# Sign Regulations in Federalsburg Town, Maryland

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Federalsburg Town, Maryland (MD)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maryland/federalsburg-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/28738362#28738362)

## At a glance

Federalsburg Town, Maryland regulates 16 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Standard)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 10 ft (may be waived by Planning Commission for Route 313 visibility) tall and 50 sq ft per side (max 100 sq ft per side if setback at least 100 ft from property line), with a At least 10 ft; may be enlarged/setback 100 ft; Route 313 exceptions available setback (Sec. 245-115J(2)). Most commercial signs in Federalsburg Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 10 ft (may be waived by Planning Commission for Route 313 visibility) | 50 sq ft per side (max 100 sq ft per side if setback at least 100 ft from property line) | — |
| C-1 District, Commercial District, Industrial District | 8 | 10 ft | 50 sq ft per side (enlargeable to 100 sq ft per side if setback 100 ft) | — |
| Residential District | 3 | 5 ft | 10 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | Max 5 per street frontage; multi-tenant buildings see additional requirements | Attached parallel to, but within 6 inches of, a wall, or erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure. | — | 245-115J(1)(a), 245-115F(2), 245-115F(10), 245-115D |
| Directory Sign | 6 ft | 10 sq ft total area per sign | — | — | — | Nearest pedestrian entrances; may be wall-mounted or freestanding | — | 245-115J(1)(c) |
| Projecting or Suspended Sign | — | 10 sq ft | 12 inches max thickness | — | — | Hung at right angles to building; not to project into vehicular public way | — | 245-115J(1)(d) |
| Freestanding Sign (Standard) | 10 ft (may be waived by Planning Commission for Route 313 visibility) | 50 sq ft per side (max 100 sq ft per side if setback at least 100 ft from property line) | — | At least 10 ft; may be enlarged/setback 100 ft; Route 313 exceptions available | 1 per building lot | On private property; must be setback at least 10 ft from any property line; if set back 100 ft, can be larger. | — | 245-115J(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (Off-Site for Access-limited Businesses) | — | — | — | — | 1 per business (subject to restrictions) | Off-site, with written permission of property owner. | — | 245-115J(2)(e) |
| Sidewalk Sign | 7 ft (sign), 8 ft (max post) | 6 sq ft | — | Entirely on private property | 1 per lot or 1 per tenant (shopping centers) | In front of business advertised, entirely on private property. | — | 245-115J(3) |
| Institutional Sign (Freestanding or Bulletin Board) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises of institution (school, place of worship, library, etc.) | — | 245-115J(4)(a), 245-115J(4)(e) |
| Institutional Sign (Building or Bulletin Board) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises of institution (school, place of worship, library, etc.) | — | 245-115J(4)(b), 245-115J(4)(e) |

### C-1 District, Commercial District, Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | Max 5 per street frontage (see additional) | Attached parallel to, but within 6 inches of, a wall | — | 245-115J(1)(a), 245-115F(2), 245-115D |
| Freestanding Sign (Standard) | 10 ft | 50 sq ft per side (enlargeable to 100 sq ft per side if setback 100 ft) | — | 10 ft minimum; may enlarge sign up to 100 sq ft per face if setback is 100 ft | 1 per building lot | On private property, at least 10 ft from any property line (unless setback 100 ft for enlargement) | — | 245-115J(2) |
| Freestanding Sign (Off-site for Access-limited Business) | — | — | — | — | 1 per business (qualified) | Off-site, with written property owner permission | — | 245-115J(2)(e) |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On awnings of building | — | 245-115J(1)(b) |
| Projecting/Suspended Sign | — | 10 sq ft | 12 inches max thickness; may extend max 3 ft from building | — | — | Hung at right angles to building, not into vehicular public way | — | 245-115J(1)(d) |
| Roof Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On roof/parapet | — | 245-115J(1)(e) |
| Directory Sign | 6 ft | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Nearest pedestrian entrance, wall/freestanding | — | 245-115J(1)(c) |
| Sidewalk Sign | 7 ft (sign); 8 ft (post) | 6 sq ft | — | No encroachment; must be on private property | 1 per lot or per tenant (shopping center) | In front of business, on private property | — | 245-115J(3) |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Residential Use) | — | 2 sq ft (home occupation); 1 sq ft (professional nameplate/address) | — | — | 1 per use | Attached to building | — | 245-115E(3), 245-115E(16) |
| Freestanding Sign (Subdivision/Estate/Manufactured Home Park ID) | 5 ft | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On property | — | 245-115E(15) |
| Construction Sign (Residential) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises where construction, repair, or renovation is in progress | — | 245-115E(12)(b) |

## Prohibited signs in Federalsburg Town

- No sign may be erected, displayed, substantially altered, or enlarged without a permit, unless exempted by this section.
- Any sign advertising or identifying a business or organization which is either defunct or no longer located on the premises is not permitted after 30 days from when said business or organization becomes defunct.
- Wall signs in excess of 200 square feet are prohibited.
- Freestanding signs in excess of 100 square feet in area per side are prohibited.
- No sign, except for a traffic, regulatory, or informational sign, shall use the word 'stop,' 'caution,' or 'danger,' or incorporate red, amber or green lights resembling traffic signals, or resemble stop or yield signs in shape and color.
- Signs with exposed electrical wires are prohibited.
- Strings of bulbs are not permitted, except as part of a holiday celebration.
- No person may erect a sign that constitutes a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic because of intensity or direction of illumination.
- No person may erect, maintain, or suffer to remain a sign which is structurally unsafe, constitutes a hazard to public safety and health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation or abandonment, obstructs free entrance or exit from a required door, window, or fire escape, obstructs light or air or interferes with a proper functioning of the building, or is capable of causing electrical shock.
- No sign shall exceed 40 feet in length.
- No sign surface shall exceed a vertical dimension of 15 feet.
- No person may erect a sign which is affixed to a street sign, directional sign, utility pole, or tree, shrub, rock, or other natural object.
- Signs shall not cover architectural details such as arches, sills, moldings, cornices, and transom windows.
- No attached signs shall project more than 36 inches beyond the building line.
- Electronic message centers that have any motion in the transitioning between messages or that change more frequently than once every eight seconds are prohibited.
- No signs shall be placed on or about public property or within any public right-of-way except those installed by the Maryland State Highway Administration and the Town of Federalsburg for public safety and welfare or pursuant to any governmental function, law, ordinance, or other regulation (exception: sidewalk signs authorized by Subsection J(3)).
- Marquee or flashing signs are prohibited, except as authorized in Subsection J(4)(e).

## Signs exempt from permit in Federalsburg Town

- No more than one temporary sign advertising the sale, lease, or rental of the premises upon which the sign is located, not exceeding four square feet, may be erected without a sign permit.
- Political signs and signs relating to elections, subject to certain standards on location, owner’s permission, removal after election, and area, are exempt from permit requirements.
- Professional nameplates or signs denoting the name and address of the occupants of the premises, not exceeding one square foot in area, may be erected without a sign permit.
- Banners for nonprofit events or festivals meeting area, timing, and other standards are permitted without sign permit.
- Flags and buntings meeting specified area, timing, and number standards are exempt from sign permit requirements.
- Signs erected or posted and maintained for public safety and welfare or pursuant to any governmental function, law, ordinance, or other regulation are exempt from sign permit requirements.
- Directional signs solely indicating ingress and egress, containing no advertising material, and where display area does not exceed three square feet or extend higher than four feet above ground level are exempt.
- Signs relating to trespassing and hunting, not exceeding two square feet, are exempt.
- "Self/Full Service" signs up to three square feet in area on each end of each pump island are exempt.
- Signs affixed to the top or sides of operable fuel-dispensing pumps (up to three square feet; instructional or price information only) are exempt from sign permit requirements.
- Construction signage as defined (one per architect, engineer, or general contractor for commercial/industrial; one for residential; with size and removal requirements) is exempt.
- One sign advertising a real estate or commercial development, subdivision, or identifying a sales office, meeting size and timing standards, is exempt.
- One sign identifying an estate, subdivision or manufactured home park, within specified size limits, is exempt.
- One sign identifying a home occupation, attached to the building and not exceeding two square feet, is exempt.
- Incidental signs (as defined) are exempt.
- No more than five temporary window signs for commercial buildings, within maximum area per street frontage, are exempt from sign permit requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign may be erected, placed, established, painted, created, or maintained only in conformance with the standards, procedures, exemptions, and other requirements of this section.
- No sign shall be erected, displayed, substantially altered, or enlarged without a permit except where specifically exempted.
- All sign applications must include a scale drawing specifying dimensions, materials, illumination, letter sizes, colors, support systems, and location on land or buildings.
- Permits are issued only if the Zoning Administrator determines the sign complies with all applicable provisions of the section and the Town Building Code.
- Institutional signage exceeding the permitted number or size may be approved by the Planning Commission upon submission and review of a comprehensive signage plan depicting location, size, materials, etc., for all signs desired on the property.
- Certain types of signs for institutional, civic, religious or governmental uses (such as marquee, flashing and illuminated signs) may be permitted by the Planning and Zoning Commission contingent upon compliance with all other sign regulations; Planning Commission review required.
- For commercial properties adjacent to Maryland Route 313, waivers to the height, size, and setback standards of freestanding signs may be granted by the Planning Commission when necessary for visibility and access, based on safety and minimum necessary adjustment.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Federalsburg Town, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Federalsburg+Town+MD&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-federalsburg-town

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