# Sign Regulations in South Berwick Town, Maine

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

- **Jurisdiction:** South Berwick Town, Maine (ME)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maine/south-berwick-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/14837103#14837103)

## At a glance

South Berwick Town, Maine regulates 14 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the B1 District, B2 District, BR District zoning district are capped at 12 feet tall and 12 square feet per side, with a No setback required in B1 District; otherwise, subject to general setbacks setback (Sec. § 140-26C(2)). Most commercial signs in South Berwick Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Resource Protection District, Residential District | 5 | 20 feet | 12 square feet (aggregate) | — |
| Business District | 1 | 20 feet | 16 square feet | — |
| Residential zoning districts | 2 | 8 feet | 8 square feet | — |
| B1 District, B2 District, BR District | 5 | 12 feet | 12 square feet per side | — |
| Industrial Zone 2 | 1 | — | 64 square feet | — |
| Industrial Zone 1 | 1 | 18 feet | 100 square feet total; 100 square feet per side (mirror image required for double-sided signs) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | 9 in x 48 in | — |

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

### Resource Protection District, Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| On-premises Sign (Goods/Services) | 20 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 | On-premises only | — | § 110-30(A), (F), (G) |
| Name Sign | 20 feet | 12 square feet (aggregate) | — | — | 2 | On-premises | — | § 110-30(B), (F), (G) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential Use) | 20 feet | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 | On-premises | — | § 110-30(C), (F), (G) |
| Trespassing/Hunting Sign | 20 feet | 2 square feet | — | — | — | On-premises | — | § 110-30(D), (F), (G) |
| Public Safety Sign | 20 feet | — | — | — | — | On-premises | — | § 110-30(E), (F), (G) |

### Residential zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 feet | 6 square feet (per side) | — | — | 1 | Per building | — | § 140-26(B)(1)-(2) |
| Wall Sign | No higher than peak of the roof; maximum 8 feet measured from the adjacent road surface | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 | Per building, in addition to freestanding sign | — | § 140-26(B)(2) |

### B1 District, B2 District, BR District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 12 feet | 12 square feet per side | — | No setback required in B1 District; otherwise, subject to general setbacks | 1 | — | — | § 140-26C(2) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 10 square feet per side | — | — | 1 | Mounted on building | — | § 140-26C(2) |
| Wall Sign (Option 1) | — | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | § 140-26C(2)(a) |
| Wall Sign (Option 2 - Architectural) | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | § 140-26C(2)(b) |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | Window facing street | — | § 140-26C(2)(c) |

## Prohibited signs in South Berwick Town

- Signs relating to goods or services not sold or rendered on the premises are prohibited.
- No sign shall extend higher than 20 feet above the ground.
- Signs may be illuminated only by shielded, non-flashing lights.
- No sign shall be erected adjacent to any public way in such a manner as to obstruct clear and free vision or where, by reason of its position, shape, color, illumination or wording, the sign may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized sign, signal or device or otherwise constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Roof-mounted signs are prohibited.
- Signs shall not project above the eave lines or parapet walls of buildings to which they are attached.
- Flat-roofed buildings, with or without artifice to look like a gable roof from the front, are prohibited from using roof-mounted signs.
- Any sign that uses movement or a change of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene is prohibited.
- A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters or illustrations that can be changed electronically without altering the face or surface of the sign and on which the message changes more than once per day is prohibited (animated signs are prohibited).
- No sign shall be located within 10 feet of a street line or other lot line except in the B1 District where no setback shall apply.
- All signs shall relate to goods and services available on the premises on which the sign is located.
- Internally illuminated signs are prohibited (in B1, B2, BR Districts).

## Signs exempt from permit in South Berwick Town

- Memorial tablets are exempt from the above provisions.
- Public notices are exempt from the above provisions.
- Public safety signs are exempt from the above provisions.
- Emergency or temporary construction-related signs are exempt from the above provisions.
- On-premises real estate signs are exempt from the above provisions.
- Flags and insignia are exempt from the above provisions except when displayed in connection with a commercial promotion.
- Religious symbols or insignia are exempt from the above provisions.
- Historical plaques are exempt from the above provisions.
- House numbers are exempt from the above provisions.
- Political signs are exempt from the above provisions.
- Temporary special event banners (30 days or less) are exempt from the above provisions.
- Signs on vending machines or newspaper racks are exempt from the above provisions.
- Interior signs are exempt from the above provisions.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Where a number of signs are proposed as part of a unified complex, the maximum sign area permitted is 18 square feet for the sign bearing the name of the building or complex and two square feet for the name of each business located there.
- If a complex has over 300 feet of frontage, it will be allowed two freestanding signs.

## 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 South Berwick Town — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=South+Berwick+Town+ME&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-south-berwick-town

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