# Sign Regulations in Dewey Beach Town, Delaware

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Dewey Beach Town, Delaware (DE)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/delaware/dewey-beach-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/13769161#13769161)

## At a glance

Dewey Beach Town, Delaware regulates 24 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Real Estate Advertising Sign (Single-Family Parcel)s in the NR Neighborhood Residential District, RR Resort Residential District, PR Planned Residential District zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall and 7 sq ft, with a No further than 7 ft from foundation (unless approved) setback (Sec. § 185-31B(1)). Most commercial signs in Dewey Beach Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| NR Neighborhood Residential District, RR Resort Residential District, PR Planned Residential District | 7 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| RB Commercial District | 10 | 35 ft | 85 sq ft per surface | — |
| Business District | 1 | — | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Government Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Anywhere as required by government/public purpose | — | § 185-29A |
| Required By Law Sign | — | — | — | — | — | As required by law | — | § 185-29B |
| On-Premises Non-visible Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On same lot, not visible off-lot | — | § 185-29C |
| Directional/Safety/Convenience Sign | — | 1.5 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises, as needed for public direction/safety | — | § 185-29D |
| Contractor/Developer Construction Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 contractor/subcontractor + 1 developer sign | On premises of construction | — | § 185-29E |
| Temporary Political Sign (General Regulations For All Zones) | — | 7 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property only, with owner's permission | — | § 185-34A, 185-34C |

### NR Neighborhood Residential District, RR Resort Residential District, PR Planned Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Name Plate Sign | — | 1.5 sq ft for single occupancy, 18 sq ft for multifamily | — | — | 1 per property or building group | At property/entrance to property | — | § 185-31A |
| Real Estate Advertising Sign (Single-Family Parcel) | 4 ft | 7 sq ft | — | No further than 7 ft from foundation (unless approved) | One per street abutting the parcel | No further than 7 ft from foundation (unless exception), parallel to the street, not in right-of-way | — | § 185-31B(1) |
| Real Estate Advertising Sign (Multifamily/Master Sign) | 6 ft | 20 sq ft | — | No more than 7 ft from foundation (unless approved) | One sign per parcel | Freestanding: parallel to street, no more than 7 ft from foundation (unless exception); Wall: affixed to exterior wall parallel to street. | — | § 185-31B(2) |
| Temporary Real Estate Development Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per abutting street | If property abuts more than one street, one sign on each street. | — | § 185-31C |
| Professional Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | One | At home occupation premises | — | § 185-31D |
| Announcement Board (Religious, Educational, Philanthropic, or Fraternal Organization) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | One | At organization facility | — | § 185-31E |
| Temporary Political Sign (NR, RR, PR Districts) | — | 7 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property only, with owner's permission | — | § 185-34A, 185-34C |

### RB Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Master Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per 75 ft of street frontage | Per property with street frontage | — | § 185-32C |
| Business Sign - Other Dewey Beach Business Not Fronting S.R. 1 | — | — | — | — | One per such business/property | Property fronting on S.R.1 (Coastal Highway) | — | § 185-32D |
| Freestanding Sign (RB Commercial) | — | 85 sq ft per surface | — | — | Based on frontage and land area | On premises with min 10,000 sq ft of land per sign | — | § 185-32E |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached, painted, or raised letters mounted on exterior wall | — | § 185-32F |
| Roof Sign | 35 ft | — | — | — | — | On roof | — | § 185-32G |
| Product Advertising Sign (On-Premises Only) | — | — | — | — | — | On premises, forms part of main business sign | — | § 185-32I |
| Freestanding Shopping Center/Mall Sign | 25 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 freestanding per mall, plus wall signs for each tenant | At group/minimall center | — | § 185-32J |
| Temporary Political Sign (RB Commercial) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property only, with owner's permission | — | § 185-34A, 185-34B, 185-34C |

## Prohibited signs in Dewey Beach Town

- No sign shall be erected or maintained in any district other than signs of the character, size and construction expressly authorized by this article.
- Signs lighted in any manner which may constitute a traffic hazard or be a nuisance to surrounding properties, including signs that provide moving spotlights that might distract pedestrians or motorists, revolving lights, animation, or blinking or moving lights.
- Signs located and so illuminated as to provide a background of colored lights blending with traffic signal lights to the extent of confusing a motorist when viewed from a normal approaching position of a vehicle at a distance of 30 feet.
- Signs which produce noise, sounds or emit visible smoke, vapor, particles, or odor.
- Signs with intermittent lights resembling or seeming to resemble the flashing lights customarily associated with danger or such as are customarily used by police, fire, or ambulance vehicles or for navigation purposes.
- Signs attached to trees or utility poles.
- Signs attached to any vehicle, parked primarily for display purposes.
- Inflated objects larger than seven feet in any dimension. Temporary exceptions may be granted by the Town Commissioners on a case-by-case basis for a period not to exceed seven days, upon showing that they will not adversely affect the use or value of surrounding properties.

## Signs exempt from permit in Dewey Beach Town

- Signs of duly constituted governmental bodies, including traffic, parking or similar regulatory devices, legal notices, directional signs and street name signs.
- Signs required to be maintained or posted by law or governmental regulation.
- Signs which are not visible off the lot on which they are situated.
- Signs not exceeding 1 1/2 square feet in area, displayed strictly for the direction, safety or convenience of the public, including signs identifying parking area entrances and exits, freight entrances, public rest rooms and similar types of signs.
- One sign relating to the contractor/subcontractors plus one sign relating to the developer of a construction project may be erected only during the time that construction work is in progress, and the size of such signs shall not exceed 32 square feet each.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master sign placement permit must be acquired from the Building Official prior to installation of a permanent real estate advertising sign (master sign) for multifamily dwelling unit parcels.
- The approved design of master sign construction shall be kept on file by the Building Official, and said approved design shall be considered by the Building Official when reviewing master sign placement permit applications.

## 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 4 zoning districts in Dewey Beach Town — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Dewey+Beach+Town+DE&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-dewey-beach-town

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