# Sign Regulations in Harvard Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Harvard Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/harvard-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/13695329#13695329)

## At a glance

Harvard Town, Massachusetts regulates 14 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Standing Signs in the C District zoning district are capped at 15 ft tall and 20 sq ft, with a Subject to § 125-30 and § 125-39 setback and visibility requirements setback (Sec. § 125-41C(1)(b), § 125-41B(2), § 125-41B(5)). Most commercial signs in Harvard Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AR District, MR District, W District | 2 | — | 8 inches x 12 inches (0.67 sq ft) | — |
| C District | 8 | 15 ft | 30 sq ft | — |
| Business Use Not in C District | 5 | 15 ft | 10 sq ft (half of C District's 20 sq ft) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 20 ft | 40 sq ft | — |

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

### AR District, MR District, W District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Standing Sign or Sandwich Board Sign | — | 6 sq ft (individual lots); up to 20 sq ft for group signs (3 sq ft per lot, max 20 sq ft) | — | — | One temporary standing sign or sandwich board sign per lot | On-site | — | § 125-41E(1)-(2), § 125-41B(2) |
| Property Identification Sign (Emergency Number) | — | 8 inches x 12 inches (0.67 sq ft) | 8 inches x 12 inches | — | One per property when required | At driveway connection or on mailbox within 20 feet of driveway | — | § 53-2 |

### C District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | One per wall, plus additional at each entrance per department or directory | Each wall of the building; additional signs at entrances as needed | — | § 125-41C(1)(a), § 125-41B(2), § 125-41B(4) |
| Standing Sign | 15 ft | 20 sq ft | — | Subject to § 125-30 and § 125-39 setback and visibility requirements | One | On the lot | — | § 125-41C(1)(b), § 125-41B(2), § 125-41B(5) |
| Window Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Hung, attached to, painted or etched on window glass | — | § 125-41C(1)(c), § 125-41B(2) |
| Directional Sign (Multi-Business Site) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Within multi-business site development | — | § 125-41C(1)(d)[1], § 125-41B(2) |
| Standing Sign (Multi-Business Site) | 15 ft | 30 sq ft | — | Subject to § 125-30 and § 125-39 setback and visibility requirements | One | Within multi-business site development | — | § 125-41C(1)(d)[2] |
| Temporary Standing Sign or Sandwich Board Sign | — | 6 sq ft (individual lots); up to 20 sq ft for group signs (3 sq ft/lot, max 20 sq ft) | — | — | One temporary sign per lot | On-site | — | § 125-41E(1)-(2), § 125-41B(2) |
| Street Frontage Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage | Along each street on which the lot fronts | — | § 125-41C(3) |
| Property Identification Sign (Emergency Number) | — | 8 inches x 12 inches (0.67 sq ft) | 8 inches x 12 inches | — | One per property when required | At driveway connection or mailbox within 20 feet of driveway | — | § 53-2 |

### Business Use Not in C District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Business Use Not in C District) | — | — | — | — | One per wall, plus per entrance for department or directory | Each building wall; entrances | — | § 125-41C(2) |
| Standing Sign (Business Use Not in C District) | 15 ft | 10 sq ft (half of C District's 20 sq ft) | — | Subject to § 125-30 and § 125-39 setback and visibility requirements | One | On lot | — | § 125-41C(2) |
| Window Sign (Business Use Not in C District) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | Hung, attached to, painted/etched on glass | — | § 125-41C(2) |
| Street Frontage Sign (Business Use Not in C District) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage | Along each street on which the lot fronts | — | § 125-41C(3) |
| Temporary Standing Sign or Sandwich Board Sign | — | 6 sq ft (individual lots); up to 20 sq ft for group signs (3 sq ft per lot, max 20 sq ft) | — | — | One temporary sign per lot | On-site | — | § 125-41E(1)-(2), § 125-41B(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Harvard Town

- Signs which flash, rotate, are animated, are motorized or move or are designed to move by any means, in whole or in part, except for portions indicating time or temperature only, are prohibited.
- Signs that contain or consist of pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or other moving devices, strings of lights or similar devices, or which emit any noises or loud sounds, or are inflatable are prohibited.
- Outdoor signs may only be illuminated by steady white light shielded and directed downward solely at the sign; no messages or graphics on permanent signs may be formed by lights of any kind, except for time and temperature.
- Backlit or internally illuminated signs are prohibited.
- Signs mounted on trucks or trailers or trailer chassis with or without wheels whose primary function is as a sign and not for the transport of goods or merchandise are prohibited.
- Roof-mounted signs are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Harvard Town

- Portions of signs indicating time or temperature only are exempt from prohibitions on movement and illumination.
- A sign no larger than eight inches by 12 inches posted at the driveway connection (or substituted with a number on a mailbox within 20 feet of the driveway connection) for house, business, or structure identification for emergency vehicles is exempt (per § 53-2).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The Planning Board may approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove deviations from the sign requirements, including number and dimensions of signs, by special permit.
- A special permit is required for greater number of standing signs or larger sign dimensions than otherwise permitted.
- In no event shall the issuance of a special permit be construed as precedent with respect to other applications, as each application and site is unique.

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

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