# Sign Regulations in Watertown, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Watertown, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/watertown
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-27
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/37103317#37103317)

## At a glance

Watertown, Massachusetts regulates 25 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Pole/Pylon, Monument)s in the NB, LB, CB, I, RMUD (nonresidential and mixed use), PSCD zoning district are capped at See General Regulations: Pole/Pylon up to 20 ft, Monument up to 4 ft tall and Pole/Pylon: 16 sq ft; Monument: 32 sq ft, with a At least half the required setback for the district setback (Sec. § 7.06(b)). Most commercial signs in Watertown 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 | 9 | 20 ft above ground level (pole or pylon), 4 ft height for monument | 50 sq ft (General); for banner on building: not to exceed 50% of structure height, width not to exceed 15% of vertical height | — |
| S-10, S-6, SC, CR, T, OSC | 4 | — | 20 sq ft | — |
| R.75, R1.2, I-3 (Residential), RMUD (Residential) | 3 | 30 ft for building mounted sign | 100 sq ft | — |
| NB, LB, CB, I, RMUD (nonresidential and mixed use), PSCD | 10 | See General Regulations: Pole/Pylon up to 20 ft, Monument up to 4 ft | 100 sq ft per occupant | — |
| Watertown Square Design Overlay District | 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft on pole or pylon | 9 sq ft (max 3 ft in any dimension) | — | — | — | On-premises, to give clear direction to a parking lot or building entrance | — | § 7.03(a)(4) |
| Wall Sign | Cannot project above building wall; not obscure any part of roof; exceptions by Special Permit | — | — | — | — | Building-mounted | — | § 7.03(b)(1) |
| Projecting Sign | At least 9 ft above ground; cannot extend above roof/parapet | — | — | 2 ft from curb line | — | Setback at least 2 ft from curb line; at right angle to wall | — | § 7.03(b)(3), § 7.03(a)(2), § 7.06(g), § 7.07(c)(1)(C-D) |
| Banner Sign | — | 50 sq ft (General); for banner on building: not to exceed 50% of structure height, width not to exceed 15% of vertical height | Width not to exceed 15% of vertical height | 2 ft from curb line | — | Attached to building | — | § 7.03(b)(4) |
| Temporary Identifying Sign | — | Not to exceed permitted size for permanent sign | — | — | 1 | On building | — | § 7.03(c)(1) |
| Temporary Accessory Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | § 7.03(c)(2) |
| Temporary Non-Accessory Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Private property only | — | § 7.03(c)(3) |
| Awning Sign (Accessory Sign on Awning) | Must be at least 9 ft above public walkway | — | — | — | — | Storefront awnings | — | § 7.03(b)(5) |

### S-10, S-6, SC, CR, T, OSC

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identifying Sign (Street Number/Name) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | § 7.04(a) |
| Identifying Sign (Non-Conforming Use) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | § 7.04(b) |
| Identification Sign (Churches and Institutions) - Option 1 | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per size | On building | — | § 7.04(c) |
| Identification Sign (Churches and Institutions) - Option 2 | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per size | On building | — | § 7.04(c) |

### NB, LB, CB, I, RMUD (nonresidential and mixed use), PSCD

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identifying Sign (Wall/Marquee) | — | — | — | — | 1 per building or tenant occupancy frontage | On building facade facing street, parking lot, or public way | — | § 7.06(b) |
| Freestanding Sign (Pole/Pylon, Monument) | See General Regulations: Pole/Pylon up to 20 ft, Monument up to 4 ft | Pole/Pylon: 16 sq ft; Monument: 32 sq ft | — | At least half the required setback for the district | One per street frontage | Lot frontage along street | — | § 7.06(b) |
| Accessory Projecting Sign (Marquee, Awning, Fin, Blade, Symbol, Banner) | — | — | — | — | 1 per 50 linear feet | Facing public/private way or parking lot | — | § 7.06(c), § 7.06(g) |
| Wall/Marquee Sign (Single Story - Option) | — | — | — | — | 1 per building or tenant | On wall or marquee of single story structure | — | § 7.06(d) |
| Sign Directory (Freestanding or Wall Mounted) | — | 32 sq ft total; max 3 sq ft per use | — | — | 1 per shared entrance | At shared entrance | — | § 7.06(h) |
| Temporary Sign (Window) | — | Aggregate permanent or temporary window sign area ≤ 20% of any window | — | — | — | Attached/lettered on interior of window | — | § 7.06(f) |
| RMUD Wall/Marquee Sign (First Story) | No more than two stories; signage for higher stories allocated from first/second story. | 100 sq ft per occupant | — | — | — | First story of building | — | § 7.06(b)(1) |
| RMUD Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 32 sq ft (standard); 150 sq ft if two signs consolidated | — | — | 1 per 200 linear feet, up to 4 per lot | Street frontage | — | § 7.06(b)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Watertown

- No animated or flashing signs or attention-catching devices shall be permitted.
- No non-accessory signs, other than permitted temporary non-accessory signs, shall be permitted.
- No interior and/or supporting infrastructure of a sign shall be exposed to public view other than permitted projecting symbol signs. No exposed conduit, junction boxes, or transformers shall be exposed to public view.
- Roof signs of any type, in any district, are prohibited.
- A sign shall not be designed or colored or so placed as to endanger, obscure, confuse, blind by glare or otherwise create a hazardous condition to motor vehicle traffic.
- A sign, other than traffic control and route signs authorized by public agencies, shall not be placed within a public right of way, except permitted wall sign, banner projecting and symbol signs adjacent to a sidewalk.
- A free standing pole or pylon, or wall sign or any part thereof, shall not exceed 20 feet in height above ground level, and any ground mounted monument sign shall not exceed four feet in height, except by Special Permit and adhering to the adopted Design Guidelines.
- A wall or building mounted sign or symbol shall not project above the building wall to which it is attached, and shall not obscure any part of the roof of the building except when integral to the design and character of the sign, in which case it will be allowed by Special Permit only and adhering to the adopted Design Guidelines.
- A sign, except for a projecting sign such as a symbol, accessory, marquee, or banner, shall not project more than six inches from the building wall.
- Permanent awnings on store fronts shall be at least 9 feet above any public walkway.
- The erection of non-accessory signs is prohibited.
- In all districts, any lighting of a sign or advertising device shall be continuous and installed in a manner that will prevent direct light from shining onto any street or adjacent property.
- Area, Flood, and Up-lighting is strictly prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Watertown

- Directional signs necessary to give clear direction to a parking lot or building entrance on the premises are permitted. Such signs shall not exceed three feet in any dimension nor more than four feet high on a pole or pylon unless placed on a permitted wall or building.
- Traffic control and route signs authorized by public agencies are exempt from placement restrictions within public rights of way.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- For all permanent signs, an application for a construction permit must be made in writing to the Building Inspector, including detailed drawings and plans.
- Applications are subject to review by the Department of Community Development and Planning (DCDP) and may be reviewed by the Planning Board.
- A sign master plan may be required in the RMUD (Regional Mixed-Use District) and for Master Plan Special Permit projects, and may be submitted with or after a Master Plan Special Permit.
- The Planning Board will conduct a comprehensive review in the context of the Special Permit when approving a sign master plan.
- The DCDP staff reviews sign applications based on design guidelines adopted by the Planning Board.
- Permitted signs must comply with any adopted sign design booklets or design guidelines.

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

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