What to know about digital signage in Gilbert
Window signs: up to 25% of the glass
A permanent window sign in a Commercial district may cover up to 25% of the window area, may be internally lit, and needs no permit. Temporary window signs also top out at 25% of the first-floor window area. The table cells for the Heritage and Gateway districts are blank in the document we read, so ask Planning about storefronts there.
Drive-through menu signs have caps
Drive-through signs are permitted in Commercial, Heritage and Gateway center, Office and Employment districts. In Commercial the limit is 2 per drive-through lane, 7 feet high and 50 square feet, with a solid base. The code doesn't define 'menu board', so we ask Planning how it classifies a digital one.
Sign permits go through design review
A sign building permit is issued after planning design review. The Town lists targets of 3 working days for quality control, 8 for the first review and 4 for the second.
Source: Town of Gilbert, Signs
Fees by sign type
Wall signs run $350 to $450 plus $100 for each additional sign. A projecting sign is $550, and so are drive-through lane signs. The fee table is dated 2008 and amended in 2025, so we confirm current amounts before quoting.
Source: Town of Gilbert, Fee Schedule
What a signage system includes
You get screens, a small media player behind each one (or built into it), and software where you edit what plays. Change a menu price or a special on a laptop and every screen updates. Content can run on a schedule, so breakfast turns into lunch with nobody at the wall.
Menu boards and indoor displays
Indoor menu boards are the common restaurant and coffee shop job. We lay out large items, short descriptions and aligned prices, because people read them in a line. A screen over a counter sits above eye level and has to be readable from the back of the queue.
Retail shops and offices use signage for promos, wayfinding and lobby directories. Signs located entirely inside a building are exempt from Gilbert's sign code, other than window signs, so indoor screens away from the glass skip sign review.
- Commercial-rated displays built to run all day.
- Mounts that carry the weight and hide the cable.
- A media player and a power and network drop behind each screen.
- Content templates your staff can edit without a designer.
Screens that face the street
The sign code applies once a screen is meant to be seen from outside. A window sign includes anything within six feet of a first-floor window that is displayed to attract people outside. We keep promo screens under the 25% cap and ask Planning for a classification when a screen is large or sits close to the glass.
Gilbert also bans animated and blinking signs, with exceptions for changing message displays. The electronic display section asks for an instant change method. For street-facing screens we keep content still, change it instantly, and confirm the approach with Planning.
Drive-through menu boards
A digital menu board at a drive-through falls under the drive-through sign limits: in Commercial districts, two signs per lane, 7 feet high and 50 square feet. An outdoor screen also needs brightness for Arizona sun and a cabinet that handles the heat. Those are equipment choices as much as code ones.
Screens, content and sign review
- We pick screen spots, power and network drops on the walkthrough.
- The plan gives sizes and content setup, with a written quote.
- Where sign review applies, we file the paperwork against the Town's review times.
- We install after hours or on a slow day, then set up content and train your staff.
- Service after install runs Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
Often paired with
In a bar, signage often sits next to video distribution. For a bigger statement, look at an LED video wall. Screens update over business WiFi or a wired drop. The rest of our local work is on the Gilbert page.
