Collection: Exit Signs

Photoluminescent exit signs mark the means of egress without wiring, batteries, or radioactive tritium. They charge from the ambient light already in the space and stay readable when the power drops. Every sign here is UL 924 listed and made in the USA by Jessup Manufacturing.

What the code asks for

Section 1013 of the International Building Code requires exits and exit access doors to be marked by an approved sign readable from any direction of egress travel, and requires that marking to stay illuminated. NFPA 101 sets the same expectation in Section 7.10. Signs listed to UL 924 satisfy the marking requirement, which is why they turn up in stairwells, parking structures, and retrofits where running a circuit to a sign is impractical.

What you stop paying for

There is no circuit to install, no battery to replace on a schedule, and no lamp to fail. That removes the monthly and annual test burden that comes with electrified units, and it removes the hazardous disposal step that comes with tritium at end of life. Rated life is 25 years. For the wider system, including path marking and low-location lighting, see the photoluminescent egress guide.

Do photoluminescent exit signs meet code?

The signs here are listed to UL 924, which is the standard the building and fire codes point to for exit sign marking. Whether a specific installation complies is still the authority having jurisdiction's call, and it depends on the sign being charged. UL 924 photoluminescent listings assume a minimum light level on the face of the sign during occupied hours, so a sign mounted where the lights are switched off, or in a space with no ambient light, will not perform as listed. Confirm the charging light stays on with your AHJ before you specify.

How far away does the sign need to be readable?

Measure the longest sight line along the egress path from which the sign has to be legible, then match the rating. A 50 ft listing covers most corridors, offices, classrooms, and stair landings. A 100 ft listing suits long runs, warehouses, open floor plates, and atria. Specifying a shorter rating than the real sight line is the most common miss on this category.

Do they need power or batteries?

No. There is no electrical connection and no battery. The sign absorbs ambient light from LED, fluorescent, metal halide, or mercury vapor sources and releases it when the space goes dark. That is also why they are straightforward to move if an egress path changes.

Can they be used outdoors or in wet locations?

Only the molded PM100 series is listed for indoor, outdoor, and wet locations. Use it for exterior corridors, parking structures, pool and washdown areas, and loading docks. The framed series are listed for indoor use.

How are they mounted?

Most of these ship with hardware for wall, flag, ceiling, or conduit mounting, so one part number covers a flat surface mount and a double-sided perpendicular hang. Conduit brackets are sold separately where a pendant mount is needed. The framed P50 signs mount wall, flag, and ceiling.