# Sign Regulations in Marlborough, Connecticut

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Marlborough, Connecticut (CT)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/connecticut/marlborough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-11-15
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30894793)

## At a glance

Marlborough, Connecticut regulates 20 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Address signs in the Residential Zone zoning district are capped at 2 square feet, with a Minimum 10 feet from all lot lines setback (Sec. § 340-13.1B(1)). Most commercial signs in Marlborough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zone | 13 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| Commercial Zone | 16 | — | 120 square feet | — |
| Industrial Zone | 10 | — | 120 square feet | — |
| Recreational Zone | 5 | — | 50 square feet | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Residential Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address sign | — | 2 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all lot lines | 1 (in lieu of one nameplate sign) | On building or lot | — | § 340-13.1B(1) |
| Contractor's sign | — | 6 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all lot lines | 1 | On lot | — | § 340-13.1B(1) |
| Detached sign | — | 10 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from all lot lines | 1 (one of: detached sign, home occupation sign, or public interest sign) | Along frontage lot line, as close as permitted | — | § 340-13.1B(1) |
| Development sign | — | 20 square feet | — | Minimum 25 feet from all lot lines | 1 | On lot | — | § 340-13.1B(1) |
| Home occupation sign | — | 4 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from all lot lines | 1 (one of: detached sign, home occupation sign, or public interest sign) | On lot | — | § 340-13.1B(1) |
| Nameplate sign | — | 2 square feet | — | No minimum distance required | 1 (in lieu of one address sign) | On building | — | § 340-13.1B(1) |
| Political sign | — | 6 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all lot lines | No limit (as permitted under § 340-13.1) | Along frontage lot line if applicable | — | § 340-13.1B(1) |
| Protection sign | — | 2 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all lot lines | No limit (as permitted under § 340-13.1) | On lot | — | § 340-13.1B(1) |

### Commercial Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning sign | — | 50 square feet | — | N/A (on building); Minimum 50 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | 1 base (one of: awning sign, detached sign, public interest sign, roof sign, or wall sign); Special permit for up to 2 total (aggregate <=50 sq ft); For multi-tenant building fronting two streets with 3+ tenants, up to 4 per tenant (aggregate per tenant <=120 sq ft, individual <=50 sq ft, total building <=250 sq ft) | On awning of building | — | § 340-13.1C(1) |
| Billboard sign | — | 25 square feet | — | Minimum 100 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 100 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 200 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | 1 per lot owner | On lot | — | § 340-13.1C(1) |
| Detached sign | — | 50 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 15 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 50 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | 1 base (one of: awning sign, detached sign, public interest sign, roof sign, or wall sign); Special permit for up to 2 total (aggregate <=50 sq ft); For multi-tenant building fronting two streets with 3+ tenants, up to 4 per tenant (aggregate per tenant <=120 sq ft, individual <=50 sq ft, total building <=250 sq ft) | Along frontage lot line, as close as permitted | — | § 340-13.1C(1) |
| Directory sign | — | 120 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 15 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 50 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | Up to 2 per lot (no portion less than 300 feet apart) | Along frontage lot line, as close as permitted | — | § 340-13.1C(1) |
| Directory identification sign | — | 10 square feet | — | N/A | No limit (1 per qualifying use) | On building or directory structure | — | § 340-13.1C(1) |
| Nameplate sign | — | 2 square feet | — | N/A | 1 per owner or tenant | On building | — | § 340-13.1C(1) |
| Political sign | — | 6 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 15 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 15 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | No limit | Along frontage lot line if applicable | — | § 340-13.1C(1) |
| Protection sign | — | 2 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 10 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 5 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | No limit | On lot | — | § 340-13.1C(1) |

### Industrial Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Detached sign | — | 50 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 15 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 50 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | 1 per owner or tenant with public visitation | Along frontage lot line, as close as permitted | — | § 340-13.1D(1) |
| Directory sign | — | 120 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 15 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 50 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | Up to 2 per lot (no portion less than 300 feet apart) | Along frontage lot line, as close as permitted | — | § 340-13.1D(1) |
| Directory identification sign | — | 10 square feet | — | N/A | No limit (1 per qualifying use) | On building or directory structure | — | § 340-13.1D(1) |
| Nameplate sign | — | 2 square feet | — | N/A | 1 per owner or tenant | On building | — | § 340-13.1D(1) |
| Political sign | — | 6 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 15 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 15 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | No limit | Along frontage lot line if applicable | — | § 340-13.1D(1) |
| Protection sign | — | 2 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 10 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 5 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | No limit | On lot | — | § 340-13.1D(1) |
| Public interest sign | — | 50 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 15 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 50 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | No limit (but subject to general number rules) | Along frontage lot line, as close as permitted | — | § 340-13.1D(1) |
| Public safety sign | — | 4 square feet | — | Minimum 10 feet from all curb lines; Minimum 10 feet from all non-frontage lot lines; Minimum 5 feet from lot lines adjacent to Residential Zone | No limit | On lot | — | § 340-13.1D(1) |

## Prohibited signs in Marlborough

- Streamers, pennants, ribbons, spinners or other similar devices.
- Internally illuminated signs, flashing signs, neon signs, inflatable signs, and signs containing reflective elements, which sparkle or twinkle.
- Signs advertising or identifying a business or organization which is either defunct or no longer located on the premises.
- Off-premises signs.
- Any vehicle or trailer exhibiting any lettering or symbols and parked in such a manner as to indicate that such vehicle is being used for the basic purpose of advertising products sold, or directing people to a business or activity located on or near the place where such vehicle is parked.
- Three dimensional signs built to physically represent the object advertised.
- Signs which utilize supporting framework (e.g. brackets, posts, etc.) exceeding 20% of the sign area as measured pursuant to the terms of this § 340-13.1.
- Signs which are not expressly permitted in these regulations.

## Signs exempt from permit in Marlborough

- Any sign authorized in these Regulations may contain any non-commercial copy in addition to, or in lieu of, any other copy.

## 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 5 zoning districts in Marlborough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Marlborough+CT&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-marlborough

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