(a) No sign permitted by the provisions of Section 23-1-274 may be erected without first obtaining a permit therefor from the director. No permit shall be required for signs conforming to the provisions of this division which are in existence upon February 10, 1972, until the end of the fifth calendar year. The application for a permit shall be on a form provided by the director and shall contain such information as the director may require. Upon receipt of an application containing all required information in due form and properly executed, the director shall issue a permit to the applicant for the erection of the sign, provided such sign will not violate any provisions of this division. A charge of $25.00 will be made for each location covered in the permit. The application for a permit shall be accompanied by the required fee.

(b) Permits shall be for the calendar year, and shall be renewed annually upon payment of a fee of $10.00 for the following calendar year without the necessity of filing a new application. The fee shall not be prorated for fractions of the year. Only one permit shall be required for double-faced, back-to-back, or V-type signs. Advertising copy may be changed at any time without the payment of an additional fee, and nothing in this division shall be construed to give the director any power of censorship with regard thereto.

(c) Permit fees for signs under this division shall become due and payable on January 1 of each year and delinquent on February 15 thereafter. A 25 percent penalty shall be charged and collected for any delinquent permit issued after February 15.

(d) In addition to the permit, the director shall issue an identification tag or decal to the applicant upon payment of the fee which shall be permanently affixed to the sign, display, or device for which the permit was issued. Such tag or decal shall be so affixed in a uniform position on all such signs, displays, and devices. The size, location, and content, including identification numbers, and the materials from which such tags or decals are to be made shall be determined by the director. All signs, displays, and devices which do not have the tag or decal attached thereto as provided in this section, shall be considered as being nonconforming within the terms of this division.

(e) The director shall issue a permit for the sign, display, or device described in any application duly made under this section unless it is in violation of this division. Any permit may be revoked after a public hearing upon 30 days written notice if the director finds that any statements made in the application thereof were false or misleading or that the advertising sign, display, or device covered thereby is not in good general condition and in reasonable state of repair or is otherwise in violation of this division, provided such false or misleading statement has not been corrected and that the sign, display, or device has not been brought into compliance with this division prior to said public hearing. The director for good cause shown at such hearing may extend the time within which such sign, display, or device may be brought into conformance or other remedial action taken.