# Sign Regulations in Dover Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Dover Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/dover-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/14624951#14624951)

## At a glance

Dover Town, Massachusetts regulates 13 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Business District, Medical-Professional District, Manufacturing District zoning district are capped at 5 feet (measured from ground to top of sign) tall and 15 square feet, with a No closer to side property line than the required district setback; must not obstruct sight lines setback (Sec. §185-35C(1)(c), §246-4A, §185-35A(8), §185-35C(3), §185-35A(6)). Most commercial signs in Dover Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts | 6 | — | 9 square feet | — |
| Business District, Medical-Professional District, Manufacturing District | 4 | 5 feet (measured from ground to top of sign) | 20% of glass area (window) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Commercial Sign (Event/Work) | — | 9 square feet | — | — | 1 event sign; up to 4 work signs | On lot where event or work is occurring | — | §246-4B(1), §246-4B(2), §185-35B(1) |
| Permanent Commercial Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | On lot occupied by dwelling | — | §185-35B(2) |
| Permanent Noncommercial Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per premises | On premises (not in right-of-way) | — | §246-5A, §246-7D |
| Temporary Noncommercial Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On premises (not in right-of-way) | — | §246-5B, §246-7D |
| Warning or Instructional Sign | — | 1 square foot | — | — | 1 per message per 50 feet | On property, not within 50 feet of another similar sign | — | §246-5C |
| Subdivision Sign (Commercial) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §246-4C |

### Business District, Medical-Professional District, Manufacturing District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary or Permanent Business Identification/Advertising Sign | — | 15 square feet | — | — | Max 2 per establishment, unless hardship granted | On lot of the business | — | §185-35C(1)(a), §246-4A, §185-35C(3), §185-35A(4),(6) |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of glass area (window) | — | — | — | Inside glass of window | — | §185-35C(1)(b) |
| Door Sign | — | 10% of glass area (door) | — | — | — | Inside glass of door | — | §185-35C(1)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign | 5 feet (measured from ground to top of sign) | 15 square feet | — | No closer to side property line than the required district setback; must not obstruct sight lines | Counted as part of 2-sign limit per commercial establishment | On lot; must not interfere with sight distance for vehicles or pedestrians | — | §185-35C(1)(c), §246-4A, §185-35A(8), §185-35C(3), §185-35A(6) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign in Right-of-Way | — | — | — | — | — | Within town street right-of-way | — | §185-35A(1) |
| Externally Illuminated Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §185-35A(4)-(6) |
| Temporary Event Sign (All Types) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §185-35A(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Dover Town

- No sign shall be located within a Town street right-of-way, without the express written permission of the Board of Selectmen.
- Any sign not expressly permitted or exempted under this bylaw is prohibited.
- No sign shall use flashing or intermittent lights, or moving or animated parts, or internal illumination.
- No sign shall use day-glo or luminescent colors.
- Externally illuminated signs may be lit with white light only. The lighting shall be shielded and focused not to extend beyond the sign border.
- No sign shall be located so as to obstruct a view between intersecting streets within 50 feet of a corner, to obstruct a view of oncoming traffic from a driveway or otherwise to present a safety hazard in the opinion of the Town Engineer.
- No freestanding sign shall be located closer to a side property line than the required setback distance for that district, as provided for in § 185-19.
- No sign shall be placed on the roof of a building or may extend beyond the height of the building.

## Signs exempt from permit in Dover Town

- Signs installed pursuant to any federal or state law or regulation or court order.
- Signs located on land used for religious purposes or for educational purposes on land owned or leased by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or any of its agencies, subdivisions or bodies politic or by a religious sect or denomination, or by a nonprofit educational corporation.
- Signs on Town-owned property, which may be subject to permission, prohibition or reasonable regulation by the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission, Conservation Commission or other board, committee or commission in whose custody such property is held.
- Any nonconforming sign lawfully erected prior to the effective date of this section, which may continue to be maintained but preferably would be brought into compliance with this bylaw and, in any event, shall not be reconstructed, extended or structurally altered by an existing or new business unless it is permitted pursuant to MGL c. 40A, § 6.
- Any sign for traffic control or other informational purpose that is approved as part of a site plan by the Planning Board.
- Any sign for traffic control authorized by the Board of Selectmen within a street right-of-way or on Town property.
- Permanent noncommercial signs and temporary signs (displayed for a maximum of 30 days within any 60-day period) in compliance with these regulations shall not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any person or organization seeking consent of the Planning Board under § 185-35 of the Zoning Bylaw for installation of a sign requiring a permit shall apply to the Planning Board by filing a written request that includes a design to scale and a plan illustrating the location of the sign.
- Signs in business, medical-professional, and manufacturing zoning districts require Planning Board approval as to size, type and location, subject to a sign permit application.
- The Planning Board may adopt rules and regulations governing the process and review of applications for sign permits, including a schedule of fees.
- Permanent noncommercial signs and temporary signs meeting duration limits, in compliance with the regulations, do not require a permit.
- Failure to file an application for a sign, when Planning Board permission is required, is grounds for removal of the sign.

## Full detail

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

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