Do I need a permit for a lighted sign in Pensacola?

Most permanent exterior signs in the City of Pensacola and Escambia County require a sign permit, and many shopping centers have their own sign criteria on top of that. Tell us where the sign is going and we will tell you what applies and what drawings are needed before anything is built.

What is the difference between channel letters and a cabinet sign?

Channel letters are individual letters, each with its own LED lighting, mounted directly to the building. A cabinet (or box) sign is a single lighted enclosure with a printed or cut face. Channel letters look more premium; cabinets are faster to change and usually cost less.

How long does a lighted sign take?

Design and approval take a few days. Permitting depends on the city or county. Fabrication of channel letters typically takes a few weeks after approval, and installation is usually a single day. We give you a schedule with the quote.

Can you replace the face on my existing lighted sign?

Yes. If your cabinet is in good shape, a new printed face with LED retrofit lighting is the most economical way to update a storefront sign.

Lighted Signs in Pensacola, FL

Illuminated storefront signs in Pensacola, FL: LED channel letters, lighted cabinet signs, monument signs and backlit panels, designed, built and installed by Gator Grafix.

Illuminated signs for Pensacola storefronts

A lighted sign works the hours you do not. Along Pensacola Blvd, Navy Blvd, Nine Mile Road and the plazas of Gulf Breeze and Pace, the businesses people remember at night are the ones they can read from the road. Gator Grafix designs, fabricates and installs illuminated signage for storefronts, strip centers, offices, churches and restaurants across the Gulf Coast, and we handle the drawings the permit office needs.

Types of lighted signs we make

LED channel letters — individual letters and logo shapes, front-lit, back-lit (halo) or both. The premium storefront look, and the one most landlords ask for.
Lighted cabinet signs — a single illuminated box with a printed polycarbonate or flexible face. Economical, easy to update, ideal for plazas and pole signs.
Monument and pylon sign faces — new faces and LED retrofits for the freestanding sign at the entrance to your property.
Backlit panels and push-through letters — acrylic letters that glow through a routed aluminum face for a clean, modern look.
Window and interior lighted signs — LED logo signs for lobbies, bars and reception walls.

LED, not neon or fluorescent

Everything we build today is lit with LED modules. They use a fraction of the power of the fluorescent tubes in older cabinet signs, run cool, and last for years without a service call. If you have an older sign that flickers or has dead sections, an LED retrofit with a fresh face is usually far cheaper than a new sign and makes it look new.

From idea to lit-up storefront

Site visit and measurements. We look at the building, the power available and any landlord or sign criteria.
Design and rendering. Our designers build the sign to your brand and show it mocked up on a photo of your building, so you can see it before it exists.
Permits. We prepare the drawings and specifications the City of Pensacola, Escambia County or Santa Rosa County asks for.
Fabrication. Aluminum returns, acrylic faces, LED modules and power supplies, built to UL standards.
Installation. Our installers mount the sign, connect it to your electrician's circuit and test it. Most installs are finished in a day.

Questions to settle before you order

Where is the power? A lighted sign needs a dedicated circuit at the sign location. If there is none, your electrician runs it; we tell you where the connection needs to be.
What does the landlord allow? Most plazas publish sign criteria: letter height, colors, lighting type and placement. Send us the lease exhibit and we design to it the first time.
How far away will it be read? Letter height is driven by viewing distance: roughly 10 feet of readability for every inch of letter height. A sign read from Pensacola Blvd needs bigger letters than one facing a parking lot.
Day and night? Face-lit letters read well at night; halo-lit letters look premium but softer. Combination lighting does both. We show you renderings of each.

Built for the Gulf Coast

Salt air, afternoon storms and hurricane season are hard on signs. We use aluminum construction, exterior-rated LED components and drainage in every cabinet so water never sits where it can cause trouble. Every lighted sign we install is built to be here for the long term.

Not sure what you need?

Send us a photo of your storefront and we will come back with options and a free quote. We also make the non-lit signs, banners and window graphics that go with it, so the whole building matches. Call (850) 478-0486 or request a quote. Serving Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Pace, Milton, Navarre and the Florida Panhandle.