Lit channel letters
Built in Washington and California
Portland requires engineered structural plans only for signs that aren’t flush-mounted or flat against a wall, so wall-mounted channel letters usually skip that step.
Starting at $9.68 per inch
State guide
Channel Letters and Storefront Signs Shipped to Oregon
Oregon businesses can price custom LED channel letters online, have them built in Washington and California, and receive them ready for a licensed Oregon sign installer. Banners, window graphics and A-frames are made in Renton, WA.
- Licensing agencyOregon Building Codes Division (individuals); Construction Contractors Board (businesses)
- Sign contractorLimited Sign Contractor (CLS)
- Sign electricianLimited Journeyman Sign Electrician (SIG)
- PortlandSign permit + separate electrical permit for lit signs
Last reviewed against the official sources linked on this page.
What we ship
Channel Letters, Banners and Graphics Shipped to Oregon
Oregon has a full set of sign-specific electrical licenses. The Building Codes Division licenses Limited Journeyman Sign Electricians, who must work for a Limited Sign Contractor, and the sign contractor license covers installing and servicing electrical signs and outline lighting, including extending an existing sign circuit a short distance.
Portland Permitting & Development issues permits for most signs on private property. A lit sign needs a sign permit signed by the electrician or the owner plus a separate electrical permit, and letters mounted flat against the wall don’t need engineered structural calculations.
Banners and banner stands
Made in Renton, WA
Portland requires temporary banners on private property to be registered with Permitting & Development, so register the opening banner before it goes up.
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
Since July 25, 2026, Portland no longer requires A-frames to be registered, but on the sidewalk they must sit within 6 inches of the curb and leave a 6-foot clear path.
Starting at $16 per item
Trade show displays
Made in Renton, WA
Starting at $269.50 per item
Popular choices
Popular Signs for Oregon Storefronts
Lit letters for Portland blocks and suburban centers, plus A-frames for rainy-season sidewalks.
Type 1 – Standard Channel Letter Front Lit
Bright letters that cut through gray, rainy evenings.
Starting at $9.68 per inch
Type 5 – Exposed Acrylic Back – Halo Lit
A halo glow popular with Portland restaurants and shops.
Starting at $17.50 per inch
Who can install it
Who Can Install a Lit Sign in Oregon
A Limited Sign Contractor may install and service electrical signs and outline lighting, and may extend a sign branch circuit up to 15 feet if a dedicated branch circuit already exists at the location. Under Oregon’s rules, a limited sign contractor must employ at least one full-time Limited Journeyman Sign Electrician.
A Limited Journeyman Sign Electrician works for a limited sign contractor and may not install a branch circuit from an electrical panel, install control equipment that isn’t on the same wall or post as the sign, or work on service equipment. That work, including a new circuit to the sign, needs a general electrical contractor and journeyman. Check any license in the Oregon license directory before you hire.
| Business | Limited Sign Contractor (CLS) |
|---|---|
| Individual | Limited Journeyman Sign Electrician (SIG), employed by a sign contractor |
| Branch circuits | Extend an existing dedicated sign circuit up to 15 ft only |
| New circuits and service work | General electrical contractor and journeyman |
Official sources
- Oregon License Directory: Limited Sign Contractor
- Oregon License Directory: Limited Journeyman Sign Electrician
- OAR 918-282-0220: Limited Journeyman Sign Electrician license
Rules change. Always confirm with the office that issues your permit before you order.
Permits
Sign Permits in Oregon
Oregon cities issue sign permits under their own sign codes, and electrical permits are issued by the city or county where it runs its own electrical program, or otherwise by the state.
In Portland, a sign permit is required when materials are placed or constructed to convey a message, which covers painted, flush-mounted, projecting, freestanding and directional signs and fabric awnings. For an internally illuminated sign, the application must be signed by the electrician doing the work or the property owner, and a separate electrical permit application is required. Apply through DevHub PDX with one application per sign, including a site plan, elevations, attachment details and a sign-to-wall ratio calculation, and expect inspections, including one at completion.
Structural plans and calculations prepared by an Oregon-registered engineer are required for every sign that isn’t flush-mounted or flat against a wall, such as projecting and freestanding signs.
| Sign permit | Your city |
|---|---|
| Portland | Portland Permitting & Development, through DevHub PDX |
| Portland lit signs | Application signed by the electrician or owner, plus an electrical permit |
| Portland structural | Engineer’s calculations for signs not flat against a wall |
New to sign permits? Read how sign permits work and what your electrician needs.
Official sources
Rules change. Always confirm with the office that issues your permit before you order.
Banners and temporary displays
Banners and A-frames in Portland
Temporary banners on private property must be registered with Portland Permitting & Development.
A-frames, which Portland calls portable signs or A-boards, no longer need registration as of July 25, 2026, but the placement rules still apply. On the sidewalk, one may stand within 6 inches of the curb, leaving a clear pedestrian path at least 6 feet wide, and none are allowed on sidewalks narrower than 8 feet. In the right-of-way an A-frame is limited to 8 square feet, 48 inches tall and 30 inches wide; on private property it may be up to 12 square feet. A business gets one per public entrance, and tenants sharing an entrance share one.
Weather
Planning for Oregon Weather
Western Oregon is wet for months at a time, the coast adds salt air and winter storms, and the Columbia Gorge funnels strong east winds toward Portland. Ask your installer to seal every wall penetration and keep letter drain holes clear so rain can’t collect inside.
How it works
How Ordering Works From Oregon
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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 Oregon mounts and connects your sign. We don’t have an office or installation crew in Oregon, and orders can’t be picked up.
Questions
Oregon Storefront Sign FAQ
Is there a channel letter company near me in Oregon?
We ship custom channel letters anywhere in Oregon, built in Washington and California and tested before they ship. We don’t install, so you’ll hire an Oregon limited sign contractor or electrical contractor to mount and connect them.
What license does a sign installer need in Oregon?
The business needs a Limited Sign Contractor license, or a general electrical contractor license, and the person doing the work a Limited Journeyman Sign Electrician license or a general journeyman license. A sign electrician can extend an existing sign circuit up to 15 feet but can’t run a new one from the panel.
Who signs the permit for a lit sign in Portland?
For an internally illuminated sign, the sign permit application must be signed by the electrician performing the work or the property owner, and a separate electrical permit is required. Signs that aren’t flat against a wall also need an Oregon engineer’s calculations.
Do I need to register my A-frame in Portland?
Not anymore: registration ended on July 25, 2026. The placement rules still apply: within 6 inches of the curb, a 6-foot clear path, no sidewalks under 8 feet wide, and one per public entrance, up to 8 square feet in the right-of-way. On private property the limit is 12 square feet.
How long does shipping to Oregon 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 Oregon?
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