# Sign Regulations in Marshfield Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Marshfield Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/marshfield-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30026606#30026606)

## At a glance

Marshfield Town, Massachusetts regulates 23 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Pole Signs in the business districts, B District, B-1 Zoning District, Highway Business District zoning district are capped at 30 ft above the ground or sidewalk tall and 40 sq ft per side (double-faced allowed), with a At least 10 ft from any street lot line setback (Sec. § 305-7.04(C)). Most commercial signs in Marshfield Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 8 ft above ground level | 24 sq ft per side | — |
| residential class district, residential district, R District | 5 | — | 20 sq ft | — |
| business districts, B District, B-1 Zoning District, Highway Business District | 7 | 30 ft above the ground or sidewalk | Up to 40 sq ft (or 10% of wall area, whichever is less) | — |
| industrial districts, Industrial District, Industrial Zone, I District | 4 | 15 ft above ground or sidewalk | Up to 40 sq ft (or 10% of wall area, whichever is less) | — |
| business, airport, office park and industrial zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Roof Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 305-7.02(A) |
| Public Interest Sign (Adopt a Street Program) | 5 ft above ground level | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Public ways and traffic islands | — | § 305-7.02(B)(1) |
| Community Service Announcement Standing Sign | 5 ft above ground level | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Public ways and traffic islands | — | § 305-7.02(B)(2) |
| Welcome to Marshfield Sign | 8 ft above ground level | 24 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Public ways and traffic islands at Town entrances | — | § 305-7.02(B)(3) |
| Temporary Interior Window Display or Temporary Banner (Drive-in or Automotive Establishments) | — | — | — | — | — | Interior window or banner | — | § 305-7.02(C) |
| Political Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per candidate per lot | Freestanding, secured to post or stake in ground; not on public property | — | § 305-7.02(C)(1)-(2) |
| For Sale/Lease Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from street lot line | One per parcel | — | — | § 305-7.02(L) |
| Civic Organization Meeting Sign | — | 5 sq ft | — | — | — | Boundary line of Town within street right-of-way | — | § 305-7.02(J) |

### business districts, B District, B-1 Zoning District, Highway Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional/Identification/Other Signs per §305-7.03 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 305-7.04(A) |
| Wall Sign | — | Up to 40 sq ft (or 10% of wall area, whichever is less) | — | — | One per lot street frontage per establishment | Attached and parallel to main wall of building | — | § 305-7.04(B) |
| Pole Sign | 30 ft above the ground or sidewalk | 40 sq ft per side (double-faced allowed) | — | At least 10 ft from any street lot line | One per street frontage lot | Each street frontage lot held in single ownership | — | § 305-7.04(C) |
| Standing Sign (Highway Business District) | 12 ft above ground or sidewalk | 40 sq ft per side (2-sided) | — | At least 10 ft from any street lot line | One per business establishment | Each lot with street frontage of a business establishment | — | § 305-7.04(D) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | One in lieu of pole or standing sign | In lieu of a pole sign or standing sign | — | § 305-7.04(A) |
| Shared Pole Sign (Library Plaza, B-1) | 12 ft above ground or sidewalk | 40 sq ft per side | — | At least 10 ft from any street lot line | Total of two shared signs | Intersection of Ocean Street/Webster Street primary access, Town-owned land | — | § 305-7.04(E) |
| Architect, Engineer, Contractor Temporary Sign (Business/Industrial) | — | 32 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from street lot line | One per contractor/firm | — | — | § 305-7.02(N) |

### industrial districts, Industrial District, Industrial Zone, I District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | Up to 40 sq ft (or 10% of wall area, whichever is less) | — | — | See § 305-7.02 (not more than two signs per establishment) | Attached and parallel to main wall of building | — | § 305-7.05(A) |
| Standing Sign | 15 ft above ground or sidewalk | 40 sq ft per side (2-sided) | — | At least 15 ft from any street lot line | One per lot | Each lot with street frontage | — | § 305-7.05(B) |
| Directory Sign (Entrance Roadway) | — | 40 sq ft aggregate | — | Not closer than 15 ft to edge of roadway | One per entrance roadway | At each entrance roadway to the Industrial Zone (within 250 ft of zone boundary; not closer than 15 ft to edge of roadway) | — | § 305-7.05(C) |
| Architect, Engineer, Contractor Temporary Sign (Business/Industrial) | — | 32 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from street lot line | One per contractor/firm | — | — | § 305-7.02(N) |

## Prohibited signs in Marshfield Town

- No signs shall be attached, erected or otherwise installed on any property without first obtaining a sign permit from the Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer, except as exempted.
- No sign shall extend above the roofline of the building to which it is attached; roof signs are not allowed.
- A sign or its illuminator shall not, by reason of its location, shape, size or color, interfere with traffic or be confused with or obstruct the view or effectiveness of any official traffic sign, traffic signal or traffic marking.
- Flashing or animated signs are not permitted.
- Red, yellow or green colored lights shall not be permitted on signs.
- No sign shall be erected so as to obstruct any door, window, or fire escape on a building.

## Signs exempt from permit in Marshfield Town

- Signs under the jurisdiction of the State Billboard Act, Chapter 584, Section 4, of the Acts of 1955, and as amended, are exempt.
- Signs of less than two square feet in surface area identifying occupancy of a residence are exempt.
- Any traffic, directional, trespass or ownership sign owned or installed by a governmental agency shall be permitted.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No signs shall be attached, erected or otherwise installed on any property without first obtaining a sign permit from the Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer, except as exempted.
- In the business, airport, office park and industrial zones, site plan approval from the Board of Appeals may include recommendations from the Beautification Committee; the Board shall transmit one copy to the Beautification Committee, which shall have 30 days to make recommendations to the Board in regard to the signs.
- Projecting signs not more than 10 square feet in area in lieu of a permitted pole sign or standing sign may be permitted by special permit from the Board of Appeals; the Board shall transmit a copy of such plan to the Beautification Committee which may make recommendations. No recommendation within 30 days shall be deemed approval.
- Any site plan review permit issued for new construction, redevelopment or reuse within Library Plaza shall be conditioned upon approval of an amended sign design reflecting the addition of the new business to the shared sign or signs.
- Upon receipt of application for a shared sign at Library Plaza, the Board shall transmit a copy of such plan at least to the Planning Board, the Safety Officer and the Beautification Committee, if applicable, which may make recommendations. No recommendation within 30 days shall be deemed approval.

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

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