Illuminated Signs & LED Neon Signs in Montréal

In Montréal a commercial sign permit is issued by the borough where your premises are located, and Québec's French-language rules apply to the wording of the sign. According to the City of Montréal:

• Permit required: you need a commercial sign permit to install a commercial sign, modify an existing sign or replace a sign. You apply online or at the borough permit counter, and a specialised sign company can apply on your behalf.
• Prerequisite: a valid occupancy permit for the commercial or professional activity, or proof that you recently applied for one.
• Standards: the total sign area depends on the use, the size of the premises and the floor. A sign placed on an opening (window, exterior door) may cover no more than 30% of the opening. In some cases the sign must be made of separate letters. Movable or portable signs are prohibited, except for a new business under certain conditions. Animated light-message signs are only permitted in specific sectors of the city.
• Heritage sectors and buildings: some sectors and buildings have special standards to protect their historical, architectural or landscape value. Your application may need extra documents, such as a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration plan), and may be reviewed by the borough's planning advisory committee (CCU). The Ville-Marie borough adds that a building or sector protected under Québec's cultural property law also needs authorization from the Québec Ministry of Culture and Communications.
• Documents: scale plans (facade width, sign dimensions, position on the facade, anchoring, structure, materials), photos of the facade including neighbouring buildings, and a location certificate. Some boroughs also ask for the building owner's authorization, and an engineer's plan may be needed if the sign is on a post or projects more than 0.5 m from the wall.
• Fees and details vary by borough: for example, from $203 per sign in Ville-Marie and $273 per sign in Le Plateau-Mont-Royal.

Language of the sign (Charter of the French Language). According to the OQLF:

• Public signs and commercial advertising must be in French. Another language may be added as long as every message is also in French and French is clearly predominant in the same visual field.
• Clearly predominant means the French text takes up at least twice as much space as the text in another language, with visibility and legibility at least equal, including lighting. Opening hours, phone numbers, addresses, numbers and articles do not count towards French predominance.
• Since June 1, 2025, a business name with a non-French distinctive part, or a recognized trade-mark that is wholly or partly in another language, must be accompanied by French terms (a generic term, a descriptor or a slogan) when it is visible from outside the premises.
• A trade-mark may appear only in another language if no French version has been registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office; if a French version is registered, it must be displayed.
• Exceptions to French predominance: displays inside the premises that cannot be seen from outside, displays on a vehicle, and displays on a free-standing structure or pylon sign carrying more than two business names or trade-marks. The business name must still be accompanied by a French generic term.

Sources: City of Montréal – commercial sign permit, OQLF – display of trade-marks and business names, as of October 2026. This is not legal advice – the local authority makes the final decision.

The borough asks for scale plans and photos of your facade showing the sign, its dimensions, position, anchoring and materials. 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

If your business name needs French wording, tell us and we will show it in the preview. 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. A specialised sign company in Montréal can also apply for the permit and install a sign made elsewhere.

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

• LED neon signs – window signs for bars, cafés and salons on the Plateau and in the Mile End
• Back-lit acrylic letters – a discreet halo for older buildings in Vieux-Montréal
• Channel letters – illuminated letters for the storefront
• Projecting signs – visible along busy shopping streets, subject to your borough's rules

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 Montréal

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 Montréal?
Yes. A commercial sign permit is required to install, modify or replace a commercial sign. It is issued by the borough, and a valid occupancy permit is a prerequisite.

Does my sign have to be in French?
Public signs must be in French. Another language is allowed if French is clearly predominant: at least twice the space, with equal visibility and lighting. A business name with a non-French distinctive part, seen from outside, needs French terms alongside it, according to the OQLF.

What if my building is in a heritage sector?
Some sectors and buildings have special standards. Your application may need extra documents, such as a PIIA, and may be reviewed by the borough's planning advisory committee. Contact your borough's permit counter.

Do you install signs in Montréal?
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.