# Sign Regulations in Bellingham Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Bellingham Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/bellingham-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/15958014#15958014)

## At a glance

Bellingham Town, Massachusetts regulates 12 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Political Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 16 sq ft (Sec. § 240-44(F)). Most commercial signs in Bellingham 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 | 7 | — | 30% of window area | — |
| Agricultural District, Suburban District, Residential District | 2 | — | 9 sq ft | — |
| Other Districts | 5 | — | 100 sq ft (total for all) | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises under construction | — | § 240-44(B) |
| Temporary For Sale/Lease Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises for lease or sale | — | § 240-44(C) |
| Temporary Subdivision Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Premises while under development | — | § 240-44(D) |
| Window Sign | — | 30% of window area | — | — | — | Inside display window | — | § 240-44(E) |
| Political Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 3 per lot | Subject to property owner consent | — | § 240-44(F) |
| Temporary Event Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 240-44(G) |
| Nonaccessory Directional Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Any district, not on a state highway | — | § 240-45(C) |

### Agricultural District, Suburban District, Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Occupant / Accessory Use Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per family | On-premises | — | § 240-45(A) |
| Premises Sign - Non-residential Use | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On-premises | — | § 240-45(B) |

### Other Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Occupant / Accessory Use Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per family | On-premises | — | § 240-46(A), § 240-45(A) |
| Premises Sign - Non-residential Use | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On-premises | — | § 240-46(A), § 240-45(B) |
| Accessory Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached to a building | — | § 240-46(B) |
| Freestanding Accessory Sign | — | 100 sq ft (total for all) | — | — | — | On premises | — | § 240-46(C) |
| Aggregate Sign Area Limit | — | — | — | — | — | All signs oriented towards the street | — | § 240-46(D) |

## Prohibited signs in Bellingham Town

- Signs, any part of which moves or flashes, or signs of the traveling light or animated type, and all beacons and flashing devices whether a part of, attached to, or apart from a sign, are prohibited.
- No signs shall be placed within or projecting over a public way or on public property except with a permit from the Board of Selectmen.
- Signs placed on shade trees are subject to approval by the Tree Warden.
- No nonaccessory sign or billboard shall be erected except as allowed under §240-45C.
- 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 located so as to create an obstruction to vision between three and eight feet above the plane through the curb grades within the area formed by the curblines of intersecting streets (or by street curblines and the sidelines of driveways) and by a line joining points 20 feet from the point of intersecting of those lines or those lines extended.
- No sign shall be located within 10 feet of the street line unless allowing essentially clear vision to at least six feet above grade, or unless authorized upon special permit from the Board of Appeals, upon the Board finding that safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement would not be significantly reduced by such sign, despite its obstruction of vision.

## Signs exempt from permit in Bellingham Town

- An unlighted sign of up to 20 square feet indicating parties involved in construction on the premises.
- An unlighted sign of up to six square feet pertaining to lease or sale of the premises.
- A sign of up to 10 square feet pertaining to a subdivision while under development, only with permission of the Planning Board.
- Signs inside display windows covering not more than 30% of window area, illuminated by building illumination only.
- Political signs may be located subject to the consent of property owners, subject to size, time, and location restrictions (including specific removal, area, and distance requirements).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit general requirement for a master sign plan, sign plan, or variance meeting is stated for all signs across all zones.
- Special permits from the Board of Appeals are required for some exceptions (e.g., certain non-accessory signs and signs located within 10 feet of the street line in special circumstances).
- Permission from the Board of Selectmen or Planning Board is required for specific cases (e.g., signage over public way or for subdivisions under development).

## Full detail

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

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