When Do You Need an Engineer for Your Sign Project in Ontario?
The Ontario Building Code 2024 Volume 1 that Regulates All Signage and Sign Structure in Ontario.
All signage in Ontario is regulated under the Ontario Building Code (OBC 2024). While municipalities administer sign permits through local sign by-laws, the structural safety of signs is governed provincially by the Building Code, not municipal discretion.
If your sign falls under specific structural thresholds, engineering involvement is mandatory, regardless of how simple the sign may appear.
The Legal Requirement for Engineering
Under OBC 2024, Volume 1, Division C, Section 1.2., a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) must design and/or review a sign in the following four (4) cases:
1. Sign Weight Exceeds 115 kg
This Applies to total installed weight, not just the sign face, and includes:
Steel/aluminum framing
Cabinets
Brackets
Anchors and supports
If the sign weighs more than 115kg, then a Professional Engineer must stamp the sign permit drawings and also completed a General Review (more on that below).
2. Sign Attached to a Parapet Wall
A parapet wall is:
The portion of an exterior wall that extends above the roof level of a building, typically forming a guard, edge, or façade element.
Key issue: Even if the sign is below the roofline, it may still be attached to the parapet structure, not the main load-bearing wall. Parapet walls are often:
Non-loadbearing
Cantilevered
Poorly reinforced for lateral loads
Sign loads (wind + dead load) can overstress masonry or steel parapets, creating collapse risk. This is why the Ontario Building Code mandates that a Professional Engineer must stamp the sign permit drawings and also complete a General Review of all signage attached in any manner to a parapet wall.
3. Roof Sign with Any Face Area > 10 m²
Applies to any single sign face of a roof sign that exceeds 10 square meters and includes:
Billboard-style roof signs
Logo frames
These roof signs require a Professional Engineer’s stamp and General Review due to:
Extreme wind exposure
Uplift forces
Load transfer into roof structure
4. Ground Sign > 7.5 m in Height
Engineering General Review is required (more on this below)
A stamped design is NOT required
This is necessary for the Professional Engineer to review the foundation conditions and confirm:
Stability
Overturning resistance
General structural adequacy
This is commonly misunderstood and frequently missed during permit submissions.
Who Is Considered an Engineer in Ontario?
An Engineer must be:
Licensed under the Professional Engineers Act
Hold the P.Eng. designation
Registered with Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)
Mandatory Due Diligence
Always verify that the engineer:
Has Professional Liability Insurance
Holds a Certificate of Authorization (C of A)
Is listed in the official PEO directory:
👉 https://www.peo.on.ca/directory
What Does It Mean for an Engineer to “Design” a Sign?
Even if your sign shop or consultant prepares the drawings:
The Engineer must review and accept responsibility for:
Structural members
Connections
Anchors
Load paths
Design must comply with OBC Part 4 (Structural Design)
The Professional Engineer must:
Stamp and sign all structural drawings
Stamp every page related to the sign structure
If it’s not stamped, it is not an engineered design.
What Is “General Review”?
General Review means the Engineer must:
Attend site during construction/installation
Confirm the sign is built in general conformance with the stamped drawings
This is not optional.
Municipalities often require:
Signed by both the Professional Engineer and the Property Owner
Failure to complete General Review can result in:
Failed inspections
Stop-work orders
Liability exposure for all parties
Need an Engineer for Your Sign Project?
Rouge Hill Consulting works with licensed, insured Professional Engineers experienced in signage across Ontario.
We:
Identify if engineering is required
Coordinate stamped drawings
Manage General Review
De-risk your permit and installation
Contact us early — engineering added late costs more and delays projects.
References
Ontario Building Code 2024 — Volume 1, Division C, Section 1.2
Ontario Building Code 2024 — Part 4 (Structural Design)
Professional Engineers Act, R.S.O. 1990
Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) Regulatory Guidelines