Building Signs in Philadelphia

Custom Building Signs Designed, Permitted, & Installed by a Local Team

A building sign is one of the few marketing investments that works every hour of every day, reaching foot traffic and passing vehicles without recurring ad spend. For Philadelphia businesses competing across neighborhoods with distinct commercial identities, the right exterior sign communicates permanence and invites trust before a customer ever steps inside. FASTSIGNS® of Main Line, PA delivers building signs in Philadelphia as a complete managed project: design, survey and permitting support, and professional installation, handled by a locally owned team with documented experience navigating area approval processes on behalf of clients.

We serve businesses throughout the Philadelphia area, including Ardmore, Delaware County, and Montgomery County. Our 4.9 average Google rating reflects the consistency our clients experience from the first consultation through completed installation.

Ready to put your brand on the building? Call us at (610) 632-6467 or request a quote online to get started.

Building Sign Types We Offer

Different business situations call for different sign solutions. We work with clients to identify the format that fits their building, their brand, and their audience.

Channel letters: Individually fabricated three-dimensional letters mounted directly to a facade. Often illuminated, channel letters display a business name or logo with a clean, professional appearance that reads clearly from the street.
Dimensional letters: Add depth and texture to a facade without requiring illumination. This is a strong choice for professional services and offices where an understated, substantial presence reads as credibility.
LED lit signs: Energy-efficient and visible day and night. Well-suited for businesses in high-traffic corridors where after-hours visibility matters.
Monument signs: Freestanding structures positioned near a property entrance at ground level. Effective for businesses set back from the street or located in campus-style and multi-tenant settings.
Wayfinding signage: Directs visitors to the correct entrance or area of a property. Useful for larger facilities, multi-suite buildings, and businesses with multiple access points.

What a Building Sign Does for Your Business

Unlike a digital campaign that requires ongoing spend and targeting decisions, a building sign works continuously for every person who passes your location. For a first-time visitor, your exterior is often the first brand impression they form before they walk through the door. A clearly designed custom building sign communicates stability and intentionality at that moment. Over time, consistent exterior signage reinforces brand recognition with repeat visitors and builds area recognition over time without additional investment.

Design, Permitting, & Installation Under One Roof

We handle graphic design, content development, project management, survey and permitting support, and installation as part of how we deliver building signs in Philadelphia. You don’t need to source a separate designer, coordinate with a permit expediter, or find your own installer.

A verified client review describes Lou attending a township approval meeting on the client’s behalf to facilitate sign approval and providing hands-on guidance in selecting the right sign type. That kind of involvement isn’t incidental. It’s how we work. Having one team coordinate design, permitting, and installation can reduce handoff delays and help keep your project moving without miscommunication between vendors.

Start Your Building Sign Project

Whether you’re opening a new location, refreshing an existing facade, or installing a custom building sign for the first time, FASTSIGNS® of Main Line, PA manages the project from concept through installation. We serve businesses across the Philadelphia area, including Ardmore, Delaware County, and Montgomery County.

Request a quote online or call our team directly at (610) 632-6467. We can discuss your location, your goals, and the options that make the most sense for your building.

Philadelphia Sign Permitting: What Business Owners Should Know

Exterior building signs in Philadelphia generally require both a Building Permit and a Zoning Permit issued by the City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). Illuminated signs require an additional Electrical Permit, and signs that project into the public right-of-way require separate approval from the Philadelphia Department of Streets.

The timeline and complexity of an application depend on the sign’s scope. Signs that qualify under the EZ Standard for Sign Installation don’t require submitted plans. In-person EZ applications are typically processed while you wait. Online EZ applications are processed within 5 business days. Applications that require plans are processed within 20 business days. Signs on historic properties require prior approval from the Philadelphia Historical Commission before L&I will accept a permit application.

Per City of Philadelphia L&I requirements, all installation work must be performed by a licensed contractor with an active license, current City taxes on file, and current insurance on file with L&I. The information above reflects current City of Philadelphia guidance and is provided as general context. Requirements can change, and what applies to a specific project depends on details like sign type, placement, illumination, and property classification. We recommend confirming current requirements with L&I directly or by working with our team, which offers survey and permitting support as part of its service range.

Planning Your Building Sign: Material, Placement & Illumination

Before fabrication begins, several decisions shape how a building sign functions and how long it lasts. Understanding the options helps you have a more productive conversation with our team.

Material Selection

Aluminum, acrylic, and high-density substrates each perform differently across Philadelphia’s seasonal temperature swings and precipitation patterns. Material choice affects both the visual result and the long-term durability of the sign. What works well in a sheltered interior application may not hold up the same way on an exposed exterior facade.

Placement & Mounting

Height, mounting method, and orientation determine how visible the sign is from the street and affect the structural approach required for installation. A sign mounted too high or at an angle that doesn’t face primary traffic can have less impact even when the design is strong.

Illumination Options

Front-lit, back-lit, halo-lit, and non-illuminated options each produce a different visual character during daylight and after dark. For businesses open across a range of hours, how a sign reads at night matters as much as how it reads at noon.

Architectural Fit

A sign’s design should account for the proportions and materials of the building it’s mounted to. A custom building sign that conflicts with the facade’s scale or character can work against the brand impression it’s meant to create, even when the design is well-executed on its own.