# Sign Regulations in Plympton Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Plympton Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/plympton-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/33499507#33499507)

## At a glance

Plympton Town, Massachusetts regulates 19 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Directory Signs in the Business and Light Manufacturing Districts zoning district are capped at 15 ft tall, 12 sq ft per allowed use, and 8 ft wide (Sec. § 300-6.1C(2)(c), (f)). Most commercial signs in Plympton Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural-Residential District | 1 | — | 6 sq ft per sign | — |
| Business and Light Manufacturing Districts | 4 | 15 ft | 50 sq ft total per building (combined including wall, roof, projecting and hanging signs) | — |
| Industrial District | 3 | 15 ft | 250 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | — | Underlying district provision, or up to 32 sq ft for one sign or 50 sq ft for two by special permit | — |

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

### Business and Light Manufacturing Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall, Roof, Projecting or Hanging Sign (combined) | — | 50 sq ft total per building (combined including wall, roof, projecting and hanging signs) | — | — | No explicit limit on number, but combined area limited. | Shall not extend beyond corners of building or above roofline (peak). | — | § 300-6.1C(2)(a), (d), (f) |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 ft | 25 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | 1 per building pertaining to an allowed use. | — | § 300-6.1C(2)(b), (f) |
| Directory Sign | 15 ft | 12 sq ft per allowed use | 8 ft | — | Single directory sign for multiple buildings/businesses/uses | Premises with multiple buildings, businesses or uses. | — | § 300-6.1C(2)(c), (f) |
| Projecting or Hanging Sign | — | — | — | — | — | No projecting or hanging sign shall extend into any street right-of-way. | — | § 300-6.1C(2)(e), (f) |

### Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign (per establishment/occupancy; total signage any type) | — | 250 sq ft | — | — | 2 per establishment/occupancy | — | — | § 300-6.1C(3)(a) |
| Freestanding Sign - Main Use | 15 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment/occupancy | — | — | § 300-6.1C(3)(a)[1], (b) |
| Freestanding Sign - Unimproved Lot | 15 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per unimproved lot | — | — | § 300-6.1C(3)(a)[2], (b) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Window Sign | — | 30% of total window area | — | — | — | Window (interior or exterior, within 12 inches of window) | — | § 300-6.1D |
| Temporary Sign - For Sale/For Rent | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per premises | Only on the premises advertised | — | § 300-6.1E(1) |
| Temporary Sign - Contractor's Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per contractor; max 5 | On premises while under construction | — | § 300-6.1E(2) |
| Temporary Sign - Special Event | — | Underlying district provision, or up to 32 sq ft for one sign or 50 sq ft for two by special permit | — | — | 1 per event unless special permit by Board of Selectmen | — | — | § 300-6.1E(3) |
| No Trespassing/Hunting/Fishing Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | Unlimited | — | — | § 300-6.1F(1) |
| Address Sign (Street Numbers) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 300-6.1F(2) |
| Directional (Traffic Flow) Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | Unlimited | As needed for traffic and safety | — | § 300-6.1F(3), (7) |
| Political Sign | — | Underlying district provision | — | — | 1 per candidate & 1 per issue per premises | — | — | § 300-6.1F(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Plympton Town

- Any sign that is placed so as to impede vehicular or pedestrian traffic or otherwise impair public safety is expressly prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed on or in a public way except for traffic flow signs as defined above, and any such signage shall be safely placed and maintained.
- Animated or flashing signs, LED signs, exposed illuminated gas tube (such as neon), signs containing moving parts or moving lights, and non-safety signs containing reflective elements are prohibited.
- Illuminated features, other than approved signs, on the exterior of a building that call attention to the building, product, or services available within the building are prohibited.
- Canopies illuminated from behind in such a way that light shines through canopy material creating the effect of an internally illuminated sign are prohibited.
- Any sign advertising or identifying a business or organization which is either defunct or no longer located on the premises is prohibited.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited.
- Streamers, pennants, ribbons, spinners or other similar devices that are designed to attract attention and have the capacity to distract motorists and hinder public safety are prohibited; provided, however, that such devices shall be allowed by special permit in conjunction with the grand opening of a business and for 20 days thereafter.
- When visible from a public way, a sign on any permanently located and/or on any mobile unit, including a trailer regularly located for fixed display, a storage tank or any similar type of container is prohibited. This prohibition shall not apply to a properly registered van, panel truck, trailer, or any other business vehicle that is used on a regular basis on public ways.
- Any sign painted on or affixed to any tree, fence, or utility pole is prohibited.
- Any sandwich board sign (such as A-frame or similar style) is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Plympton Town

- Multiple displays of No Trespassing, Hunting, Fishing and similar signs are allowed as of right without a sign permit in any district, provided that any such sign so displayed shall not exceed two square feet in area.
- Street numbers (used to identify the physical location of the property) are allowed as of right without a sign permit in any district, provided that no such number shall exceed two square feet in area.
- An unlimited number of directional signs for traffic and safety purposes are allowed as of right without a sign permit, provided that no such sign shall exceed three square feet per sign and no such sign shall contain advertising or information other than for traffic and safety purposes, and provided that each sign shall be safely displayed and shall not hinder safe traffic.
- Any sign owned by the Town of Plympton and located on Town property is allowed as of right without a sign permit, provided that any such sign shall be approved by the Board of Selectmen.
- An historical marker is allowed as of right without a sign permit and shall not count against the total number of signs or the sign square foot limit allowed within the zoning district of which the sign is mounted, provided that said sign has been approved for display and placement by the Historical Commission.
- Political signs are allowed as of right without a sign permit in any district, provided that they conform in size to the provisions for the underlying district in which they are displayed, are displayed not more than a total of 30 calendar days before or five days after the event, and provided that only one sign per candidate and per issue shall be allowed on any one premises.
- Any traffic flow sign, as defined above, is allowed as of right without a sign permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required for any permanent sign, unless otherwise expressly exempted.
- No sign, unless otherwise exempted, shall be erected, displayed, altered or enlarged until a sign zoning permit for such action has been issued by the Planning Board.
- Applications for sign permits shall include a scale drawing specifying dimensions, materials, illumination, letter sizes, color, support systems, and location on land or buildings with all relevant measurements.
- A special permit to exceed the number, size, and/or illumination of signs may be granted by the Planning Board acting as the special permit granting authority.
- Temporary 'for sale' or 'for rent' signs, certain contractor's signs, and certain other exempted signs do not require a sign permit.
- Signs not conforming to the bylaw that are altered trigger the immediate need for compliance and a permit.
- Special event signs on Town property or special circumstances may require a special permit from the Board of Selectmen.
- Nonconforming signs that are altered or whose permit expires must obtain a new sign permit under the bylaw.

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

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