Exit signs seem simple until you are standing in the aisle choosing between glow-in-the-dark, electrical, and reflective. Each has a job it does best. Here is how to pick without overspending or under-complying.
Key takeaways
- Photoluminescent (glow) signs need no wiring and work in a power outage.
- Electrical signs are the default for many commercial occupancies.
- Reflective signs shine only with a light source and suit specific uses.
- Local code and your AHJ decide what is acceptable in your building.
Start with code
Most commercial buildings fall under the International Building Code and NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, which require means-of-egress to be marked by approved, often illuminated, exit signs. Some jurisdictions accept UL 924 listed photoluminescent signs in place of electrical ones; others do not. Confirm with your Authority Having Jurisdiction before you buy in volume.
Photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark)
These charge from ambient light and glow when the lights go out, with no wiring, no batteries, and no electricity bill. They are ideal for stairwells, corridors, and any place where a power failure is exactly when you need the sign to work. They do require a minimum amount of ambient light to charge.
Electrical
Hardwired, usually battery-backed exit signs are the long-standing default for offices, retail, and assembly spaces. They are always lit and widely accepted by code, but they need installation, power, and periodic testing of the backup battery.
Reflective
Reflective signs return light toward its source, so they shine under a flashlight or headlights but stay dark otherwise. They are best as supplemental wayfinding, in parking structures, or on vehicles and equipment, not as a primary egress sign in an occupied building.
Match the sign to the scenario
- Warehouse or stairwell, outage-critical: photoluminescent.
- Office or retail, code-default: electrical.
- Parking, vehicles, supplemental: reflective.
Whatever you choose, mount at the height your code specifies and keep the path of egress unobstructed. See directional and glow options in our Safety & Emergency collection.