# Sign Regulations in Salisbury Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Salisbury Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/salisbury-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/10445421#10445421)

## At a glance

Salisbury Town, Massachusetts regulates 12 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Other Commercial Districts zoning district are capped at 20 feet above road grade tall and 36 sq ft (Sec. §214-5, §214-4C(2), §214-6A(3), §214-6B(3), §214-8B). Most commercial signs in Salisbury Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Beach Commercial District | 4 | — | 40 sq ft | — |
| Other Commercial Districts | 10 | 20 feet above road grade | 40 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts | 4 | 8 feet above road grade | 20 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 120 sq ft (per banner) | — |
| Commercial District, Commercial/Industrial Districts | 1 | — | 12 sq ft (changeable portion) | — |

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

### Beach Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | At the location of the business requesting the sign permit. | — | §214-5, §214-6A(1), §214-6B(2) |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | On the business wall | — | §214-5, §214-6A(1), §214-6B(2) |
| Roof Sign | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On roof of business | — | §214-5, §214-6A(1), §214-6B(2), §214-8C |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | On the business wall | — | §214-5, §214-6A(1), §214-6B(2), §214-4B(5) |

### Other Commercial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | At the location of the business | — | §214-5, §214-6A(3), §214-6B(3) |
| Banner Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | At the business location | — | §214-5 |
| Flag (non-governmental) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 | At the business location | — | §214-5 |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet above road grade | 36 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On individual parcel | — | §214-5, §214-4C(2), §214-6A(3), §214-6B(3), §214-8B |
| Shopping Center Sign | 20 feet above road grade | Zone max + 5 sq ft/additional business, up to 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On individual parcel | — | §214-4B(4), §214-8B |
| Portable Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 | At the business | — | §214-5, §214-4B(1) |
| Roof Sign | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On roof of business | — | §214-5, §214-6A(3), §214-6B(3), §214-8C |
| Changeable Copy Sign | — | 12 sq ft (changeable copy portion) | — | — | 1 | On a freestanding or wall sign at the business location | — | §214-6C |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | At the location of the business/building | — | §214-5, §214-6A(2), §214-6B(1) |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 feet above road grade | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On the premises | — | §214-5, §214-8B, §214-6A(2), §214-6B(1) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On the building | — | §214-5, §214-6A(2), §214-6B(1) |
| Wall Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On the building | — | §214-5, §214-6A(2), §214-6B(1), §214-4B(5) |

## Prohibited signs in Salisbury Town

- No sign shall be erected, altered or relocated without a permit issued by the Building Inspector, except as otherwise provided herein.
- Any sign which is positioned or lighted such that street traffic would be endangered by obscuring a clear view or by confusion with official street signs and signals.
- Any freestanding sign which exceeds 20 feet above the road grade of the entrance to the property, in commercial/industrial districts, and eight feet above road grade in residential districts.
- Any sign extending two feet above the roof ridge of the building to which it is affixed.
- Any sign placed on any public right-of-way or on and above any public road. The only exception shall be public event banners.
- Electronic message boards.
- Inflatable signs and tethered balloons, except for three-day public events.
- Signs attached to, in, or on top of parked vehicles.
- Any flashing or oscillating signs, or signs with visible or not visible moving parts of intermittent lighting which creates the visual effect of movement except in the Beach Commercial District.
- Pennants, streamers, spinners or similar devices shall not be permitted.
- The use of luminescent paint for any part of a sign or its structure is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Salisbury Town

- One sign advertising the sale, lease, or rental of the premises upon which the sign is located, which sign shall not exceed six square feet in area.
- One sign not exceeding 32 square feet on a building or project under construction, repair, or renovation identifying the contractor, architect, and/or owner.
- Window display signs.
- Political signs, erected in accordance with state law.
- Signs that are not intended to be read from the highway and/or adjacent property. These include, but are not limited to, head-in parking, rest room signs, trail markers, 'keep off the grass,' etc.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All sign permit applications require submission of sketches/drawings showing building and sign dimensions, colors, attachment methods, location of the signs, method of illumination, and any other pertinent information, but no explicit mention of a required master sign plan is found in the ordinance.
- A variance (special permit) process is available for applicants aggrieved by inability to obtain or retain a sign permit, with application to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

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

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