# Sign Regulations in Westport, Connecticut

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Westport, Connecticut (CT)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/connecticut/westport
- **Data last verified:** 2025-10-13
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/westport-ct/doc-viewer.aspx#secid-7027)

## At a glance

Westport, Connecticut regulates 35 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Restricted Business District (RBD), General Business District (GBD), General Business District Saugatuck (GBD/S), GBD/SM, GBD/R, Highway Service District (HSD), Business Preservation District (BPD), Design Development District (DDD), Business Center District (BCD), Business Center District/Historic (BCD/H) zoning district are capped at ≤20 ft or below lowest point of main roof line, whichever is less tall and 32 sq ft (40 sq ft where a Bus Shelter is located); 100 sq ft for a unified shopping center, with a ≥15 ft from any property line; may be reduced to 0 ft on properties with a Bus Shelter if sight lines are not inhibited and sign is ≥10 ft from edge of pavement; must display street number ≥6 inches tall; Not within 50 ft of the boundary of a Residence District setback (Sec. §33-8.4.1–§33-8.4.7; (830, 07/24/2023)). Most commercial signs in Westport require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | Freestanding measured from ground; Facade-hung top ≤7 ft above ground | ≤25% of the window/door area | — |
| Residence AAA District, Residence AA District, Residence A District, Residence B District, Residence C District (MFD) | 5 | — | Counts toward 24 sq ft aggregate | — |
| Restricted Professional Office District (RPOD) | 2 | 6 ft | 14 sq ft | — |
| Restricted Office-Retail District (RORD #1, RORD #2, RORD #3) | 3 | 6 ft | 14 sq ft | — |
| Corporate Park District (CPD) | 2 | — | — | — |
| Historic Design District (HDD) | 5 | — | 50 sq ft per sign (absolute cap) | — |
| Restricted Business District (RBD), General Business District (GBD), General Business District Saugatuck (GBD/S), GBD/SM, GBD/R, Highway Service District (HSD), Business Preservation District (BPD), Design Development District (DDD), Business Center District (BCD), Business Center District/Historic (BCD/H) | 5 | ≤20 ft from ground to top AND may not extend above the lower sill of a second story window (whichever is less) | 32 sq ft (40 sq ft where a Bus Shelter is located); 100 sq ft for a unified shopping center | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Governmental Sign (Official Notice) | — | — | — | — | — | All districts | — | §33-4.1.1 |
| Governmental Sign (Traffic/Regulatory/Street/Danger) | — | — | — | — | — | All districts | — | §33-4.1.2 |
| Warning/No Trespassing/On-Lot Directional Sign | — | 2 sq ft each | — | — | — | On the lot (to warn of danger, prohibit trespassing or direct traffic on the lot) | — | §33-4.1.3 |
| Temporary Sign – Sale/Lease (Residential) | — | 2 sq ft per side | — | ≥5 ft from any property line | One per property | On the subject premises; at least 5 ft from any property line | — | §33-5.1.1 |
| Temporary Sign – Sale/Lease (Nonresidential) | — | 9 sq ft per side | — | ≥5 ft from any property line | One per property | On the subject premises; at least 5 ft from any property line | — | §33-5.1.1 |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 24 sq ft aggregate | — | — | — | On lot where building is under construction or reconstruction | — | §33-5.1.2 |
| Window/Door Temporary Sign (Nonresidential) | — | ≤25% of the window/door area | — | — | — | Temporarily affixed to/on a window or door; nonresidential districts only | — | §33-5.2.1 |
| Free-Standing Portable Sign (Sandwich Board or Facade-Hung; Nonresidential Only) | Freestanding measured from ground; Facade-hung top ≤7 ft above ground | Freestanding: 24 in W × 40 in H per side; Facade-hung: 24 in W × 36 in H (one-sided) | 24 inches | — | One per tenant | On the property where the business is located; self-supporting/portable or hung flush to facade; not in parking spaces; must not interfere with pedestrian traffic or block sight lines | — | §33-5.3 (a–i) |

### Historic Design District (HDD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (HDD) | — | 50 sq ft per sign (absolute cap) | — | — | ≤3 signs per business/tenant | On buildings within HDD; designed to reflect historical signage appropriate to original construction era | — | §33-7.5 (813, 03/27/2023) |
| Projecting/Hanging Sign (HDD) | — | 50 sq ft per sign (absolute cap) | — | — | ≤3 per business/tenant (combined with other sign types) | Projected from building or hung; designed to reflect historically appropriate signage | — | §33-7.5 |
| Window Sign (Sign on Glass – HDD) | — | 50 sq ft per sign (absolute cap) | — | — | ≤3 per business/tenant (combined total) | Signs on glass | — | §33-7.5 |
| Freestanding Sign (Attached to Historical Light Fixtures – HDD) | — | 50 sq ft per sign (absolute cap) | — | — | ≤3 per business/tenant (combined total) | Freestanding signs attached to historical light fixtures | — | §33-7.5 |
| Freestanding Sign (District Identification – HDD) | — | 30 sq ft | — | — | One district identification sign | Identifying the district | — | §33-7.5 |

### Restricted Business District (RBD), General Business District (GBD), General Business District Saugatuck (GBD/S), GBD/SM, GBD/R, Highway Service District (HSD), Business Preservation District (BPD), Design Development District (DDD), Business Center District (BCD), Business Center District/Historic (BCD/H)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | ≤20 ft from ground to top AND may not extend above the lower sill of a second story window (whichever is less) | — | — | — | No one business use/tenant may have more than three (3) signs; one additional wall identification sign ≤2 sq ft allowed at a secondary entrance facing a parking lot (exempt from sign area and §33-2) (§33-8.1.2) | Attached to a wall/facade; may project ≤18 inches from wall; if wall face coincident with street line, sign may extend ≤3 inches beyond street line | — | §33-8.1; §33-8.2.1–§33-8.2.6 |
| Wall Sign (Secondary Entrance Identification – Parking Lot Entrance) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | One additional secondary entrance sign | At secondary business entrance facing a parking lot | — | §33-8.1.2 |
| Window Sign (Upper-Floor Occupant) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per upper-floor unit of occupancy | Inside one window serving the upper-floor unit of occupancy | — | §33-8.2.4 |
| Projecting/Hanging Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | One per business/use | May project from building face or hang from a roof canopy; must be under a roof and over a walkway; not over a public sidewalk | — | §33-8.3.1–§33-8.3.3 |
| Freestanding Sign | ≤20 ft or below lowest point of main roof line, whichever is less | 32 sq ft (40 sq ft where a Bus Shelter is located); 100 sq ft for a unified shopping center | — | ≥15 ft from any property line; may be reduced to 0 ft on properties with a Bus Shelter if sight lines are not inhibited and sign is ≥10 ft from edge of pavement; must display street number ≥6 inches tall; Not within 50 ft of the boundary of a Residence District | One per lot (if lot has ≥100 ft street frontage) | On the lot; supported by a freestanding self-supporting structure erected on the ground and not attached to a building | — | §33-8.4.1–§33-8.4.7; (830, 07/24/2023) |

## Prohibited signs in Westport

- No sign may project beyond any property line, except as allowed by §33-8.2.3.
- No hanging sign may be over any portion of the traveled path of any driveway or other access way.
- No sign may project beyond the sides of a building or above the lowest point of the main roof line.
- No sign is allowed on the top of any building.
- No sign structure may conflict with corner visibility requirements.
- No sign may interfere with vehicular or pedestrian traffic, traffic signals or signs, or motorists' visibility by virtue of its location, color, or size.
- No sign may obstruct access to or from any door, exit, window, or fire escape.
- No artificial light or reflecting device may be used, located, or displayed where it distracts users of a street or competes with or may be mistaken for a traffic signal.
- No animated or flashing signs are allowed, except a time-temperature device as part of an otherwise non-flashing, non-animated display.
- Except for flags, no sign may be in motion (swinging, fluttering, rotating, or banners strung in series set in motion by the atmosphere). The area of any flag other than national, state, or town flags counts as signage and requires permits.
- Stringing of lights is prohibited except during the holiday season (11/15 through 1/15).
- No sign may be painted or posted directly on an exposed wall surface, except for individual, raised, mounted letters; other painted or posted signs must be on a durable plate or backing affixed to the wall.
- No signs may be mounted or posted on any tree or utility pole.
- Directly-illuminated gaseous signs (e.g., neon) visible from outside the building, and signs with the appearance of neon visible from outside, are prohibited.
- Free-standing portable signs (e.g., sandwich boards) are prohibited except as specifically allowed in §33-5.
- All signs and other advertising devices are prohibited unless they refer to products sold and/or services rendered or business conducted on the property where the sign is located (off-premises advertising prohibited).

## Signs exempt from permit in Westport

- Official government notices (permitted in all districts without a zoning permit).
- Governmental signs to control traffic, for regulatory purposes, to identify streets, or to warn of danger (permitted in all districts without a zoning permit).
- On-lot signs that warn of danger, prohibit trespassing, or direct traffic, up to 2 sq ft each (permitted in all districts without a zoning permit).
- Signs of public service companies to warn of danger (permitted in all districts without a zoning permit).
- One temporary for-sale/for-lease sign per property: up to 2 sq ft per side for residential or 9 sq ft per side for nonresidential; minimum 5 ft setback from any property line (permitted in all districts without a zoning permit).
- One temporary construction sign up to 24 sq ft aggregate identifying designers/builders on lots under construction or reconstruction; must be removed within 10 days after rental, sale, or completion (permitted in all districts without a zoning permit).
- Temporary signs for public and charitable events, to be removed after the event (permitted in all districts without a zoning permit).
- Political signs (permitted in all districts without a zoning permit).
- Coastal/Shoreline Public Access directional signs that conform to the CT DEEP Coastal Public Access Sign Catalog (permitted in all districts and do not require zoning permits).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit master sign plan or sign plan requirement is stated in §33.
- A zoning permit is required for any sign unless specifically exempted in §§33-4.1, 33-5.1, or 33-11; normal maintenance is not a change, but a new name is deemed a change (§33-2.1).
- Sign permit applications must include a plot plan showing sign location and a to-scale building elevation or sketch with dimensions, showing the sign’s height, design, materials, colors, and illumination (§33-2.2).
- Architectural Review Board (ARB) review is required for: (a) free-standing signs in non-residence districts listed in §33-8 (§33-8.4), (b) free-standing signs in RPOD and RORD districts (§33-7.3), and (c) wall signs exceeding 50 sq ft (§33-8.2.6).
- Historic Design District (HDD) signage is subject to review and recommendation by a majority of the Historic District Commission; signage must reflect historically appropriate design and backlit signage is prohibited (§33-7.5).
- Unified shopping centers must maintain a coordinated aesthetic scheme for wall signs (uniform letter size/style, illumination, placement, colors, and types), though no master sign plan document is specified (§33-8.2.5).
- One free-standing portable sign per tenant in non-residence districts requires an annual zoning permit and a department-issued sticker/tag; these signs are subject to specific size, location, and design limits (§33-5.3).

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

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