City officials often run afoul of their local business communities when attempting to enforce amortization schemes which specify specific time periods during which it’s assumed sign users have the opportunity to recoup their investments in existing, non-conforming signs. As explained here, however, the basis for amortization is fundamentally flawed because no actual compensation is received […]
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Is my sign a business asset that I can capitalize or expense?
The following article originally appeared on the Small Business Administration website in February 2001, but it was subsequently removed. In the late 1960s, the Internal Revenue Service determined that on-premise signs represent an accessory, real-property interest, and therefore, if you own your sign, you may depreciate it over a period of years. If you lease […]
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How will my business sign be regulated?
The following article originally appeared on the Small Business Administration website in February 2001, but it was subsequently removed. Signage is regulated through the following two categories: Building and electrical codes The construction, installation, and operation of any permanent business sign will need to conform to all applicable building and electrical codes. Because compliance with […]
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Fourteenth Amendment Application to Sign Control
Fourteenth Amendment Application to Sign Control Under the Fourteenth Amendment, applicable to the states and their subdivisions, a state or local-government regulation may not deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor deprive a person of equal protection of the laws. Due process. A fundamental requirement of due process […]
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Fifth Amendment Application to Sign Control
The Fifth Amendment applies to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. It contains two guarantees: The “due process” clause, as in the Fourteenth Amendment, protects citizens from government action that arbitrarily deprives them of a fundamental right without due process of law, and it applies to both the act itself and the procedures incidental to […]
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Signage Quarterly – Vol 1 – No 3 – 1978 Glossary
This glossary of terms is the creates a standard for consistency in signage terminology. It not only defines technical terms which are used to refer to sign materials and manufacturing, but also explains legal terminology which is relevant to signage, as well as words used when discussing the advertising functions of signs. It is hoped that these definitions will […]
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Signs, Legal Rights and Aesthetic Considerations (1972)
There are three general ways in which cultural constraints are enforced: through the use of police powers, eminent domain and taxation. Download Signs. Legal Rights and Aesthetic Considerations
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The Sign User’s Guide – A Marketing Guide (1988)
Sections include: Functions of Signs, The Importance of Signs, Sign Design, Selecting the Appropriate Type of Sign, Designing a Sign, How Much Should a Sign Cost?, Choosing the Copy for a Sign, The Importance of Sign Size to Advertising Effectiveness, Why Businesses Need Signage, The Importance of Marketing, Types of Advertising Media, Standard Measures of […]
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Cases on Sign Law (1975)
The exercise of power to regulate signs is not unlimited. This comprehensive look at the case law relating to signs. Download Cases on Sign Law.
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What’s Your Signage? (2004)
How On-Premise Signs Help Small Businesses Tap into a Hidden Profit Center A handbook developed by The New York State Small Business Development Center and the Signage Foundation for Communications Excellence. Download What’s Your Signage?
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