# Sign Regulations in Keene, New Hampshire

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Keene, New Hampshire (NH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-hampshire/keene
- **Data last verified:** 2025-11-24
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://keenenh.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Land-Development-Code_Amended-February-2025.pdf#page=101)

## At a glance

Keene, New Hampshire regulates 10 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the BGR, COM, CL, DT-E zoning district are capped at 14 ft within 1/2 setback; 18 ft behind tall and 100 sf (200 sf in COM >300 lf), with a 5 ft property line setback (Sec. Sec. 10.8, Table 10-4). Most commercial signs in Keene require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |
| R, RP, LD, LD-1, MD, HD, HD-1 | 1 | — | < 6 sf | — |
| DT-T, NB, O (including legal non-conforming commercial property in any district) | 6 | 10 ft | 50 sf | — |
| BGR, COM, CL, DT-E | 9 | 14 ft within 1/2 setback; 18 ft behind | 200 sf | — |
| I, IP, CP | 9 | 10 ft | 50 sf | — |
| DT-I, HC | 9 | 8/6 ft within; max 15 ft behind | 40 sf | — |
| A, C | 9 | 12 ft | 50 sf | — |
| DT-C, DT-G, DT-L | 9 | 18 ft | 50 sf | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### BGR, COM, CL, DT-E

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 200 sf | — | — | — | Parallel to building wall | — | Sec. 10.5, Table 10-3 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 20 sf | — | — | 1 per tenancy frontage | Projects >18 in from building | — | Sec. 10.6, Table 10-7 |
| Marquee, Awning, or Canopy Sign | — | — | — | 1 ft curbline | — | Front/side/ends | — | Sec. 10.7, Table 10-8 |
| Freestanding Sign | 14 ft within 1/2 setback; 18 ft behind | 100 sf (200 sf in COM >300 lf) | — | 5 ft property line | 1 per frontage; 2 per lot | — | — | Sec. 10.8, Table 10-4 |
| Development Sign | 10 ft | 50 sf | — | 5 ft | 1 per access | Entrance, side/island | — | Sec. 10.9 |
| Drive-Through Sign | 6 ft | Per district max | — | Not in front setback | 2 per lot/frontage | Along drive-through lanes | — | Sec. 10.10, Table 10-11 |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 12 ft | 16 sf per sign | — | — | 1 per lot/frontage | — | — | Sec. 10.10, Table 10-11 |
| Portable Sign | 6 ft sandwich; 3.5 ft vertical | 10 sf sandwich board; 3 sf vertical | — | — | 1 sandwich; 1 vertical | — | — | Sec. 10.11 |

### I, IP, CP

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 7 ft | Per Table 10-3 calculation | — | — | — | Parallel to wall | — | Sec. 10.5, Table 10-3 |
| Projecting Sign | — | Not Allowed | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 10.6 |
| Marquee, Awning, or Canopy Sign | — | — | — | 1 ft curb | — | Front/side/ends | — | Sec. 10.7 |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 ft structure/6 ft sign within 1/2 setback; max 15 ft behind | 40 sf | — | 5 ft property | 1 per frontage; 2 per lot | — | — | Sec. 10.8, Table 10-4 |
| Development Sign | 10 ft | 50 sf | — | 5 ft | 1 per access | Entrance/side/island | — | Sec. 10.9 |
| Drive-Through Sign | — | Not Allowed | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 10.10 |
| Changeable Copy Sign | — | Not Allowed | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 10.10 |
| Temporary Sign | — | < 32 sf | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | Sec. 10.13, Table 10-13 |

### DT-C, DT-G, DT-L

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | For 1st story: not above 2nd story sills; No higher than window header per story (except window signs) | Per Table 10-3 | — | — | — | Parallel; For DT-C/DT-L: not cover architectural features, within natural spacing | — | Sec. 10.5, 10.12, Table 10-3 |
| Projecting Sign | 18 ft | 20 sf | — | — | 1 per frontage | Projects >18 in | — | Sec. 10.6, Table 10-7 |
| Marquee, Awning, or Canopy Sign | — | — | — | 1 ft | — | Front/side/ends | — | Sec. 10.7 |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 ft | 20 sf | — | 0 ft (DT-C, DT-G, DT-L) | 1 per frontage; 2 per lot | — | — | Sec. 10.8, Table 10-4 |
| Development Sign | 10 ft | 50 sf | — | 0 ft | 1 per access | Entrance | — | Sec. 10.9 |
| Drive-Through Sign | 6 ft | Per district | — | — | 2 per lot/frontage | Drive-through | — | Sec. 10.10, Table 10-11 |
| Changeable Copy Sign | 6 ft | Per district | — | — | 2 per lot/frontage | — | — | Sec. 10.10, Table 10-11 |
| Portable Sign | 6 ft sandwich; 3.5 ft vertical | 10 sf sandwich; 3 sf vertical | — | — | 1 each | — | — | Sec. 10.11 |

## Prohibited signs in Keene

- Abandoned or nonapplicable signs (monument signs allowed)
- Signs with a sign face area greater than 200 square feet
- Signs erected or attached to Central Square common or Railroad Square (temporary handheld signs allowed)
- Animated signs (exceptions: revolving barber poles 4 feet high by 1 foot wide or less, internally illuminated and mounted on business frontage; 1 flag per tenant frontage 15 square feet or less, removed at closing, attached to wall, not interfering with public right-of-way)
- Channel letter signs and reverse channel letter signs (allowed only in BGR, DT-C, DT-G, DT-L, DT-E, CL, COM, CP, HC, I, IP, NB districts)
- Internally illuminated signs (allowed only in BGR, DT-C, DT-G, DT-L, DT-E, CL, COM, CP, HC, I, IP, NB districts)
- Electrically activated changeable copy signs
- Fluorescent signs
- Obscene signs (per NH RSA 571-B:1)
- Balloon signs (allowed as temporary signs)
- Off-premises signs (allowed if permitted by state law)
- Reflectorized signs
- Roof signs (may be mounted on architectural projections such as canopies, eaves, or mansard facades)
- Snipe signs
- Signs not located on the same site as the subject of the sign
- Signs encroaching upon or over a public right-of-way without City Council approval (except government signs)
- Signs covering any portion of a building wall opening or projecting beyond the ends or top of the building wall to which affixed
- Signs obstructing free and clear vision of motorists or pedestrians
- Signs causing distraction to motorists on adjacent public rights-of-way
- Signs obstructing, interfering with, or confusing with government signs, restrictive signs, directional signs, or traffic signals/devices
- Signs using a revolving beacon
- Signs obstructing ingress/egress, inhibiting light and ventilation, or constituting a fire hazard

## Signs exempt from permit in Keene

- Signs required by law
- Signs in the public right-of-way (subject to Chapter 46 of City Code of Ordinances)
- Government signs or flags
- Interior merchandise display
- Bulletin boards less than 20 square feet (on premises of noncommercial organization)
- Informational or directional signs less than 4 square feet
- Memorial signs and plaques (attached to or cut into building or masonry surface, or plaque of bronze or incombustible material)
- Political signs (subject to NH RSA 664:17)
- Restrictive signs (as authorized by NH RSA 635:4)
- Sign face replacement (in permitted sign cabinet; sign permit required in DT-C or DT-L districts)
- Business signs less than 4 square feet (attached or affixed to business frontage in covered common walkway of shopping center)
- Fuel price signs less than 10 square feet
- Window signs less than 20 square feet (when affixed outside window, total sign area subtracted from maximum area for parallel signs)

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

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