How do NC businesses get their logos on those blue highway exit signs? What to know
If you’ve driven on any major interstate in North Carolina, you’ve probably noticed those big blue signs with the logos of restaurants, hotels, gas stations and other attractions.
But how do they get there? And why aren’t all businesses displayed on the signs?
According to the N.C. Department of Transportation, businesses can get their logos displayed on highway signs by applying online on the division’s signing and delineation website.
Once an application is reviewed, businesses are contacted by an NCDOT division engineer to let them know if they qualified.
Here are the requirements businesses have to meet in order to have their logos displayed in North Carolina, the types of signs and how much they cost.
What are the requirements?
In order to qualify, businesses must be within three miles of an interchange in rural areas and within one mile of an intersection in urban areas, NCDOT says.
There are other requirements that businesses have to meet depending on the type, according to NCDOT. For example, restaurants must have:
Appropriate licensing as required by law and a permit to operate by the health department
Year-round operation at least eight continuous hours per day, six days a week
Indoor seating for at least 20 people
On premise restroom facilities
On premise telephone available for emergency use by the public
What types of signs are there?
There are three main types of signs that businesses can have their logos displayed on, according to NCDOT:
Mainline: Located on the main highway just before exits
Ramp: Signs Found on either side of an exit ramp
Trailblazer: Found on the route driving to a business
How much does it cost?
Every year, businesses pay $300 per logo displayed, according to NCDOT.
Logos are typically displayed twice on signs along the highway and on ramps (one in each direction), meaning businesses pay an annual fee of $1,200, NCDOT says.
This story was originally published April 22, 2024 at 7:00 AM with the headline "How do NC businesses get their logos on those blue highway exit signs? What to know."
