Lit channel letters
Built in Washington and California
In Baltimore City, a wall sign installed above the ground floor, or any sign over 100 square feet, gets Planning design review before the permit is issued.
Starting at $9.68 per inch
State guide
Channel Letters and Storefront Signs Shipped to Maryland
Maryland businesses can price LED channel letters online, have them built in Washington and California, and receive them ready for a licensed Maryland electrician to mount and connect. Banners and window graphics are printed in Renton, WA.
- Licensing agencyMaryland Department of Labor, electrical licensing board
- Who needs a licenseAnyone providing electrical services in Maryland
- Baltimore design reviewSigns over 100 sq ft or above the ground floor
- Annapolis historic districtCertificate of Approval; no internal lighting
Last reviewed against the official sources linked on this page.
What we ship
Channel Letters, Banners and Graphics Shipped to Maryland
Maryland requires a state-issued license to provide electrical services, issued through the Maryland Department of Labor’s electrical board, and counties and cities may also require a licensed electrician to register locally, so your installer may need both.
Baltimore City sends larger or higher signs to Planning for design review before a permit, and in Annapolis’s historic district a sign needs a Certificate of Approval and can’t be internally illuminated.
Banners and banner stands
Made in Renton, WA
Baltimore sends banners used as permanent wall signs to Planning design review, and Annapolis allows banners for a new business or promotion twice a year, up to 30 days each, with written approval.
Starting at $1.58 per ft2
Window graphics and vinyl
Made in Renton, WA
Starting at $1.98 per ft2
Flags and A-frames
Made in Renton, WA
Starting at $16 per item
Trade show displays
Made in Renton, WA
Starting at $269.50 per item
Popular choices
Popular Signs for Maryland Storefronts
Lit letters for rowhouse storefronts and suburban centers alike.
Type 1 – Standard Channel Letter Front Lit
Readable lit letters for suburban shopping centers.
Starting at $9.68 per inch
Type 2 – Standard Channel Letter – Back Lit
A softer glow for brick rowhouse storefronts.
Starting at $12.17 per inch
Who can install it
Who Can Connect a Lit Sign in Maryland
According to the Maryland Department of Labor, a state-issued license is required to provide electrical services, and each contractor who offers or provides electrical services in the state must hold one. The board issues the master electrician license, every active master keeps a certificate of insurance on file, and the board has announced it will begin accepting applications for apprentice and journeyperson licenses as well.
Local jurisdictions may also require registration, so a state-licensed electrician may still need to register with your county or city before pulling a permit there. Ask your installer whether they are registered where your business is, and check the license on the Department of Labor’s license search.
| Licensing agency | Maryland Department of Labor |
|---|---|
| State license | Master electrician; apprentice and journeyperson licenses being added |
| Local | County or city registration may also be required |
| Insurance | Certificate of insurance on file for active masters |
Official sources
Rules change. Always confirm with the office that issues your permit before you order.
Permits
Sign Permits in Maryland
Maryland counties and cities issue sign permits under their own zoning codes, and large counties such as Montgomery, Prince George’s and Baltimore County each run their own permitting offices.
In Baltimore City, a sign type is allowed in a zoning district only if Table 17-201 lists it there. Projecting signs may extend no more than 4 feet from the building with the bottom at least 8 feet above the sidewalk, a monument sign needs at least 50 feet of street frontage and a pole or pylon sign 100 feet, and in Areas of Special Sign Control the Planning Commission approves a signage plan before any signs go up.
The housing department’s permit office refers certain signs to the Department of Planning for design review before issuing the permit: wall signs installed above the ground floor, any sign over 100 square feet, any electronic message sign, and banners used as permanent wall signs. Exterior changes in a City Historic District need Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) approval and can’t be permitted over the counter, and anything in the public right-of-way goes to the Department of Transportation.
| Sign permit | Your county or city |
|---|---|
| Baltimore projecting signs | Up to 4 ft out; bottom at least 8 ft above the sidewalk |
| Baltimore design review | Signs above the ground floor, over 100 sq ft, electronic, or permanent banners |
| Baltimore historic districts | CHAP approval; no over-the-counter permit |
Design review and special districts in Maryland
- Annapolis Historic District Any new sign, or one changed in size, shape, content or location, needs a Certificate of Approval from the Historic Preservation Commission, filed separately from the sign permit. The city’s sign guidelines don’t permit internally illuminated signs; lighting should be small fixtures aimed at the sign rather than the facade, so plan non-illuminated or externally lit letters there.
New to sign permits? Read how sign permits work and what your electrician needs.
Official sources
- Baltimore City DHCD: Permits requiring special referrals
- Baltimore City Zoning Code § 17-201: Sign regulations
- Baltimore City Zoning Code § 17-414: Projecting signs
- Baltimore City Zoning Code § 17-408: Freestanding signs
- Baltimore City Zoning Code § 17-505: Areas of Special Sign Control
- Annapolis Historic District
Rules change. Always confirm with the office that issues your permit before you order.
Banners and temporary displays
Banners in Annapolis and Baltimore
In Annapolis, banners and flags announcing a new business or a promotion need written approval from the planning and zoning director and are limited to two events a year, up to 30 days each. The city’s sign permit itself is filed through its online portal by a contractor holding a current Maryland license, with a site plan, a measured facade drawing and a drawing that shows the sign’s wording.
In Baltimore City, a banner meant to stay up as a permanent wall sign is referred to Planning for design review before it can be permitted.
Weather
Planning for Maryland Weather
Maryland storefronts range from Chesapeake Bay waterfronts, with salt air and tropical-storm winds, to Western Maryland mountain towns that get far more snow. On waterfront facades, ask your installer for corrosion-resistant hardware; inland, seal penetrations against freeze-thaw.
How it works
How Ordering Works From Maryland
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Price it online
Use the channel letter builder or send your logo.
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Approve your proof
Check it with your landlord and installer.
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We build and test it
Letters in WA or CA; the rest in Renton, WA.
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It ships to you
Standard shipping takes 3–6 business days in transit; 3-day, 2-day and overnight shipping are available at checkout. Shipping options.
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Your installer mounts it
With our wiring diagram and install pattern (overview). Permit checklist.
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Five-year warranty
On every channel letter style (details).
We build and ship; a local pro installs. A licensed sign installer or electrician in Maryland mounts and connects your sign. We don’t have an office or installation crew in Maryland, and orders can’t be picked up.
Questions
Maryland Storefront Sign FAQ
Is there a channel letter company near me in Maryland?
We ship custom channel letters anywhere in Maryland, built in Washington and California and tested before they ship. We don’t install, so you’ll hire a Maryland-licensed electrician to mount and connect them.
What license does a sign electrician need in Maryland?
A state-issued electrical license from the Maryland Department of Labor, since one is required to provide electrical services anywhere in the state, plus any local registration your county or city requires before it issues the electrical permit. Every active master electrician also keeps a certificate of insurance on file with the board.
Which Baltimore signs need design review?
Wall signs installed above the ground floor, any sign over 100 square feet, electronic message signs and banners used as permanent wall signs are referred to the Department of Planning before the permit is issued. Historic districts also need CHAP approval.
Can I have lit letters in the Annapolis Historic District?
Not internally lit ones. The city’s historic sign guidelines don’t permit internally illuminated signs, and every new or changed sign needs a Certificate of Approval from the Historic Preservation Commission. Non-illuminated letters with small, aimed fixtures fit the guidelines.
How long does shipping to Maryland take?
Standard shipping takes 3–6 business days in transit, with 3-day, 2-day and overnight options. Checkout shows the estimated date for each, including production.
Keep reading
Guides and Products
Neighboring state guides
Planning a Sign in Maryland?
Send a storefront photo, your logo and the size and lighting limits confirmed by your landlord or installer. We can suggest options and give you a price before you order.
- Mon–Fri, 8:00am–5:00pm PST
- Channel letters made in Washington & California · shipped to all 50 states