Permanent and Temporary Signs

Wall signs

For a wall sign permit, you need to submit two sets of structural drawings that include:

• The elevation of the front face of the building, indicating the height and width of the building
• The sign location on the building, including dimensions of both the building face and sign
• The construction of the sign box and method of attachment
• Two site plans

Ground signs

For a ground sign permit, you need to submit two sets of structural drawing that include:

• The construction of the sign, the sign structure and its supporting framework including foundation dimensions
• The materials you'll use to construct and install the sign
• The message displayed on the sign
• An explanation of how the sign is illuminated (if illuminated)

You will also need to provide two site plans that include:

• The dimensions of the lands upon which the sign is to be located
• The located of any existing building or structure on the lands
• The location of the sign

Banner signs

Banner signs are made from non-rigid material, attached to a building or structure, not including flags or awning signs. Banner signs must meet the following requirements:

• They can only be hung in commercial, industrial, and institutional zones
• Only one banner sign can be placed on a lot at a time
• A banner sign can't be hung for more than eight weeks total per year
• The sign can't overhang a sidewalk or pedestrian walkway unless there is a minimum vertical clearance of 2.4 m
• You can't hang a banner sign within 600 mm of a private lane, roadway, or motor vehicle parking area, unless there is a vertical clearance of 4.25 m
• The total sign area cannot exceed 3.4 m²

Construction signs

Construction site signs identify the contractor, designer, consultant, builder and/or construction company involved in the construction, demolition or maintenance project taking place on a specific site. All construction signs must:

• Be affixed to the ground or construction site fencing
• Be removed immediately after the construction project is completed
• Not be illuminated
• Not exceed 2.1 m in height and a total area of 1 m

Some types of construction signs will require a permit.

Development signs

Both residential and non-residential development signs require a sign permit. A residential development sign is a sign that provides information regarding a proposed or in-progress residential development. A non-residential development sign provides information about a proposed or in-progress non-residential development.

Election signs

Each candidate or registered third party must submit a completed Election Sign Application Form prior to displaying any election signs. You must also provide the following deposit:

• $300.00 for mayoral, federal or provincial election candidates
• $150.00 for councillor or trustee candidates
• $150.00 for a registered third party

Submit your application form and deposit in-person or by mail to:
Town Hall
Attn: Municipal Law Enforcement 
6311 Old Church Rd.
Caledon, ON L7C 1J6

Any election sign that doesn't meet the by-law requirements will be removed and $20.00 will be deducted from the candidate's deposit.

Election sign requirements

Review the Town's Sign By-law for a full list of election sign definitions, rules and requirements. Election signs can't be displayed more than 35 days prior to the election date and they must be removed within 72 hours of the polls closing on election day. You can normally only place one election sign per candidate on a lot with the permission of the property owner. An election sign is not permitted:

• On public lands with the exception of dedicated advertising space permitted by the terms and conditions of an agreement between the owner or operator of the space
• On a tree, utility pole or light standard
• At a voting location
• On a vehicle that is parked at any voting location
• On a street in front of any voting location
• Within 100 m of a voting location
• That exceeds 1 m in height and 0.6 m² in sign area unless it is on a lot with 50 m or greater frontage
• To obstruct the safe operation or visibility of vehicular traffic, cyclists or pedestrians, and must not obstruct sightlines
• Without the consent of the candidate to whom the sign relates or the registered third party advertiser responsible for the outsider election sign

Only one campaign office sign can be placed at a campaign office and it must not obstruct traffic sightlines or the safe operation or visibility of vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians.

Mobile signs

Complete and submit the Mobile Sign Permit Application Form at least five days before you want to display the sign. Your application should include:

• One copy of a plan, drawn to scale, showing where you will place the sign
• Proof of insurance for the proposed sign
• A complete Property Owner Consent Form, if the sign will be on private property
• An application fee of $77.25

You can submit your application by email, in-person or by mail to:

Town Hall
Municipal Law Enforcement 
6311 Old Church Rd.
Caledon, ON L7C 1J6

General requirements

Mobile sign permits expire 30 days after they were issued and can only be renewed four times within a year. The following rules regulate mobile signs:

• A mobile sign can't be located closer than 0.5 m from a street line or lot line. The sign can't exceed 4.6 m² in area and the height of the sign can't exceed 3 m.
• Mobile signs can only be placed in commercial, industrial and institutional zones
• You can't place a mobile sign on a flood plain, unless written consent has been granted by the public authority with jurisdiction over the area
• Mobile signs can't be externally illuminated
• You can only place one mobile sign on any given lot, unless the lot frontage is greater than 100 m or it is a corner lot where each side has a frontage over 20 m. If more than one sign is permitted they must be placed at least 30 m apart

Poster signs

A poster sign, like a leaflet, also includes any printed notice with information that is intended to be displayed temporarily. A poster sign can only be placed on public property if it is placed within a Town designated sign sleeve. You can only display a poster sign for a maximum of 30 days and it can't advertise unlawful activity. A poster sign must:

• Indicate the name of the person or business responsible for putting up the sign
• Fully fit within the designated sign sleeve
• Not extend beyond the physical limits of the sign sleeve
• Only be attached to the sign sleeve by staples, push pins or tacks
• Be made of biodegradable material
• Not exceed 0.22 m by 0.28 m in dimension

Real estate signs

Real estate signs include signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of a lot or premises. The following requirements apply for real estate signs:

• They must be placed on the property that is up for sale or lease
• You can normally only place one sign on a lot
• The sign must be taken down 14 days after the lot the was sold, rented or leased
• You can't place a sign within 1 m of a lot line
• The sign area can't exceed 3.4 m²

Open house signs

Open house signs direct traffic to a residence for sale or lease. You can't place an open house sign on the centre median of a road or highway. These signs can only be displayed on the day of the open house event and the sign area can't exceed 0.5 m².

Special event signs

Special event signs can be placed on private or Town-owned property to advertise a non-for profit, charitable or fundraising event, including community events. You can put up this sign no more than three weeks prior to the event and it should be removed four days after the last day of the event. You can only put up 30 signs for each event and they have to be at least 2 m away from a sidewalk or curb. The sign area cannot exceed 0.55 m².

Relocatable signs

Relocatable signs are moved to different locations and aren't attached to the ground or a building. You can put up a relocatable sign in commercial, industrial and institutional zones. These signs can only be placed during business hours and within 3 m of the advertised business. Only one sign with an area less than 0.6 m² can be placed on a property and the sign can't obstruct traffic visibility.