# Sign Regulations in St. Michaels Town, Maryland

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

- **Jurisdiction:** St. Michaels Town, Maryland (MD)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maryland/st-michaels-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28

## At a glance

St. Michaels Town, Maryland regulates 26 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Waterfront District (WD), Commercial Core District (CC), St. Luke's Church District (SLC), General Commercial District (GC), Maritime Commercial District (MC), Maritime Museum District (MM) zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 6 sq ft, with a At least 4 ft from property line. setback (Sec. §340-161B(1)-(4)). Most commercial signs in St. Michaels Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HR historic redevelopment districts (HR) | 4 | 3.5 ft | Permanent: max 25% of individual windowpane; Temporary: max 25% of window area; Total (perm+temp): max 50% of window area | — |
| Waterfront District (WD), Commercial Core District (CC), St. Luke's Church District (SLC), General Commercial District (GC), Maritime Commercial District (MC), Maritime Museum District (MM) | 11 | 8 ft | Max single sign: 30 sq ft; Max total wall signs (per bldg): 90 sq ft; Each business: 1 sq ft/linear ft of street frontage, Min 20 sq ft | — |
| Harbor Residential District (HR), Residential districts | 3 | 4 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Nonresidential districts | 1 | — | 5 sq ft | — |
| Office/business park | 2 | 6 ft | 55 sq ft per side | — |
| Educational complex | 1 | 6 ft | 24 sq ft (structure), 15 sq ft (advertising area) | — |
| Subdivision, Apartment complex | 1 | 4 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Maritime Museum District (MM), MM District | 1 | 8 ft | 50 sq ft per plane (max two planes per sign) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 10 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### HR historic redevelopment districts (HR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | One per building frontage | Mounted on building occupied by tenant | — | §340-161J(1) |
| Joint Tenant Sign | — | — | — | — | As approved in master sign plan | Placement approved by Planning Commission | — | §340-161J(2) |
| Portable Sign | 3.5 ft | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | One per business/leasable tenant space | On privately owned portion of property within 12 ft of primary entrance; may be on sidewalk but must maintain 4.5 ft clear sidewalk | — | §340-161J(3) (cross-ref §340-163) |
| Window Sign | — | Permanent: max 25% of individual windowpane; Temporary: max 25% of window area; Total (perm+temp): max 50% of window area | — | — | — | Affixed to or painted on inside of window; includes upper floors | — | §340-161J(4) (cross-ref §340-161K) |

### Waterfront District (WD), Commercial Core District (CC), St. Luke's Church District (SLC), General Commercial District (GC), Maritime Commercial District (MC), Maritime Museum District (MM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | Max single sign: 30 sq ft; Max total wall signs (per bldg): 90 sq ft; Each business: 1 sq ft/linear ft of street frontage, Min 20 sq ft | — | — | Per business: 1 per street frontage. Multi-business structures: see formula notes. | Flat against wall, or on pent/mansard roof if wall mounting not feasible. | — | §340-161A(1) |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | See wall sign maximums. | — | — | — | On awning/canopy | — | §340-161A(2) |
| Directory Sign | — | Panel: 2 sq ft; Structure: 30 sq ft; Total all: 55 sq ft | — | — | One directory per common entrance | Nearest pedestrian entrance(s) | — | §340-161A(3) |
| Projecting/Suspended Sign | — | 10 sq ft | 12 in thick; extends max 3 ft from wall | — | — | Hung at right angles to building, not projecting into public way | — | §340-161A(4) |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | At least 4 ft from property line. | One per lot | Setback at least 4 ft from property line. | — | §340-161B(1)-(4) |
| Portable Sidewalk Sign (Sandwich Board) | 3.5 ft | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | One per business/leasable tenant space | Privately owned portion of property within 12 ft of entrance; may be on sidewalk with min 4.5 ft unobstructed clearance | — | §340-163 |
| Freestanding Sign - Subdivision/Multifamily Project | 6 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | One per subdivision or multifamily project | Location as shown on site plan/subdivision plat and approved by Planning Commission | — | §340-161B(6) |
| Gas Station/Service Station Freestanding Price Sign | 8 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | One per business selling automotive/marine fuel | — | — | §340-161B(5) |

### Harbor Residential District (HR), Residential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | One per address | Mounted flush on front of dwelling unit or hung on an independent post | — | §340-161E |
| Residential Development/Subdivision/Apartment Complex Name Sign | 4 ft | 24 sq ft | — | Min 4 ft from all property lines | — | Setback at least 4 ft from all property lines | — | §340-161H |
| Professional Office Sign | — | 3 sq ft (per enterprise) | — | — | One per enterprise | Wall-mounted or freestanding | — | §340-161F |

## Prohibited signs in St. Michaels Town

- Abandoned signs.
- Snipe signs. (Signs attached to objects like trees, poles, fences, benches, streetlights, or placed on any public property or private property without permission of property owner.)
- Vehicular signs. (Except for business logos/advertising on vehicles primarily and actively used for business or personal transportation.)
- Mechanical movement signs, including revolving signs.
- Pennant strings and streamers.
- Animated signs, flashing signs, or signs that scroll or flash text or graphics.
- Inflatable devices or balloon signs, except balloons used in temporary, noncommercial situations.
- Any signs that imitate, resemble, interfere with, or obstruct official traffic lights, signs, or signals.
- Signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape, or that prevent free access from one part of a roof to any other part.
- No sign other than a safety sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor, or contain open flames.
- Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors.
- Interactive signs.
- Signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting.
- Any banner or sign of any type suspended across a public street.
- Roof signs.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, except those authorized or required by local, state, or federal government.
- Any sign containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of this chapter.
- Signs that exhibit statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects as determined by the Town.
- Any sign that promotes illegal activity.
- Beacons.
- Changeable-copy signs other than a manual changeable copy.
- Digital displays.
- Illuminated sign other than indirectly illuminated signs where permitted and except as may be otherwise allowed in this article.

## Signs exempt from permit in St. Michaels Town

- Official traffic signs.
- Government/regulatory signs, including wayfaring signs.
- Signs inside a building or other enclosed facility, which are not meant to be viewed from the outside and are located greater than three feet from the window.
- Holiday and seasonal decorations.
- Personal expression signs or small flags of any type, if they do not exceed three square feet per side and are noncommercial and not illuminated.
- Address signs (up to two per premises, no commercial advertising; 3 sq ft max in residential districts, 5 sq ft max in nonresidential districts).
- Public signs (erected or required by government agencies or utilities, including traffic, utility, safety, railroad crossing, and identification/directional signs for public facilities).
- Signs or emblems of a religious, civic, philanthropic, historical, or educational organization that do not exceed four square feet in area.
- Private drive signs (not to include advertising, not exceeding 2 sq ft in area for each sign).
- Security and warning signs (non-illuminated, max 1 sq ft per sign).
- Large flags (one per lot or permitted commercial operation; must not be in right-of-way; max height 30 ft).
- Legal notices.
- Vending machine signs.
- Memorial signs, public monument or historical identification sign erected by the Town, including plaque signs up to three square feet.
- Signs, which are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, existing at the time of adoption of this chapter.
- Incidental signs, including incidental window signs.
- Directional signs provided they do not contain any commercial messaging (max 4 sq ft; max height 5 ft; non-illuminated).
- Political signs (max 6 sq ft; may be displayed 2 months prior to election, removed within 7 days after; not illuminated).
- Signage devices including QR codes for historic significance or visitor experience, not exceeding 8 inches by 8 inches, and only with Town approval.
- Freestanding signs located on the interior of an institutional site used to identify public facilities, site direction, hours, and similar information.
- Real estate signs (one per advertised property plus two off-premises 'open house' signs no more than 2 sq ft, on day of event only; not illuminated; size limits: 6 sq ft for residential, 24 sq ft for commercial; must be removed within 5 days after sale/rental).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master signage plan is required for institutional sites of five acres or more with multiple principal structures. The Planning Commission may modify institutional sign standards in accordance with such a plan.
- A master signage plan must include: an accurate plot plan, building and parking locations, sign area computations, sign plans/photosimulations, and proposed/future sign locations (except incidental signs). No permit issued for signs not conforming to master plan.
- A master sign plan is required for one or more joint tenant signs in the HR historic redevelopment district; approval of the Planning Commission is required.
- Location of certain signs (e.g., subdivision identification, office/business park, museum/attraction) must be indicated on required site plans for approval.
- A landscape plan must be submitted for freestanding signs for office/business parks and for certain museum/attraction directional signs.
- Applicants for festival or community sponsored functions must submit a request including number, type, and location of proposed signage for Town Commissioners' approval.
- No sign shall be erected or placed before the Zoning Inspector issues a sign permit (except for exempt signs).

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

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