops out at 15 m² (161 sq ft), however big the building or lot.
You get 0.3 m² (3.2 sq ft) of ground sign for every metre (3 ft 3 in) of frontage. For example, a lot with 30 m (98 ft) of street frontage works out to 9 m² (97 sq ft).
“There shall be no more than one such sign erected at each frontage”
One ground sign per frontage.
“The height shall not exceed 7.5 metres”
The ground sign can be no taller than 7.5 m (25 ft).
“The sign shall not be erected within 6.0 metres of the intersection of two street lines”
Keep it at least 6 m (20 ft) from an intersection.
“The sign shall not be erected within 2.0 metres of any property line”
Keep it at least 2 m (6 ft 7 in) back from the property line.
“The sign face area shall not exceed 0.5 square metres”
A directional sign can be no larger than 0.5 m² (5.4 sq ft).
“There shall be no more than two such signs erected at each point of vehicular ingress and egress to the premises”
2 directional signs per vehicular entrance.
“The height shall not exceed 1.5 metres”
The directional sign can be no taller than 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in).
“Where erected at the first storey, the height shall not exceed 1.5 times the vertical distance between grade and the top boundary of the first storey of the building wall upon which the sign is located, and the sign shall not extend above the sill of the lowest window at the second storey of the wall on which the sign is erected”
at the first storey, no taller than 1.5 times the height of that storey (grade to the top of the first storey), and never above the sill of the lowest second-storey window
“The total sign face area of all wall signs erected at the first storey shall not exceed 20 percent of the area of the wall at the first storey on which the signs are erected”
Wall signs may cover up to 20% of first-storey wall area.
“wall sign - a sign erected on and entirely supported by the wall of a building with a sign face which projects no more than 0.60 metre from the wall”
It can stick out no more than 0.6 m (2 ft) from the wall.
“The total sign face area of all wall signs erected at the second storey shall not exceed 10 percent of the area of the wall at the second storey on which the signs are erected”
At the second storey the allowance is 10% of the wall.
“There shall be no more than one sign erected on each wall of a building to a maximum of two signs”
“The sign shall only be erected on an office building containing 10 or more storeys”
Building: an office building of 10+ storeys
“The sign face area shall not exceed 20 percent of the area of the wall at the uppermost storey, mechanical penthouse or parapet wall on which the sign is erected”
The upper-storey sign may cover up to 20% of the wall.
“where a frontage exceeds 200 metres, two signs may be erected provided they are separated by a distance of 100 metres”
A second sign is only possible where the frontage is more than 200 m (656 ft), with the two at least 100 m (328 ft) apart.
Where two signs are allowed, they must stand at least 100 m (328 ft) apart.
“The sign face area shall not exceed 0.3 square metre for each 1.0 metre or part thereof of frontage at which the sign is erected to a maximum of 20.0 square metres”
The ground sign allowance tops out at 20 m² (215 sq ft), however big the building or lot.
You get 0.3 m² (3.2 sq ft) of ground sign for every metre (3 ft 3 in) of frontage. For example, a lot with 30 m (98 ft) of street frontage works out to 9 m² (97 sq ft).
“There shall be no more than one ground sign or one electronic ground sign per frontage”
One ground sign per frontage.
“3.5 metres when erected at a frontage less than or equal to 20 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“5.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 20 metres but less than or equal to 30 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“6.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 30 metres but less than or equal to 40 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“8.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 40 metres but less than or equal to 60 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“10.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 60 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“The sign shall not be erected within 6.0 metres of the intersection of two street lines”
Keep it at least 6 m (20 ft) from an intersection.
“The sign shall not be erected within 2.0 metres of any property line”
Keep it at least 2 m (6 ft 7 in) back from the property line.
“The sign face area shall not exceed 0.5 square metre”
A directional sign can be no larger than 0.5 m² (5.4 sq ft).
“There shall be no more than two such signs erected at each point of vehicular ingress and egress to the premises”
2 directional signs per vehicular entrance.
“The height shall not exceed 1.5 metres”
The directional sign can be no taller than 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in).
“The sign face area shall not exceed 1.0 square metre”
A projecting sign can be no larger than 1 m² (11 sq ft).
“The sign shall not project more than 1.0 m from the wall on which the sign is erected”
It can stick out no more than 1 m (3 ft 3 in) from the wall.
“The sign shall not be erected closer than 6.0 metres, measured horizontally from any point on the sign, from another projecting sign on the same premises”
Two of these signs must be at least 6 m (20 ft) apart.
“The sign shall not be erected above the second storey”
not above the second storey, with at least 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) clear from the ground or sidewalk to its lowest point
“There shall be a minimum vertical clearance of 2.5 metres from the ground, sidewalk or walkway to the lowest point of an overhanging structure sign, electronic overhanging structure sign, projecting sign”
not above the second storey, with at least 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) clear from the ground or sidewalk to its lowest point
“Where erected at the first storey, the height shall not exceed 1.5 times the vertical distance between grade and the top boundary of the first storey of the building wall upon which the sign is located, and the sign shall not extend above the sill of the lowest window at the second storey of the wall on which the sign is erected”
at the first storey, no taller than 1.5 times the height of that storey (grade to the top of the first storey), and never above the sill of the lowest second-storey window
“The total sign face area of all wall signs erected at the first storey shall not exceed 20 percent of the area of the wall at the first storey on which the signs are erected less the sign face area of any electronic wall signs erected on the wall at that storey”
Wall signs may cover up to 20% of first-storey wall area, less any electronic wall sign on that wall.
“wall sign - a sign erected on and entirely supported by the wall of a building with a sign face which projects no more than 0.60 metre from the wall”
It can stick out no more than 0.6 m (2 ft) from the wall.
“The total sign face area of all wall signs erected at the second storey shall not exceed 10 percent of the area of the wall at the second storey on which the signs are erected less the sign face area of any electronic wall signs erected on the wall at that storey”
At the second storey the allowance is 10% of the wall.
“There shall be no more than one sign erected on each wall of a building to a maximum of two signs”
“The sign shall only be erected on an office building containing 10 or more storeys”
Building: an office building of 10+ storeys
“The sign face area shall not exceed 20 percent of the area of the wall at the uppermost storey, mechanical penthouse or parapet wall on which the sign is erected”
The upper-storey sign may cover up to 20% of the wall.
“where a frontage exceeds 200 metres, two signs may be erected provided they are separated by a distance of 100 metres”
A second sign is only possible where the frontage is more than 200 m (656 ft), with the two at least 100 m (328 ft) apart.
Where two signs are allowed, they must stand at least 100 m (328 ft) apart.
“The sign face area shall not exceed 0.3 square metre for each 1.0 metre or part thereof of frontage at which the sign is erected to a maximum of 20.0 square metres”
The ground sign allowance tops out at 20 m² (215 sq ft), however big the building or lot.
You get 0.3 m² (3.2 sq ft) of ground sign for every metre (3 ft 3 in) of frontage. For example, a lot with 30 m (98 ft) of street frontage works out to 9 m² (97 sq ft).
“There shall be no more than one such sign erected at each frontage”
One ground sign per frontage.
“3.5 metres when erected at a frontage less than or equal to 20 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“5.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 20 metres but less than or equal to 30 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“6.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 30 metres but less than or equal to 40 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“8.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 40 metres but less than or equal to 60 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“10.0 metres when erected at a frontage more than 60 metres”
Maximum height by frontage: up to 20 m (66 ft) → 3.5 m (11 ft); 20 m (66 ft) to 30 m (98 ft) → 5 m (16 ft); 30 m (98 ft) to 40 m (131 ft) → 6 m (20 ft); 40 m (131 ft) to 60 m (197 ft) → 8 m (26 ft); over 60 m (197 ft) → 10 m (33 ft).
graduated by frontage — 3.5 m (11 ft) up to 20 m (66 ft), 5.0 m (16 ft) to 30 m (98 ft), 6.0 m (20 ft) to 40 m (131 ft), 8.0 m (26 ft) to 60 m (197 ft), 10.0 m (33 ft) beyond
“The sign shall not be erected within 6.0 metres of the intersection of two street lines”
Keep it at least 6 m (20 ft) from an intersection.
“The sign shall not be erected within 2.0 metres of any property line”
Keep it at least 2 m (6 ft 7 in) back from the property line.
“The sign face area shall not exceed 0.5 square metre”
A directional sign can be no larger than 0.5 m² (5.4 sq ft).
“There shall be no more than two such signs erected at each point of vehicular ingress and egress to the premises”
2 directional signs per vehicular entrance.
“The height shall not exceed 1.5 metres”
The directional sign can be no taller than 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in).
“The sign face area shall not exceed 1.0 square metre”
A projecting sign can be no larger than 1 m² (11 sq ft).
“The sign shall not project more than 1.0 m from the wall on which the sign is erected”
It can stick out no more than 1 m (3 ft 3 in) from the wall.
“The sign shall not be erected closer than 6.0 metres, measured horizontally from any point on the sign, from another projecting sign on the same premises”
Two of these signs must be at least 6 m (20 ft) apart.
“The sign shall not be erected above the second storey”
not above the second storey, with at least 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) clear from the ground or sidewalk to its lowest point
“There shall be a minimum vertical clearance of 2.5 metres from the ground, sidewalk or walkway to the lowest point of an overhanging structure sign, electronic overhanging structure sign, projecting sign”
not above the second storey, with at least 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) clear from the ground or sidewalk to its lowest point
“Between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., except where”
Dark 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., subject to the exceptions in §694-18C. 9 p.m. in an R or RA district, or within 30 m (98 ft) of an R premises.
“Between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. where the sign is located in an R sign district”
Dark 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., subject to the exceptions in §694-18C. 9 p.m. in an R or RA district, or within 30 m (98 ft) of an R premises.
“Between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. where the sign is located in an RA sign district”
Dark 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., subject to the exceptions in §694-18C. 9 p.m. in an R or RA district, or within 30 m (98 ft) of an R premises.
“Between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. where the sign is located within 30 metres of a premises in an R sign district”
Dark 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., subject to the exceptions in §694-18C. 9 p.m. in an R or RA district, or within 30 m (98 ft) of an R premises.
“Electronic Fuel Pump Sign, Electronic Ground Sign, Electronic Overhanging Structure Sign, Electronic Projecting Sign, Electronic Roof Sign, Electronic Topiary Sign, Electronic Window Sign or Electronic Wall Sign.”
Electronic wall and ground signs, by district
“The message duration shall not be less than 1.0 minute for a first party sign”
1 minute minimum; an electronic wall or ground sign may not hold a message for more than 3 minutes
“The message duration of any electronic static copy displayed shall not exceed 3.0 minutes”
1 minute minimum; an electronic wall or ground sign may not hold a message for more than 3 minutes
“The sign shall not be erected at a frontage of less than 100 metres”
In a C district: not at a frontage of less than 100 m (328 ft), and only on a commercial plaza of 10 or more units. In an E district: not on a premises with a residential use.
“A Commercial Plaza containing 10 or more units”
In a C district: not at a frontage of less than 100 m (328 ft), and only on a commercial plaza of 10 or more units. In an E district: not on a premises with a residential use.
“The sign may only be erected on a premises which contains no building containing an occupancy which is a residential use”
In a C district: not at a frontage of less than 100 m (328 ft), and only on a commercial plaza of 10 or more units. In an E district: not on a premises with a residential use.
“The sign shall not be erected within 60.0 metres of any R, RA, CR, I or OS sign district”
60 m (197 ft) from any R, RA, CR, I or OS district (quoted for the C district)
“shall be no greater than 25 percent of the average illumination of the immediately preceding electronic static copy”
Illumination may not change more than 25% between successive messages
“The message transition shall not exceed 1.0 second”
1 second, with no motion, dissolve, blink or flash during it
“During the message transition the sign shall not include any other visible effects, including but not limited to motion, dissolving, blinking, intermittent or flashing light”
1 second, with no motion, dissolve, blink or flash during it
“E. Unless otherwise expressly prohibited by this chapter, all signs may be illuminated provided the following requirements are met: (1) The sign shall not be up-lit; (2) The light shall not project onto any adjacent premises located in an R, RA, CR, I, or OS sign district;”
§694-18E opens with “all signs may be illuminated provided the following requirements are met”.
“The illumination shall not increase the light levels within 10.0 metres of all points of the sign face by more than 3.0 lux above the ambient lighting level”
It may add no more than 3 lux of light (roughly, the glow it throws on its surroundings) above normal levels, measured 10 m (33 ft) away.
Light spill is measured 10 m (33 ft) from the sign.
“The illumination shall not exceed 5,000 nits during the period between sunrise and sunset”
A digital or lit sign can be no brighter than 5,000 nits in daylight (a nit is the standard measure of screen brightness).
“The illumination shall not exceed 300 nits during the period between sunset and sunrise”
At night it must dim to no more than 300 nits.
“No first party sign shall be illuminated at any time when a smog alert is in effect”
No first-party sign may be lit while a smog alert is in effect, and all first-party signs must go dark within four hours of the alert being issued (§694-18A–B).
“All first party signs shall cease to be illuminated within four hours of the issuance of the smog alert”
No first-party sign may be lit while a smog alert is in effect, and all first-party signs must go dark within four hours of the alert being issued (§694-18A–B).
“(2) The light shall not project onto any adjacent premises located in an R, RA, CR, I, or OS sign district;”
Light may not project onto adjacent premises in an R, RA, CR, I or OS district — institutional and open space count, so a school or park next door triggers it.
“(1) The sign shall not be up-lit;”
Lighting from below, shining up at the sign, is allowed.
“Appeal to Sign Variance Committee with respect to a First Party Sign variance application $883.00”
20 days to the Sign Variance Committee, $883
“the 20-day appeal period will begin”
20 days to the Sign Variance Committee, $883
“Wall Signs $37.71 per square metre (minimum of $263.87)”
The smallest permit fee is $263.87.
The current first-party permit page lists $37.71/m² with a $263.87 sign-fee minimum for wall, ground, projecting and overhanging structure signs, plus a listed $70.67 building-permit component where applicable. Those minimum components do not equal the general sign page’s stated $334.53 total; that page also retains a $253.72 sign minimum. The enacted fee schedule labels the $37.71 rate per sign, while the application pages say per square metre. Confirm the charging unit, minimum, billable faces, building component and total for the exact work. No confirmed total or fee range is calculated.
The permit costs $37.71 per m² of sign (about $3.50 per sq ft).
“The minimum fee for a Sign Permit is $334.53, which includes a $70.67 fee for the Building Permit”
The smallest permit fee is $334.53.
“Building Permit (DS) $70.67”
The current first-party permit page lists $37.71/m² with a $263.87 sign-fee minimum for wall, ground, projecting and overhanging structure signs, plus a listed $70.67 building-permit component where applicable. Those minimum components do not equal the general sign page’s stated $334.53 total; that page also retains a $253.72 sign minimum. The enacted fee schedule labels the $37.71 rate per sign, while the application pages say per square metre. Confirm the charging unit, minimum, billable faces, building component and total for the exact work. No confirmed total or fee range is calculated.
“Wall Signs $37.71 per square metre (minimum of $253.72)”
The current first-party permit page lists $37.71/m² with a $263.87 sign-fee minimum for wall, ground, projecting and overhanging structure signs, plus a listed $70.67 building-permit component where applicable. Those minimum components do not equal the general sign page’s stated $334.53 total; that page also retains a $253.72 sign minimum. The enacted fee schedule labels the $37.71 rate per sign, while the application pages say per square metre. Confirm the charging unit, minimum, billable faces, building component and total for the exact work. No confirmed total or fee range is calculated.
“The minimum fee for a Sign Permit is $334.53, which includes a $70.67 fee for the Building Permit”
The current first-party permit page lists $37.71/m² with a $263.87 sign-fee minimum for wall, ground, projecting and overhanging structure signs, plus a listed $70.67 building-permit component where applicable. Those minimum components do not equal the general sign page’s stated $334.53 total; that page also retains a $253.72 sign minimum. The enacted fee schedule labels the $37.71 rate per sign, while the application pages say per square metre. Confirm the charging unit, minimum, billable faces, building component and total for the exact work. No confirmed total or fee range is calculated.
“The timeframe to receive the outcome of the review of sign permit applications for the installation of 3 or fewer signs, is 3 days”
Published review-outcome targets: 3 days for three signs or fewer after all required documents; 10 business days for four or more after required documents and fees. Heritage properties have separate conditions; resubmissions have no standard timeline. Confirm the applicable service stream and current target; these are not permit-issuance promises
“reviews sign permit applications for permits to install 4 signs or more”
Published review-outcome targets: 3 days for three signs or fewer after all required documents; 10 business days for four or more after required documents and fees. Heritage properties have separate conditions; resubmissions have no standard timeline. Confirm the applicable service stream and current target; these are not permit-issuance promises
“The standard timeline for a Sign Permit application is 10 business days”
Published review-outcome targets: 3 days for three signs or fewer after all required documents; 10 business days for four or more after required documents and fees. Heritage properties have separate conditions; resubmissions have no standard timeline. Confirm the applicable service stream and current target; these are not permit-issuance promises
“Application for a variance to Chapter 694 with respect to a First-Party Sign $971.16 per application”
Asking for a variance (permission to go beyond the by-law) costs $971.16.
“Application for a variance to Chapter 694 with respect to a Third-Party Sign $2,039.44 per application”
first-party; a third-party sign is $2,039.44
“The Sign Variance process usually takes around three months, from start to finish”
about three months, including the 30-day posting and the appeal period
“You will receive a Notice to post on site for no less than 30 days”
about three months, including the 30-day posting and the appeal period
How to run a check, read the answer, and what a check costs
Four additional choices are available: Temporary promotional, Construction & development, Real estate and Event signage. These currently provide review guidance and a saved proposal record. No category-specific size allowance, fee, permit exemption or permitted display period is calculated yet. Choosing one does not establish permission to install.
Select the purpose, physical sign format and whether it will be on private or public property. Construction signs also ask about the project stage. Optional details include display start, intended removal, event date and quantity. Your intended dates are not a municipal deadline. Proposed dimensions remain optional and are recorded without a pass/fail area comparison.
The result identifies the classification, permit/exemption, size, quantity and timing questions to resolve. Toronto and Oakville have direct links to their official temporary/sign-permit guidance; other locations link to the municipal reference where held. Existing permanent-sign fees and limits are not applied. Account projects, draft restoration and reports preserve these details. Basic history and team links retain only basic context; restore a detailed project or enter the details again.
Development advertising, builder identification, hoarding graphics and mandatory site notices are distinct purposes. Real-estate signs at the listed property may differ from open-house directions or new-development marketing. Commercial events, community events, private celebrations and election signs also need their own classification. These distinctions guide the next review; they do not automatically establish an exemption.
Whole-property packages are included with Pro only. Free and Starter support individual sign checks, including trying different sign types within the same eligible address allowance. If Pro ends, saved dated reports remain available; a new combined check or package save requires Pro.
In the sign step, choose Several signs? Add signs at this address. Select the types to add, then use Edit to enter the details for each sign. A package can contain up to eight proposed signs, including more than one of the same type. Proposed dimensions can stay blank. Choose Check all signs for an individual result for each sign and a property summary.
Use Name and group to label a sign, such as Shop frontage or Roadside pylon. Only give signs the same Shared allowance group when you have confirmed that they use the same legal wall, tenancy, frontage or property allowance. For a supported shared wall pool or sign-count rule, the package includes the other proposed signs in that comparison. Enter the existing signs that will remain consistently for each sign, excluding the new proposals in the list; the shared-area calculation counts that inventory once. Unknown groups, inventory, dimensions and unsupported combinations remain unresolved.
A package uses one address and selected district. Map screening checks the picked point, not the entire parcel or each proposed sign location. A divided site, different districts, spacing requirements or a master sign plan may need further research. Passing individual comparisons does not confirm that the signs are permitted together. Sign types with limited coverage retain those limits.
Use Save or share the whole-property report for one neutral report containing every proposed sign and the combined findings. Saving to your account retains all sign inputs and the dated reports. An unfinished package also uses the existing seven-day browser draft. Scout discusses the active sign only; it does not assess this package’s combined permission. The copy-link and local past-check list describe the active sign only; use the account project to retain the complete package. Changing signs at the same address and municipality uses the existing 90-day address allowance; it does not extend its expiry.
Choose this sign type for lettering, decals or signs behind glass. Initial calculations cover Oakville’s Commercial, Employment, Mixed Use and Institutional categories: static, non-illuminated business or institutional signs at one eligible ground-floor frontage window serving a ground-floor use. Enter content, placement, glass dimensions excluding the frame, and other signs remaining on that same window. The published allowance is 20% of the window area, less that existing sign area. Proposed dimensions are optional; unknown inventory never counts as zero.
Use explicit units. Bare dimensions are read as feet. The proposed sign dimensions should enclose its complete message. Several panes, irregular layouts, privacy film, decorative graphics, designed displays, open/closed signs, special uses, illumination and digital screens need separate review. An unresolved result is not a prohibition or an exemption. Other municipalities and categories have no window calculation yet.
Oakville lists window signs under annual permits. Confirm the applicable permit, renewal and current fee with the Town; no window fee is calculated. The calculation uses the published March 2022 consolidation, and later amendments remain unverified. Account projects and draft restoration preserve window details; dated reports record the assumptions. Basic history and team links do not retain the complete proposal.
Results and reports preserve decimal precision for governing metric limits, such as 0.56 m² (6 sq ft) and 6.75 m (22 ft). Imperial conversions remain rounded conveniences.
Choose an address suggestion, confirm the municipality and choose your sign type. Leave dimensions and uncertain answers blank. The result shows the recorded size rule and what still needs confirmation; an exact area may need the district, storey or building measurements.
The Overview recommends one next step and opens that question directly. The open-item count includes unconfirmed conservation mapping as well as assessment findings. You do not have to answer every review to keep a preliminary report: choose Save or share a preliminary report, or Keep these open & go to reports during a review. No answers are changed or cleared by continuing. Choose Share report for the neutral customer assessment; missing dimensions and open findings remain in the report. Save to your account to return with a design later.
For the supported Commercial, Employment, Mixed Use, Institutional and residential/long-term-care categories, fascia, awning and entrance-canopy signs share the applicable allowance. Under Other signs using the allowance, confirm whether other signs will remain and enter their combined sign face area within that same allowance. Use the wall belonging to the business on the relevant façade; the residential row uses the wall the sign is affixed to. Exclude this proposal, removed signs, window signs and unrelated façades or tenants. Unknown inventory stays unresolved; a fully used allowance shows zero. The larger-wall formula remains in use, while the residential row retains its smaller percentage. Confirm the land-use designation and special approvals. Townhouses are excluded; motor-vehicle and drive-through uses require a separate Part 6 review. Results and both reports show the remaining area. Saved projects retain inventory answers; older projects need confirmation. Rerun previous checks and regenerate reports.
Under Other signs using the allowance, confirm whether the building or barn has one storey or two or more. This is separate from the storey where the sign will be placed. Leave Not confirmed yet if unknown. Subdivision sales offices have a separate provision and remain unresolved in this calculation. Enter other wall and awning display area remaining in the same applicable façade allowance; the residential category uses its property total. Exclude this proposal and removed signs. Canopy and window signs have separate table limits; confirm classification and allocation across façades, tenants or special approvals. Unknown inventory is not zero. Results and both reports show remaining capacity, including zero. Saved projects retain these answers; older projects require confirmation. Changing address or municipality clears the building answer. Rerun previous checks before relying on them.
Preparing drawings or replacing a sign? Read the Brampton, Toronto and Mississauga permit guides. Use the City’s process to apply; SignAllow provides preliminary research.
New to sign code checks? See what a check includes, with a worked example, report samples and coverage limits. Dimensions are optional.
Our sign by-law guides explain storefront planning, Toronto and Mississauga applications, and MTO highway questions. Reading them uses no checks. Each links its official sources and review date; a planning guide does not establish approval for a specific property. This User guide explains how to use the tool.
The planning guides explain local challenges for business owners, sign shops, property managers and multi-location brands. Use the brand rollout checklist to plan site-specific variations and responsibilities. Its suggested register belongs in your own project records; it is not a portfolio-management feature in SignAllow.
For an established category outside a Special Sign District, wall and canopy signs share the applicable tenancy allowance. Under existing signs, select None only after checking, or enter the area of other wall and canopy signs that will remain in the same allowance. Include approved work that counts; exclude this proposal, signs being removed and unrelated tenants. Confirm scope across different frontages or special approvals. Unknown area leaves the remaining allowance unresolved; a fully used allowance shows zero. Proposed dimensions remain optional. Sign counts, canopy placement and permits are separate requirements.
Inside a Special Sign District, the wall-sign per-sign ceiling does not by itself establish the shared tenancy total. The check shows that ceiling separately and withholds remaining capacity pending confirmation. Unconfirmed categories and unresolved residential rules remain unresolved. Rerun previous checks and regenerate reports before relying on them.
Open Site reviews, then Confirm the property conditions. Check the property and proposed sign location against the official Schedule A maps and record the Pickering Special Sign District answer. Address matching, zoning and heritage results do not check this overlay. Leave Haven’t checked / boundary uncertain if you cannot settle the boundary. Until checked, wall and ground area and ground-sign height are not calculated. A checked inside answer applies the ground-sign district limits to established categories. For wall signs it shows the individual ceiling separately; remaining shared tenancy capacity needs confirmation. Unresolved use categories remain unresolved. A checked outside answer restores the ordinary category calculation. These answers are reported by you, not independently verified. Account projects retain them; changing the address or municipality clears them. Basic history and team links do not retain site-review answers.
The map index lists Liverpool Road Waterfront, Whitevale, Greenwood, Cherrywood, Green River, Claremont, Brougham, Kinsale and Balsam. District names alone do not establish which parcels are inside. Electronic displays and face replacements also need district-specific review. Rerun earlier assessments before relying on them.
What changed groups updates by date. Open a day for the main improvements and a short summary of routine fixes. If you use an earlier assessment, open the correction record and rerun affected checks; saved report versions do not change automatically. Existing links to individual updates still open the relevant record.
Open Site reviews to see what the maps identified, then work through one follow-up at a time. Record a checked answer, or choose Not sure yet or Leave open & continue. Leaving an item open does not clear it or remove it from your assessment. Proposed sign dimensions are optional.
Use Review all items or revisit an answer to return to a finding or undo an answer. Edit saved property answers opens the existing property fields in the same section. Map sources and review guidance keeps the official source details nearby. Heritage district and property-register results are separate; an overhang always needs manual confirmation against the property line. Changing the address or municipality clears the previous location’s manual highway, heritage and conservation answers. Saved projects deliberately restore their own recorded answers for review. Reaching the review summary is not permit approval. Reports retain all assessment findings, even when only one is on screen.
Type at least four characters and include the city if the match is unclear. Recent searches are reused briefly while the page is open, and successful suggestions can be reused by the address service for up to an hour. New searches may still take a few seconds to return. Picking an address on the homepage carries that selection into the checker without searching for it again; municipal map checks still run separately. If address search is slow or unavailable, keep the typed address and choose its municipality to continue. Automatic map checks need a picked suggestion with coordinates.
Select Institutional or High-density residential separately. The former combined selection asks you to choose again, including when reopening a saved project. Residential wall-sign area is not calculated: the table lists 4.0 m² (43 sq ft), while the specific residential clause says 6.0 m² (65 sq ft). Ask Building Services which limit governs. Residential signs are restricted to building identification, a corporate logo or similar content, on the highest storey and a minimum of two storeys above grade. Confirm the elevation and sign count; Special Sign District restrictions also need checking. Existing downloaded reports do not update automatically—rerun the assessment.
This is a manual review, not an automatic address-map result. A projecting or canopy-mounted sign prompts a reminder; it does not prove an overhang. Compare the proposed sign with a surveyed property line or reliable site plan. If the position is undecided, leave Haven’t checked. Record a checked answer directly beside the finding or under Site reviews. A reported overhang asks you to confirm the applicable permissions with the road owner; the tool does not establish an encroachment agreement or fee.
Changing the address, municipality, sign type or mounting clears this answer so it cannot silently apply to a different location or proposal. Saved projects and drafts retain their recorded answer when reopened; review it before relying on it. Original dated reports are unchanged.
The sign-district label distinguishes Identified automatically from Selected by you, a building-type suggestion and a district that still needs confirmation. A zoning result is not automatically a sign-district match. Automatic selection is available only where the map supports that category.
In Overview, Automatic site reviews lists each factor separately. A heritage district or regulated area identified automatically is highlighted for further review. Outside mapped area applies only to the named layer within its verified coverage. Map unavailable and Manual check needed remain unresolved. MTO highway screening, individual heritage-register searches and rail-corridor identification still require manual review where no qualified service is connected. A heritage district result does not establish the individual property’s register status. Manual checklist choices are retained separately from map findings; identifying an area does not grant permit approval.
Results open in Overview, with the applicable size rule, findings needing attention and a recommended next step. Automatic site reviews highlights mapped matches and lists what still needs confirmation. Pick an address suggestion to run available map lookups; a typed address alone does not run them. Missing coverage or a failed map never clears a review, and manual choices are retained.
Use Dimensions (optional) to add measurements later, Site reviews to work through findings, Reports & save to keep or share the result, and Sources & rules for the evidence. Your report view and Scout action are under Reports & save. Open a selected sign district to inspect or change it; an unconfirmed district stays open. The overview does not replace the full assessment or imply permit approval.
Use Start a check in the top bar or at the beginning of the Menu to return to the checker from Scout, your account or another page. An unfinished check is kept in this browser for seven days. Starting from the navigation does not itself use a check. In a result, the district explanation appears above its selector; choose the category and press Update district. The map link and confirmation guidance follow the button.
Whitby’s location guidance includes the named exception at 85 Taunton Road East. That property is limited to one projecting sign regardless of street frontages (s.4.22.1). The downtown frontage allowance must not be applied to it. Confirm the parcel, applicable zone and all other conditions; the checker does not establish a property-specific approval.
Email support@signallow.ca from your checkout email to request a refund. We aim to respond within two business days.
Refunds include applicable tax, use the original payment method and have no processing or administration deduction. An unfavourable by-law result alone is not a reason for a refund. Rights under applicable law remain available. See the Terms of Use for full details.
In Reports & save, choose Share report, then select Customer assessment (the default neutral customer report) or Full research report (detailed rules and sources). On supported devices, Share PDF opens the device sharing menu; choose your email app to attach the PDF. SignAllow supplies no recipient, subject or message. Your email app may add its own signature or filename. Review and send the message yourself; nothing is sent automatically.
If file sharing is unavailable, choose Download PDF and attach the file manually. Cancelling sharing does not send a report or use a check. In Account → Dated versions, open a version and choose Share report to share its original saved PDF. This does not refresh the earlier assessment. Update changed inputs before sharing a current result. Reports are prepared in your browser; this feature does not upload them to an email service.
See first-page previews and download both neutral sample PDFs from the homepage report section. The samples use a fictional property and show unresolved questions; they are not an approval.
Starter account holders can choose Add 5 checks — $29 CAD in Account, or beside the allowance notice when checks run low. The on-page dialog explains the one-time price plus applicable tax and asks you to accept the terms before Stripe checkout. There are no automatic purchases or overage charges.
Monthly checks are used first, then unused free checks, then purchased credits. Purchased checks have no expiry and remain usable by the account holder after cancellation; they do not add seats, extend membership or unlock membership-only features. Pro does not use purchased credits. Account shows the separate purchased balance. Returning from top-up checkout confirms the balance without running a check. The same 90-day property-refinement rules apply.
A confirmed subscription or top-up returns you to a clear payment status. Returning never runs a check or uses your allowance automatically. Choose Continue your check to review your inputs, or Your account to see your plan and balance. If you leave checkout, your choices are restored in the same browser tab where storage is available. If confirmation is unavailable, choose Try confirmation again. If you already paid, do not buy again: use Already paid? Get back in with your checkout email.
For a freestanding, projecting or directional sign, choose how many display faces the one sign will have. Leave Not sure yet if the design is undecided. Two faces are not two separate signs.
Under Dimensions (optional), open Compare a proposed sign (optional). Enter Face 1 width and height. If all faces are the same size, confirm that once; otherwise enter each face separately. Unknown measurements stay blank. Up to four faces can be entered; more than four requires a manual comparison.
The result shows the largest entered face and combined physical area. It compares both with recorded per-face and combined limits where supported. Other counting methods, agricultural totals across separate signs, frontage exceptions and conditional categories remain subject to confirmation. A passing individual face does not establish that the whole sign meets every requirement. Area-based permit fees remain unresolved until billable faces are confirmed. Drafts, saved projects and neutral reports retain the face inputs; older projects reopen with face count unconfirmed.
In step 2, choose Not sure yet, None — I have checked or Some signs will remain. Count other signs remaining after the work, excluding this proposal or replacement and signs being removed. Leave unknown quantities blank. You can update this in Dimensions (optional) after the first result.
A missing inventory remains unresolved; it is not a confirmed zero. Where the recorded rule defines a shared allowance, enter the existing area counted by that rule to see what remains. Individual sign limits still apply. For other selections, SignAllow does not assume that every sign shares one budget or subtract areas without a supported rule. Check approved but uninstalled work and the scope of the cited limit. Reports identify the inventory as user-provided. Reopened older projects ask for confirmation; their original saved reports stay unchanged.
The tool shows your remaining checks above the form. With one or no checks left, a prominent notice links to pricing before you enter more information. Starter also shows the renewal date when available and Manage billing for the account holder. Eligible same-property refinements keep their existing allowance, even when no new checks remain. Opening pricing does not discard your unfinished draft.
Your inputs before submission save automatically in this browser for 7 days after the last edit. Return to the tool to restore your place. A small message confirms recovery; Start fresh clears the unfinished draft. No check is used to save or restore it. Available map lookups refresh, and your manual choices remain. A successful check clears the draft; a failed submission keeps it. Only one unfinished draft is kept, so editing a different check replaces it. It does not sync to your account or another device. Browser storage restrictions may prevent recovery; the tool tells you if saving fails.
If you edit inputs after seeing a result, the Previous result notice means those changes have not been calculated yet. Choose Update this result before downloading, saving a dated report or copying a team link. The normal same-property refinement allowance applies; any new charge still needs the usual confirmation.
Your past checks restores the saved location, sign type, building type, lighting and building measurements. It clears unrelated proposed dimensions and review answers from the job you previously had open. Confirm the district, enter your proposal and review site conditions again. For continuity of all supported inputs across devices, choose Save to my account after updating the result. Reopened account projects identify their previously saved version. Rechecking or editing does not automatically save a new account version; choose Save to my account to record the updated result.
Pick an address suggestion for available map checks, or type the address and choose its municipality manually. You can leave the address blank to explore general rules. Normal plan allowances apply; without an address, refinements cover the current visit only and address-specific map checks are unavailable. If a suggestion is outside current coverage, correct the address or municipality before continuing; no check is used by that warning.
Optional role choices are under Tailor the report to your role. You can skip them and change the report view after the check. Pick a supported sign type on the next screen. Sign dimensions are optional, and unknown placement can stay Not sure.
A highway reference in address text is only a reminder to review the control area, not confirmation that the property is inside it. Use Site reviews for the manual checks and any available dated map evidence.
In Site reviews, Your next steps lists each open finding once. Needs attention calls for resolving the identified issue or approval requirement; Needs confirmation means information is missing or unresolved, not a failed proposal. Each card keeps the next action and its impact together. Open Why this matters for the explanation and any linked provisions, or Who to ask & what to send for an official contact route and a question you can copy. Nothing is sent for you, and copying a question does not clear a finding. Use the inline answers only after checking the facts; undo lets you change them. Confirm the property conditions and Address review flags remain below the list. Missing map coverage still needs manual review.
Pickering lighting: general traffic-visibility restrictions and conditions for particular sign types still apply. Portable-sign lighting conditions do not authorize other sign types. The stated brightness and dimming limits are for electronic message displays. Read the linked provisions and confirm the proposed fixture, location and applicable approvals.
Lighting details: the Lighting method and Light source shielding rows distinguish preferred fixtures, permitted methods, direction requirements and visibility conditions. Read the district and sign-type limits alongside them. A permitted lighting method does not by itself approve the sign or its location.
Georgina lighting: read the Light source shielding row for the rule about opaque shielding and light sources visible from other properties. Confirm the fixture and shielding details for your proposal; this row does not grant permission for a lighting arrangement.
Georgina digital signs: the spacing row measures separation from another digital sign on the same side of the street. It is not an intersection setback. Read the linked provision and confirm the proposed location before relying on the result.
Without both proposed sign dimensions, the area comparison remains Not supplied and needs confirmation; a blank field is never a zero-sized sign that passes. You can still research the published limits. Comparisons use the entered measurements before display rounding; there is no extra design tolerance. Enter feet and inches clearly, such as 6 ft 2 in; conflicting or repeated units are rejected. Where the rule also caps the combined area of all sign faces, check every face on the drawing: the single-face comparison does not settle that total.
Georgina fees: the published Building Division charges are only part of the fee evidence. The total is marked Unresolved until the Town confirms the sign-bylaw permit fee, any sign-variance fee and which charges apply together. A missing fee formula does not mean a free permit.
Toronto fees: the 2026 first-party permit page lists a $263.87 sign-fee minimum. This is not a confirmed total. The fee note explains unresolved charging units and building-permit components; keep the total unconfirmed until Toronto confirms the exact work and billable sign faces.
The bold size summary shows the maximum sign area, the coverage or area rule, and your proposed sign size. Missing district, storey or building measurements stay marked as unresolved. Worked examples are labelled and do not describe your property. The comparison below checks other limits and conditions.
Use the sign district selector directly below the answer, then choose Update district. Toronto needs a manual SignView check and comparison with later Schedule A map amendments; heritage map screening does not select its sign district. The current-schedules task also covers property-specific provisions and special sign classes such as Bike Share signs. Automatic district selection is available only where a supported municipal map resolves the category. Map failures are explained beside the selector. Your manual choice is kept.
Dimensions (optional), Site reviews, Reports & save and Sources & rules open in the same area beneath the answer. You do not need proposed sign dimensions to explore the limits or download a preliminary report. Add wall or frontage dimensions to calculate an area where the rule depends on the building. Use Compare a proposed sign (optional) later, once you have a design. Choose Update this result to apply edits. Worked examples are optional. Lighting, fees, address-map details, tenant guides and multi-city comparisons remain available in expandable sections.
Address review flags use plain language: Inside mapped area means the selected point overlaps the named map layer and further review may be required. It does not mean the sign is approved. Outside mapped area applies only within verified coverage. Not confirmed or Map unavailable means you must check manually. Expand Source and next steps for the dated source and contact guidance.
A Published ceiling with measurement still needed is the by-law’s outer limit, not a confirmed allowance for your building. Add the required wall or frontage measurement before using it to size a sign. Other placement and review conditions still apply.
Your free-check count is red at zero, amber at one and green with two or more available; the written number always remains visible. If you are signed out, Account shows Sign in to saved projects. Use your membership email or the email your team owner added. Once signed in, project search and your project-details download are available. Local history remains available in its original browser.
Use Give feedback at the bottom of any site page to report a bug, suggest a feature or leave general feedback. The form stays on the same page. Describe what happened and optionally leave an email for a reply. Basic diagnostics are opt-in and limited to the page category, screen-size group and site build; no address, project or report is attached. Your message enters our private review queue. For an incorrect by-law figure, use Report a correction instead.
In My saved projects, choose Name & job number to rename a project or add an optional internal reference. Search finds that reference too. Saving these details uses no checks and does not change dated report versions. Selected collaborators can edit these details. Internal job numbers are included in your personal project-details export, but not in customer PDFs or shared check links. You can also set the job number when saving a completed check to your account.
A check with an address includes refinements at the same address and municipality for 90 days: add dimensions, change a supported sign type, or update checklist answers without another check. You can return after checking another property, even with zero checks remaining. Use the same address spelling; small case and spacing changes are ignored. The first check at a different address or municipality uses another check; returning to an address with a valid saved allowance does not. The original expiry is not extended by editing, copying or reopening a project. Visitors need the original browser data and cookies. Save a completed check to your account to carry its allowance across devices; the allowance is shared within the same account, including authorised Pro teammates. An allowance already earned stays usable until its expiry after cancellation, provided you can still sign in; removed teammates lose access. Checks without an address can be refined during the current visit but have no saved revision allowance.
The tool shows the expiry beside the saved result. After expiry, if the allowance cannot be verified, or for older saved checks with no allowance recorded, it asks before using another check. You can cancel without spending one. Clearing local history removes browser-saved allowances; account-saved projects remain. Saving, opening dated versions and downloading reports use no checks. A new calculation uses the available rules with their recorded source dates; it is not a new municipal review. Pick an address suggestion again for current map lookups.
SignAllow tells you what an Ontario municipality's published sign by-law allows for the sign you have in mind: how big, how many, how high, whether it can be lit, and what the permit costs, with the source behind every figure. It is meant for early estimating. Confirm anything you rely on with the municipality before you fabricate, install or apply for a permit.
Open Account → Your account → Appearance and choose System, Light or Dark. System follows the current device, including changes while the page is open. Signed-in changes save automatically to your own account; teammates keep separate choices. The header sun/moon switch chooses an explicit Light or Dark setting and saves it in the same way. On another device, your saved account choice loads when you visit or return to the site. Visitors keep a browser-only setting. Your existing browser choice is kept when your account has no saved preference; nothing is uploaded until you choose a setting or select Save current theme to account. If a save fails, the browser choice still applies and Retry account save retries it. If another device changed the saved choice, use Load account theme before choosing again. Theme changes use no checks and do not alter reports.
Open Who to ask & what to send beside a finding in Check these first or an unresolved address review flag. It gives an official enquiry page, a question tailored to the issue and a list of information to prepare. Municipal contact routes cover every municipality in the checker; some enquiries need referral to heritage, planning or the road owner. For conservation, use the authority finder unless a single positive map source identifies an office to ask. A contact link does not confirm jurisdiction or that a permit is needed.
Choose Copy question, review the details, fill any placeholders and add supporting material before sending it yourself. Drafts use the current check’s address, sign type and supplied measurements; illustrative building dimensions are omitted. If automatic copying is unavailable, select and copy the visible question using your device. Opening a contact page or copying a question uses no checks and does not mark the issue resolved. Contact links contain no project details; SignAllow does not send an enquiry for you. Record any confirmed answer in the checklist and re-check. Measurement and site-plan tasks prompt you to refine the inputs instead. These on-screen drafts are not added to customer reports.
After you choose an address suggestion, SignAllow checks available government maps for highway, heritage, conservation and rail-corridor questions. Coverage varies by layer and municipality.
Each flag shows its source and review date. A heritage district result does not clear the individual heritage register. Where a map result can answer a checklist item, the source is recorded beside it. You can override it, and an answer you entered manually is not overwritten.
The full report and saved web report include the review flags. The customer summary leaves out the detailed flag cards.
The sign district selector stays beside the answer. Beneath it, Dimensions (optional), Site reviews, Reports & save, and Sources & rules switch the content in one workspace. Changing sections uses no checks and keeps your inputs. The business-owner sign brief is in Reports & save.
Open Dimensions (optional) to add:
Picking one of the typical sizes updates the answer straight away. After typing a measurement or changing anything else, press Update this result. Sharpening a check for the same address is free.
Where two separate checks of a by-law disagree, or a figure cannot be confirmed, SignAllow says so instead of giving a number. How we verify explains the rule.
Under the answer, Full report PDF, Web page or Print gives you a report of the check. It records the sections relied on, how each choice was made (by you, or worked out from the building type), and the version of the rules used, so you can show later what the by-law said when you checked.
Reports are neutral and unbranded so sign companies can use them in their customer handoffs.
Customer summary PDF is a neutral customer assessment for a sign company to send with its proposal. It explains what the result means, shows the key figures and research basis, and includes supporting pages with all recorded design checks, unresolved findings and planning implications. Its length follows the findings rather than a one-page limit. It shares a reference with the full report; send both when the customer needs the detailed sources. It does not claim that a site inspection or municipal approval has taken place. A business owner gets a sign brief for their sign company instead.
Picked the wrong answer to Who’s checking? Change Checking as at the top of the results. The answer stays the same, the PDFs follow the new choice, and it does not use another check.
Notes & next steps opens the internal working notes for a saved project. Add context and one next action, tick Done when it is complete (editing the next step reopens it), confirm the storage notice and choose Save notes. The project owner and selected teammates can edit the same text; each save shows who updated it and when. If someone saves first, your text stays in the window so you can copy it before choosing Load saved notes. The current text replaces earlier notes; there is no notes history. Notes use no checks, do not change the by-law result and stay out of all customer reports and shared check links. Clear a field and save to remove it. Duplicates start with blank notes. An inactive member can still read their own notes.
In My saved projects, Recent projects lists the most recently saved work first. Use Search projects for a name, address or municipality. Under Show, Private means your unshared projects; Shared includes projects you share and projects shared with you. Search covers all projects you can access, including later pages. Use Previous and Next to browse longer lists, or Refresh projects to pick up a teammate’s changes. A last-saved time records the project save, not a fresh review of the by-law. Local history is separate and is not included in this search.
Open Account → Your account for your plan, team controls where available, and what this browser remembers. Local history stays in this browser. To keep a project across devices, choose Save to my account below a result, give it a name and confirm the storage notice. In Account → Your account → My saved projects, open, duplicate, view dated versions or delete it. Projects start private, including on Pro. A project creator on Pro can use Sharing to select current teammates who may view and edit the inputs, add dated versions and download reports. Selected collaborators see the creator and saver email addresses. Only the creator manages access or deletes the project and its versions. Removing a teammate from the Pro account revokes their shared access and stops sharing projects they created; re-adding them does not restore those grants. Downloaded reports and private duplicates cannot be recalled. Opening restores the inputs without using a check; running them follows normal plan rules and uses current rules. Select the address again to refresh map checks. Up to 200 projects per person; saving requires an active membership. Save changes keeps a dated result and both original PDFs; use Save as a new project for a separate proposal. Local history is never uploaded automatically.
Copy link for your team shares only basic details: location, sign type, district, building type, lighting and supplied building measurements. It does not include proposed sign dimensions, site-review answers, reports or your refinement allowance. Anyone with the link can read its details and must use their own allowance to run a check. Update any changed inputs before copying it. For the full proposal, use Save to my account and Pro project Sharing. For a customer handoff, download the neutral Customer summary PDF.
On the Pricing page, use Check coverage before you choose and pick a Municipality. The preview shows which sign types have size formulas or caps, where manual confirmation remains, and the researched categories behind each summary. Expand Coverage details for the category breakdown, or Address and map checks for lookup limits. Compare plans jumps to the plan cards. Face replacements provide permit guidance, not a new size calculation. Open Map source dates for recorded map review dates; the by-law research record is shown separately. These dates do not advance just because the page was rebuilt.
The preview uses no checks, works without an account and does not change your plan or start checkout. Coverage is the same on Free, Starter and Pro. Map connections are separate from sign calculations: a layer may cover only part of a municipality, and failed or missing matches never count as a clear result. Choose Read coverage and sources on the selected municipality’s card for the full city page, or try a check there. Without JavaScript, the municipality summaries can still be opened individually.
Choose Starter or Choose Pro on Pricing opens a summary of that plan. Review the monthly price, renewal and cancellation terms, accept the business-use terms, then choose Continue to checkout. Opening a plan link in a new tab shows your selection above the checker’s plan buttons; it does not start payment. Both paid plans include saved private projects; Pro adds access for up to five people.
On the pricing page, choose Starter or Pro to open the terms panel on that same page. After accepting the terms and business-use confirmation, continue to Stripe checkout. You do not need to start a check first.
SignAllow works from the published by-law and the answers you give it. Available map lookups can help identify zoning and address review flags, but they do not establish every property-specific approval, agreement, variance or later amendment. Read the source, coverage and unresolved questions alongside the result. The municipality has the final say. Each city page shows when we last checked its by-law, and each report records the version of the rules it used.
Tell us through Report a correction. For anything else, write to support@signallow.ca.
Your measurements and local history stay in your browser unless you explicitly save an account project. Saving sends the project inputs, dated result summary and both PDFs (including recorded map findings) to SignAllow. Separately, when address suggestions are on, what you type is sent through SignAllow to Geoapify to find matching addresses. When you pick a suggestion, coordinates are also used for available map checks through SignAllow. See the Privacy Notice.
After a check, open Sources & rules, then The by-law’s own words. Use Search stored excerpts to find words in quotes, rule labels and citations for the selected municipality. All search words must match; letter case and accents do not matter. Results cover all sign districts, so confirm the district and source before applying a match to the address.
This searches only excerpts on file, not the complete by-law or every amendment. No match does not mean there is no rule: try fewer words, use Clear search to return to the original excerpts, or open the published by-law under The by-law itself, and which copy to trust. Searching uses no additional checks, sends no search text and does not change your result or downloaded reports. It is available where stored excerpts have loaded for the check.
Expand the short questions beside Sign district, frontage and sign measurements for an explanation without leaving the form. Setback and clearance explanations appear beneath The rules behind this number when those terms occur in the table. What is a sign variance? appears beside the fee information.
These are general reading aids, not additional rules or a replacement for the local definition. Each explanation links to the selected municipality’s source where a by-law is on file; otherwise confirm the wording with the municipality. Opening help uses no check, changes no answer and stays out of downloaded reports. The explanations work by touch or keyboard as well as mouse.
You can preview both PDF formats without signing in: the neutral customer summary and the full research report. These use a fictional Toronto wall-sign example; they are not findings for your property.
In Account, choose Download all my project details. It includes every project you created, regardless of search or filters: current saved inputs, internal notes, next steps and the dated report index. The single HTML file opens in a browser offline, with links to each project and original saved values at the end. Keep it as an internal working file, not a customer report.
Projects owned by other people, local browser history, billing, PDF files and detailed report contents are excluded. Download original PDFs separately from Dated versions. This does not delete anything, use a check or update old answers; it is not an import/restore feature. Signed-in former subscribers can download their own retained projects; removed teammates cannot use a revoked sign-in. If the download fails, retry: the tool does not offer a partial file.
A calculated area is conditional on the selected rule and its measurement basis; it is not permission to install. Later amendments and site-specific provisions still need confirmation. Missing measurements or an unknown district do not produce suggested sign dimensions. Professional design and construction review are separate questions under the applicable Building Code and local requirements. Below-threshold inputs do not clear those questions. Face replacement requires confirmation of the exact work and the existing sign’s lawful status. Toronto’s total permit fee is withheld while its official minimum and component charges remain inconsistent. Use the municipal contact route beside the relevant finding to confirm these matters.
Toronto results retain a confirmation task for the current sign district and property-specific schedules, even when a district has been selected. Separately enacted amendments may not be apparent from an unchanged main chapter PDF. Supply the address, precise sign location and scope to the official sign-permit contact shown with the finding. A calculated area remains conditional until applicability is established. Reducing a dimension addresses only that checked limit; a variance or other discretionary route is not assumed available.
The enacted fee schedule confirms the base fees for the listed sign categories, effective July 1, 2026. The checker and reports keep the complete permit bill unresolved because the records-management calculation and combined charges need confirmation. The base permit amount is not a complete quote. The ground, wall and development-sign variance fee is separate from the permit fee; do not assume it applies to other sign types. Under Sign By-law sections 68 and 78, the Director may approve, refuse or impose conditions, optionally after Site Plan Review Panel consideration under section 74.
Choosing a commercial building type now leaves the wall-sign category unconfirmed and produces no calculated wall-sign allowance. Under Sign district, choose the multi-tenant & multi-storey or mixed-use category only when it matches the building. For a single-occupant commercial building, ask Building Services which table row applies; do not assume either the percentage row or the residual Other use row. Ground-sign rules are checked separately. Special Sign District and other site conditions still apply. Reopen older Pickering commercial wall-sign assessments and run a fresh check; original saved reports are unchanged.
For the commercial/industrial ground-sign table, frontage below 30 metres uses the 10 m² (108 sq ft) area and 4 m (13 ft) height band; exactly 30 metres or more uses 18 m² (194 sq ft) and 6 m (20 ft). Enter building frontage as defined in section 4, not the lot width. The input labels, examples and missing-measurement guidance now distinguish that basis. With frontage unknown, no property-specific allowance is calculated. Special Sign District caps and other location, sign-count and approval conditions still apply. Rerun older assessments made at exactly 30 metres; original saved report versions are unchanged.
The size and count rules are in, so you get a number rather than a reading list.
We hold the reference and the contacts. We would rather say that than guess.
