Signage Rights in Commercial Leases: What Tenants Can Put Up (and Where)

Signage is one of the most overlooked commercial lease issues—until you realize after signing that you can’t put your name where customers can see it.

Many leases treat signage as a “landlord approval” item with broad discretion. In retail and street-facing businesses, signage can be worth more than a small rent discount.

This guide explains common signage types, approval traps, and tenant-friendly negotiation points. (Not legal advice.)

Common signage types (and why the lease should define them)

Depending on the property, you may be negotiating rights for:

Building signage (on the facade)
Monument/pylon signage (roadside sign listing multiple tenants)
Blade signs (perpendicular to the building, common in walkable areas)
Window signage (vinyl decals, posters)
Directional signage (parking/entry)

If the lease just says “signage subject to landlord approval,” your practical rights may be close to zero.

The biggest tenant signage traps

1) Unlimited landlord discretion

Watch for:

“landlord may approve or deny in its sole discretion”
no deadline for approval

Tenant-friendly approach:

approval “not unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed”
a defined response timeline (e.g., 10–15 business days)

2) Signage is limited by documents you haven’t seen

Signage may be controlled by:

building rules/regulations
CC&Rs / REAs (see /blog/parking-access-easements)
municipal sign codes

Request copies early. “Standard rules” can change.

3) Removal and repair obligations are expensive

Many leases require you to:

remove signage at end of term
repair any damage (patch/paint/restore)

That’s normal, but the lease should be clear so you can budget.

4) Landlord can relocate or remove signage during redevelopment

If the landlord has redevelopment rights, signage protections can disappear unless spelled out:

/blog/demolition-redevelopment-clauses

Tenant-friendly signage negotiation points

Define the signage you’re getting (type, size, location).
Monument sign rights: specify panel size and placement if it matters for drive-by traffic.
Approval timeline: landlord must respond within a defined period.
Reasonableness standard: no “sole discretion” for design review.
Temporary signage during construction: directional signage while access is disrupted.

If your lease has a relocation clause, signage should be addressed there too (relocation can kill visibility).

How BizLeaseCheck helps

BizLeaseCheck flags signage clauses and highlights:

broad approval discretion and missing timelines
references to external rules not provided
relocation/redevelopment clauses that undermine signage value

Upload a lease for a fast first-pass review:

/analyze

Not legal advice

This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Signage rights depend on lease language, recorded property documents, and local sign codes. Use this as a checklist and consult qualified professionals for your situation.