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 automaticallyChoose an address suggestion for available automatic map checks, or confirm this category manually. Coverage varies by municipality.
Leave it as it is and we will show you what each category allows, so you can pick yours.
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 Oshawa’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? Sign By-law 72-96, as amended ↗ — last updated April 2023.
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 Oshawa’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 Oshawa’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 Oshawa’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.
72-96 · Last updated April 2023 · PDF, 48 pages
Open the by-law ↗Straight to the sections the numbers above come from:
| What you want | Where it is | |
|---|---|---|
| Wall signs | s.4.3.3(2) — 30% of the first-storey facade, to 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) per sign, and 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) combined on the street-facing walls of a multi-tenant building; the Central Business District is 25% and 15% | open · p.21 ↗ |
| Ground signs | s.4.3.3(6) with s.3.8 — 0.3 m² (3.2 sq ft) per metre of street line to 10.0 m² (108 sq ft), 3.6 m (12 ft) tall, 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) from the street line | open · p.22 ↗ |
| Variance | There is none. By-law 72-96 contains no variance provision — the route is an application form and a staff decision | open ↗ |
| Structure | s.1.8.2 — a building permit for every sign the Ontario Building Code applies to; s.3.1.15 — every sign complies with the Building Code Act | open · p.5 ↗ |
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 Oshawa’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 Oshawa 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.
“1.8.2 All SIGNS subject to the Ontario Building Code shall be required to obtain a building permit.”
Structure: s.1.8.2 — a building permit for every sign the Ontario Building Code applies to; s.3.1.15 — every sign complies with the Building Code Act
“3.1.15 Every SIGN shall comply with the provisions of the Building Code Act.”
Structure: s.1.8.2 — a building permit for every sign the Ontario Building Code applies to; s.3.1.15 — every sign complies with the Building Code Act
“4.3 Signs in Planned Commercial Centre, Planned Strip Commercial-A (Excluding Planned Strip Commercial-B Zones), Special Purpose Commercial, Convenience Commercial, Hamlet Commercial, Harbour Commercial, Automobile Service Station, Industrial, Airport, Mixed Use-B and Mixed Use-C Zones”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
“4.4 Signs in Office Zones, Mixed Use-A Zone, and Planned Strip Commercial-B Zone (9-2023)”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
“4.4.3 SIGNS for all uses other than solely residential uses shall comply with Article 4.1.3, with the additional provision that FASCIA and GROUND SIGNS may be ILLUMINATED.”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
“4.1.3(1) Only one FASCIA SIGN per vehicular entrance and one GROUND SIGN per vehicle entrance shall be permitted. 4.1.3(2) A FASCIA SIGN shall have a maximum SIGN AREA of 3.0m 2 . 4.1.3(3) A GROUND SIGN shall have a maximum SIGN HEIGHT of 1.5m and a maximum SIGN AREA of 3.0m 2 . 4.1.3(4) No GROUND SIGNS shall be ILLUMINATED.”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
“4.3.3(2) A FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall not exceed 30 percent of the FACADE of the FIRST STOREY and may be located on any STOREY; notwithstanding the foregoing, no FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall exceed a maximum SIGN AREA of 100m 2 .”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
Read the denominator carefully: it is the first-storey wall face, and it stays the first-storey wall face even when the sign goes on an upper floor (s.4.3.3(2)). Going higher buys you nothing. A multi-tenant building is capped on the COMBINED area of all its wall signs — 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) on walls facing a street, and only 5% to a combined 50 m² (538 sq ft) on walls that do not. The Central Business District is a different rule again: 25% of the first-storey face, 15% of an upper-storey face measured against that storey, and no m² cap at all.
Wall signs may cover up to 30% of the facade of the first storey (the by-law’s definition of facade is not quoted here). For example, a storefront 10 m (33 ft) wide with a 4 m (13 ft) tall first storey works out to 12 m² (129 sq ft).
Whatever the percentage gives, the allowance stops at 100 m² (1,076 sq ft).
“4.3.3(1) Only one FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall be permitted facing each STREET LINE. In addition, one FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall be permitted for each wall not facing a STREET LINE provided the wall faces a non-residential ZONE or the wall faces a Residential ZONE and the wall is setback a minimum of 25m from that Residential ZONE.”
One per street line, plus one for each wall that does not face a street line where that wall faces a non-residential zone or sits at least 25 m (82 ft) back from a residential one. A multi-tenant building adds one per mall or corridor entrance and one per unit with its own street-facing door or window.
“4.3.4(2) One additional FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall be permitted for each public entrance to a mall or corridor which provides access to PREMISES.”
One per street line, plus one for each wall that does not face a street line where that wall faces a non-residential zone or sits at least 25 m (82 ft) back from a residential one. A multi-tenant building adds one per mall or corridor entrance and one per unit with its own street-facing door or window.
“4.3.4(3) One additional FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall be permitted for each PREMISES which has a door for direct public entry/egress which faces a STREET LINE or window exposure which faces a STREET LINE.”
One per street line, plus one for each wall that does not face a street line where that wall faces a non-residential zone or sits at least 25 m (82 ft) back from a residential one. A multi-tenant building adds one per mall or corridor entrance and one per unit with its own street-facing door or window.
“4.3.4(4) The combined SIGN AREA of all FASCIA or CANOPY SIGNS on walls facing a STREET LINE shall not exceed 30 percent of the FACADE of the FIRST STOREY; notwithstanding the foregoing, the combined SIGN AREA of all FASCIA or CANOPY SIGNS facing a STREET LINE shall not exceed 150m 2 .”
Read the denominator carefully: it is the first-storey wall face, and it stays the first-storey wall face even when the sign goes on an upper floor (s.4.3.3(2)). Going higher buys you nothing. A multi-tenant building is capped on the COMBINED area of all its wall signs — 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) on walls facing a street, and only 5% to a combined 50 m² (538 sq ft) on walls that do not. The Central Business District is a different rule again: 25% of the first-storey face, 15% of an upper-storey face measured against that storey, and no m² cap at all.
“4.3.4(5) The combined SIGN AREA of all FASCIA or CANOPY SIGNS on walls not facing a STREET LINE shall not exceed 5 percent of the FACADE of the FIRST STOREY; notwithstanding the foregoing, the combined SIGN AREA of all FASCIA or CANOPY SIGNS on walls not facing a STREET LINE shall not exceed 50m 2 .”
Read the denominator carefully: it is the first-storey wall face, and it stays the first-storey wall face even when the sign goes on an upper floor (s.4.3.3(2)). Going higher buys you nothing. A multi-tenant building is capped on the COMBINED area of all its wall signs — 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) on walls facing a street, and only 5% to a combined 50 m² (538 sq ft) on walls that do not. The Central Business District is a different rule again: 25% of the first-storey face, 15% of an upper-storey face measured against that storey, and no m² cap at all.
“4.2.5 A FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN on the FIRST STOREY shall not exceed 25 percent of the FACADE of the FIRST STOREY. 4.2.6 A FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN on an upper STOREY shall not exceed 15 percent of the FACADE of the upper STOREY.”
Read the denominator carefully: it is the first-storey wall face, and it stays the first-storey wall face even when the sign goes on an upper floor (s.4.3.3(2)). Going higher buys you nothing. A multi-tenant building is capped on the COMBINED area of all its wall signs — 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) on walls facing a street, and only 5% to a combined 50 m² (538 sq ft) on walls that do not. The Central Business District is a different rule again: 25% of the first-storey face, 15% of an upper-storey face measured against that storey, and no m² cap at all.
“3.6.2 A FASCIA SIGN shall have a maximum projection of 0.5m from any wall to which it is attached.”
It can stick out no more than 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) from the wall.
“3.6.3(1) No FASCIA SIGN shall extend vertically above a roof line unless it is affixed to an architectural feature of a building. (12-2017) 3.6.3(2) No FASCIA SIGN affixed to an architectural feature of a building shall extend more than 2m vertically above a roof line. (12-2017) 3.6.3(3) Notwithstanding Article 3.6.3(2), a FASCIA SIGN which solely exhibits a corporate logo and is affixed to an architectural feature of a building may extend”
not above the roof line unless fixed to an architectural feature, and then no more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) above it — 4 m (13 ft) for a sign carrying only a corporate logo
“more than 2m vertically above a roof line but it shall not extend more than 4m vertically above a roof line.”
not above the roof line unless fixed to an architectural feature, and then no more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) above it — 4 m (13 ft) for a sign carrying only a corporate logo
“4.3.3(3) Except as provided in Sentence 4.3.3(4), only one GROUND or PYLON SIGN shall be permitted for each STREET LINE. 4.3.3(4) Two GROUND or PYLON SIGNS shall be permitted for each STREET LINE which exceeds 120m. 4.3.3(5) GROUND or PYLONS SIGNS on the same LOT shall be separated by not less than 15m. 4.3.3(6) The SIGN AREA of a GROUND or PYLON SIGN shall not exceed a ratio of 0.3m 2 for each metre of STREET LINE up to a maximum of 10.0m 2 .”
The ground sign allowance tops out at 10 m² (108 sq ft), however big the building or lot.
One ground sign per street line.
One per street line, two where that street line runs more than 120 m (394 ft). A multi-tenant plaza gets no more than a single-tenant building — the per-unit multipliers apply to wall signs only.
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).
Two of these signs must be at least 15 m (49 ft) apart.
“4.2.1 No PERSON shall erect or display, or cause to be erected or displayed, a SIGN in the Central Business District ZONE except in compliance with the provisions of this Subsection. 4.2.2 Solely residential uses shall be permitted SIGNS in compliance with Subsection 4.1, with the additional provision that FASCIA and GROUND SIGNS may be ILLUMINATED.”
Ground and pylon signs appear not to be permitted for commercial uses in the Central Business District. s.4.2.1 is a closed list — nothing may be erected there except in compliance with that subsection — and the only mention of a ground sign in it applies to solely residential uses. Both checks reached this independently. It is a permission-by-omission reading, so confirm with the City before assuming a pylon is available downtown.
“4.3.4(6) GROUND and PYLON SIGNS shall be permitted in accordance with Article 4.3.3.”
One per street line, two where that street line runs more than 120 m (394 ft). A multi-tenant plaza gets no more than a single-tenant building — the per-unit multipliers apply to wall signs only.
“3.8.2 No GROUND SIGN shall exceed 3.6m in SIGN HEIGHT unless otherwise specified.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
The ground sign can be no taller than 3.6 m (12 ft).
Height bands: 3.6 m (12 ft) for a ground sign; 8.0 m (26 ft) if it is a pylon on poles
“3.9.2 No PYLON SIGN shall exceed 8.0m in SIGN HEIGHT unless otherwise specified.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
Height bands: 3.6 m (12 ft) for a ground sign; 8.0 m (26 ft) if it is a pylon on poles
“3.8.3 GROUND SIGNS shall have a minimum setback from the STREET LINE of 1.0m, unless otherwise specified.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
Keep it at least 1 m (3 ft 3 in) back from the property line.
““STREET LINE” means the boundary between a LOT or a 0.3m reserve and the HIGHWAY upon which the LOT or 0.3m reserve abuts.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
“4.3.6 An automobile sales or service establishment may have one additional GROUND or PYLON SIGN, having a maximum SIGN AREA of 7.0m 2 , erected or displayed on the LOT, provided that a minimum separation of 15m is provided between any other GROUND SIGN or PYLON SIGN on the same side of the HIGHWAY.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
“3.11.1 One READ-O-GRAPH and/or time, date and temperature display shall be permitted to be incorporated into a DISPLAY SURFACE as part of the permitted maximum SIGN AREA on FASCIA SIGNS, GROUND SIGNS, PYLON SIGNS, MENU ORDER BOARDS, PRE-MENU BOARDS and PROJECTING SIGNS.”
One read-o-graph and/or a time, date and temperature display may be built into a fascia, ground, pylon, projecting, menu order or pre-menu board sign
Easy to miss: the permission is for ONE read-o-graph incorporated into a display surface, and its area counts inside the permitted maximum sign area rather than being added to it. Within 400 m (1,312 ft) of a provincial highway, s.3.1.16 records the Ministry of Transportation rule that no signs with flashing lights, moving parts or read-o-graphs are permitted. No certification, dimming or commissioning condition appears.
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
“within 400m of the limits of a PROVINCIAL HIGHWAY all SIGNS require the approval of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.”
Easy to miss: the permission is for ONE read-o-graph incorporated into a display surface, and its area counts inside the permitted maximum sign area rather than being added to it. Within 400 m (1,312 ft) of a provincial highway, s.3.1.16 records the Ministry of Transportation rule that no signs with flashing lights, moving parts or read-o-graphs are permitted. No certification, dimming or commissioning condition appears.
“(e) no signs with flashing lights, moving parts or read-o-graphs are permitted.”
Easy to miss: the permission is for ONE read-o-graph incorporated into a display surface, and its area counts inside the permitted maximum sign area rather than being added to it. Within 400 m (1,312 ft) of a provincial highway, s.3.1.16 records the Ministry of Transportation rule that no signs with flashing lights, moving parts or read-o-graphs are permitted. No certification, dimming or commissioning condition appears.
“4.3.9 Every FASCIA, CANOPY, GROUND or PYLON SIGN may be ILLUMINATED.”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.2.10 Every FASCIA, CANOPY or PROJECTING SIGN may be ILLUMINATED.”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.5.8 Every FASCIA, CANOPY, GROUND or PYLON SIGN may be ILLUMINATED.”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.3 Signs in Planned Commercial Centre, Planned Strip Commercial-A (Excluding Planned Strip Commercial-B Zones), Special Purpose Commercial, Convenience Commercial, Hamlet Commercial, Harbour Commercial, Automobile Service Station, Industrial, Airport, Mixed Use-B and Mixed Use-C Zones”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.5 Signs in Open Space, Institutional, Cemetery, Agricultural and Mineral Aggregate Zones”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.1.2 An ACCESSORY SIGN to a bed and breakfast establishment in a Residential ZONE shall comply with the conditions of this Article. (1999-18)”
In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document.
“4.1.2(3) No ACCESSORY SIGN shall be ILLUMINATED. (1999-18)”
In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document.
“4.1.3(4) No GROUND SIGNS shall be ILLUMINATED.”
In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document.
“3.4.1 Subject to compliance with the provisions of Subsection 3.1, the following SIGNS are permitted in all ZONES and may be ILLUMINATED: (a) ADDRESS SIGNS;”
In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document.
“3.1.20 No SIGN shall be ILLUMINATED by or contain a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light, beam or beacon.”
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
“3.3.1 No PERSON shall erect or display, or cause to be erected or displayed, the following SIGNS: (a) FLASHING SIGNS; (b) ANIMATED SIGNS;”
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
““READ-O-GRAPH” means a SIGN indicating an electronic message via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns which form words or numbers.”
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
““ANIMATED SIGN” means a SIGN with a SIGN FACE which moves in whole or in part and includes a rotating SIGN, but does not include a clock, a time, date or temperature display or a READ-O-GRAPH.”
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
“4. Planning Services staff will review and provide a recommendation to the Director of Planning Services for a decision.”
the Director of Planning Services, on a staff recommendation; a controversial application, or an application proposed to be denied, may be sent to Council at the Commissioner’s discretion
“7. Any controversial applications or applications that are proposed to be denied may be forwarded by the Commissioner at their discretion for Council’s consideration.”
the Director of Planning Services, on a staff recommendation; a controversial application, or an application proposed to be denied, may be sent to Council at the Commissioner’s discretion
“74. Sign (Regulated by the Ontario Building Code) $321 flat fee”
The permit is a flat $321.
$321 flat per sign regulated by the Ontario Building Code, with a $160 minimum. A temporary sign permit is $140.
“A minimum fee of $160 shall be charged unless the fee is a larger amount as otherwise stated in this”
The smallest permit fee is $160.
$321 flat per sign regulated by the Ontario Building Code, with a $160 minimum. A temporary sign permit is $140.
“Temporary Sign Permit $140”
$321 flat per sign regulated by the Ontario Building Code, with a $160 minimum. A temporary sign permit is $140.
“o $793 processing fee for residential signs o $1,401 processing fee for non-residential signs o $283 processing fee for all signs in Urban Growth Centre (UGC) Zone”
Asking for a variance (permission to go beyond the by-law) costs $1,401.
$1,401 non-residential, $793 residential, $283 in the Urban Growth Centre (UGC) zone, from the January 2026 application form, which notes that Planning Services fees increase by 3% each January 1
“January 2026 Application for Variance(s) to Sign By-law”
$1,401 non-residential, $793 residential, $283 in the Urban Growth Centre (UGC) zone, from the January 2026 application form, which notes that Planning Services fees increase by 3% each January 1
“1. The City of Oshawa’s Planning Services processing fees for applications increase annually by 3%, each January 1 st in accordance with the Fees and Charges By-law.”
$1,401 non-residential, $793 residential, $283 in the Urban Growth Centre (UGC) zone, from the January 2026 application form, which notes that Planning Services fees increase by 3% each January 1
“(Effective January 1, 2026)”
These fees are from the 2026 fee schedule.
Sign By-law 72-96, as amended, last updated April 2023. What the published by-law allows, how big, whether a sign can be lit, what it costs, and which copy of the by-law to trust.
What we hold: we calculate the size and count limits, so a check here gives you a number · lighting and digital rules read in full · fees and timelines from the published schedule.
Two questions, no dimensions needed. You get the maximum for your sign type, the lighting rules, the fee and the sections it all came from.
Start a check →| Sign type | Here | Most you’d get | The rule | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
On the building Fascia, wall sign, channel letters | Permitted | 30% of the facade of the first storey (the by-law’s definition of facade is not quoted here), capped at 100.0 m² (1,076 sq ft). | ||
Freestanding Pylon or monument out front | Permitted | up to 10.0 m² 108 sq ft at most | 0.3 m² (3.2 sq ft) per metre of frontage, capped at 10.0 m² (108 sq ft) · no taller than 3.6 m (11′ 10″) · 1 per street line. | |
Projecting Blade sign off the wall | Not calculated | We have not calculated this for this district. | ||
Small directional Entrance or drive-aisle sign | Rule on file | Usually falls under the ground sign rules unless the by-law carves out directional signs — s.4.3.3(6) with s.3.8 — 0.3 m² (3.2 sq ft) per metre of street line to 10.0 m² (108 sq ft), 3.6 m (12 ft) tall, 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) from the street line read it · p.22 ↗ | ||
New face, same frame Replacing the face of a sign already there | Unresolved | A face replacement may be a copy change, maintenance or an alteration under the applicable by-law. Confirm the existing sign’s lawful status and whether changes to its face, structure, area or illumination require a permit. A permit exemption does not establish permission to install. | ||
Window signs & graphics Lettering, decals and signs behind glass | Review needed | Window-sign calculations are not yet verified for this municipality and category. Confirm classification, coverage, placement and permit requirements with the municipality. | ||
Temporary promotional Banners, mobile signs and short-term promotions | Review guidance only | Review guidance only. No size limit, fee, exemption or permitted display period has been validated for this category. Confirm the exact sign format, location, display period and any renewal or repeat-display limits. Temporary use does not itself establish a permit exemption. | ||
Construction & development Development marketing, builder signs and hoarding | Review guidance only | Review guidance only. No size limit, fee, exemption or permitted display period has been validated for this category. Confirm whether this is development advertising, builder identification, hoarding graphics or a required notice. Provide the project stage, proposed copy and location; these purposes may follow different requirements. | ||
Real estate For sale, for lease and open-house signs | Review guidance only | Review guidance only. No size limit, fee, exemption or permitted display period has been validated for this category. Confirm the property use, whether the sign is at the listed property or off-site, and the applicable removal deadline. New-development marketing may be classified separately from an ordinary sale or lease sign. | ||
Event signage Commercial, community and private events | Review guidance only | Review guidance only. No size limit, fee, exemption or permitted display period has been validated for this category. Confirm the organizer, commercial content, sign format, location and display dates. Community events, private celebrations and election signs may follow separate rules; an event permit does not establish permission for every sign. |
“Up to” means we have the rule but not your dimensions — start a check and enter them to get your actual numbers. “Rule on file” means we have read the section and can take you to it, but have not turned it into a calculation — so no number, on purpose.
Permitted zone by zone — and with no brightness limit of any kind. There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
| Brightness | No numeric limit in this by-law No cap means no safe harbour either — the City can still object to a sign as a nuisance. |
| Hours it must be off or dimmed | None. There is no curfew anywhere in this by-law. |
| Up-lighting | Not addressed The by-law says nothing about the direction of light. Not the same as permission. |
| Near housing | In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document. s.4.1.2(3), s.4.1.3(4), s.3.4.1 |
There is no brightness cap — no nits, no lux, no dimming duty, no curfew. That is a finding, not a gap: an illuminated or digital sign in Oshawa is governed by form and area alone. The consequence is that there is no safe harbour either, and nothing to point to when a neighbour complains. Our reading — not yet quoted from the by-law; confirm with the City
You said this one has no digital or changing message, so we have left those rules out. If that changes, they are in s.3.11.1.
Read it yourself: s.4.2.2, s.4.2.10, s.4.3.9, s.4.4.3, s.4.5.8; restrictions at s.3.1.20, s.3.3.1 of Sign By-law 72-96, as amended ↗
Calculated from Oshawa’s published schedule — $321 per sign.
⚠ Variance fees come from a January 2025 application form which states its own figures index up 3% every January 1 — so the published amounts are out of date by the form’s own admission.
$321 flat per sign regulated by the Ontario Building Code, with a $160 minimum. A temporary sign permit is $140.
No verified processing target is recorded here for Oshawa. Ask the sign-permit office which review stream applies, when its clock starts, and whether other approvals are prerequisites.
Our fee figure is out of date, so we are not showing it (last verified Jan 2025 — over a year ago). Decided by the Director of Planning Services, on a staff recommendation; a controversial application, or an application proposed to be denied, may be sent to Council at the Commissioner’s discretion. No appeal route is stated in the by-law — ask the municipality whether there is one. Confirm the current fee with the municipality.
The entered details do not establish whether professional design or construction review is required. The 2024 Ontario Building Code Compendium, Division C, Articles 1.2.1.2.(6)–(7) and 1.2.2.1.(8)–(9), distinguishes design from construction review and permits an architect, professional engineer or both for these sign provisions. Confirm the applicable Code edition, sign classification, each face area, total weight, height and mounting with the municipal building-permit office. Being below a listed threshold does not clear other structural or local requirements. Official Code source: https://www.publications.gov.on.ca/store/20170501121/Free_Download_Files/301880.pdf
72-96 · Last updated April 2023 · PDF, 48 pages
Open the by-law ↗Straight to the sections the numbers above come from:
| What you want | Where it is | |
|---|---|---|
| Wall signs | s.4.3.3(2) — 30% of the first-storey facade, to 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) per sign, and 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) combined on the street-facing walls of a multi-tenant building; the Central Business District is 25% and 15% | open · p.21 ↗ |
| Ground signs | s.4.3.3(6) with s.3.8 — 0.3 m² (3.2 sq ft) per metre of street line to 10.0 m² (108 sq ft), 3.6 m (12 ft) tall, 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) from the street line | open · p.22 ↗ |
| Variance | There is none. By-law 72-96 contains no variance provision — the route is an application form and a staff decision | open ↗ |
| Structure | s.1.8.2 — a building permit for every sign the Ontario Building Code applies to; s.3.1.15 — every sign complies with the Building Code Act | open · p.5 ↗ |
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:
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.
“1.8.2 All SIGNS subject to the Ontario Building Code shall be required to obtain a building permit.”
Structure: s.1.8.2 — a building permit for every sign the Ontario Building Code applies to; s.3.1.15 — every sign complies with the Building Code Act
“3.1.15 Every SIGN shall comply with the provisions of the Building Code Act.”
Structure: s.1.8.2 — a building permit for every sign the Ontario Building Code applies to; s.3.1.15 — every sign complies with the Building Code Act
“4.3 Signs in Planned Commercial Centre, Planned Strip Commercial-A (Excluding Planned Strip Commercial-B Zones), Special Purpose Commercial, Convenience Commercial, Hamlet Commercial, Harbour Commercial, Automobile Service Station, Industrial, Airport, Mixed Use-B and Mixed Use-C Zones”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
“4.4 Signs in Office Zones, Mixed Use-A Zone, and Planned Strip Commercial-B Zone (9-2023)”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
“4.4.3 SIGNS for all uses other than solely residential uses shall comply with Article 4.1.3, with the additional provision that FASCIA and GROUND SIGNS may be ILLUMINATED.”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
“4.1.3(1) Only one FASCIA SIGN per vehicular entrance and one GROUND SIGN per vehicle entrance shall be permitted. 4.1.3(2) A FASCIA SIGN shall have a maximum SIGN AREA of 3.0m 2 . 4.1.3(3) A GROUND SIGN shall have a maximum SIGN HEIGHT of 1.5m and a maximum SIGN AREA of 3.0m 2 . 4.1.3(4) No GROUND SIGNS shall be ILLUMINATED.”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
“4.3.3(2) A FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall not exceed 30 percent of the FACADE of the FIRST STOREY and may be located on any STOREY; notwithstanding the foregoing, no FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall exceed a maximum SIGN AREA of 100m 2 .”
The zone name is not enough in Oshawa. Planned Strip Commercial-B is expressly excluded from the commercial subsection and routed to s.4.4, which applies the MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL standard of s.4.1.3 — one fascia sign and one ground sign per vehicular entrance, each no more than 3.0 m² (32 sq ft), the ground sign no taller than 1.5 m (s.4.4 does allow both to be illuminated). A Planned Strip Commercial-A property next door can have a 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) wall sign. Office and Mixed Use-A zones land in the same place. Both checks flagged this as the highest-risk thing in the by-law. Confirm the exact zone under Zoning By-law 60-94 before quoting.
Read the denominator carefully: it is the first-storey wall face, and it stays the first-storey wall face even when the sign goes on an upper floor (s.4.3.3(2)). Going higher buys you nothing. A multi-tenant building is capped on the COMBINED area of all its wall signs — 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) on walls facing a street, and only 5% to a combined 50 m² (538 sq ft) on walls that do not. The Central Business District is a different rule again: 25% of the first-storey face, 15% of an upper-storey face measured against that storey, and no m² cap at all.
Wall signs may cover up to 30% of the facade of the first storey (the by-law’s definition of facade is not quoted here). For example, a storefront 10 m (33 ft) wide with a 4 m (13 ft) tall first storey works out to 12 m² (129 sq ft).
Whatever the percentage gives, the allowance stops at 100 m² (1,076 sq ft).
“4.3.3(1) Only one FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall be permitted facing each STREET LINE. In addition, one FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall be permitted for each wall not facing a STREET LINE provided the wall faces a non-residential ZONE or the wall faces a Residential ZONE and the wall is setback a minimum of 25m from that Residential ZONE.”
One per street line, plus one for each wall that does not face a street line where that wall faces a non-residential zone or sits at least 25 m (82 ft) back from a residential one. A multi-tenant building adds one per mall or corridor entrance and one per unit with its own street-facing door or window.
“4.3.4(2) One additional FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall be permitted for each public entrance to a mall or corridor which provides access to PREMISES.”
One per street line, plus one for each wall that does not face a street line where that wall faces a non-residential zone or sits at least 25 m (82 ft) back from a residential one. A multi-tenant building adds one per mall or corridor entrance and one per unit with its own street-facing door or window.
“4.3.4(3) One additional FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN shall be permitted for each PREMISES which has a door for direct public entry/egress which faces a STREET LINE or window exposure which faces a STREET LINE.”
One per street line, plus one for each wall that does not face a street line where that wall faces a non-residential zone or sits at least 25 m (82 ft) back from a residential one. A multi-tenant building adds one per mall or corridor entrance and one per unit with its own street-facing door or window.
“4.3.4(4) The combined SIGN AREA of all FASCIA or CANOPY SIGNS on walls facing a STREET LINE shall not exceed 30 percent of the FACADE of the FIRST STOREY; notwithstanding the foregoing, the combined SIGN AREA of all FASCIA or CANOPY SIGNS facing a STREET LINE shall not exceed 150m 2 .”
Read the denominator carefully: it is the first-storey wall face, and it stays the first-storey wall face even when the sign goes on an upper floor (s.4.3.3(2)). Going higher buys you nothing. A multi-tenant building is capped on the COMBINED area of all its wall signs — 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) on walls facing a street, and only 5% to a combined 50 m² (538 sq ft) on walls that do not. The Central Business District is a different rule again: 25% of the first-storey face, 15% of an upper-storey face measured against that storey, and no m² cap at all.
“4.3.4(5) The combined SIGN AREA of all FASCIA or CANOPY SIGNS on walls not facing a STREET LINE shall not exceed 5 percent of the FACADE of the FIRST STOREY; notwithstanding the foregoing, the combined SIGN AREA of all FASCIA or CANOPY SIGNS on walls not facing a STREET LINE shall not exceed 50m 2 .”
Read the denominator carefully: it is the first-storey wall face, and it stays the first-storey wall face even when the sign goes on an upper floor (s.4.3.3(2)). Going higher buys you nothing. A multi-tenant building is capped on the COMBINED area of all its wall signs — 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) on walls facing a street, and only 5% to a combined 50 m² (538 sq ft) on walls that do not. The Central Business District is a different rule again: 25% of the first-storey face, 15% of an upper-storey face measured against that storey, and no m² cap at all.
“4.2.5 A FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN on the FIRST STOREY shall not exceed 25 percent of the FACADE of the FIRST STOREY. 4.2.6 A FASCIA or CANOPY SIGN on an upper STOREY shall not exceed 15 percent of the FACADE of the upper STOREY.”
Read the denominator carefully: it is the first-storey wall face, and it stays the first-storey wall face even when the sign goes on an upper floor (s.4.3.3(2)). Going higher buys you nothing. A multi-tenant building is capped on the COMBINED area of all its wall signs — 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) on walls facing a street, and only 5% to a combined 50 m² (538 sq ft) on walls that do not. The Central Business District is a different rule again: 25% of the first-storey face, 15% of an upper-storey face measured against that storey, and no m² cap at all.
“3.6.2 A FASCIA SIGN shall have a maximum projection of 0.5m from any wall to which it is attached.”
It can stick out no more than 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) from the wall.
“3.6.3(1) No FASCIA SIGN shall extend vertically above a roof line unless it is affixed to an architectural feature of a building. (12-2017) 3.6.3(2) No FASCIA SIGN affixed to an architectural feature of a building shall extend more than 2m vertically above a roof line. (12-2017) 3.6.3(3) Notwithstanding Article 3.6.3(2), a FASCIA SIGN which solely exhibits a corporate logo and is affixed to an architectural feature of a building may extend”
not above the roof line unless fixed to an architectural feature, and then no more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) above it — 4 m (13 ft) for a sign carrying only a corporate logo
“more than 2m vertically above a roof line but it shall not extend more than 4m vertically above a roof line.”
not above the roof line unless fixed to an architectural feature, and then no more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) above it — 4 m (13 ft) for a sign carrying only a corporate logo
“4.3.3(3) Except as provided in Sentence 4.3.3(4), only one GROUND or PYLON SIGN shall be permitted for each STREET LINE. 4.3.3(4) Two GROUND or PYLON SIGNS shall be permitted for each STREET LINE which exceeds 120m. 4.3.3(5) GROUND or PYLONS SIGNS on the same LOT shall be separated by not less than 15m. 4.3.3(6) The SIGN AREA of a GROUND or PYLON SIGN shall not exceed a ratio of 0.3m 2 for each metre of STREET LINE up to a maximum of 10.0m 2 .”
The ground sign allowance tops out at 10 m² (108 sq ft), however big the building or lot.
One ground sign per street line.
One per street line, two where that street line runs more than 120 m (394 ft). A multi-tenant plaza gets no more than a single-tenant building — the per-unit multipliers apply to wall signs only.
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).
Two of these signs must be at least 15 m (49 ft) apart.
“4.2.1 No PERSON shall erect or display, or cause to be erected or displayed, a SIGN in the Central Business District ZONE except in compliance with the provisions of this Subsection. 4.2.2 Solely residential uses shall be permitted SIGNS in compliance with Subsection 4.1, with the additional provision that FASCIA and GROUND SIGNS may be ILLUMINATED.”
Ground and pylon signs appear not to be permitted for commercial uses in the Central Business District. s.4.2.1 is a closed list — nothing may be erected there except in compliance with that subsection — and the only mention of a ground sign in it applies to solely residential uses. Both checks reached this independently. It is a permission-by-omission reading, so confirm with the City before assuming a pylon is available downtown.
“4.3.4(6) GROUND and PYLON SIGNS shall be permitted in accordance with Article 4.3.3.”
One per street line, two where that street line runs more than 120 m (394 ft). A multi-tenant plaza gets no more than a single-tenant building — the per-unit multipliers apply to wall signs only.
“3.8.2 No GROUND SIGN shall exceed 3.6m in SIGN HEIGHT unless otherwise specified.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
The ground sign can be no taller than 3.6 m (12 ft).
Height bands: 3.6 m (12 ft) for a ground sign; 8.0 m (26 ft) if it is a pylon on poles
“3.9.2 No PYLON SIGN shall exceed 8.0m in SIGN HEIGHT unless otherwise specified.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
Height bands: 3.6 m (12 ft) for a ground sign; 8.0 m (26 ft) if it is a pylon on poles
“3.8.3 GROUND SIGNS shall have a minimum setback from the STREET LINE of 1.0m, unless otherwise specified.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
Keep it at least 1 m (3 ft 3 in) back from the property line.
““STREET LINE” means the boundary between a LOT or a 0.3m reserve and the HIGHWAY upon which the LOT or 0.3m reserve abuts.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
“4.3.6 An automobile sales or service establishment may have one additional GROUND or PYLON SIGN, having a maximum SIGN AREA of 7.0m 2 , erected or displayed on the LOT, provided that a minimum separation of 15m is provided between any other GROUND SIGN or PYLON SIGN on the same side of the HIGHWAY.”
Oshawa treats ground and pylon as different things and the difference is worth money: a ground sign is capped at 3.6 m (12 ft), a pylon on poles at 8.0 m (s.3.8.2, s.3.9.2). Area is the same for both. The 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) setback is measured from the STREET LINE, which Oshawa defines as the boundary between the highway and either the lot or a 0.3 m (1 ft) reserve — so where a reserve fronts the lot, the setback is measured from the reserve’s edge at the highway, not from your own property line. An automobile sales or service use gets one extra sign at 7.0 m² (75 sq ft), kept 15 m (49 ft) from any other ground or pylon sign on the same side of the road.
“3.11.1 One READ-O-GRAPH and/or time, date and temperature display shall be permitted to be incorporated into a DISPLAY SURFACE as part of the permitted maximum SIGN AREA on FASCIA SIGNS, GROUND SIGNS, PYLON SIGNS, MENU ORDER BOARDS, PRE-MENU BOARDS and PROJECTING SIGNS.”
One read-o-graph and/or a time, date and temperature display may be built into a fascia, ground, pylon, projecting, menu order or pre-menu board sign
Easy to miss: the permission is for ONE read-o-graph incorporated into a display surface, and its area counts inside the permitted maximum sign area rather than being added to it. Within 400 m (1,312 ft) of a provincial highway, s.3.1.16 records the Ministry of Transportation rule that no signs with flashing lights, moving parts or read-o-graphs are permitted. No certification, dimming or commissioning condition appears.
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
“within 400m of the limits of a PROVINCIAL HIGHWAY all SIGNS require the approval of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.”
Easy to miss: the permission is for ONE read-o-graph incorporated into a display surface, and its area counts inside the permitted maximum sign area rather than being added to it. Within 400 m (1,312 ft) of a provincial highway, s.3.1.16 records the Ministry of Transportation rule that no signs with flashing lights, moving parts or read-o-graphs are permitted. No certification, dimming or commissioning condition appears.
“(e) no signs with flashing lights, moving parts or read-o-graphs are permitted.”
Easy to miss: the permission is for ONE read-o-graph incorporated into a display surface, and its area counts inside the permitted maximum sign area rather than being added to it. Within 400 m (1,312 ft) of a provincial highway, s.3.1.16 records the Ministry of Transportation rule that no signs with flashing lights, moving parts or read-o-graphs are permitted. No certification, dimming or commissioning condition appears.
“4.3.9 Every FASCIA, CANOPY, GROUND or PYLON SIGN may be ILLUMINATED.”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.2.10 Every FASCIA, CANOPY or PROJECTING SIGN may be ILLUMINATED.”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.5.8 Every FASCIA, CANOPY, GROUND or PYLON SIGN may be ILLUMINATED.”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.3 Signs in Planned Commercial Centre, Planned Strip Commercial-A (Excluding Planned Strip Commercial-B Zones), Special Purpose Commercial, Convenience Commercial, Hamlet Commercial, Harbour Commercial, Automobile Service Station, Industrial, Airport, Mixed Use-B and Mixed Use-C Zones”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.5 Signs in Open Space, Institutional, Cemetery, Agricultural and Mineral Aggregate Zones”
There is no general permission. Each zone grants it separately: every fascia, canopy, ground or pylon sign “may be ILLUMINATED” in the commercial, industrial, airport and mixed-use zones listed in s.4.3 (s.4.3.9), the same words appear for the open space, institutional, cemetery, agricultural and mineral aggregate zones (s.4.5.8), and in the Central Business District for fascia, canopy and projecting signs (s.4.2.10), and for the fascia and ground signs of a solely residential use (s.4.2.2). Office, MU-A and PSC-B zones get fascia and ground sign illumination under s.4.4.3.
“4.1.2 An ACCESSORY SIGN to a bed and breakfast establishment in a Residential ZONE shall comply with the conditions of this Article. (1999-18)”
In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document.
“4.1.2(3) No ACCESSORY SIGN shall be ILLUMINATED. (1999-18)”
In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document.
“4.1.3(4) No GROUND SIGNS shall be ILLUMINATED.”
In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document.
“3.4.1 Subject to compliance with the provisions of Subsection 3.1, the following SIGNS are permitted in all ZONES and may be ILLUMINATED: (a) ADDRESS SIGNS;”
In residential zones the limits are absolute rather than dimensional: a bed and breakfast’s accessory sign may not be illuminated (s.4.1.2(3)), and the ground sign of a multiple residential use, home for the aged, nursing home or retirement home may not be either (s.4.1.3(4)). Only the signs permitted in every zone by s.3.4.1 (address, directional, incidental and window signs, among others) are expressly allowed to be illuminated anywhere. There is no light-trespass or spill limit measured at a residential lot line anywhere in the document.
“3.1.20 No SIGN shall be ILLUMINATED by or contain a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light, beam or beacon.”
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
“3.3.1 No PERSON shall erect or display, or cause to be erected or displayed, the following SIGNS: (a) FLASHING SIGNS; (b) ANIMATED SIGNS;”
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
““READ-O-GRAPH” means a SIGN indicating an electronic message via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns which form words or numbers.”
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
““ANIMATED SIGN” means a SIGN with a SIGN FACE which moves in whole or in part and includes a rotating SIGN, but does not include a clock, a time, date or temperature display or a READ-O-GRAPH.”
The digital provisions contradict each other on their face. s.3.1.20 forbids a sign illuminated by or containing “a flashing, intermittent, rotating or changing light” and s.3.3.1 prohibits flashing and animated signs — yet a read-o-graph is defined as a sign displaying an electronic message “via ILLUMINATED, moving and changing light patterns” and s.3.11.1 expressly permits one. The animated-sign definition carves read-o-graphs out; s.3.1.20 does not.
“4. Planning Services staff will review and provide a recommendation to the Director of Planning Services for a decision.”
the Director of Planning Services, on a staff recommendation; a controversial application, or an application proposed to be denied, may be sent to Council at the Commissioner’s discretion
“7. Any controversial applications or applications that are proposed to be denied may be forwarded by the Commissioner at their discretion for Council’s consideration.”
the Director of Planning Services, on a staff recommendation; a controversial application, or an application proposed to be denied, may be sent to Council at the Commissioner’s discretion
“74. Sign (Regulated by the Ontario Building Code) $321 flat fee”
The permit is a flat $321.
$321 flat per sign regulated by the Ontario Building Code, with a $160 minimum. A temporary sign permit is $140.
“A minimum fee of $160 shall be charged unless the fee is a larger amount as otherwise stated in this”
The smallest permit fee is $160.
$321 flat per sign regulated by the Ontario Building Code, with a $160 minimum. A temporary sign permit is $140.
“Temporary Sign Permit $140”
$321 flat per sign regulated by the Ontario Building Code, with a $160 minimum. A temporary sign permit is $140.
“o $793 processing fee for residential signs o $1,401 processing fee for non-residential signs o $283 processing fee for all signs in Urban Growth Centre (UGC) Zone”
Asking for a variance (permission to go beyond the by-law) costs $1,401.
$1,401 non-residential, $793 residential, $283 in the Urban Growth Centre (UGC) zone, from the January 2026 application form, which notes that Planning Services fees increase by 3% each January 1
“January 2026 Application for Variance(s) to Sign By-law”
$1,401 non-residential, $793 residential, $283 in the Urban Growth Centre (UGC) zone, from the January 2026 application form, which notes that Planning Services fees increase by 3% each January 1
“1. The City of Oshawa’s Planning Services processing fees for applications increase annually by 3%, each January 1 st in accordance with the Fees and Charges By-law.”
$1,401 non-residential, $793 residential, $283 in the Urban Growth Centre (UGC) zone, from the January 2026 application form, which notes that Planning Services fees increase by 3% each January 1
“(Effective January 1, 2026)”
These fees are from the 2026 fee schedule.
What we collect, why, and who handles it
The check itself runs in your browser. The address you type, the measurements you enter, the answers you give the checklist, the result and the report are worked out on your own device. Address lookup and picked coordinates are processed as described below. Local checks stay on your device unless you explicitly choose Save to my account. That optional action sends the saved project name, address, measurements and selected answers to SignAllow, together with a dated result summary and the full research and customer-summary PDFs. These reports include the government map findings and source dates shown at the time of saving. Local history is never uploaded automatically.
While you fill in a check before submission, the tool automatically keeps one unfinished draft in this browser. It contains your address, municipality, sign type, form inputs and measurements, manual review choices, form step, last-edit time and, if you selected an address suggestion, its coordinates. Automatic map findings, calculated reports, account identifiers and payment details are not saved in the draft. Purpose: restore unfinished work without signing in or using a check. Drafts are not uploaded to your account or synchronized to other devices. Anyone using this browser profile can see the restored draft.
A draft expires 7 days after its last edit and is removed when the tool is next opened. Start fresh, a successful check, or clearing this site’s browser data removes it earlier. Opening a different check and editing it replaces the unfinished draft; existing saved projects and past checks are not deleted. Other tabs cannot silently overwrite a changed draft. Storage restrictions or private browsing may prevent saving or retaining it, and the tool shows a message when a save fails. On restoration, saved coordinates refresh the existing same-origin government map lookups described below; only the point is forwarded to those map servers. Old automatic findings are not treated as current.
Some things do leave your browser. This notice says exactly which, why, who handles them and for how long. It describes what the site does today.
To avoid charging again for a property refinement, your browser sends SignAllow a one-way fingerprint of the normalised address and municipality, plus a signed allowance when returning. The meter does not receive the raw address or measurements. A fingerprint may still be linkable to an address; we do not treat it as anonymous. The signed allowance contains that fingerprint, the municipality, issue and expiry times, and an opaque account or browser identifier. It is used only to validate the 90-day revision period, not for advertising or analytics, and is not sent to map providers.
Visitors receive an essential, secure browser-identification cookie lasting up to 90 days; each new visitor check can renew the cookie, but never extends an existing allowance. Browser storage keeps up to 100 recent allowances until removed or replaced. Clearing past checks removes those local allowances; clearing cookies removes visitor access to them. When you explicitly save a project, its allowance is stored with the inputs in our existing Cloudflare database and bound to your account, with the same expiry. People authorised to open the project can use it under that account. It remains with the project until updated or deleted; it is excluded from customer reports, share links and personal project-detail exports.
When you choose Notes & next steps and save, we store the current notes text (up to 4,000 characters), next step (up to 500 characters), completion status, last editor’s membership email, save date, revision and accepted Privacy Notice version in our existing Cloudflare database. These are internal working notes to help you and selected project collaborators coordinate work. Anyone currently allowed to edit the project can read and update them; removing shared access also removes access to notes. They do not change the by-law assessment and are not included in report PDFs, web reports, shared check links or private project duplicates. Saving replaces the current notes; we do not keep a notes revision history. Clear text and save to remove it. The latest save date, editor email and revision remain with the project until its creator deletes the project or asks us to delete it. Project deletion removes these notes and metadata too. Existing database backups may retain deleted data temporarily as described below.
When you choose Give feedback and send the form, we store the category, message (up to 4,000 characters), optional reply email, a random submission reference, submission date and accepted Privacy Notice version in our existing Cloudflare review queue. If you tick Include basic diagnostics, we also store the page category, screen-size group and site build shown in the form. We do not attach the URL, address, project, report, account identity or browsing history. We use this to investigate problems and plan improvements, and may use your supplied email to respond about your message. No marketing subscription is created. Feedback is deleted after 12 months when the next feedback submission triggers cleanup; you may request earlier deletion from the Privacy Officer. Existing provider backups may retain deleted records temporarily. A separate keyed connection counter limits submissions for one hour; the connection address is not stored with feedback.
You may optionally save an internal job number of up to 64 characters with a project, alongside its existing name. It follows the project’s existing access, sharing and deletion rules. It is used for account display and search and included in your personal project-details export. It is excluded from customer PDFs, web reports and shared check links. Editing names or job numbers changes current project metadata without replacing earlier report versions.
If you have an active membership, you can explicitly save up to 200 projects to your account. We store the project name, check inputs (including address, municipality, sign type, dimensions and selected checklist answers), creation and update dates, the Privacy Notice version confirmed when saving, and an account-linked identifier in our existing Cloudflare database. Each new save can also retain a dated result summary, report reference, software and rules versions, and both generated PDFs in the same database, including map findings and source dates contained in the reports. Up to 20 dated versions are retained per project, with no automatic removal of older versions. This lets you reopen inputs or view and download the original saved reports on another device after signing in. New projects are private to the person who saved them, including individual teammates. On an active Pro account, the creator can explicitly share a project and all its dated versions with selected current teammates. Those selected can view and edit inputs, save new versions, download reports and make private duplicates. Only the creator can manage sharing or delete the project and its versions. We store the sharing selection and update date, creator and selected teammate email addresses, and the email address of the person saving each new report version. Selected collaborators can see the creator and saver email addresses. The sharing chooser lists existing team email addresses so a creator can select the intended people; it does not add people to the billing account.
We retain saved projects and dated versions until the creator deletes them or asks us to delete them. Sharing selections remain until the creator changes them, deletes the project, or a relevant teammate is removed. Removing a teammate revokes their shared access, and removes sharing on projects they created; re-adding the person does not restore those grants. Shared access is paused without an active Pro plan. Removing access cannot recall reports already downloaded or private duplicates already created. The creator can delete an individual dated version, or delete a project and all its versions. Cancelling a membership does not automatically delete projects: the account holder can still sign in to open, download or delete them, but an active membership is required to save changes. A removed teammate loses access; contact the Privacy Officer for access or deletion assistance. Deleting a project removes it and all its dated versions from the active database; provider recovery copies may remain under Cloudflare’s backup retention. Clearing browser history does not delete account-saved projects.
When you choose System, Light or Dark while signed in, we store that choice, an account-linked identifier, a revision number and the latest save time in our existing Cloudflare database. Each teammate has a separate preference. It is used only to apply your theme across signed-in devices; it is not a marketing event and contains no check or project details. We keep the current preference until you replace it or ask the Privacy Officer to delete it. System follows each device’s own appearance setting. The effective browser choice is cached locally to apply it before the page loads; visitors use this browser-only storage. Clearing browser data removes the local copy, not the account preference. We do not upload an existing browser choice until you explicitly select or save a theme, or use the header theme switch while signed in.
SRD Media Group Inc., carrying on business as SignAllow, is responsible for personal information under its control, including information that service providers handle for us. Our privacy contact is the Privacy Officer: admin@signallow.ca.
For each top-up, our existing Cloudflare database stores your Stripe customer, payment and checkout identifiers, amount paid including tax, five-check credit amount, counts used and reversed following refunds or disputes, and creation and update times. We use these records to deliver the purchase once, show the remaining balance, preserve it after subscription cancellation and handle refunds without removing unrelated purchases. They contain no addresses, measurements or reports. The records are kept while a purchased balance remains available, then under the purchase-record retention period below. Purchased checks have no expiry.
Stripe processes payments for us. Your card details go directly to Stripe; we never see or store a card number. From Stripe we receive only the items listed under "If you pay". Stripe also handles some information under its own privacy policy for its own purposes, such as fraud prevention and its legal obligations. Cancelling, changing a card and downloading receipts happen in Stripe's billing portal, which we open for you.
If you choose to use Ask Scout, your questions, recent conversation, relevant project specifications and maintained by-law evidence are sent to OpenAI to prepare an answer. Scout is AI, is in beta and can make mistakes. Do not include confidential business information, personal information you do not need to share, credentials or payment details. Project names, internal job numbers, addresses, internal project notes, account emails, billing records, owner information and development records are not automatically sent. Information you type into chat may still contain those details; omit them.
Scout conversations are private to the signed-in person, including within a Pro team, and remain in our existing Cloudflare database. We keep up to 50 conversations with up to 60 questions each. Conversations expire after 90 days without activity and are removed during the next Scout cleanup request. You can delete a conversation in Ask Scout. Deletion removes the conversation content from our active database; it does not recall a request already processed by OpenAI or erase provider security logs. Saved projects and reports are separate and are not changed by chat.
OpenAI is an additional service provider for this optional feature. We use its API with response storage disabled. API content is not used to train OpenAI models by default; abuse-monitoring logs may contain content and ordinarily remain for up to 30 days, subject to OpenAI’s stated exceptions. We do not promise zero provider retention or Canada-only processing. See OpenAI API data controls.
We retain message counts, model names, token usage and estimated cost for up to 90 days, with removal during subsequent cleanup, to enforce allowances and control operating costs. These usage records do not contain question or answer text. Our normal service logs and backup handling also apply. Contact admin@signallow.ca for privacy requests, including after membership ends.
We use these service providers to run SignAllow. Each handles only what it needs to for the service it provides to us:
These providers process information in the United States and may do so in other countries. Information processed outside Canada is subject to the laws of those countries and may be accessible to their courts, law enforcement and national security authorities. We remain responsible for information we transfer to them for processing, and each provider also has its own privacy practices.
Project save and delete requests also use hourly counters linked to a hashed account identifier, to prevent automated abuse.
We collect as little as the service allows. Your proposed sign measurements and checklist answers stay on your device unless you explicitly save an account project. Generated reports stay on your device. Address suggestions and picked coordinates are processed only as described above. Beyond that, all traffic is encrypted, access tokens are random and held in cookies your browser's scripts cannot read, recovery codes are stored only as hashes, and access to the database and provider accounts is limited to the person who operates SignAllow.
If a breach of security safeguards involving personal information under our control creates a real risk of significant harm, we will report it to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and notify the people affected as soon as feasible. We keep a record of every breach of security safeguards involving personal information for at least 24 months.
You can ask what personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it. Write to admin@signallow.ca from the email address concerned; that is how we confirm the request is yours. We answer within 30 days. Deleting a purchase record ends the access it holds, and records the law requires us to keep, such as tax records, are kept for the required period and then deleted.
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your information or a request, tell us first at admin@signallow.ca. You can also complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
Three cookies, all strictly functional, all unreadable by the page's scripts: one counts your free checks, one lists the municipalities you have checked in the last 24 hours, and one carries your access token if you have paid.
A fourth cookie is set only if you arrive from one of our ads: it holds that ad’s click identifier for up to 90 days, as described above. It is our own cookie, not Google’s. You can remove it by clearing this site’s cookies.
Your browser's own storage (not a cookie) also keeps things for your convenience, on your device only: which version of the terms you accepted and its reference number, so you are not asked again; the kind of user you said you are, if you chose one; and your past checks, with any project name you gave them (the address, municipality, sign type, building type, lighting choice and measurements, and the headline answer). Local history is not sent to us automatically. Account projects are stored only when you choose to save them, as described above. You can see and clear local history on the Account page in the checker, or by clearing your browser's site data.
There is no analytics cookie and no third-party tracker: no Google, social media or other advertising script runs on this site, and no one else’s cookie is set. Page statistics come from Cloudflare Web Analytics, which does not use cookies.
When address suggestions are switched on, the text you type in the address field is sent to SignAllow as you type it, and SignAllow passes it to Geoapify, a geocoding service, which returns matching addresses. Geoapify receives only the text typed; it does not receive your IP address from us, your other choices, or any cookie. Address suggestions do not create a saved project; SignAllow's server may hold a copy of the suggestions for up to an hour so the same partial address is not looked up twice. Purpose: to help you type an address and set the municipality. When suggestions are off, the address field is a plain text box and what you type there stays in your browser unless you explicitly save an account project. Whether suggestions are on is shown by whether a list appears under the field.
When you pick a suggested address in one of the municipalities that publishes its zoning as a map service (today: Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Mississauga, Burlington and Milton), SignAllow sends the coordinates of that address — a latitude and longitude, nothing else — to SignAllow and on to that municipality’s own public zoning map server, which returns the zone at that point. The municipality receives a point; it does not receive the address text, your IP address from us, your other choices, or any cookie. SignAllow’s server may hold the answer for that point for up to an hour. Purpose: to set the sign district from the zoning, which you can change. This happens only after you choose a suggestion, never as you type, and only for those municipalities.
After you pick an address suggestion, your browser sends its latitude, longitude and selected municipality to SignAllow to screen available government map layers. External map servers receive only the point and fixed query parameters, not the address text, your IP address from us, your cookies, sign measurements or report. SignAllow may cache a map answer at the edge for up to one hour. Results and source dates are displayed in the check and included in the full PDF and saved web report; the customer summary excludes the overlay cards. Manual answers remain yours to change. Typing an address without selecting a suggestion does not trigger this lookup. If you go to checkout, the picked point is temporarily kept in your browser tab so the maps can be checked again when you return. This temporary copy is removed when the check is restored.
“Copy link for your team” makes a link that carries the details of your check (the address, municipality, sign type, building type, lighting choice, measurements and project name) in the part of the link after the # sign. Browsers do not send that part to any server, so it does not reach us; anyone you send the link to can open it and see those details. Share it as you would share the address itself.
A PDF or web page you download is generated in your browser and saved to your device. We do not receive a copy.
Each version of this notice has a version number and an effective date, shown below, and earlier versions are kept.
Privacy Notice, version 2026-09-27.14, effective 27 September 2026.
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.
