# Sign Regulations in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Shrewsbury, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/shrewsbury
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MA/Shrewsbury/codes/Zoning_Bylaws?nodeId=ZOBY_SVIIDESILOBUST_ESI)

## At a glance

Shrewsbury, Massachusetts regulates 29 sign types across 13 zoning districts. Street Number or Name Signs in the Rural AA, Rural A, Rural B, Residence A, Residence B-1, Residence B-2 zoning district are capped at 1 sq ft, with a At least 3 feet from the street lot line setback (Sec. Section VII.E.1.a). Most commercial signs in Shrewsbury require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (13 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rural AA, Rural A, Rural B, Residence A, Residence B-1, Residence B-2 | 7 | — | 20 sq ft | — |
| Multi-Family Residential, Apartment, Limited Business, Town Center District, Neighborhood Business | 11 | 30 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Commercial-Business, Limited Commercial-Business, Limited Industrial | 4 | 35 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Limited Office-Research, Office-Research, Flexible Development Overlay District | 7 | — | 20 sq ft | — |
| Town Center District | 10 | 5 ft above grade | 6 sq ft (per face) | — |
| Lakeway Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Route 20 Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Edgemere Village Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Flexible Development Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned Residential Development (PRD, Rural AA) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Senior Village Overlay District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Flood Plain District (Zones A and AE) | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 13 zones)

### Rural AA, Rural A, Rural B, Residence A, Residence B-1, Residence B-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Street Number or Name Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | At least 3 feet from the street lot line | 1 per premises | Attached to building or on a rod or post; at least 3 feet from street lot line | — | Section VII.E.1.a |
| Professional, Home Occupation, or Membership Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | — | — | Section VII.E.1.b |
| Bulletin/Announcement Board or Identification Sign for Permitted Use | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | — | — | Section VII.E.1.c |
| Churches and Institutions - Bulletin/Announcement Board or Identification Sign (Option 1) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 2 per building | — | — | Section VII.E.1.d |
| Churches and Institutions - Bulletin/Announcement Board or Identification Sign (Option 2) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 2 per building | — | — | Section VII.E.1.d |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | Advertising only the premises on which the sign is located | — | Section VII.E.1.e |
| Building Contractor's Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On site while structures actually under construction | — | Section VII.E.1.f |

### Multi-Family Residential, Apartment, Limited Business, Town Center District, Neighborhood Business

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Street Number or Name Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | At least 3 feet from the street lot line | 1 per premises | Attached to building or on a rod or post; at least 3 feet from street lot line | — | Section VII.E.1.a |
| Professional, Home Occupation, or Membership Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | — | — | Section VII.E.1.b |
| Bulletin/Announcement Board or Identification Sign for Permitted Use | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | — | — | Section VII.E.1.c |
| Churches and Institutions - Bulletin/Announcement Board or Identification Sign (Option 1) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 2 per building | — | — | Section VII.E.1.d |
| Churches and Institutions - Bulletin/Announcement Board or Identification Sign (Option 2) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 2 per building | — | — | Section VII.E.1.d |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | Advertising only the premises on which the sign is located | — | Section VII.E.1.e |
| Building Contractor's Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On site while structures actually under construction | — | Section VII.E.1.f |
| Individual Sign (<20 sq ft) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Section VII.E.2.a |

### Town Center District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Street Number or Name Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | At least 3 feet from the street lot line | 1 per premises | Attached to building or on a rod or post; at least 3 feet from street lot line | — | Section VII.E.1.a and VII.U.5.l |
| Professional, Home Occupation, or Membership Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | — | — | Section VII.E.1.b and VII.U.5.l |
| Wall-Mounted Sign (Town Center Specific) | — | — | — | — | 1 wall-mounted sign and 1 projected sign per tenant per elevation with customer entrance | Building facade, one per tenant per elevation with customer entrance | — | Section VII.U.5.l |
| Projected/Blade/Hanging Sign | — | 6 sq ft (per face) | — | — | 1 projected sign per tenant per elevation with customer entrance | Mounted on building facade, no lower than 7'6" above the ground floor, not higher than the top of the first floor | — | Section VII.U.5.l |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Within display window | — | Section VII.U.5.l |
| Awning Signage | — | — | — | — | — | Awning apron | — | Section VII.U.5.l |
| Freestanding Monument or Structured Sign | 5 ft above grade | — | — | — | — | On site; base/support should be integrated with landscape/design | — | Section VII.U.5.l |
| Sandwich Board Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Must not interrupt the safe flow of pedestrian, cyclist, or automobile traffic | — | Section VII.U.5.l |

## Prohibited signs in Shrewsbury

- No sign or advertising device may be located nearer to a street lot line than one-half the depth of the required front yard unless otherwise stated.
- All signs and advertising devices must be stationary; no visible moving parts are allowed.
- Lighting of a sign or advertising device must be continuous, indirect, and installed to prevent direct light from shining onto any street or adjacent property.
- No sign or other advertising device attached to a building shall project more than twelve inches above the roof or parapet line, nor more than twelve inches out from the wall to which it is attached.
- Signs must conform to all applicable regulations for the district in which they are located.
- Signs being an accessory use must be located on the same lot as the main use which it is advertising.
- Animated, flashing, noisy or moving signs are prohibited, including advertising devices with visible moving parts.
- Illuminated signs with exposed neon tubing or exposed LEDs, box-style cabinet signs or can signs with illuminated, translucent background and silhouette, translucent or acrylic letters are prohibited.
- Roof signs or any sign projecting above the roof or parapet line are prohibited.
- Off-premise signs (signs not located on the same lot as the main use) are prohibited.
- Internally illuminated signs of any kind and signs made of plastic or vinyl are prohibited.
- Free-standing signs with more than two feet of clearance above ground are prohibited.
- Signs attached to utility poles, vegetation, rocks, hydrants, or fences are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Shrewsbury

- One sign displaying street number or name of occupant, not exceeding one square foot in area, may be attached to the building or on a post (at least three feet from street lot line), permitted in any district.
- One sign for announcing professional or home occupations, or membership of the occupant not exceeding three square feet in area, permitted in any district.
- One bulletin or announcement board or identification sign for a permitted use, not exceeding ten square feet in area, permitted in any district.
- For churches and institutions, two bulletin or announcement boards or identification signs per building are permitted: one up to twenty square feet, and one up to ten square feet in area.
- One temporary 'For Sale', 'For Rent', or 'Sold' sign, not exceeding six square feet in area and only advertising the premises on which the sign is located, permitted in any district.
- Building contractor's signs may be maintained on the site while structures are under construction, but shall not exceed twenty square feet in area.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No requirement for a Master Sign Plan is stated, but compliance with all applicable district sign regulations is required.
- Site Plan submission is required for Site Plan Approval or Administrative Site Plan Review for most non-residential uses, including signs as part of broader site development, in accordance with Section VII.F.
- Special Permits may be required for temporary signs exceeding 100 square feet in area (from Board of Appeals).
- Signage in the Town Center District is governed by the standards and guidelines in Section VII.U.
- Site Plan submission is required for all uses in overlay and special districts (e.g., Lakeway Overlay District, Route 20 Overlay District), and such site plans must include elements related to signage per the applicable district regulations.
- Appeals or relief from sign standards or design standards may require a variance or special permit, including where deviation from stated sign requirements is sought.

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

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