Type 1 – Standard Channel Letter Front Lit
The brightest, most readable lit letters through Washington’s gray months.
Starting at $13 $11.70 Per Inch
State guide
Storefront Signs and Channel Letters in Washington
Washington businesses can order custom LED channel letters, window graphics, banners and sidewalk signs made right here in Renton, see the price online, and have the finished sign shipped to their door, ready for a licensed local installer.
- Made inRenton, WA
- Electrical licenseL&I electrical contractor; Signs (04) specialty electricians
- Electrical permitFrom L&I, or from the city in 25 cities that inspect their own
- Sign permitFrom your city or county
How it works
Ordering a Storefront Sign for Washington
Because we manufacture in the state, Washington orders have the shortest trip of anywhere we ship. What takes the most planning is usually local: your landlord’s sign criteria, your city’s sign code, and an electrician with the right Washington license to connect a lit sign. This guide covers each, with links to the official sources, plus guides to the rules in several Washington cities.
Talk to us before you order if your sign has a logo, a custom shape or strict landlord criteria. Send a storefront photo and we’ll help you pick a letter height and style that fits.
We build and ship; a local pro installs. Your sign is made and tested in Renton, Washington and shipped to your door with a wiring diagram and install pattern. A licensed sign installer or electrician in Washington mounts and connects it. Our team is based in Renton, but we don’t send installation crews anywhere, including in Washington.
Who can install it
Who Can Connect a Lit Sign in Washington
Washington licenses electrical work statewide through the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Businesses doing electrical work must be licensed electrical contractors, and the people doing the work must hold an L&I electrician certificate (or be supervised trainees).
L&I has a specialty certificate just for signs: Signs (04). Under WAC 296-46B-920 it covers placing and connecting signs and outline lighting, their electrical supply, controls and associated circuit extensions, and installing a power service of up to 60 amps at 120/240 volts single phase that supplies only a remote sign. A general (journey level) electrician can also do this work.
Washington is stricter than many states about who may put up a lit sign. Under the same rule, an electrical license or certificate is required to install, modify or maintain any part of a listed electric sign, not only to wire it. The only sign tasks that don’t need one are cleaning the non-electrical parts, pouring a concrete pole base, operating machinery to help an electrician mount the sign, and assembling billboard structures. So in Washington, hire a sign installer that is an L&I-licensed electrical contractor with Signs (04) or journey level electricians.
| Licensing agency | Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Program |
|---|---|
| Sign specialty | Signs (04) specialty electrician certificate |
| Contractor | Licensed electrical contractor for the business doing the work |
| Check a license | Use L&I’s “Verify a contractor, tradesperson or business” lookup before you hire |
Official sources
- WAC 296-46B-920: electrical license and certificate types and scope of work
- L&I: Electrician certification
Rules change. Always confirm with the office that issues your permit before you order.
Permits
Sign and Electrical Permits in Washington
A lit sign in Washington usually needs two permits from two different offices. The sign permit comes from your city (or county, outside city limits), which applies its own sign code for size, height and lighting. The electrical permit comes from L&I, unless your business is inside one of the cities that issue their own electrical permits and inspections.
L&I lists 25 such cities, including Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Everett, Spokane, Vancouver, Kirkland, Redmond and Tukwila, and one utility: in parts of Pierce County, Tacoma Power issues electrical permits for the properties it serves. Everywhere else, the electrical permit is bought from L&I. Your electrician will know which applies to your address.
| Sign permit | Your city or county building / planning department |
|---|---|
| Electrical permit | L&I, or one of 25 cities that do their own, or Tacoma Power where it is the utility |
| Before you order | Landlord sign criteria and the city’s sign code for your zone |
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.
Delivery
Shipping to Washington
Standard shipping takes 3–6 business days in transit; 3-day, 2-day and overnight shipping are available at checkout. Every sign is made to order, and the estimated ship date for each shipping speed, including production, is shown at checkout. See shipping options and prices.
Planning for Washington weather
Western Washington’s long rainy season makes sealing matter: ask your installer to seal every wall penetration and to plan the power supply location so it stays dry, as the wiring diagram specifies. East of the Cascades, cold winters and snow load on awnings and fascias are worth a look before you choose where the letters go.
Short winter days also mean a lit sign is doing its job by late afternoon from November through February, which is one reason lit channel letters are the default storefront sign for most Washington retailers and restaurants.
Popular choices
Popular Signs for Washington Storefronts
Lit letters for the building, plus graphics and banners closer to the door.
Type 4 – Hidden Back/ Halo Lit
A soft halo glow that suits salons, clinics and upscale shops.
Starting at $30 $27 Per Inch
AV 6 – Adhesive Window Perf
See-through window graphics for hours, offers and branding.
Starting at $6.90 per ft2
13oz. Vinyl Banner
A temporary sign for your opening while permits are in review.
Starting at $1.98 per ft2
City guides
Sign Permits in Washington Cities
Each city has its own sign code and permit office. These guides cover the local rules.
Questions
Washington Storefront Sign FAQ
Is there a storefront sign maker near me in Washington?
Yes. We make channel letters and storefront signs in Renton and ship them anywhere in Washington. We don’t install, so you’ll also need a local sign installer or an L&I-licensed electrician to mount and connect the sign.
Who issues the electrical permit for a sign in Washington?
L&I, unless your business is inside one of the 25 cities that run their own electrical permits and inspections (such as Seattle, Bellevue, Renton or Everett), or Tacoma Power serves the property. Your licensed electrician normally buys the permit.
What license does an electrician need to connect a sign in Washington?
An L&I electrician certificate that covers sign work, such as the Signs (04) specialty or a journey level electrician certificate, working for a licensed electrical contractor. In Washington this applies to mounting a listed electric sign as well as wiring it.
Can I pick up my sign in Renton?
No. Every order ships to your address, including orders in Renton and the Seattle area.
Keep reading
Guides and Products
Planning a Sign in Washington?
Send your storefront photo, logo and your landlord’s sign criteria. We’ll suggest a size and style that fits Washington rules and give you a price before you order.
- Mon–Fri, 8:00am–5:00pm PST
- Made in Renton, WA · shipped to all 50 states