# Sign Regulations in Andover Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Andover Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/andover-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/44599354#44599354)

## At a glance

Andover Town, Massachusetts regulates 21 sign types across 18 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the General Business Districts (GB) zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 12 sq ft, with a 5 ft from property line setback (Sec. §5.2.8.2). Most commercial signs in Andover Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (18 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 4 ft | 35 sq ft | — |
| Single Family Residential Districts (SRA, SRB, SRC) | 3 | 5 ft (freestanding), 10 ft (attached) | 15 sq ft | — |
| Apartment Districts (APT) | 2 | 10 ft | 25 sq ft | — |
| General Business Districts (GB) | 6 | Top: 25 ft, Bottom: 8 ft above ground | 25 sq ft | — |
| Mixed Use Districts (MU) | 6 | Top: 25 ft, Bottom: 8 ft above ground | 25 sq ft | — |
| Office Park Districts (OP), Limited Service Districts (LS) | 4 | 8 ft (up to 16 ft by special permit) | 25 sq ft (by special permit up to 16 ft tall) | — |
| Industrial G Districts (IG) | 3 | 8 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| Industrial A Districts (IA) | 3 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft (wall); 25 sq ft (canopy) | — |
| Industrial D Districts (ID), Industrial D2 Districts (ID2) | 3 | 12 ft | 200 sq ft (wall); 25 sq ft (canopy) | — |
| SRA, SRB, SRC | 3 | 5 ft (freestanding), 10 ft (attached) | 15 sq ft | — |
| APT | 2 | 10 ft | 25 sq ft | — |
| GB | 6 | Top: 25 ft, Bottom: 8 ft above ground | 25 sq ft | — |
| MU | 6 | Top: 25 ft, Bottom: 8 ft above ground | 25 sq ft | — |
| OP | 4 | 8 ft (special permit up to 16 ft) | 25 sq ft (special permit up to 16 ft tall) | — |
| LS | 4 | 8 ft (special permit up to 16 ft) | 25 sq ft (special permit up to 16 ft) | — |
| IG | 3 | 8 ft | 80 sq ft (wall), 25 sq ft (canopy) | — |
| IA | 3 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft (wall); 25 sq ft (canopy) | — |
| ID, ID2 | 3 | 12 ft | 200 sq ft (wall); 25 sq ft (canopy) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 18 zones)

### General Business Districts (GB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Facade, Street Oriented) | — | 15% of facade, max 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street or parking lot frontage with entry or window | On facade facing street with window or entry | — | §5.2.8.1.a-e |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | — | On body of awning or canopy | — | §5.2.8.1.f |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per building | Setback at least 5 ft from property line | — | §5.2.8.2 |
| Projecting Sign | Top: 25 ft, Bottom: 8 ft above ground | 9 sq ft (by special permit up to 15 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per facade | Each facade with entry or window | — | §5.2.8.3 |
| Multi-Use Building Sign | — | 1 sq ft per occupant | — | — | 1 per multi-use building | Building occupied by multiple business uses, attached or projecting | — | §5.2.8.4 |
| Unlighted Window Graphics/Lettering | — | — | — | — | — | Inside of windows or transparent doors | — | §5.2.8.5 |

### Mixed Use Districts (MU)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Facade) | — | 10% of facade, max 80 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street or lot frontage | On facade facing street or parking lot with window or entry | — | §5.2.9.1.a-c |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | — | On body of awning/canopy | — | §5.2.9.1.d |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 25 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per building | Building set back at least 5 ft from property line | — | §5.2.9.2 |
| Projecting Sign | Top: 25 ft, Bottom: 8 ft above ground | 9 sq ft (by special permit up to 15 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per facade | Each facade with entry or window | — | §5.2.9.3 |
| Multi-Use Building Sign | — | 1 sq ft per occupant | — | — | 1 per multi-use building | Attached or projecting, for multiple business uses | — | §5.2.9.4 |
| Unlighted Window Graphics/Lettering | — | — | — | — | — | Inside window/door | — | §5.2.9.5 |

### GB

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Facade, Street Oriented) | — | 15% of facade, max 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street or parking lot frontage with entry or window | On facade facing street with window or entry | — | §5.2.8.1.a-e |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | — | On awning/canopy | — | §5.2.8.1.f |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per building | Setback at least 5 ft from property line | — | §5.2.8.2 |
| Projecting Sign | Top: 25 ft, Bottom: 8 ft above ground | 9 sq ft (by special permit, up to 15 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per facade | Each facade with entry or window | — | §5.2.8.3 |
| Multi-Use Building Sign | — | 1 sq ft per occupant | — | — | 1 per multi-use building | Attached or projecting, for multiple business uses | — | §5.2.8.4 |
| Unlighted Window Graphics/Lettering | — | — | — | — | — | Inside of windows or transparent doors | — | §5.2.8.5 |

## Prohibited signs in Andover Town

- No sign shall be lighted, except by a steady external and stationary light source which is shielded and directed solely at the sign, unless specifically provided for in this Bylaw.
- No illumination shall be permitted which casts glare onto any residential premises or onto any portion of a way so as to create a traffic hazard.
- No signs shall be illuminated in any residential district, or within 200 feet of a residential district, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., unless the establishment is open to the public.
- No sign shall be illuminated by any color other than colorless or white light, except for temporary holiday lighting.
- No animated, revolving, flashing, backlit, exposed neon or similar exposed gaseous tube illuminated signs shall be permitted.
- No signs shall be attached to motor vehicles, trailers, or other movable objects regularly or recurrently located for fixed display.
- Visibility for motorists and pedestrians shall not be obstructed at any intersection, driveway, or crosswalk.
- No portable or removable sign shall be allowed in any zoning district except as permitted under § 5.2.6.
- No attached exterior sign shall cover any portion of a window or door casing.
- No signs shall be allowed on the uppermost roof of any building.
- No portion of a sign shall extend above the highest point of the roof or parapet of the building to which it is attached.

## Signs exempt from permit in Andover Town

- One sign, either attached or freestanding, does not require a sign permit if it does not exceed two square feet in area.
- A sign on open space or other undeveloped property open to the public requires no sign permit if the sign is less than 35 square feet in area.
- Interior signs that do not exceed 30 percent of the transparent area of the window and/or door on which they are affixed or displayed do not require a sign permit.
- One or more exterior signs not exceeding 15 square feet in aggregate area do not require sign permits. Each residential unit in multiple-family residences and each unit in multiple-unit nonresidential properties may erect such signs. No additional signs are allowed beyond the 15 square feet in aggregate area because of the existence of a customary home occupation at a residence.
- One exterior sign per property does not require a sign permit if it shall have an area not to exceed six square feet and is set back a minimum of 15 feet from the nearest vehicular public or private way, and does not obstruct the line of sight for vehicles entering or exiting the property or adjacent properties.
- Unlighted graphics, lettering, or symbols with transparent background mounted on the inside of windows or transparent entry doors require no sign permit if their area does not exceed 30 percent of the glass or transparent area.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required for any sign unless specifically exempted or provided for elsewhere in this section. No sign shall be installed, erected, enlarged, redesigned, or structurally altered without a sign permit issued by the Building Department.
- A projecting sign always requires a permit.
- Prior to the issuance of a sign permit, the Design Review Board (DRB) reviews municipal signs in any district, and any sign greater than four square feet in the General Business (GB) and Mixed Use (MU) Districts.
- Applications for review by the Design Review Board shall be submitted on a standard application form specified by the DRB.
- Signs not exempted may require additional review or a special permit, as noted in § 5.2.3.2 and § 9.6.4.

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

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