# Sign Regulations in North Andover Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** North Andover Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/north-andover-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/32683346#32683346)

## At a glance

North Andover Town, Massachusetts regulates 30 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Ground Sign (Industrial Use)s in the Business Districts, Industrial Districts zoning district are capped at 20 ft. tall and 100 sq. ft., with a Not closer than 40 ft to any property line setback (Sec. § 195-6.6G(3)). Most commercial signs in North Andover Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts, Residence Districts | 13 | 8 ft. | Combined total 30 sq. ft. | — |
| Business Districts, Industrial Districts | 12 | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| Shopping centers | 4 | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| Office parks | 3 | 8 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — |
| Industrial 2 (I-2) Zoning District | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 5 ft. | 12 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Residential Districts, Residence Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign - Individual Use | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft from all property lines, 40 ft from residential districts/structures | 1 | On premises | — | § 195-6.6A(2), § 195-6.6A(6) |
| Wall or Ground Sign (Apartment/Nonresidential Use) | — | 10 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street | On each street the premises has access | — | § 195-6.6A(3) |
| Contractor's Sign (Temporary) | — | 25 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On premises while construction is in process | — | § 195-6.6A(4) |
| Subdivision Entrance Identification Sign | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per entrance | At each public entrance to a subdivision | — | § 195-6.6A(5) |
| Temporary Sign (General) | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per property | On property | — | § 195-6.6B(1) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 12 sq. ft. (larger allowed by Building Inspector on state highway, or ≤ 10% of wall area if wall sign) | — | — | 1 | On property offered for sale | — | § 195-6.6B(2), § 195-6.6B(5), § 195-6.6B(2)(d) |
| Temporary Yard Sale Sign | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On property | — | § 195-6.6B(3) |
| Temporary A-frame/Sandwich Board Sign | 5 ft. | 8 sq. ft. per side | — | — | As permitted | Freestanding; not on public property or walkway | — | § 195-6.6B(6) |

### Business Districts, Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall or Roof Sign - Primary | — | 10% of wall/elevation area | — | — | 1 primary per owner/lessee/tenant | Attached to or part of the architectural design of a building | — | § 195-6.6D(1), § 195-6.4B |
| Wall or Roof Sign - Secondary | — | — | — | — | 1 secondary per owner/lessee/tenant | Attached to a building | — | § 195-6.6D |
| Freestanding Ground Sign (Regular) | 8 ft. | 25 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot | On premises | — | § 195-6.6D(2) |
| Wall or Ground Sign (Multiple Occupants) | — | 10% of wall area for all attached signs, 25 sq. ft. max for any freestanding sign | — | — | 1 per premise | Attached or ground sign | — | § 195-6.6D(3) |
| Freestanding Ground Identification Sign (Service Station) | 16 ft. from ground (including pylons) | 50 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot | On premises | — | § 195-6.6D(6), § 195-6.6D(7) |
| Building Directory | — | 1 sq. ft. per establishment | — | — | Each entrance | Affixed to exterior wall at each public entrance | — | § 195-6.6D(8) |
| Freestanding Ground Sign (Industrial Use) | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | Not closer than 40 ft to any property line | 1 per street | Each street frontage | — | § 195-6.6G(3) |
| Wall Sign (Industrial Use) | 6 ft above wall (if projecting) | 20% of side of building (max 200 sq. ft.) | — | — | — | Flat against wall or canopy | — | § 195-6.6G(2) |

### Shopping centers

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Shopping Center) | May not project above roofline | 20% of wall area (max 200 sq. ft. per occupant per street) | — | — | No occupant's sign total more than 200 sq. ft. per street | Attached to building or canopy | — | § 195-6.6E(2) |
| Ground Sign (Retailing Complex - Large) | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | ≥10 ft from property line or line of way | 1 per street | Each street on which development fronts | — | § 195-6.6E(3) |
| Temporary Sign (General) | — | 10 sq. ft. | — | — | — | — | — | § 195-6.6E(1) |
| Window Sign (Temporary, Unlighted) | — | 50% of window area | — | — | — | Inside windows | — | § 195-6.6E(4) |

## Prohibited signs in North Andover Town

- No sign shall be lighted, except by steady, stationary light, shielded and directed solely at the sign. Internally lit signs are not allowed.
- No illumination shall be permitted which casts glare onto any residential premises or onto any portion of a way so as to create a traffic hazard.
- No animated, revolving, flashing, or exterior neon sign shall be permitted.
- No pennants, streamers, advertising flags, spinners or similar devices shall be permitted.
- Corner visibility shall not be obstructed.
- No sign shall be erected, displayed, or maintained upon any rock, tree, fence, or utility pole.
- No sign shall obstruct any means of egress from a building.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited except for directional signs as allowed in §195-6.6B.
- No signs shall be attached to motor vehicles, trailers or other movable objects regularly or recurrently located for fixed display.
- A property owner may not accept a fee for posting or maintaining a sign allowed under §195-6.6, and any sign that is posted or maintained in violation of this provision is prohibited.
- In residential zones or on property used for nontransient residential uses, commercial signs are prohibited.
- No sign having red or green lights shall be erected within sight of a traffic signal unless approved as nonhazardous by the Chief of Police.
- No sign shall be illuminated in any residential district between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m. unless indicating time or temperature or an establishment open to the public during those hours.
- No street banners or signs across public ways are permitted.
- No adult use shall be allowed to display for advertisement or other purpose any signs, placards or other like materials to the general public on the exterior of the building or on the interior where the same may be seen through glass or other like transparent material any sexually explicit figures or words as defined in MGL c. 272, § 31.

## Signs exempt from permit in North Andover Town

- Temporary signs of not more than 12 square feet in area require no sign permit and are to be removed within 30 days of erection.
- One temporary sign pertaining to property for sale, yard sale, or one-day sale events, subject to and as described under §195-6.6B(2) and (3), may be allowed without a sign permit.
- Temporary unlighted signs inside windows, occupying not more than 20% of the area of the window, require no sign permit in Business and Industrial Districts (§195-6.6D(4)); up to 50% of the window in Shopping Centers (§195-6.6E(4)).
- Temporary A-frame signs may be permitted prior to an event with a permit from the Building Inspector.
- Temporary signs pertaining to noncommercial issues require no sign permit and are allowed in all zoning districts, subject to certain limitations.
- Directional signs for community (noncommercial) activities, by special permit from the Select Board, are allowed.
- Contractor’s signs maintained on premises during construction, and identification signs at subdivision entrances, are allowed as set forth in §195-6.6.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- In the Industrial 2 (I-2) Zoning District, the Planning Board may approve a comprehensive signage master plan by special permit for a redevelopment project of at least 100 acres. This permits signage (including off-premises) to deviate from standard requirements if consistent with the bylaw's purpose and special permit criteria.
- As part of definitive plan review, the Planning Board may approve a comprehensive signage master plan for a project, allowing signage to deviate from the strict requirements of the Zoning Bylaw if consistent with the purpose and intent of §195-18.9.
- An application for a signage master plan special permit should show proposed sizes, locations, and general design approach for all signs, banners, awnings, etc., in sufficient detail for the Planning Board to make a decision.
- Following approval of a signage master plan, signs may be installed, removed, or replaced with approval of the Building Inspector, provided they conform to the approved signage plan.

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

---

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