Although sales and manufacturing are still the fountainheads of the sign business, shops that develop in-house contracting capabilities enjoy important advantages. Though some operators prefer to ignore it, signs are regulated by municipalities as forms of permanent construction. A primary rule of good business is never to sell your customer a product that he can't legally use. This might sound absurd, yet it happens every day of the week when unprofessional operators sell signs without first investigating local codes. Temporary outdoor signs and banners, as well as store window signs, are also regulated in most municipalities.
Most municipalities require sign companies to register as contractors before performing any work.
Many signshops post their local registration certificates on the walls of their offices. If you haven't registered as a contractor in the municipality where you're installing signs, you're violating the law. You can be fined and, in some cases, your company can be banned from obtaining a license in the future. Therefore, the first step to develop a contracting capability is to register your company in every city, township, borough and other jurisdiction where you expect to operate. Most jurisdictions allow non-electrical sign contractors to pull permits for electrical signs, provided that a registered electrician pulls the electrical permit at approximately the same time.