Where the answers come from
Plainly: how rules get into WhatSignFits, what is checked, and what is not.
1. Official sources only
Every rule comes from a public, official document published by the city: its sign code, a sign-type handout, a fee schedule or a permit submittal guide. We save a dated copy of each document, so we can tell when the city changes it. No private portals, no paid databases.
2. Rules are extracted by AI
Rules are extracted from those documents by AI (large language models). Each rule is one fact, for example the maximum area of a wall sign in one zoning district, together with the section number and a word-for-word quote from the document.
The lookup itself does not use AI: when you search, it reads stored rules. Nothing is generated while you wait.
3. Automatic checks
Before a rule is shown as a figure, it has to be confirmed by AI. Two separate AI readings of the city's text must find the same rule, or, if only one reading found it, a separate AI check is shown just the quoted words and the text around them and must confirm that they state that rule for that sign type and district. Automatic checks then have to pass as well:
- The quote matches word for word. The quoted text must appear exactly in the saved copy of the city's document.
- The number is in the quote. A figure such as "200 sq ft" must appear in the quoted text itself.
- Common-sense checks. The unit fits the item (feet for height, square feet for area) and the value is within a plausible range.
Anything that fails is shown as "Not confirmed. Check with the city.", with a link to the city's sign office, and no figure.
4. What is not done
- No person reviews each rule. The AI checks and the automatic checks above all run without a person. They catch invented quotes and misread numbers, but they cannot catch every misunderstanding of how a rule applies.
- Planned developments, master sign plans (sign coordination plans, comprehensive sign packages) and special sign districts are not covered. Where we know an address may be affected, the result warns you.
- Some cities do not publish a zoning map we can read. There you pick the zoning district yourself.
5. Keeping up with changes
We fetch the source documents again and compare them with the saved copy. When a city has changed a document, the change is flagged and the affected rules are extracted and checked again. Some city websites block automated access; those documents are saved by hand. Each line in a result shows the date its source was last checked.
6. What you should do
Use the result to quote and plan the job, then check the linked section before you file. The city has the final say. If something is wrong, use Report an error.
Questions
What does WhatSignFits do?
You enter a street address and a sign type. WhatSignFits finds the city by its city limits and the zoning district, and shows the local sign rules for that sign type: size, height, number, setback, permit and fee. Each figure comes with the code section, a word-for-word quote from the city's document, a link to it and the date it was last checked.
Who is it for?
Sign companies, sign estimators and permit runners who need the sign rules for an address while they quote or plan a job, without reading the whole sign ordinance.
Where do the sign rules come from?
Only from public, official documents published by the city: its sign code, sign-type handouts, fee schedules and permit guides. A dated copy of each document is saved and fetched again to catch changes.
Does a person check every rule?
No. Rules are extracted by AI and must pass AI checks and automatic checks (the quote must appear word for word in the city's document and the number must appear in the quote). No person reviews each rule, so check the linked section before you file.
What does "Not confirmed. Check with the city." mean?
A rule failed one of the checks, so no figure is shown. The result links to the city's sign office instead.
Can I print the result?
Yes. A full result has a permit summary you can print or save as a PDF: the address, the city and zoning district, every rule with the city's quote, section and link, the town's warnings, the sign office, and the date it was made. Attach it to a customer quote or use it while you fill in the city's permit application.
Is this legal advice?
No. The city has the final say. Planned developments, master sign plans and special sign districts can override the general sign code.
Which places are covered?
Texas cities and towns, with more added every week. The coverage page lists every covered place and the sign types it covers.
What does it cost?
The lookup is free while we test it. A flat monthly shop plan is planned, with no charge per lookup.
See the coverage page for every covered city and town.