# Sign Regulations in East Lyme, Connecticut

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for East Lyme, Connecticut, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** East Lyme, Connecticut (CT)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/connecticut/east-lyme
- **Data last verified:** 2025-11-11
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://eltownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ZONING-REGULATIONS-of-July-10-2025.pdf#page=116)

## At a glance

East Lyme, Connecticut regulates 22 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Industrial Park ID Signs in the Commercial Districts (CA, CB, CM) zoning district are capped at 15 feet tall, 90 sq ft, and 6 feet wide, with a No sight line hazard setback (Sec. Table 1.5A S¹). Most commercial signs in East Lyme require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 15 feet maximum; minimum 10 feet clearance to bottom | Varies by type: Construction 32 sq ft, Political 32 sq ft total, Real Estate 8 sq ft (residential) or 32 sq ft (non-residential), Show Window 25% of window | — |
| Residential Use | 10 | 15 feet | Construction 32 sq ft, Political 32 sq ft, Real Estate 8 sq ft | — |
| Non-Residential Use | 11 | 15 feet | Construction 32, Political 32, Real Estate 8 | — |
| Commercial Districts (CA, CB, CM) | 17 | 42 inches | 90 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Districts | 13 | 15 feet | 90 sq ft | — |
| Highway Sign District | 15 | >50 feet for pre-existing nonconforming | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Commercial Districts (CA, CB, CM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Other Sign | 15 feet | See formula | — | 0 feet | 1 per lot (up to 2 with special permit) | Ground supported | — | Table 1.5A, 1.5B, 1.5C; 18.1.8 |
| Freestanding Incidental Sign | — | — | — | 0 ft | As needed | On property | — | Table 1.5A |
| Canopy Sign | — | Included | — | — | As needed | On canopy | — | Table 1.5A; 18.1.13.4 |
| Identification Sign (Building) | — | Included | — | — | 1 | Building | — | Table 1.5A |
| Industrial Park ID Sign | 15 feet | 90 sq ft | 6 feet | No sight line hazard | 1 per park | At park entrance, public or private land | — | Table 1.5A S¹ |
| Suspended Sign | 15 ft, 10 min clear | Included | — | 0 | As needed | Suspended | — | Table 1.5A, 1.5C |
| Temporary Business/Identity Sign | 4 feet (8 ft for shopping center) | 12 sq ft individual; 32 sq ft for shopping center (up to 2) | 3 feet | — | Up to 2 for shopping centers | On lot | — | 18.1.11.2; Table 1.5C |
| Temporary Chalk Board A-Frame Sign (Sandwich Board) | 42 inches | — | 18 inches | — | 1 per business | Near business entrance, not impeding traffic | — | 18.1.11.3 |

### Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Other Sign | 15 feet | See formula | — | 0 ft | 1 (up to 2 special) | Ground | — | Table 1.5A, 1.5B, 1.5C; 18.1.8 |
| Freestanding Incidental Sign | — | — | — | 0 | As needed | Property | — | Table 1.5A |
| Canopy Sign | — | Included | — | — | As needed | Canopy | — | Table 1.5A |
| Identification Sign (Building) | — | Included | — | — | 1 | Building | — | Table 1.5A |
| Industrial Park ID Sign | 15 ft | 90 sq ft | 6 ft | — | 1 | Park entrance | — | Table 1.5A S¹ |
| Wall Sign | — | Included | — | — | Multiple | Wall | — | Table 1.5A |
| Window Sign | — | Included | — | — | As needed | Window | — | Table 1.5A |
| Suspended Sign | 15 ft, 10 min | Included | — | 0 | As needed | Suspended | — | Table 1.5A, 1.5C |

### Highway Sign District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Other Sign | 15 feet, up to 30 feet with special permit | See formula | — | 0 ft | 1 (up to 2 special) | Ground, visible from I-95 | — | Table 1.5A, 1.5B, 1.5C; 18.1.5.2; 18.1.8.5D |
| Freestanding Residential Sign | 15 ft, up to 30 special | Included | — | 0 | 1 | Ground | — | Table 1.5A |
| Freestanding Incidental Sign | — | — | — | 0 | As needed | Property | — | Table 1.5A |
| Canopy Sign | — | Included | — | — | As needed | Canopy | — | Table 1.5A |
| Identification Sign (Building) | — | Included | — | — | 1 | Building | — | Table 1.5A |
| Residential Building Sign | — | Included | — | — | 1 | Building | — | Table 1.5A |
| Wall Sign | — | Included | — | — | Multiple | Wall | — | Table 1.5A |
| Suspended Sign | 15 ft, 10 min | Included | — | 0 | As needed | Suspended | — | Table 1.5A, 1.5C |

## Prohibited signs in East Lyme

- Animated signs
- Banners, except temporary business opening banners
- Beacons
- Marquees
- Portable signs, except temporary business/identity signs
- Projecting signs
- Roof signs
- Strings of lights not permanently mounted to a rigid background, except exempted signs
- Inflatable signs and tethered balloons
- Signs that can be confused with traffic signs, signals, or devices
- Green or red illuminated signs within 200 feet of a traffic signal light
- Signs projecting over sidewalks, driveways, walkways, roadways, or access ways, except canopy signs or street banners with minimum 10 feet vertical clearance
- Signs containing flags, banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, strings of light bulbs, spinners, or other moving devices
- Animated, flashing, rotating, noise-making, reflecting, mirrored, or intermittently illuminated signs, except time/temperature signs with white lighting and max 5 feet dimension
- Illuminated signs casting direct rays into residential areas or public streets; exposed bulbs >15 watts prohibited
- Billboards or off-premise signs, except limited cases for businesses without highway frontage meeting specific conditions

## Signs exempt from permit in East Lyme

- Public notices or warnings required by federal, state, or local law
- Signs inside a building, not attached to windows/doors, not legible >3 feet beyond lot line
- Works of art without commercial messages
- Holiday lights and decorations without commercial messages (November 15 to January 15)
- Private traffic control signs (e.g., Stop, Yield) meeting DOT standards without commercial messages
- Open flags (3' x 5', one per business, non-obstructive)
- Community bulletin boards (up to 3, total 80 sq ft, individual ads ≤6 sq ft, approved by Zoning Commission, shielded lighting)
- Restaurant menu signs (one per restaurant, ≤11” x 17”, non-illuminated or enclosed illuminated cases)
- Internally illuminated 'Open' signs (one per business, ≤12” x 24”, single-faced, off at close of business, window display, CA zone only)
- Farm stand signs (one off-premise directional, ≤24” x 36” per side, ≤6 ft high, no site line hazard, Board of Selectmen approval if on town property)

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No permit for permanent individual sign requiring a permit in commercial, industrial, or highway districts without approved Master or Common Signage Plan
- Master Signage Plan required for zone lots proposing one or more permitted signs, including plot plan, locations, and computations of max sign area/height
- Common Signage Plan for two or more contiguous lots or single lot with multiple buildings allows 25% increase in max total sign area
- Common Signage Plan must specify standards for consistency (color, lettering, lighting, location, material, proportions)
- Sign plans may indicate window sign areas generally without exact dimensions
- Plans limit freestanding signs to one total; additional in commercial/highway requires hardship showing, Sign Design Review Committee review, and Special Permit
- Plans processed with development/site plans; amendments by new plan filing
- Existing nonconforming signs must be brought into conformance within 3 years under new/amended plans
- Plans binding; no signs except in conformance, regulation controls conflicts
- Special Permit required for certain elements like second freestanding signs in highway district (≤30 ft high) or neon signs in commercial districts

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 6 zoning districts in East Lyme — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=East+Lyme+CT&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-east-lyme

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