# Sign Regulations in Milford, Connecticut

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Milford, Connecticut (CT)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/connecticut/milford
- **Data last verified:** 2025-10-21
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.milfordct.us/DocumentCenter/View/2904/Zoning-Regulations-Amended-52325pdf#page=207)

## At a glance

Milford, Connecticut regulates 25 sign types across 19 zoning districts. Ground Sign (CDD-1, CDD-3, CDD-5)s in the Corridor Design Development Districts (CDD-1, CDD-2, CDD-3, CDD-4, CDD-5) zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall and 100 sq ft, with a Minimum 10 ft setback (Sec. §5.3.5.1(1)-(3); area/height exceptions include CDD-1, CDD-3, CDD-5; §5.3.5; §5.3.7.17). Most commercial signs in Milford require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (19 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| One Family Residential (R-A, R-30, R-18, R-12.5, R-10, R-7.5, R-5) | 2 | 8 ft | 9 sq ft | — |
| Single Family Attached (SFA-10) | 2 | 8 ft | 9 sq ft | — |
| Multi-Family Residential (RMF-9, RMF-16) | 2 | 8 ft | 9 sq ft | — |
| Residential Office (RO) | 2 | 8 ft | 9 sq ft | — |
| Office (OD) | 7 | 18 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Design Office (DO-10, DO-25) | 7 | 18 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Business (BD, BD-1) | 7 | 18 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Limited Industrial (LI) | 7 | 25 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Industrial (ID) | 7 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Corridor Design Development Districts (CDD-1, CDD-2, CDD-3, CDD-4, CDD-5) | 9 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Interchange Commercial District (ICD) | 7 | 18 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Milford Center Design Development District (MCDD) | 7 | 12 ft | ≤ 32 sq ft | — |
| Housatonic Design District (HDD) | 7 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Shopping Center Design (SCD) | 8 | 20 ft | 75 sq ft | — |
| Waterfront Design District (WDD) | 8 | 20 ft | 75 sq ft | — |
| Corridor Design Development Districts (Commercial Advertising Signs: CDD-1, CDD-3, CDD-5) | 1 | ≤ building height; and ≤ 40 ft above ground; and ≤ 24 ft above pavement level of the street to which oriented | ≤ 672 sq ft | — |
| Interchange Commercial District (ICD) (Commercial Advertising Signs) | 1 | ≤ building height; and ≤ 40 ft above ground; and ≤ 24 ft above pavement level of the street to which oriented | ≤ 672 sq ft | — |
| Industrial (ID) (Commercial Advertising Signs) | 1 | ≤ building height; and ≤ 40 ft above ground; and ≤ 24 ft above pavement level of the street to which oriented | ≤ 672 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 19 zones)

### Corridor Design Development Districts (CDD-1, CDD-2, CDD-3, CDD-4, CDD-5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (CDD-1, CDD-3, CDD-5) | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — | Minimum 10 ft | Only one along any front property line | Along front property line; on-premise signs allowed along each separate street frontage | — | §5.3.5.1(1)-(3); area/height exceptions include CDD-1, CDD-3, CDD-5; §5.3.5; §5.3.7.17 |
| Ground Sign (CDD-2, CDD-4) | 18 ft | 40 sq ft | — | Minimum 10 ft | Only one along any front property line | Along front property line; on-premise signs allowed along each separate street frontage | — | §5.3.5.1(1)-(3); §5.3.5; §5.3.7.17 |
| Wall Sign (CDD-1, CDD-3, CDD-5) | — | 15% of wall area | — | — | — | Facade viewable from public street/way or parking area | — | §5.3.5.2 (exception for CDD-1, CDD-3, CDD-5); §5.3.5.8 |
| Wall Sign (CDD-2, CDD-4) | — | 10% of wall area | — | — | — | Facade viewable from public street/way or parking area | — | §5.3.5.2; §5.3.5.8 |
| Canopy Sign | — | ≤ 16 sq ft (counts toward wall sign area) | — | — | One per separate use per facade | Under roof over walkway; one per separate use per facade; on facade viewable from public street/way or parking area | — | §5.3.5.3 |
| Directional Signs (Traffic/Warning) | — | ≤ 4 sq ft each | — | — | No more than two per driveway entrance/exit or hazard area | At driveway entrances/exits or hazard areas | — | §5.3.5.6 |
| Directory Sign | — | ≤ 32 sq ft | — | — | More than one allowed if >10 tenants or departments/divisions | Internal to site; viewable only after driving in off main street; at internal intersections | — | §5.3.5.7 |
| Blade Sign (Projecting/Cantilevered) | Top ≤ 12 ft; bottom ≥ 7 ft | ≤ 4 sq ft | ≤ 36 inches if hung from canopy | — | 1 per ground floor tenant | May overhang right-of-way with written permission; must not extend beyond curb line | — | §5.3.5.9(1)-(8) |

### Shopping Center Design (SCD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign - Shopping Center Identification | 20 ft | 75 sq ft | — | Minimum 15 ft | Only one along any front property line | Along front property line; on-premise signs allowed along each separate street frontage | — | §5.3.5.1(1)-(3) (SCD exceptions); §5.3.5; §5.3.7.17 |
| Ground Sign - Tenant Identification | 20 ft | 16 sq ft | — | Minimum 15 ft | — | As part of shopping center ground sign assembly; along front property line | — | §5.3.5.1(2)-(3) (SCD exceptions) |
| Wall Sign | — | 10% of wall area | — | — | — | Facade viewable from public street/way or parking area | — | §5.3.5.2; §5.3.5.8 |
| Canopy Sign | — | ≤ 16 sq ft (counts toward wall sign area) | — | — | One per separate use per facade | Under roof over walkway; one per separate use per facade | — | §5.3.5.3 |
| Window Sign | — | ≤ 35% of window display area per facade | — | — | — | Windows on facades viewable from public street/way or parking area | — | §5.3.5.5 |
| Directional Signs (Traffic/Warning) | — | ≤ 4 sq ft each | — | — | No more than two per driveway entrance/exit or hazard area | At driveway entrances/exits or hazard areas | — | §5.3.5.6 |
| Directory Sign | — | ≤ 32 sq ft | — | — | More than one allowed if >10 tenants or departments/divisions | Internal to site; viewable only after driving in off main street; at internal intersections | — | §5.3.5.7 |
| Blade Sign (Projecting/Cantilevered) | Top ≤ 12 ft; bottom ≥ 7 ft | ≤ 4 sq ft | ≤ 36 inches if hung from canopy | — | 1 per ground floor tenant | May overhang right-of-way with written permission; must not extend beyond curb line | — | §5.3.5.9(1)-(8) |

### Waterfront Design District (WDD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign - Shopping Center Identification | 20 ft | 75 sq ft | — | Minimum 15 ft | Only one along any front property line | Along front property line; on-premise signs allowed along each separate street frontage | — | §5.3.5.1(1)-(3) (WDD exceptions); §5.3.5; §5.3.7.17 |
| Ground Sign - Tenant Identification | 20 ft | 16 sq ft | — | Minimum 15 ft | — | As part of shopping center ground sign assembly; along front property line | — | §5.3.5.1(2)-(3) (WDD exceptions) |
| Wall Sign | — | 10% of wall area | — | — | — | Facade viewable from public street/way or parking area | — | §5.3.5.2; §5.3.5.8 |
| Canopy Sign | — | ≤ 16 sq ft (counts toward wall sign area) | — | — | One per separate use per facade | Under roof over walkway; one per separate use per facade | — | §5.3.5.3 |
| Window Sign | — | ≤ 35% of window display area per facade | — | — | — | Windows on facades viewable from public street/way or parking area | — | §5.3.5.5 |
| Directional Signs (Traffic/Warning) | — | ≤ 4 sq ft each | — | — | No more than two per driveway entrance/exit or hazard area | At driveway entrances/exits or hazard areas | — | §5.3.5.6 |
| Directory Sign | — | ≤ 32 sq ft | — | — | More than one allowed if >10 tenants or departments/divisions | Internal to site; viewable only after driving in off main street; at internal intersections | — | §5.3.5.7 |
| Blade Sign (Projecting/Cantilevered) | Top ≤ 12 ft; bottom ≥ 7 ft | ≤ 4 sq ft | ≤ 36 inches if hung from canopy | — | 1 per ground floor tenant | May overhang right-of-way with written permission; must not extend beyond curb line | — | §5.3.5.9(1)-(8) |

## Prohibited signs in Milford

- No sign (including canopy signs) may be located in or project over any street right-of-way unless expressly allowed by these regulations.
- No sign or advertising device may simulate official directional or warning signs used by Federal, State or City governments.
- No sign or advertising device may obstruct or interfere with free and clear vision on any street, sidewalk, driveway or navigable channel.
- No sign may use lighting or control mechanisms that cause radio or television interference.
- No illuminated sign or lighting device may direct light onto public streets or walkways, or onto adjoining properties so as to cause glare, reflection, traffic hazard, or public nuisance.
- No animated signs or advertising devices are allowed.
- No advertising banner may be attached to on-premise light poles, utility poles, trees, or other free-standing vertical site elements; banners are only allowed on building facades at a minimum height of 12 feet above grade.
- No advertising balloons, inflatable signs, or advertising streamers are allowed.
- No flashing signs or advertising devices with intermittent or varying light intensity are allowed.
- No projecting sign may extend more than 15 inches beyond building walls or parts thereof, except where otherwise provided.
- No roof signs are allowed; signs on architecturally detailed facades such as mansard roofs are not considered roof signs but may not extend above the parapet of the structural roof.
- No sign may be painted or erected on any fence or retaining wall.
- No building or part thereof (e.g., gable, roof, wall) may be outlined by direct illumination for commercial advertising.
- No sign may obstruct any fire escape, window, door, or other building opening used for egress/ingress, ventilation, or fire-fighting purposes.
- No temporary pennants or A-frame signs may be used as permanent signs.
- Electronic message signs are prohibited (clocks and/or thermometer displays are not considered electronic message signs).
- Vehicle fueling stations may use one digital numeric price display as part of a ground sign; it counts toward allowable sign area and must be a constant display with no changes in color, intensity, brightness and must not flash, blink, or be animated.

## Signs exempt from permit in Milford

- Temporary signs (as regulated in Section 5.3.3) are exempt from Section 5.3.1 (general procedure) and Section 5.3.2.1 (maintenance), subject to the conditions of Section 5.3.3.
- Temporary political signs are exempt from the temporary sign permit requirement.
- Temporary real estate signs are exempt from the temporary sign permit requirement.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs (except as provided in Section 5.3.3 for temporary signs) require a Zoning Permit approved by the Zoning Enforcement Officer prior to erection or structural alteration (Section 5.3.1).
- Any non-residential building or use that requires Site Plan review (Section 7.1) must include a freestanding address sign (0.5–2 sq ft; numbers at least 5 inches high; does not count toward total allowed signage) (Section 5.3.2.4).
- In One/Two Family Residential, Medium Density Multiple-Family Residential, and Residential-Office districts, other signs (beyond identification signs) are limited to directional signs necessary for public safety or convenience and must be approved only as an integral part of the Site Plan (Section 5.3.4.2).
- In Office, Business, Limited Industrial, Industrial, Corridor Design Districts, Interchange Commercial, Design Office, Milford Center Design District, Housatonic Design District, Shopping Center Design, and Waterfront Design Districts, other signs are limited to those necessary for directional or safety purposes and must be approved only as an integral part of a Site Plan (Section 5.3.5.4).
- Commercial advertising signs (billboards) in CDD-1, CDD-3, CDD-5, ICD, and ID districts require Special Permit and Site Plan Approval (Section 5.3.6).

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

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