# Sign Regulations in Dedham, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Dedham, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/dedham
- **Data last verified:** 2026-02-09
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/15734412#15734412)

## At a glance

Dedham, Massachusetts regulates 51 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Central Business (CB) zoning district are capped at ≤ 8 ft tall and ≤ 20 sq ft, with a Front and side setbacks ≥ 5 ft setback (Sec. § 237-21B(4); § 237-19D). Most commercial signs in Dedham require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 16 | On buildings without Sign Band: top ≤ the lower of 25 ft above grade or below second-floor window frame; may not extend above lowest point of roof unless integrated into roofline (e.g., parapet) | Varies by district (e.g., RDO: ≤ 40 sq ft) | — |
| Residential Districts (SRA, SRB, GR) | 14 | Per general wall sign standards: if no Sign Band, top ≤ the lower of 25 ft above grade or below second-floor window frame; cannot extend above roofline unless integrated | ≤ 25% of awning surface area | — |
| Central Business (CB) | 22 | ≤ 8 ft | Area computed by profile per § 237-22C | — |
| Local Business (LB) | 19 | Per § 237-19N | ≤ 25% of awning surface | — |
| General Business (GB) | 16 | Per § 237-19N | Varies by building; +50% if qualifying second facade | — |
| Highway Business (HB) | 5 | Per § 237-19N | ≤ 100 sq ft | — |
| Limited Manufacturing A & B (LMA, LMB) | 5 | Per § 237-19N | ≤ 100 sq ft | — |
| Research Development & Office (RDO) | 6 | Per § 237-19N | Varies by building; +50% if qualifying second facade | — |
| Planned Commercial | 1 | — | — | — |
| Senior Campus (SC) | 6 | Per § 237-19N | Varies by building; +50% if qualifying second facade | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### Central Business (CB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Sign Area (Per Lot) | — | Varies by Principal Facade length; +50% allowance if qualifying second facade | — | — | — | Applies to all on-lot signs except Incidental, Historical Marker, Window Signs, and Flags | — | § 237-21B(1) |
| Wall Sign | Per general wall sign standards (Sign Band; top limits) | ≤ 10% of total Wall Area | — | — | — | On building facade | — | § 237-21B(3); § 237-19N; § 237-20D |
| Freestanding Sign | ≤ 8 ft | ≤ 20 sq ft | — | Front and side setbacks ≥ 5 ft | 1 per lot | On private property; not in ROW | — | § 237-21B(4); § 237-19D |
| Identification Sign | Freestanding ≤ 5 ft | ≤ 4 sq ft (per general standard) | — | — | 1 per lot | Wall or freestanding | — | § 237-21B(2); § 237-19E; § 237-5B(3) |
| Awning Sign | — | ≤ 25% of awning surface area | — | — | — | Ground-floor awning; may project over ROW if compliant | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-19A; § 237-13C; § 237-20E; § 237-5B(1) |
| Monument Sign | Base ≤ 3 ft above average finished grade; sign face within 1 ft of grade if no solid base | Subject to freestanding sign limits in this district (≤ 20 sq ft) | — | Front/side ≥ 5 ft | 1 per lot (as Freestanding) | On-premises | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-35 (Monument Sign); § 237-19D; § 237-21B(4) |
| Pole or Pylon Sign | As freestanding sign ≤ 8 ft (pylon bottom ≥ 3 ft above grade by definition) | Subject to freestanding sign limits (≤ 20 sq ft) | — | Front/side ≥ 5 ft | 1 per lot | On-premises | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-35 (Pole or Pylon); § 237-21B(4); § 237-19D; § 237-20L |
| Sandwich Board Sign | ≤ 3 ft 6 in | Frame ≤ 2 ft × 3 ft 6 in; panels ≤ 2 ft × 3 ft | ≤ 2 ft | — | 1 per business | Within 30 ft of main entrance; on sidewalk/right-of-way or private property with 48-inch clear path | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-19K; § 237-13E; § 237-5B(6) |

### Local Business (LB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Sign Area (Per Lot) | — | Varies by building | — | — | — | On-lot signs (excludes Incidental, Historical Marker, Window Signs, Flags) | — | § 237-21B(1) |
| Wall Sign | Per § 237-19N | ≤ 10% of total Wall Area | — | — | — | Building facade | — | § 237-21B(3); § 237-19N; § 237-20D |
| Freestanding Sign | ≤ 8 ft | ≤ 20 sq ft | — | Front/side ≥ 5 ft | 1 per lot | On-lot | — | § 237-21B(4); § 237-19D |
| Identification Sign | Freestanding ≤ 5 ft | ≤ 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | Wall or freestanding | — | § 237-21B(2); § 237-19E; § 237-5B(3) |
| Awning Sign | — | ≤ 25% of awning surface | — | — | — | Building awning; may project over ROW if compliant | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-19A; § 237-13C; § 237-20E; § 237-5B(1) |
| Monument Sign | Base ≤ 3 ft above grade | ≤ 20 sq ft (as freestanding) | — | Front/side ≥ 5 ft | 1 per lot | On-lot | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-35 (Monument); § 237-19D; § 237-21B(4) |
| Projecting Sign | Bottom ≥ 8 ft; top ≤ 14 ft | — | — | — | — | On building; may project over ROW if compliant | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-19J; § 237-13C |
| Sandwich Board Sign | ≤ 3 ft 6 in | Frame ≤ 2 ft × 3 ft 6 in; panels ≤ 2 ft × 3 ft | ≤ 2 ft | — | 1 per business | Within 30 ft of entrance; on sidewalk/right-of-way or private property | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-19K; § 237-13E; § 237-5B(6) |

### General Business (GB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Sign Area (Per Lot) | — | Varies by building; +50% if qualifying second facade | — | — | — | On-lot signs (excludes Incidental, Historical Marker, Window Signs, Flags) | — | § 237-21B(1) |
| Wall Sign | Per § 237-19N | ≤ 10% total Wall Area | — | — | — | On building | — | § 237-21B(3); § 237-19N; § 237-20D |
| Freestanding Sign | ≤ 8 ft | ≤ 20 sq ft | — | Front/side ≥ 5 ft | 1 per lot | On-lot | — | § 237-21B(4); § 237-19D |
| Identification Sign | Freestanding ≤ 5 ft | ≤ 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | Wall or freestanding | — | § 237-21B(2); § 237-19E; § 237-5B(3) |
| Awning Sign | — | ≤ 25% of awning surface | — | — | — | Awning; may project over ROW | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-19A; § 237-13C; § 237-20E; § 237-5B(1) |
| Monument Sign | Base ≤ 3 ft above grade | ≤ 20 sq ft (freestanding) | — | Front/side ≥ 5 ft | 1 per lot | On-lot | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-35; § 237-19D; § 237-21B(4) |
| Pole or Pylon Sign | ≤ 8 ft | ≤ 20 sq ft | — | Front/side ≥ 5 ft | 1 per lot | On-lot | — | Table 1 (A for GB); § 237-35; § 237-21B(4); § 237-19D; § 237-20L |
| Sandwich Board Sign | ≤ 3 ft 6 in | Frame ≤ 2 ft × 3 ft 6 in; panels ≤ 2 ft × 3 ft | ≤ 2 ft | — | 1 per business | Within 30 ft of entrance; on sidewalk/right-of-way or private property | — | Table 1 (A); § 237-19K; § 237-13E; § 237-5B(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Dedham

- Placement of a sign without a required sign permit is unlawful (§ 237-30A).
- Any sign not authorized pursuant to § 237-12 is prohibited (§ 237-12).
- No sign is allowed in the public right-of-way except: permanent bus stop signs by a public transit company; permanent informational signs of a public utility; awning, projecting, and suspended signs projecting over a public right-of-way in conformance with all other regulations; temporary emergency warning signs by a governmental agency, public utility, or contractor doing authorized work; sandwich board signs in conformance with regulations; banner signs over public rights-of-way (§ 237-13).
- Prohibited sign types (town-wide): animated signs (except as allowed under Article IV); beacons; billboards; commercial messages not mounted on a building, awning/canopy, freestanding sign, or other expressly permitted mounting condition; digital display signs (except as allowed under Article IV); neon-type signs (except as allowed under Article IV); off-premises signs (except as allowed under Article IV); pennant signs; portable signs other than sandwich boards per Article IV; roof signs unless waived by DRAB for a creative sign; signs with red or green lights within sight of a traffic signal unless approved by the Chief of Police; any sign that obscures traffic control signs/signals, crosswalks, handicapped ramps, or that the Commissioner determines may endanger public safety (§ 237-18).
- Illumination restrictions applicable to all signs: no sign shall be lighted except by a steady, stationary, shielded source directed at the sign unless specifically provided; no sign illumination beyond business hours or between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. unless allowable business hours extend into that period; no illumination casting direct light or glare beyond the property perimeter; no illumination casting direct light or glare onto any residential premises or onto any portion of a way as to create a traffic hazard; no pylon, pole, or sign-supporting structure shall be illuminated except as required by law (§ 237-20A, H, J, K, L).

## Signs exempt from permit in Dedham

- A non-commercial message may be substituted for any message on a permissible sign without approval or a sign permit, provided the sign otherwise complies (§ 237-4).
- Signs erected or required by public agencies pursuant to federal, state, or local law (§ 237-16A).
- Public signs erected by or on behalf of a governmental body to post legal notices, identify public property, convey public information, and direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic (§ 237-16B).
- Signs that are not illuminated and are not visible from any area to which the public has the right to access (§ 237-16C).
- Any sign inside a building, not attached to a window or door, that is not visible from more than three feet beyond the lot line (§ 237-16D).
- On-premises traffic control devices on private property that meet Department of Transportation standards and contain only the name or logo of the business (§ 237-16E).
- Flags of a government, political subdivision, or other non-commercial institution (§ 237-16F).
- Memorials such as gravestones and cornerstones (§ 237-16G).
- Historical markers installed or approved by a public agency or duly established historical society (§ 237-16H).
- Awning sign limited to a single line of lettering no more than 6 inches high (§ 237-16I).
- Residential identification sign of no more than 2 square feet (§ 237-16J; § 237-17A).
- Temporary signs on private property up to 9 square feet and not illuminated, allowed on all properties without a sign permit (§ 237-17B).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A Sign Package (optional master sign plan) may be requested for: planned commercial development; all multi-tenant buildings with more than six tenants; all lots with more than one building (§ 237-19L(1); § 237-36).
- A Sign Package is required for a Planned Commercial Development; permitted sign types and locations are defined by the DRAB-approved Sign Package (§ 237-21F; § 237-19L).
- Digital Display Signs are restricted to approved Sign Packages (§ 237-19C(1)).
- Sign Packages that contain noncomplying signs require one or more waivers from DRAB (§ 237-19L).
- Where a Sign Package is on file with DRAB, the Building Commissioner shall issue a sign permit for any sign that conforms to that package (§ 237-19L(3)(a)).
- DRAB advisory review is required for all sign types not exempted in § 237-5(B) and for all illuminated signs (§ 237-5C).
- If a proposed sign does not meet the requirements, DRAB may grant a waiver; waiver procedure includes a hearing within 45 days of filing, notice to abutters within 300 feet, a decision within 60 days, and a written decision within 14 days; four affirmative votes required (§ 237-8E).
- Waiver limits and criteria: DRAB cannot waive prohibited sign types (§ 237-9A); may grant waivers for undue hardship that does not nullify the intent (§ 237-9B); may grant waivers for Creative Signs per listed design criteria (§ 237-9C); may extend Limited Duration sign display up to six months (§ 237-9D); may waive Off-Premises sign placement upon demonstration of hardship with specified information (§ 237-19I).
- Appeals: any person aggrieved by the Building Commissioner's action or failure to act may appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals; hearing within 65 days; written decision within 100 days; notice to abutters; failure to act is deemed a denial (§ 237-11).

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/dedham