Short answer: almost always, yes.
In Central Virginia, just about every commercial sign needs a permit. The exceptions are small — temporary signs, a real estate banner during construction, small window vinyl. If you are putting up anything permanent that customers will see from the road, plan on a permit.
The trickier part is not whether you need one. It is figuring out who reviews it.
Richmond is a patchwork. The City of Richmond handles its own permits. Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover counties each run their own process. Ashland has a separate review from the rest of Hanover. If your sign sits anywhere near a state highway, the Virginia Department of Transportation gets involved too.
Then there is your landlord. If you are leasing the space, the landlord almost always has to sign off before anything goes to the city or county. People forget that step all the time.
Two things that surprise people
The landlord approval has to happen first. You cannot just walk into the county office. Most jurisdictions want a letter from your landlord confirming they have approved the design.
If you are in an older part of Richmond — Carytown, the Fan, Church Hill, places with historic overlays — there is an extra review on top of the regular sign permit. It adds weeks. It is not a deal-breaker, but you want to know about it on day one, not day fifty.
If you are not sure which jurisdiction governs your sign, send me the address. I can usually tell you within an hour.
