§ 28-62. License requirements.

All sign operators shall be licensed by the City of Laredo. The license shall be valid for either one (1) individual, or one (1) company. A license holder supplying his license for a sole proprietorship, joint venture, limited liability corporation, or other legal entity shall not supply that license to any other person, sole proprietorship, joint venture, limited liability corporation, or other legal entity.

Except signs which require authorization in this chapter and all signs for which a permit is not required, no person shall install, erect, or maintain any sign, or contract for such service, until such person has applied to the building official for a contractor registration to install, erect and/or maintain signs and until such license or registration has been approved and issued. The building official or his/her designee shall approve or deny an application for a license and registration within thirty (30) days of the city's receipt of the application.

All electrical sign work must be performed by an electrical contractor or electrical sign contractor as licensed and registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. All electrical contractors and electrical sign contractors must comply with all regulations of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

All persons engaged in the business of erecting, installing, servicing and/or maintaining off-premises signs shall also be licensed by the Texas Department of Transportation.

All company vehicles must have the state electrical sign contractor license number on each side of the vehicle in a minimum of two inch (2") tall letters and number (TDL #) as required by state regulations.

The registration of any sign contractor may be cancelled by the building official when such sign contractor repeatedly violates the requirements of this chapter. Conviction in court, whether appealed or not, on two (2) violations over a period of twelve (12) consecutive months shall constitute evidence of repeated violation. Any license or registration thus canceled shall not be renewed for such sign contractor, or anyone operating in concert with such sign contractor, for the remainder of their annual registration or until all such violations have been corrected. Upon correction of violations, the sign contractor's license or registration may be renewed upon furnishing the required bond.

The administrator shall evaluate, authorize, or deny as a part of the permit the person assigned to the installing of, erecting, maintaining, repairing and/or altering a sign. The authorization of the erector shall be based on the administrator's evaluation of the direct experience of the person specified for the sign work. Notwithstanding the previous sentences, a person does not undergo evaluation to install a nonelectrical sign, provided the sign does not exceed an area of thirty-two (32) feet, a height of seven (7) feet above grade, has no illumination, and no remuneration—monetary or otherwise—is involved.

(Ord. No. 2017-O-044 , § 1, 10-3-17)