Illuminated Signs & LED Neon Signs in Vancouver

In Vancouver, signs on private property are regulated by the City's Sign By-law, and the City of Vancouver issues the sign permits (applications go to the Director of Planning). According to the City:

• All signs on private property need a sign permit unless the by-law exempts them, and each sign needs its own permit. Exempt examples: a sign showing only the building number and street name, and a sign inside a building that cannot be seen from the street (if it is lit, it may still need building and electrical permits).
• Application: the owner or occupant and the contractor must hold a City business licence. You submit drawings showing the sign, its dimensions, materials and location, and pay the application fee. The work must be completed and a final inspection requested within twelve months of the permit being issued, or the permit lapses.
• Electrical and building permits: a permanently connected sign needs a separate electrical permit for the power connection, obtained by an electrical contractor. The City's guide also lists building permits for signs over 200 lb, projecting signs, freestanding signs and signs above the second storey.
• Lighting: flashing, blinking or intermittent lights are not allowed. An illuminated sign must not be lit from below and must not raise the ambient light on an adjacent street or site by more than 3.0 lux. Within 30 m of a home in the Residential Sign District, a sign facing that home must be switched off from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. unless the premises are open for business.
• Projecting signs (commercial sign district): one projecting sign at the first storey on each frontage, perpendicular to the wall, with the copy area limited to 40% of the sign area unless the sign contains only a logo. Over a part of the street used only by pedestrians it needs at least 2.75 m of clearance.

Gastown and Chinatown: these areas fall under the Chinatown and Gastown Historic Sign District. In Chinatown the by-law encourages colourful projecting signs using neon or neon-like LED lighting, and the permitted sign area can be increased by up to 100% when the sign is lit that way. In Gastown, illuminated signs may only be lit with neon or neon-like LED lighting, and fascia and projecting signs may not have a plastic face. A sign on a protected heritage site needs a sign permit, and the City's guide lists a Heritage Alteration Permit for properties on the Vancouver Heritage Register. Your sign district follows your zoning, which you can look up in the City's VanMap.

Window signs: the by-law exempts window signs from a permit if they stay within 30% of the glass area on the first storey (10% on the second storey). The City's guide, however, states that as a general rule window signs cannot be illuminated, apart from one small electronic message sign, while the by-law's exemption clause also mentions neon and neon-like LED lighting. Ask the City before you order a lit window sign.

Technical Safety BC issues electrical installation permits across the province but not in Vancouver, where you check with the City.

Sources: City of Vancouver – Get a sign permit, City of Vancouver – Sign By-law guide: business identification signs, Sign By-law Part 3, Part 5, Part 6, Part 9, Part 10, Technical Safety BC – electrical installation permits, as of October 2026. This is not legal advice – the local authority makes the final decision.

The City's sign permit application asks for drawings with metric dimensions, the sign's materials and how it is attached. With your free design preview you get:

• your sign shown on a photo of your storefront
• dimensions, materials and light colour
• which elements light up and which are printed

You or your sign installer submit the application.

• Indoor LED neon signs come with fixings and a plug-in power supply – hang it up and plug it in, step by step in our installation guide.
• Outdoor signs, light boxes and hard-wired signs should be connected by a qualified electrician, and in Vancouver the power connection of a permanently connected sign needs its own electrical permit, obtained by an electrical contractor.

Tell us where the sign will go and we will tell you what you need for installation.

• LED neon signs – for café, bar and salon interiors in Mount Pleasant, Kitsilano and along Main Street
• Back-lit acrylic letters – halo-lit letters for boutiques, clinics and offices
• Channel letters – illuminated letters for storefronts on Granville Street, Broadway or Kingsway
• Projecting signs – blade signs for Gastown and Chinatown, within the Sign By-law limits

All sign types at a glance

1. Send your logo, sketch or text – ideally with a photo of your storefront
2. Receive your free digital design preview
3. After your approval, production takes about 2–3 weeks
4. Insured delivery to your address in Vancouver

Every sign is dimmable and comes with a remote control and a 24-month warranty. Shipping is included – nothing extra to pay when it arrives.

Do I need a permit for an illuminated sign in Vancouver?
Yes, in almost all cases. All signs on private property need a sign permit from the City of Vancouver unless the Sign By-law exempts them, and a permanently connected sign needs a separate electrical permit for its power connection.

Can I have a neon sign in Gastown or Chinatown?
Yes. In Gastown, illuminated signs may only be lit with neon or neon-like LED lighting, and in Chinatown the Sign By-law encourages projecting signs lit that way. A sign on a protected heritage site needs a sign permit.

Do you install signs in Vancouver?
Indoor LED neon signs come with fixings and a plug-in power supply, so you can hang them yourself. For outdoor signs, light boxes and hard-wired signs we recommend a local electrician or sign installer.

Can I see the sign on my storefront before ordering?
Yes. Send us a photo of your storefront and we will show you a free design preview with your sign in place.