# Sign Regulations in Easton Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Easton Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/easton-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/32314464#32314464)

## At a glance

Easton Town, Massachusetts regulates 25 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign - Single or Double Occupancy Buildings in the Business Districts, Industrial Districts zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 100 sq ft, with a 15 ft from property lot line setback (Sec. §235-29D(2), §235-29J(2), §235-29K). Most commercial signs in Easton Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts, Eleemosynary District | 6 | 6 ft (if freestanding) | 32 sq ft each | — |
| Business Districts, Industrial Districts | 8 | 30 ft | 150 sq ft (all tenants must be allocated sign space in proportion to space occupied) | — |
| Local Historic Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Residential Districts, Eleemosynary District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Street Number/Occupant Name Sign | 6 ft (if freestanding) | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | Attached to building or on a rod/post | — | §235-29C(2), §235-29J(1) |
| Bulletin/Announcement Board or Identification Sign | — | 10 sq ft for nonresidential uses; 20 sq ft per building for churches/institutions/clubs/funeral establishments/hospitals, other places of public assembly, community facilities or public utilities | — | No closer to street than 1/2 required front yard depth | 1 per building/use | On building | — | §235-29C(3), §235-29J(1) |
| Subdivision Identification Sign (Construction Period) | — | 32 sq ft each | — | — | 2 | Per neighborhood, subdivision, or development | — | §235-29C(4), §235-29J(1) |
| Nonconforming Use Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises with lawfully nonconforming use | — | §235-29C(5), §235-29J(1) |
| For Sale/For Rent Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | At least 15 ft from property lot line | 1 | On lot being advertised | — | §235-29C(6), §235-29J(1) |
| Signs Permitted in All Districts (see General Regulations For All Zones) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §235-29C(1), §235-29G |

### Business Districts, Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Single or Double Occupancy Building | 30 ft | 100 sq ft | — | 15 ft from property lot line | 1 per street frontage (see option for multiple frontages) | Per street frontage | — | §235-29D(2), §235-29J(2), §235-29K |
| Freestanding Sign - Multiple Tenant Building | 30 ft | 150 sq ft (all tenants must be allocated sign space in proportion to space occupied) | — | 15 ft from property lot line | 1 per street frontage (see option for multiple frontages) | Per street frontage | — | §235-29D(2), §235-29J(2), §235-29K |
| Freestanding Sign - Corner Lot or Multiple Entrances | 30 ft | Aggregate of all freestanding signs not to exceed two times the area of a single freestanding sign | — | 15 ft from property lot line | More than one allowed if entranceways 300 ft apart; see restriction on total area | Each entrance must be at least 300 ft apart | — | §235-29E(1), §235-29J(2), §235-29K |
| Wall Sign | Placed no higher than main roof of highest building on premises; or if no building, average height of main roofs of buildings on adjacent lots, not exceeding 30 ft above ground/sidewalk | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy | — | §235-29D(3), §235-29D(6), §235-29J(2), §235-29K |
| Under-Canopy Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | 15 ft from property lot line | 1 per occupancy | Per occupancy; minimum clearance 15 ft over vehicles, 10 ft over pedestrians | — | §235-29D(4), §235-29E(2), §235-29J(2), §235-29K |
| Incidental Signs (Aggregate) | — | 20 sq ft aggregate area per occupancy | — | — | — | Per occupancy | — | §235-29D(5), §235-29J(2), §235-29K |
| Temporary Sign | — | 30 sq ft (double sided counts both faces) | — | At least 10 ft from street line for temporary sign | No more than 2 per year (temporary signs) | On premises or on existing freestanding sign | — | §235-29E(3), §235-29J(2) |
| Signs Permitted in All Districts (see General Regulations For All Zones) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §235-29D(1), §235-29G |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Construction Sign (Residential Zones) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Per street frontage of construction project | — | §235-29G(2), §235-29L(1) |
| Construction Sign (All Other Zones) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Per street frontage of construction project | — | §235-29G(2), §235-29L(1) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential) | — | 6 sq ft | — | At least 15 ft from property lot line | 1 | 1 per lot or premises | — | §235-29G(3), §235-29L(7) |
| Real Estate Sign (Commercial) | — | 15 sq ft (3x5 ft) | 5 ft | At least 15 ft from property lot line | 1 | 1 per lot or premises | — | §235-29G(3), §235-29L(7) |
| Attached Nameplates | — | 4 sq ft each (general); up to 6 sq ft (permit exemption) | — | — | 2 per occupancy | Attached to principal building | — | §235-29G(4), §235-29L(4) |
| Directional/Information Sign | 10 ft | 6 sq ft (permit not required if 6 sq ft or less) | — | — | — | On premises | — | §235-29G(5), §235-29L(2) |
| Holiday or Special Event Decoration and/or Festoons | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §235-29L(3) |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Window | — | §235-29L(8) |

## Prohibited signs in Easton Town

- Abandoned signs are prohibited in all districts.
- Any sign which by reason of its location, shape, size, or color will interfere with traffic signs, signals, or markings is prohibited.
- Signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs or signals are prohibited.
- Snipe signs or signs attached to trees, utility poles, streetlights, or placed on public property or public right-of-way are prohibited.
- Flashing, animated, or internally illuminated signs, including LED and neon, are prohibited unless specifically allowed by the Planning & Zoning Board.
- Portable signs are prohibited.
- Signs attached to motor vehicles, trailers, or other movable objects regularly or recurrently located for fixed display are prohibited.
- Changing image signs are prohibited.
- Flashing signs and movement of a sign body or any segment thereof, such as rotating, revolving, moving up or down, or other changes of position, are prohibited in all districts.
- No neon or external fluorescent lighting is permitted in any district.
- No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view of any street any unofficial device, sign, signal, curb marking or street marking which purports to be, is an imitation of, or resembles an official traffic device, sign, signal, curb marking or street marking, or which hides from view any official sign, signal, marking or device.
- No sign shall be suspended by non-rigid attachments that will allow the sign to swing in a wind.

## Signs exempt from permit in Easton Town

- Maintenance of a sign or a change of copy on painted, printed, or changeable copy signs does not require a permit.
- One construction sign of 32 square feet or less does not require a permit.
- Directional/Information signs of six square feet or less do not require a permit.
- Holiday or special event decorations and/or festoons do not require a permit.
- Nameplates of six square feet or less do not require a permit.
- Political signs do not require a permit.
- Public signs or notices, or any sign relating to an emergency do not require a permit.
- Real estate signs do not require a permit.
- Window signs do not require a permit.
- Incidental signs do not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All applicants for sign permits in Business and Industrial Districts must submit plans and supporting materials to the Building Inspector for approval.
- Internally illuminated and moving signs must meet all requirements and require review and approval by the Planning and Zoning Board.
- Sign and Design Guidelines adopted by the Planning & Zoning Board provide additional guidance for building and signage design.
- In Local Historic Districts, all signs must be reviewed by the Historical Commission before submission to the Planning & Zoning Board.
- The Planning & Zoning Board may grant a special permit for larger or additional signs if conditions are met.

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

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