# Sign Regulations in Londonderry, New Hampshire

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Londonderry, New Hampshire (NH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-hampshire/londonderry
- **Data last verified:** 2025-09-11
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.londonderrynh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/666/Zoning-Ordinance-PDF#page=164)

## At a glance

Londonderry, New Hampshire regulates 37 sign types across 14 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Standard Parcel)s in the Commercial-I (C-I), Commercial-II (C-II), Commercial-III (C-III), Mixed Use Commercial (MUC) zoning district are capped at 10 ft (unless Airport overlay exceptions) tall and 65 sq ft (75% can be changeable signage), with a No nearer than 15 ft to property line setback (Sec. 7.6(D)(3)(a)). Most commercial signs in Londonderry require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (14 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural-Residential (AR-I) | 4 | — | 40 sq ft | — |
| Multi-family Residential (R-III) | 5 | 6 ft | 16 sq ft | — |
| Commercial-I (C-I), Commercial-II (C-II), Commercial-III (C-III), Mixed Use Commercial (MUC) | 5 | 10 ft (unless Airport overlay exceptions) | Up to 100 sq ft total | — |
| Commercial-IV (C-IV) | 2 | 10 ft | 30 sq ft (50% may be changeable signage) | — |
| Industrial-I (IND-I), Industrial-II (IND-II) | 3 | 10 ft | 100 sq ft (25% may be changeable signage) | — |
| Airport Overlay District (AD), Airport Approach Height Overlay (AH), Airport Approach Noise Overlay (AN) | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 20 | 10 ft (unless Airport overlay exceptions) | 32 sq ft | — |

_7 additional zoning districts are covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 14 zones)

### Multi-family Residential (R-III)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entrance Sign (Subdivision, mobile home park, condo) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance | Per vehicle entrance | — | 7.6(D)(1)(a) |
| Identification Sign (Non-residential use) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per developed parcel | Developed parcel | — | 7.6(D)(1)(b) |
| Governmental Agency Sign | — | — | — | — | Not specified | — | — | 7.6(D)(1)(c) |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | Not specified | Flat against a building or as part of an architectural feature | — | 7.6(D)(1)(d) |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | — | — | No freestanding sign or any part thereof shall be located nearer than 15 ft to a property line | Not specified | Detached | — | 7.6(D)(1)(d) |

### Commercial-I (C-I), Commercial-II (C-II), Commercial-III (C-III), Mixed Use Commercial (MUC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Standard Parcel) | 10 ft (unless Airport overlay exceptions) | 65 sq ft (75% can be changeable signage) | — | No nearer than 15 ft to property line | 1 per developed parcel | On the site, along public right-of-way | — | 7.6(D)(3)(a) |
| Wall or Facia Sign (Single Tenant) | — | 50 sq ft (single tenant); 40 sq ft per tenant (multi-tenant) | — | — | 1 per occupancy | Building façade | — | 7.6(D)(3)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign (Multi-tenant dev., 8+ acres) | 10 ft | Up to 100 sq ft total | — | No nearer than 15 ft to property line | Up to 2 if 2+ roadways | Along public right-of-way | — | 7.6(D)(3)(c) |
| Directory Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Near building with common entrance for 2+ businesses | — | 7.6(D)(3)(d) |
| Sexually Oriented Business Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7.6(D)(3)(e) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Construction Sign (Temporary) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per site | Construction sites | — | 7.6(C)(1) |
| Freestanding (Ground) Sign (General) | 10 ft (unless Airport overlay exceptions) | — | — | — | 1 per parcel | Frontage on public right-of-way | — | 7.6(C)(2) |
| Parking Area Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | Not specified | Parking area | — | 7.6(C)(3) |
| Driveway Entrance/Exit Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | Not specified | Driveway entrances/exits | — | 7.6(C)(4) |
| Building Date Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | Not specified | Building | — | 7.6(C)(5) |
| Off-premise Sign (Industrial/Commercial) | — | 25 sq ft (Industrial/Commercial); 8 sq ft (other districts) | — | — | 1 per parcel; 2 per business | Off-premise | — | 7.6(C)(6) |
| Wall Sign (Identification, Non-illuminated, Small) | Letters: max 3 inches height | 2 sq ft | — | — | Not specified | Wall | — | 7.6(C)(9)(c) |
| A-Frame (Sandwich Board) Sidewalk Sign (Multi-tenant commercial) | — | 24" x 36" (6 sq ft) | 36 in | — | 1 per tenant | Storefront sidewalk, no further than 6 ft from face of building | — | 7.6(C)(12), 7.6(C)(9)(e) |

## Prohibited signs in Londonderry

- Portable or wheeled signs are prohibited in all districts except as permitted in specified paragraphs.
- Any vehicle or trailer with an attached sign or advertising device for the primary purpose of advertising a product or directing people to a business or activity is prohibited, except for standard vehicular signage such as sign-attached buses or lettered vehicles.
- Banners, pennants, search lights, twirling signs, all frame signs or other sidewalk signs are prohibited unless specifically allowed by certain paragraphs.
- Any sign that imitates or resembles an official traffic sign or signal (as per RSA 265:14) is prohibited.
- Off-premise signs are prohibited in the Town of Londonderry except as specifically permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Londonderry

- Construction signs for public safety and/or information.
- Flags of any nation, state, or political subdivision.
- Historical reference signs not exceeding six square feet indicating only the date of erection or name of a building.
- Historic plaques or markers no greater than two square feet in area.
- Holiday decoration signs displayed no more than thirty days prior to, and fifteen days after, a holiday.
- House numbers and name plates.
- One nameplate per single family home or duplex house not exceeding two square feet per dwelling unit.
- Newspaper boxes for home delivery if sign face area does not exceed 0.5 square foot per box.
- Political signs conforming to all applicable New Hampshire State Statutes.
- Public notices.
- One temporary non-illuminated on-premise For Sale, Rent, or Lease sign not exceeding six square feet in Residential Districts and not exceeding twelve square feet in other districts.
- Temporary window signs and displays, posters, banners, string lights, cluster flags for civic, philanthropic, educational, or religious events, posted no more than thirty days before the event and removed within forty-five days.
- Customary warning signs (such as “No Trespassing,” “No Dumping,” “Danger”) no greater than two square feet in area.
- A-frame (sandwich board style) sidewalk signs for individual tenants in multi-tenant commercial developments, limited to 24" x 36", placed within 6 feet of the building, displayed during normal business hours only.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The location, size, design, and illumination of signs associated with new commercial or industrial construction must be approved in conjunction with Site Plan Review by the Planning Board. Permits will not be issued by the Building Inspector without a signed site plan.
- Applicants must submit plans to scale showing site location, sign size, method of illumination, and material types when applying for a sign permit.
- For Airport District signs, the Airport must maintain and submit an up-to-date Airport Signing Plan showing the location and text of each directional, informational, and regulatory sign, with annual updates submitted to the Building Inspector.
- The Building Inspector may grant or deny sign permit applications, and those decisions can be appealed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
- Off-premise signs require a special exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment and must otherwise conform to applicable regulations.

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

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