# Sign Regulations in Cumberland, Maryland

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cumberland, Maryland (MD)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maryland/cumberland
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MD/Cumberland/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICUCO_CH3ADSI)

## At a glance

Cumberland, Maryland regulates 34 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Low Ground Signs in the B-CBD, B-H, B-L, G-C, G-I, B-C zoning district are capped at 5 ft tall and 32 sq ft (8 sq ft for copy in G-C and G-I if not illuminated), with a Min 4 ft from property line; not within clear sight triangle unless approved setback (Sec. Sec. 25-404(h), 25-412(a)(6)). Most commercial signs in Cumberland require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zoning Districts, Conservation District, R-E (Estate Residential), R-S (Suburban Residential), R-U (Urban Residential) | 7 | 5 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| B-CBD, B-H, B-L, G-C, G-I, B-C | 13 | 25 ft | 375 sq ft | — |
| I-G | 11 | 25 ft above grade; no higher than roof line | 375 sq ft | — |
| R-O (Office/Residential) | 7 | 5 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 14 | No flood/spotlights above 25 ft AGL | 50% of allowable sq ft for other wall signs | — |

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

### B-CBD, B-H, B-L, G-C, G-I, B-C

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Occupant Sign | — | 1 sq ft (wall); 4 sq ft (freestanding or low ground) | — | — | 1 per building face (1 sq ft), 1 freestanding or low ground per property (4 sq ft) | On building face (1 sq ft); one freestanding or low ground sign (4 sq ft) per property | — | Sec. 25-404(l), 25-407(b)(3), 25-412(a)(3) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 6 sq ft (if within 4 ft setback) | — | 4 feet or less from roadway for permit-exempt | — | On premises and off premises | — | Sec. 25-404(p), 25-407(b)(4), 25-412(a)(4), (b)(3) |
| Low Ground Sign | 5 ft | 32 sq ft (8 sq ft for copy in G-C and G-I if not illuminated) | — | Min 4 ft from property line; not within clear sight triangle unless approved | Number of low ground signs reduces allowable freestanding signs accordingly. | On premises | — | Sec. 25-404(h), 25-412(a)(6) |
| Wall Sign and Projecting Sign - Main Wall | min 10 ft, max 25 ft above grade (if projecting) | 100 sq ft | — | — | — | On main wall of principal building | — | Sec. 25-412(a)(7)a-d |
| Freestanding Sign (Single Establishment) | 10 to 40 ft above ground | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment, 1 per street if multiple frontages | Front yard; 1 per establishment, 1 per street if fronting multiple streets | — | Sec. 25-412(a)(8)a-d |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center) | 20 to 40 ft above ground | 150 sq ft per sign | — | — | Max 4 per shopping center | Frontage on street | — | Sec. 25-412(a)(8)e, (f) |
| Freestanding Sign (Group of Businesses Common Backing) | 5 ft to 12 ft above ground | 100 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per group of business uses | On common backing in the yard | — | Sec. 25-412(a)(8)g |
| Off-Premises Commercial Advertising Sign (Freestanding) | 25 ft | 375 sq ft | — | — | 1 per ownership; 1 per street if multiple | On premises in B-H, B-C districts; 1 per property, or 1 per street if multiple frontages | — | Sec. 25-412(b)(4)b, c |

### I-G

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Occupant Sign | — | 1 sq ft (wall); 4 sq ft (freestanding or low ground) | — | — | 1 per building face (1 sq ft), 1 freestanding or low ground per property (4 sq ft) | On building face (1 sq ft); one freestanding or low ground sign (4 sq ft) per property | — | Sec. 25-404(l), 25-407(b)(3), 25-413(a)(3) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 6 sq ft (if within 4 ft setback) | — | 4 feet or less from roadway for permit-exempt | — | On premises and off premises | — | Sec. 25-404(p), 25-407(b)(4), 25-413(a)(4) |
| Low Ground Sign | 5 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises | — | Sec. 25-404(h), 25-413(a)(5) |
| Wall Sign and Projecting Sign | 25 ft above grade; no higher than roof line | 375 sq ft | — | — | — | On building facade; side or rear wall if abutting street, driveway, or parking area | — | Sec. 25-413(a)(6) |
| Freestanding Sign | No higher than roof line | 375 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property, 1 per street for multiple frontages, 1 for industrial park name per highway frontage | On premises; 1 per property or 1 per street if multiple frontages | — | Sec. 25-413(a)(7) |
| Planned Industrial Park Tenant Identification Sign | — | Per formula | — | — | 1 per building side | On building front, sides, or rear | — | Sec. 25-413(b)(2) |
| Planned Industrial Park Group Freestanding Sign | No higher than roof line of adjacent buildings | — | — | — | 1 per group | Only when industry comprises group of buildings | — | Sec. 25-413(b)(3) |
| Construction Temporary Sign | — | 150 sq ft | — | — | 1 per construction site | Within rear half of required yards facing on streets | — | Sec. 25-413(b)(4) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | Per wall sign formula for the zone | — | — | — | Flat against awning/canopy | — | Sec. 25-404(a) |
| Election Polling Place Sign | — | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | — | At polling locations | — | Sec. 25-404(b) |
| Electronic Changeable Copy Sign (Wall) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | Where wall signs are permitted | — | Sec. 25-404(c), 25-410(h) |
| Electronic Changeable Copy Sign (Freestanding/Low Ground) | 5 ft (low ground) | 32 sq ft (low ground); subject to freestanding sign limits (other zones) | — | — | 1 per lot | Where such signs allowed | — | Sec. 25-404(c), 25-404(h), 25-411(a)(7) |
| Marquee Sign | — | 48 sq ft copy area | — | — | 1 per property | As part of main freestanding or wall sign | — | Sec. 25-404(i) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 10 sq ft | 4 ft projection from wall; thickness max 12 in | — | — | Perpendicular to building wall | — | Sec. 25-404(m) |
| Sandwich/Sidewalk Sign | 4 ft | 8 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per premises | On-premises, not permanently affixed | — | Sec. 25-404(o) |
| Wall Sign (Parallel Sign) | Not higher than eave/parapet, cannot extend past wall ends | — | — | — | Each street frontage per business | On wall, parallel | — | Sec. 25-404(q) |

## Prohibited signs in Cumberland

- Signs which simulate official, functional, directional, or warning signs erected or maintained by governmental agencies or public utilities, unless authorized by those agencies.
- Banners, spinners, flags (except certain exemptions), pennants, or any similar moving object more than fifteen (15) square feet in size, except as permitted for limited special occasions or as temporary signs.
- Flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated, or moving signs of any type, except for displays of time, temperature, date, and similar information.
- Signs placed, inscribed, or supported upon the roof or on structures above the eaves of the roof of any building.
- Signs, other than sandwich board/sidewalk signs, on mobile stands that can be moved from place to place.
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, or particles, sound, or odor.
- No sign shall contain information implying that a property may be used for any non-permitted purpose under the zoning provisions.
- No sign shall be located or arranged in a way that interferes with traffic through glare, blocked sight lines, confusion with traffic control devices, or by any other means.
- Only government signs are allowed within street rights-of-way, unless specifically authorized by other ordinances and regulations.
- No sign shall be placed on a property without the consent of the owner.
- No sign in non-residential or non-conservation districts shall face residential or conservation districts on the same street frontage (except signs at right angles).
- All sign provisions apply to smokestacks, water towers, and similar structures.
- No off-premises sign shall be erected closer than one hundred (100) feet from the edge of the paved roadway of the National Freeway (Interstate 68).
- No sign, except a wall sign or projecting sign, may extend into the public right-of-way more than four (4) feet and must be at least ten (10) feet above the pavement or ground.
- All electronic changeable copy signs must default to a dark state in case of malfunction.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cumberland

- Address/postbox numerals.
- Government signs, flags, and standards erected by city, county, state, or federal governments in furtherance of governmental responsibilities, including community identity, facility entrances, community events, and direction to places of interest.
- Legal notices.
- Scoreboards.
- Flags of the United States, state, city, foreign nations with diplomatic relations, and others adopted or sanctioned by an elected legislative body, flown from a pole no more than thirty-five (35) feet high.
- Other flags (not prohibited elsewhere), flown from a pole no more than twenty-five (25) feet high and not higher than a qualifying official flag on the same parcel.
- Fuel seller signs up to twenty-four (24) square feet per sign face, one per arterial/major collector frontage.
- Occupant signs: one sign of up to one (1) square foot on a building face, plus one freestanding or low ground sign up to four (4) square feet, as further regulated by district.
- Temporary signs (such as election signs) set back four (4) feet or less from the edge of a roadway or between the edge of a roadway and a sidewalk, no more than six (6) square feet in area, and placed no sooner than sixty (60) days before and removed no later than thirty (30) days after an election.
- Service entrance signs up to four (4) square feet and not illuminated.
- Wall painted signs, subject to other regulations and area limits.
- Window posters inside windows of commercial buildings up to 25% of the individual glass area.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Application for a sign permit must be made to the zoning administrator, except for exempted signs; most signs require a zoning permit prior to erection or replacement.
- For electronic changeable copy signs, prior to approval of a permit, an affidavit signed by the property owner and sign owner is required, affirming understanding and willingness to comply with all special requirements. This affidavit must be attached to the permit and retained in city files.
- In the I-G District, the location and design of freestanding signs indicating the name of an industrial park and its industries are subject to review and approval by the planning commission.
- In planned industrial parks, sign plans showing the location and design of major identification signs must be submitted for planning commission approval.
- In shopping centers, the location and orientation of freestanding signs must be shown on the development plan.
- Any nonconforming sign that is altered, reconstructed, replaced, expanded, or relocated must be brought into full conformity with the current sign ordinance.

## 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 Cumberland — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Cumberland+MD&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-cumberland

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