Custom Channel Letter Signs for NYC Businesses
Illuminated 3D letters designed, built and installed
Signs New York designs, fabricates and installs custom LED channel letter signs for storefronts, façades and office buildings across NYC and New Jersey. Choose front-lit, halo-lit or combination lighting for clear illumination day and night. Our team brings 30+ years of experience to every project, handling design, DOB permits, fabrication, installation and testing. We’ll recommend the right letter size, lighting style and mounting method for your building.
Brooklyn sign makers
Design, fabrication & install
Sign makers
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Your storefront is unique. Your channel letters should be, too.
Your sign works the night shift. Channel letters keep your name bright and readable from down the block, long after the lights go off inside. On a busy NYC street, that’s the difference between being found and being walked past.
We build every letter in-house. Signs NYC is a family-owned Brooklyn sign company with 30+ years of experience. We design, fabricate, permit and install custom LED channel letters across all five boroughs and New Jersey.
One team, from first sketch to first glow. No middlemen, no handoffs. Just Licensed and Insured Sign Makers who know NYC storefronts.
Call us at 718-453-8300 or email sales@signsny.com to get started!
Everything Your Channel Letter Sign Needs, Under One Roof
From the first measurement to the day it comes down, one Brooklyn team handles every step, so you never juggle separate designers, permit expediters and installers.
Site Surveys
We measure your facade and check the wall, power and access before anything is quoted.
Design
Custom layouts in your fonts and colors, with a proof you approve before we build.
Permits
We file with the NYC DOB and coordinate your landlord and licensed electrician.
Fabrication
Every letter is carefully cut, formed, lit and fully tested in our own Brooklyn shop.
Installation
Our crew mounts, connects, and securely installs your sign. Union installation available.
Maintenance
Scheduled checkups and routine cleaning keep your letters bright and looking great year after year.
Repairs
Dead letters, cracked faces, wiring and LED upgrades for any channel letter sign.
Removal & Relocation
Safe take-down when you move, renovate or rebrand, plus relocation or storage.
See our channel letters at work across New York.
Bold faces, soft halos and everything in between. Real signs we’ve built for NYC restaurants, retailers, gyms and offices.
What are channel letter signs? And why does every NYC storefront want one?
Channel letters are individual 3D letters, each one its own lit sign. Also called illuminated or lighted letters, every character is CNC-cut and built from four parts:
- Face: translucent acrylic that lets light through
- Returns: aluminum sides that give each letter its depth
- Back: aluminum, or clear acrylic for halo-lit letters
- Lighting: energy-efficient LEDs, or exposed neon for a classic look
- Professional installation
The result is a sign that reads like a landmark, bold by day and glowing by night.
Channel Letter Sign Options for Your Business
Choose from front-lit, halo-lit, combination-lit and open-face channel letters based on your storefront, brand style and desired night time appearance. Each channel letter lighting option creates a distinct look and suits different businesses, building façades and sign applications.
Front-Lit
Our most popular choice. LEDs shine through a colored face so your name reads clearly from across the street.
Halo-Lit (Back-Lit)
Solid faces with LEDs glowing onto the wall behind. A refined, upscale outline.
Combination-Lit
Lit faces plus a halo glow, for maximum impact on the busiest blocks.
Open-Face
The light is part of the design: a retro marquee or neon look with LED reliability.
Don’t need lighting? We also build non-illuminated dimensional letters for buildings where lit signs aren’t allowed.
Channel Letter Sizes, Colors and Lighting Options
Letter Height
Most storefronts: 18″–24″
Letter Depth
Standard: 5″
Face Colors
Matched to your brand
Lighting
Energy-efficient LEDs
Materials
Aluminum sides, acrylic faces
How big should your letters be?
Best readable distance, by letter height
Three ways to mount your channel letters
Raceway Mount
Letters sit on a metal bar that hides wiring, with fewer holes in your facade. Often required by landlords.
Direct (Flush) Mount
Each letter fixed straight to the wall with non-corrosive fasteners, for the cleanest look.
Cabinet (Backer) Mount
Letters on a backer panel that hides all wiring. Ideal for brick or uneven facades.
How much do channel letter signs cost in NYC? Here's what drives the price.
Most channel letter signs start at around $3,000. Every sign is custom, so the final number depends on your project.
No surprises. Send a storefront photo and your logo, and we’ll send a clear, itemized quote covering design, fabrication, permits and installation.
What Affects the Price
- Sign size, number of letters, height and depth
- Lighting style: front-lit, halo-lit or combination
- Logos, colors and finishes
- Mounting method and wall surface
- Installation height and access
- Electrical work and NYC permits
NYC sign permits can be tricky. We make them simple.
Every illuminated sign in NYC needs a DOB permit, including channel letters of any size. Here’s what we handle for you:
- DOB sign permit filed through DOB NOW
- Zoning check for sign location and size
- Licensed electrician to the NYC Electrical Code
- Landlord sign-off: the permit is tied to the property
- Yearly renewal, billed to the property owner
- Changes and removal handled correctly
- Plan ahead. Permits can take several weeks, so we start early.
Rules vary by location. See the NYC DOB Illuminated Sign FAQ or call 718-453-8300.
Who uses channel letters? Every business that wants to be found.
Restaurants & Bars
Stand out on crowded blocks after dark.
Retail & Fashion
A polished look that matches your brand.
Gyms & Fitness
Bright and visible from a distance.
Medical & Dental
Clear names for patients day and night.
Franchises
Consistent branding at every location.
Malls, Venues & Offices
Big presence, built to last.
Born in Brooklyn. Built for New York.
Who We Are
A family-owned sign company that started in a home garage in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. 30+ years later, a second generation of sign makers runs the shop.
Why Us
Licensed and Insured Sign Makers who know NYC storefronts, landlords and permits. We build in-house, so we control the quality.
What We Do
Design, fabrication, permits, installation and repairs for channel letters and every kind of business sign, across NYC and New Jersey.
Don't take our word for it. Hear what our clients are saying.
★★★★★ Rated 4.5 stars on Google
Ready to light up your storefront?
Let's get started.
Tell us about your project and send a photo of your storefront. We’ll come back with a free design idea and quote. Prefer to talk? Call 718-453-8300.
Got questions about channel letters? We've got answers.
Most channel letter signs start at around $3,000. The final cost depends on factors such as sign size, lighting style, materials, mounting method, installation requirements, and permits.
Yes. The NYC Department of Buildings requires a permit for every illuminated sign, including channel letters of any size, and the permit renews yearly. We file it and coordinate with your landlord and electrician
Front-lit channel letters illuminate through the face of each letter, creating a bright, direct appearance. Halo-lit letters illuminate from behind, creating a soft glow around the letters on the mounting surface.
LED channel letters can typically provide many years of reliable illumination when properly manufactured, installed, and maintained. Their lifespan depends on the LED components, operating conditions, and maintenance.
Yes. Channel letters can be customized to match your logo, brand colors, fonts, finishes, and overall storefront design. We can use your existing branding as a reference during the design process.
The timeline depends on the design, size, materials, lighting, permitting, fabrication, and installation requirements. After reviewing your project, we can provide a more accurate estimated timeline.
Yes. Existing channel letters can often be repaired or serviced depending on their condition. Common services include LED replacement, electrical repairs, face replacement, letter repairs, and troubleshooting lighting issues.
Read more about Channel Letters
Two storefronts can order the same letters, in the same font and color, and end up with signs that look noticeably
Most people shopping for channel letters end up choosing between two lighting styles. Front-lit letters send light out through the face.
If there’s one type of sign that transforms a storefront from “just another business on the block” into a recognizable landmark,