# Sign Regulations in Topsham Town, Maine

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Topsham Town, Maine (ME)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maine/topsham-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/9086441#9086441)

## At a glance

Topsham Town, Maine regulates 22 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Post Signs in the Commercial (MUC, MUC-1) zoning district are capped at 25 ft from original grade to top tall and 75 sq ft (Sec. §225-33L, Table; Note 5). Most commercial signs in Topsham Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, MUL (portion not fronting Route 196)) | 6 | 8 ft above grade | 50 sq ft (non-permit required) | — |
| Commercial (MUC, MUC-1) | 21 | 25 ft from original grade to top | 75 sq ft | — |
| Highway Commercial (CC-196, BP, CC) | 15 | 25 ft from original grade to top | 75 sq ft (non-permit required) | — |
| Lower Village (LV) | 14 | — | 75 sq ft (non-permit required) | — |
| Village Center (VC) | 12 | — | 75 sq ft (non-permit required) | — |
| Middle Village (MV) | 10 | 10 ft from original grade | 50 sq ft (non-permit required) | — |
| Highway Corridor (RCU, BP-2, LI, I, MUL (portion fronting Route 196)) | 14 | 25 ft from original grade to top | 75 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 8 ft above grade | 100 sq ft per face (10,000-100,000 sq ft leaseable); 200 sq ft per face (over 101,001 sq ft) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### Commercial (MUC, MUC-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Post Sign | 25 ft from original grade to top | 75 sq ft | — | — | One per building, lot, or project | On lot, one per building, lot, or project | — | §225-33L, Table; Note 5 |
| Roof Sign | 25 ft maximum above finished grade to top of sign | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | On building roof | — | §225-33L, Table; Note 2 |
| Banner | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | One per business per period | Displayed on property | — | §225-33L Table; §225-33B(13) |
| Monument Sign | 25 ft from original grade to top | 75 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | On lot, replaces post sign if used | — | §225-33L Table; Note 12 |
| Marquee Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | One per building | On or at theater on same lot | — | §225-33I, §225-33L Table |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 32 sq ft (non-permit required); up to 200 sq ft if attached to building | — | — | One per lot/parcel | On lot or building offered for sale or lease | — | §225-33D(3), §225-33L Table; Note 11 |
| Off-Premises Business Directional Sign (OBDS) | — | 4 sq ft (12" x 48") | 48 in. | — | Maximum 4 per business | On arterial or collector street (not on property) | — | §225-33E, §225-33L Table |
| Project/Contractor Sign | 8 ft above grade | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per development | At project site | — | §225-33D(10), §225-33L Table |

### Highway Commercial (CC-196, BP, CC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Post Sign | 25 ft from original grade to top | 60 sq ft | — | — | One per building, lot, or project | On lot, one per building, lot, or project | — | §225-33L, Table; Note 5 |
| Roof Sign | 25 ft maximum above finished grade to top of sign | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | On building roof | — | §225-33L, Table; Note 2 |
| Banner | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | One per business per period | On property | — | §225-33L Table; §225-33B(13) |
| Monument Sign | 25 ft from original grade | 60 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | On lot, replaces post sign if used | — | §225-33L Table |
| Information Sign | — | 3 sq ft (non-permit required) | — | — | — | On property to which it pertains | — | §225-33D(1), §225-33L Table |
| Marquee Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | One per building | On or at theater on same lot | — | §225-33I, §225-33L Table |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 32 sq ft (non-permit required) | — | — | One per lot/parcel | On lot or building offered for sale or lease | — | §225-33D(3), §225-33L Table; Note 11 |
| Off-Premises Business Directional Sign (OBDS) | — | 4 sq ft (12" x 48") | 48 in. | — | Maximum 4 per business | On arterial or collector street (not on property) | — | §225-33E, §225-33L Table |

### Highway Corridor (RCU, BP-2, LI, I, MUL (portion fronting Route 196))

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Post Sign | 25 ft from original grade to top | 75 sq ft | — | — | One per building, lot or project | On lot, one per building, lot or project | — | §225-33L, Table; Note 5 |
| Roof Sign | 25 ft max above finished grade | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | On building roof | — | §225-33L Table; Note 2 |
| Banner | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | One per business per period | On property | — | §225-33L Table; §225-33B(13) |
| Monument Sign | 25 ft from original grade | 75 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | On lot, replaces post sign if used | — | §225-33L Table |
| Information Sign | — | 3 sq ft (non-permit required) | — | — | — | On property to which it pertains | — | §225-33D(1), §225-33L Table |
| Marquee Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | One per building | On or at theater | — | §225-33I, §225-33L Table |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 32 sq ft (non-permit required) | — | — | One per lot/parcel | On lot or building for sale/lease | — | §225-33D(3), §225-33L Table; Note 11 |
| Off-Premises Business Directional Sign (OBDS) | — | 4 sq ft (12" x 48") | 48 in. | — | Up to four | On arterial/collector street | — | §225-33E, §225-33L Table |

## Prohibited signs in Topsham Town

- No signs, other than those not requiring permits in the Consolidated Sign Table, shall be erected prior to obtaining a permit.
- All signs must be stationary and permanently installed except where exempted by this section.
- All lighting shall be hooded or shielded to prevent direct illumination of public streets or abutting properties and shall be designed and installed to minimize lighting the sky.
- Projecting signs shall maintain height clearance of ten (10) feet above ground level and shall not extend more than four feet from the building surface.
- No sign shall be installed within ten (10) feet of the travelway, unless the applicant demonstrates to the Codes Enforcement Officer that the sign does not impede safe-sight lines.
- Signs may be located within the setback area, but no sign shall overhang any property line, except where projecting signs are permitted to overhang the sidewalk.
- All signs shall be located below the ridgeline of the building.
- Wall signs may only be installed in the signable area of the facade.
- Only one post or monument sign is permitted per building, lot or project, except as otherwise provided.
- No signage, other than approved traffic and directional signs, shall be placed within traffic islands.
- Limits on the number or size, or the method of measuring, post signs shall also apply to monument signs.
- Only one banner is allowed per business, for a single period not to exceed 90 days, and shall be included in the total square footage of signage allowed (with Commercial Sign District exception for leasable space banners).
- Any sign comprised of, or illuminated by, intermittent light is prohibited, except digital public service messages (with exceptions noted).
- Movable signs are prohibited.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited, except as allowed by the State of Maine through its off premises business direction signs.
- Temporary signs are prohibited, unless otherwise permitted.
- Portable signs are prohibited.
- Signs located in, on, or projecting over any Town-owned or -leased property, or over public rights-of-way, are prohibited with exceptions for signs authorized by the Topsham Selectman or as otherwise permitted.
- Noncommercial signs located in, on, or projecting over any Town-owned or -leased property, or over public rights-of-way, are prohibited with exceptions for signs authorized by the Topsham Board of Selectmen or as otherwise permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Topsham Town

- Information signs: signs which provide direction or instruction and are located entirely on the property to which they pertain (such as restroom, public telephone, parking entrance and exit signs), provided they do not include the name of the business or business logo.
- Public safety signs.
- Real estate signs: only one real estate sign per lot or parcel, to be removed upon sale or lease.
- Project/contractor signs: a single temporary sign advertising builder(s), engineer(s), designer(s), etc., with one contractor sign per development, maximum height of eight feet above grade, to be removed at project completion or last certificate of occupancy.
- One development sign is permitted per project entrance, with a maximum height of eight feet above grade.
- Public notice sign.
- A single sandwich board sign may be placed in front of businesses daily, but must be removed nightly.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master plan for signage is required for planned residential or planned commercial developments, or for shopping centers, office/business, or industrial parks, and shall be reviewed by the Topsham Planning Board during the site plan review process. The master plan must include a plot plan, computations of maximum sign area, proposed and future sign locations, and the location of buildings, parking lots, driveways, and landscaped areas.

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

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