# Sign Regulations in Lancaster Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lancaster Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/lancaster-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/11813858#11813858)

## At a glance

Lancaster Town, Massachusetts regulates 10 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Directional Sign (Freestanding)s in the Residence Districts, R Districts zoning district are capped at 3 feet above ground tall and 2 square feet, with a Not closer than 10 feet to a street lot line setback (Sec. § 220-30B (1)-(4)). Most commercial signs in Lancaster Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residence Districts, R Districts | 6 | 3 feet above ground | 12 square feet | — |
| NB Districts, EZ Districts, LI Districts, LI2 Districts, GI Districts | 5 | 3 feet above ground | 30 square feet; or 1 square foot per 4 feet of frontage, whichever is less | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residence Districts, R Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Premises) | — | 3 square feet | — | No closer than 20 feet to any street or lot line unless affixed to a building | 1 per premises | Principal front yard only; not on tree, rock, or utility pole; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-29B; § 220-28A; § 220-31.1A |
| Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential Premises or For Sale) | — | 12 square feet | — | No closer than 20 feet to any street or lot line unless affixed to a building | 1 per premises | Principal front yard only; not on tree, rock, or utility pole; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-29B; § 220-28A; § 220-31.1A |
| Attached Sign (Residential Premises) | — | 3 square feet per permitted family or home occupation | — | — | — | On side of building facing a street; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-29C(1); § 220-28A; § 220-31.1A |
| Attached Sign (Nonresidential Premises) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | — | On side of building facing a street; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-29C(1); § 220-28A; § 220-31.1A |
| Temporary Poster or Political Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 per premises | On residential premises; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-30A |
| Directional Sign (Freestanding) | 3 feet above ground | 2 square feet | — | Not closer than 10 feet to a street lot line | Minimum necessary for clear directions | In any yard; not closer than 10 feet to a street lot line; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-30B (1)-(4) |

### NB Districts, EZ Districts, LI Districts, LI2 Districts, GI Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | — | 30 square feet; or 1 square foot per 4 feet of frontage, whichever is less | — | No closer than 20 feet to any street or lot line unless affixed to a building | 1 per premises | Principal front yard only; not on tree, rock, or utility pole; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-29B; § 220-28B; § 220-31.1A |
| Attached Sign | — | 10% of building face area or 30 square feet, whichever is less | — | — | — | On face of building facing street; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-29C(1); § 220-28B; § 220-31.1A |
| Attached Sign (Shopping Center) | — | 1 square foot per linear foot of building face | — | — | — | On all faces of the shopping center building | — | § 220-29C(2); § 220-28B; § 220-31.1A |
| Temporary Poster or Political Sign | — | 20 square feet (each), maximum 2 per premises | — | — | 2 per premises | On the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-30A |
| Directional Sign (Freestanding) | 3 feet above ground | 2 square feet | — | Not closer than 10 feet to a street lot line | Minimum necessary for clear directions | In any yard; not closer than 10 feet to a street lot line; on the premises to which the message pertains | — | § 220-30B (1)-(4) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign (Institutional, Educational, or Recreational Use, Off-Premises) | — | — | — | — | — | Location controlled by Board of Appeals permit; may be off-premises | — | § 220-29A(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Lancaster Town

- No sign shall be so placed or so worded, designed, colored or illuminated as to obscure or distract from signs regulating traffic.
- Flashing or moving signs are prohibited in all districts.
- No sign, including temporary signs, shall be closer than 20 feet to any street or lot line unless affixed to a building.
- Freestanding signs shall not be placed on a tree, rock, or utility pole.
- Sign content shall pertain exclusively to products, services, or activities on the premises except where otherwise permitted.
- Signs shall not display brand names, symbols, or slogans of nationally advertised products or services except in cases where the majority of the floor or lot area on the premises is devoted to that brand, product or service.
- Attached signs shall not obscure any window, door, or other architectural feature.
- Directional signs may not bear any advertising matter.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lancaster Town

- Municipal, state, or federal signs may be located off premises.
- Permitted temporary posters or political signs may be located off premises.
- Directional signs pertaining to institutional, educational or recreational use may be allowed off premises with a special permit.
- Temporary or directional signs as permitted in § 220-30 are exempt from the requirement for a special permit when on Town property.
- Accessory signs directing traffic to entrances or exits from the building or parking area are permitted in any district and all yards, subject to specified size and placement restrictions.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs of three square feet or more in area require a sign permit issued by the Building Inspector.
- Exceptions to sign size, location, and allowable illumination (such as allowing direct illumination) may be granted by the Board of Appeals, which acts as a sign variance process.
- Special permits may be required from the Board of Appeals for certain types of sign illumination, exceptions on Town property, or off-premises directional signs.

## Full detail

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

---

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