# Sign Regulations in La Plata, Maryland

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

- **Jurisdiction:** La Plata, Maryland (MD)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maryland/la-plata
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MD/La_Plata/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CH191ZO_ARTVIIISI)

## At a glance

La Plata, Maryland regulates 32 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Shingle Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 3 ft. (sign face) tall, 9 sq. ft., and 3 ft. wide (Sec. §191-67.G; Table 21). Most commercial signs in La Plata require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial Highway (CH), Planned Business Park Enterprise (PBPE) | 14 | 20 ft. | 70 sq. ft. | — |
| Central Business (CB), Central Business Transition (CBT), Industrial Zones (LI) | 13 | 12 ft. | Variable (see formula); minimum 50 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential Zones, Senior Living Communities | 7 | 12 ft. | Variable; min 50 sq. ft. | — |
| Hospital Campus (HC) | 2 | — | Per approved common sign plan; not limited by regular sign ordinance. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 36 in. | 32 sq. ft. | — |

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

### Commercial Highway (CH), Planned Business Park Enterprise (PBPE)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | Variable (see formula), minimum 50 sq. ft. | — | — | Max 3 per facade; Max 2 upper story signs (top floor only, buildings of 4+ stories) | Over or near the entity's public entrance. | — | §191-63.B.1.B; §191-63.B.2.C |
| Wall Sign - DRB Exempt | — | 25 sq. ft. | — | — | Max 3 per facade | Must be over/near public entrance | — | Table 21; §191-63.B.2.C(2) |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | 25 sq. ft. (DRB exempt) | — | — | 1 per qualifying awning/canopy | Over entrance or window | — | §191-63.B.2.A; Table 21 |
| Suspended Sign | — | 1 per public entrance; 3 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per public entrance | At public entrance | — | §191-63.B.2.E, Table 21 |
| Display Box | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per public entrance | 1 per public entrance | — | §191-63.B.3.B; Table 21 |
| Walk-up Order Window Sign | — | 15 sq. ft. | — | — | Per walk-up order window | At walk-up order window | — | §191-63.B.3.C; Table 21 |
| Changeable Copy Sign (Detached) | 20 ft. | 25 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot (2 for corner lot) | Detached | — | §191-63.C.2.A, Table 21 |
| Freestanding Sign (Detached) | 20 ft. | 70 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot (2 for corner lot) | 1 per lot (2 for corner lot) | — | §191-63.C.2.B, Table 21 |

### Central Business (CB), Central Business Transition (CBT), Industrial Zones (LI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | Variable (see formula); minimum 50 sq. ft. | — | — | Max 3 per facade; Max 2 upper story signs (top floor, 4+ story buildings) | Over or near the entity's public entrance. | — | §191-63.B.1.A, §191-63.B.2.C |
| Wall Sign - DRB Exempt | — | 25 sq. ft. | — | — | Max 3 per facade | — | — | Table 21; §191-63.B.2.C(2) |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | 25 sq. ft. (DRB exempt) | — | — | 1 per awning/canopy | Over entrance or window. | — | §191-63.B.2.A; Table 21 |
| Suspended Sign | — | 1 per public entrance; 3 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per public entrance | At public entrance. | — | §191-63.B.2.E, Table 21 |
| Display Box | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per public entrance. | 1 per public entrance. | — | §191-63.B.3.B; Table 21 |
| Walk-up Order Window Sign | — | 15 sq. ft. | — | — | — | At walk-up order window. | — | §191-63.B.3.C; Table 21 |
| Changeable Copy Sign (Detached) | 12 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot; 2 for corner lot | Detached, 1 per lot (2 for corner lot). | — | §191-63.C.2.A; Table 21 |
| Freestanding Sign (Detached) | 12 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot (2 for corner lot) | 1 per lot; 2 for corner lot. | — | §191-63.C.2.B, Table 21 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign ≤ 2 Sq. Ft. (including Directory/Incidental) | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Including at entrances. | — | §191-67.C; Table 21 |
| Suspended Sign (Exempt) | — | 3 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per entity | 1 per entity. | — | §191-67.D; Table 21 |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area. | — | — | — | In or on window. | — | §191-67.F; Table 21 |
| Shingle Sign | 3 ft. (sign face) | 9 sq. ft. | 3 ft. | — | 1 per entity | Within 8 ft. of active pedestrian entrance; below 2nd floor windowsill. | — | §191-67.G; Table 21 |
| Pedestrian Oriented Sign (e.g. sandwich board) | 4 ft. | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per entity per street frontage or pump island | On same lot as the entity, within 20 ft. of public entrance (not in public ROW or sight triangle). | — | §191-66.C.1 |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-site, per street frontage. | — | §191-66.C.2 |
| Temporary Walk-up or Drive-through Lane Sign (Exempt) | 36 in. | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot | Oriented to the drive-through/walk-up patrons. | — | §191-66.C.3, §191-66.C.4 |
| Electoral Season Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. in total per lot | — | — | 1 or more up to total area | On lot. | — | §191-66.C.5 |

## Prohibited signs in La Plata

- Portable signs are prohibited in all zones, except pedestrian oriented signs.
- Any sign that presents a safety hazard is prohibited (including but not limited to: obstruction of sight visibility triangle or horizontal sight distance; interference with sidewalks, windows, doors, fire escapes, stairways, ladders, or building openings; interference with pedestrian or vehicular circulation).
- Signs on vehicles, trailers, or equipment are prohibited when the primary purpose is the display of signs or when used as a static display or storage/distribution point, or if not actively used in the daily function of the entity, or not parked in a designated parking space away from right-of-way.
- Any sign attached to a public utility pole, light pole, telephone pole, or traffic control sign is prohibited (with exceptions for municipal decorative flags, temporary private light pole banners, utility identifications, or similar pole identifications).
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Pole signs are prohibited.
- Internally illuminated translucent canopies are prohibited except as specifically allowed.
- Off-site signs are prohibited except as specifically provided in the chapter or approved by the Design Review Board as part of a common sign plan.
- Electronic signs may not blink, flash, or animate; messages and images must not change more than once every five minutes.
- Signs must not be installed, created, erected, or maintained in violation of any provision of the sign ordinance or any plan or permit governing the sign/site.
- Each sign installed, created, erected, or maintained in violation is considered a separate violation.

## Signs exempt from permit in La Plata

- Traffic control signs on private property meeting government required standards are allowed without a permit and do not count toward sign area.
- Any sign inside an enclosed athletic field is allowed without restrictions and does not require a permit.
- Signs not exceeding two (2) square feet in area, including directory signs on a building and incidental signs (e.g., one 'open' sign per public entrance, non-illuminated store hours, two 'now hiring' signs, up to three door signs per entrance, and signs attached to gas pumps, subject to specific requirements), are allowed without a permit and do not count toward sign area.
- One suspended sign per entity not exceeding three (3) square feet and not internally illuminated is allowed without a permit and does not count toward sign area.
- Community signs not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet are allowed without a permit.
- Window signs that do not exceed 25% of the window area and are placed within three feet inside a window or upon the glass panes, and are visible from the exterior, are allowed without a permit and do not count toward sign area.
- One shingle sign per entity, meeting design standards (maximum 9 sq ft, 3 ft max height, 3 ft max width, 6 inch max depth, etc.), located within 8 feet of a pedestrian public entrance and below the second floor windowsill, not internally illuminated, is allowed without a permit.
- In the HC (hospital campus) Zone, temporary signage for special events (such as public health emergencies, health clinics, and community health activities) is permitted without regulation by the town.
- The message or face of any approved permanent signage on the hospital campus (per the Common Sign Plan) may be replaced with signage faces of equal or lesser size without regulation by the town.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A common sign plan approved by the Design Review Board is mandatory for any (1) building or complex 25,000 square feet or more, (2) buildings with three or more tenants, (3) directory signs, or (4) buildings/complexes on two or more adjacent parcels.
- Existing master sign plans remain in effect unless superseded by a common sign plan. Signs not detailed in a master sign plan are not permitted. Master sign plans may be amended or modified to conform to common sign plan requirements.
- A sign permit for a sign subject to a common sign plan may only be issued if the sign is consistent with the approved common sign plan and the ordinance.
- All directory signs must be included as part of a common sign plan and are subject to Design Review Board approval.
- Sites covered by a common sign plan must include private light pole banners within the common sign plan prior to a permit being issued for such banners.
- A sign permit is required for each type of sign for each entity under an approved common sign plan, unless otherwise exempt.
- If a common sign plan exists for the property, any sign placed, constructed, erected, or modified must adhere to the design requirements and limitations within that plan.
- Approval by the Design Review Board is required for common sign plans and may also be part of the sign permit process if so indicated for the type of sign.
- If there is a conflict between a common sign plan and the ordinance, the ordinance prevails.

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

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