Sign making: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering sign making
You design, fabricate and often install signs for storefronts, offices and events. Your value is signs that read well from where people stand, install securely and meet the permit and landlord rules for the site.
What customers ask
- Do I need a permit for this sign?
- Can you put a lit sign on my building, and who does the wiring?
- How long will the sign last outside?
- Can you match my existing logo and colors?
- How do you attach the sign so it does not damage my building?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask for the site address, the wording, the sign locations, the lighting plan, the mounting surface and the deadline, then confirm them in writing.
- Visit the site before quoting, and measure the mounting area, the sight lines and the viewing distance from the road or walkway.
- Send a mockup at the real size with the wording, font and colors shown for approval before fabrication.
- Confirm the permit and landlord approval steps in writing, and note who is responsible for each one.
- Put the material warranty, the finish warranty and the care steps in the quote and the handover.
- Use a licensed electrician for any lit sign, and state that in the quote with the electrician's name.
What to put on your profile
- Post photos of finished signs, with the site type and the material listed, with client permission.
- List the materials you work with, such as vinyl, metal, acrylic and wood, and the installation types you do.
- Describe your permit and installation process in plain steps.
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a yearly check of the sign's attachment and finish, especially for outdoor signs.
- Suggest a refresh of the wording or the colors when the business changes its name or logo.
- Recommend a set of matching signs for the rest of the site, such as door and window graphics.
Licenses and permits
Sign making is usually not licensed, but some states or local areas require a sign contractor license or permits for installation, and lit signs need licensed electrical work. Check the rules of each location, keep any required licenses and insurance current, and confirm the electrician's license.
Questions
Do I need a license to install signs?
It depends on the state and the local area. Some require a sign contractor license, and many require permits for certain signs. Check with your state or local licensing and building agencies.
What if the landlord refuses the sign?
Do not install it. Get the landlord's written approval first, and note any conditions they set in the contract.
How do I handle a sign that needs a repair after installation?
Document the problem with photos, check the warranty terms and schedule the repair with the client in writing. Keep the warranty record for each sign.
Pro reviewers
Pros who offer sign making remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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