The regs in Texas are strict, but they don't sound nearly as onerous as those in NYC. Our company maintains a license to do business down in Texas since a good number of our clients have locations in both Oklahoma and Texas (as well as other adjacent states).
I don't know all of the TDLR requirements for sign companies off the top of my head, but IIRC any sign shop building and/or installing signs in Texas must have at least one staffer with a Master Electricians License. Anyone else touching any of the electrical stuff needs a minimum of a Journeyman's License. We have had to send crew members down to Texas for continuing education classes on things like electrical work, crane operation, etc. But with all the covid stuff going on things have gone "virtual," which is more convenient for us North of the Red River.
It's all about location, location, location.
Some cities and towns have extremely restrictive sign codes, typically rich, upper income zones. Some places have little if any regulations at all. Most places across the US fall in various places between the two extremes. It's pretty easy to guess the regulatory differences by looking at specific locations in Google Street View. One town will allow you to install just about anything while another town (the more beautification-oriented town) will ban or severely limit all street signs, put severe limits on building signs, ban electronic variable message centers and then cover up the main commercial thoroughfares with enough bushes, trees and landscaping that the store fronts are getting hidden behind a jungle of shrubbery.
I do worry the influence of "rich" areas will lead to ever more restrictions elsewhere. That's why I'm a real hard-@$$ about junk quality signs. Ugly signs inspire these anti-signs ordinances. I consider any "sign designer" who doesn't take his job seriously as someone who is not only polluting the commercial landscape with his "phoning it in" garbage, but he's a guy who is ultimately cutting his own throat in the long run. Do a professional job or do something else for a living! The sign industry really needs to make a serious effort at policing itself. There is way too much gutter trash quality junk going up on poles and on buildings all over the place because we have a bunch of hacks just falling into this line of work after failing at other pursuits. All of a sudden they think they're artists and are going to get rich making signs. I've seen that ploy play itself out many times going back to the 1990's. I don't get the logic of it. These newbies expect to get rich not knowing a freaking thing doing a job we've been doing for a long time. Yeah, right.
That statement makes me think you have never tried installing signs in Norman or Edmond.
But what do commercial signs do other than **** off members of the Dark Skies Society?
