# Sign Regulations in Waterville, Maine

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Waterville, Maine (ME)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maine/waterville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-27
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/38529320#38529320)

## At a glance

Waterville, Maine regulates 16 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial zones, Industrial zones, General Industrial Zone zoning district are capped at 12 ft tall, Individual sign: not to exceed 12 ft in height or 25 ft in length. Combined area: <300 sq ft per 100 ft of road frontage., and 25 ft wide, with a Can extend into required setback setback (Sec. §275-4.28B(1)). Most commercial signs in Waterville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential and institutional zones, Institutional zone | 7 | — | 24 inches x 36 inches (864 sq in) | — |
| Rural Residential Zones | 1 | — | — | — |
| Commercial zones, Industrial zones, General Industrial Zone | 6 | 25 feet above center line of nearest public way or ground level — whichever is lower | 20% of wall area | — |
| Industrial Park Zone | 1 | — | No more than 100 sq ft per 300 ft of road frontage (per sign) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | As regulated by Maine DOT | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Residential and institutional zones, Institutional zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Office or Permitted Use Identification Sign | — | 16 inches x 24 inches (384 sq in) | — | — | One per property (except as noted for multi-occupant identification signs) | — | — | §275-4.28A(1),(2) |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 5 inches x 24 inches (120 sq in) | — | — | One per property | Must be affixed to the home | — | §275-4.28A(3) |
| Institutional Use Sign (Code Enforcement Exception Option) | — | — | — | — | — | Must be on the property to which the sign applies | — | §275-4.28A(4) |
| Temporary Sign (Code Enforcement Exception Option) | — | — | — | — | One exception | — | — | §275-4.28A(5) |
| Real Estate Sign (Single Lot) | — | 3 feet x 2 feet (6 sq ft) | — | — | One | — | — | §275-4.28A(6) |
| Real Estate Sign (Three or more lots) | — | 4 feet x 8 feet (32 sq ft) | — | — | — | — | — | §275-4.28A(6) |
| Existing Nonconforming Funeral Home Sign | — | 24 inches x 36 inches (864 sq in) | — | — | — | — | — | §275-4.28A(8) |

### Commercial zones, Industrial zones, General Industrial Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 12 ft | Individual sign: not to exceed 12 ft in height or 25 ft in length. Combined area: <300 sq ft per 100 ft of road frontage. | 25 ft | Can extend into required setback | No more than 3 advertising signs per 100 ft road frontage (combined <300 sq ft) | May be built in, or extend into, required setback. | — | §275-4.28B(1) |
| Wall Sign | — | 20% of wall area | — | — | — | Attached to wall | — | §275-4.28B(2) |
| Roof Sign (Straight) | — | 20% of area of the wall directly in line with the face of the sign | — | — | — | On roof, aligned with wall | — | §275-4.28B(3) |
| Roof Sign (Diagonal) | — | 20% of area of the smaller wall | — | — | — | On roof, diagonal | — | §275-4.28B(3) |
| Nonconforming Business Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §275-4.28B(4) |
| Changeable Sign | 25 feet above center line of nearest public way or ground level — whichever is lower | — | — | — | One (two sides) per lot | On-premises and not readable from a controlled-access highway or ramp. | — | §275-4.28B(5)(a)-(g) |

### Industrial Park Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identifying Sign (Wall or Marquee) | — | No more than 100 sq ft per 300 ft of road frontage (per sign) | — | — | One per public street | Facing each public street, on the principal building. | — | §275-4.28C(1)-(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Waterville

- Signs, marketing or advertising for marijuana establishments and registered dispensaries may not involve advertising or marketing that has a high likelihood of reaching persons under 21 years of age or that is specifically designed to appeal particularly to persons under 21 years of age.
- Signs, marketing or advertising for marijuana establishments and registered dispensaries are prohibited from making any health or physical benefit claims.
- No person shall erect, set up or keep any sign, signboard or other protruding object projecting over the street or sidewalk or any street entrance, any part of which is less than 7 1/2 feet in height above the sidewalk.
- No person shall erect, set up or keep any sign, signboard or other protruding object projecting more than 2 1/2 feet over the street or sidewalk or any street entrance, any part of which is less than 15 feet in height above the sidewalk.
- No person shall erect or install any permanent, immovable or fixed object within the public right-of-way of any City street.
- It is unlawful to place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any street any unofficial sign, signal or device which purports to be or imitates an official traffic sign or signal, attempts to direct movement of traffic (other than construction/obstruction signs), or hides an official traffic sign or signal.
- Such prohibited signs, signals, or devices are declared a public nuisance and may be removed by the Police Chief without notice.
- Signs must meet all requirements set forth in Chapter 275, Zoning, of the City Code (with further size, location, and illumination standards delineated there).
- Signs in residential and institutional zones may not be flashing or animated; may not be illuminated by use of glaring light.
- Only one sign is permitted per property in residential/institutional zones (with specific exceptions for identifying signs advertising more than one business occupant).
- Home occupations may have only one sign, which must be affixed to the home, not freestanding.
- No more than one real estate sign is permitted per single lot.
- Only certain types of advertising signs are permitted in residential and rural residential zones (sale, rent, lease, farm stands).
- Wall-mounted signs may not project above the roof or parapet line or extend beyond the wall line.
- No more than 20% of a wall in commercial and industrial zones may be devoted to advertising.
- Changeable signs may not flash.
- No more than one changeable sign with two sides is allowed per lot.
- Changeable signs may not be located so that the message is readable from a controlled-access highway or ramp.
- Signs or parts of signs in the Industrial Park Zone may not extend above the roofline of the building to which they are attached.
- Off-premises business directional signs are prohibited for businesses and institutional facilities located in certain congested business areas and for those with frontage on designated public ways.

## Signs exempt from permit in Waterville

- Street name signs shall be furnished and installed by the City.
- Manufacturing firms employing a minimum of 100 full-time employees on site in a General Industrial Zone are exempt from frontage restrictions for off-premises business directional signs.
- All hospitals are eligible for signs and may apply for a waiver of the six-sign limitation for off-premises business directional signs due to unusual hardship.
- Restrictions on off-premises business directional signs do not apply to signs described in 23 M.R.S. § 1913-a; such signs are permitted subject only to applicable state statutes and regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Street names for new streets must be approved by the City Council prior to final Planning Board approval of the subdivision or site plan, recording of the plan or City Council acceptance of the street.
- All signage must meet the requirements for signs under Chapter 275, Zoning, of the City Code.

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

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