# Sign Regulations in Dover Town, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Dover Town, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/dover-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30552588#30552588)

## At a glance

Dover Town, New York regulates 30 sign types across 2 zoning districts. LED Service Station Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 10 feet tall and 32 square feet, with a 5 feet minimum from street right-of-way; not in sight triangle setback (Sec. 145-39F(3)(f)[1]-[4]). Most commercial signs in Dover Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (2 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 29 | 15 feet | 80 square feet (cumulative per structure) | — |
| HC District, CO District | 1 | Additional up to 4 feet allowed with planter (brick, stone, block) of equal height | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Individual Business) | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per individual business on single lot | Ground-mounted, on premises | — | 145-39F(3)(e)[1] |
| Freestanding Sign (Plaza/Multiple Businesses up to 5) | 12 feet | 65 square feet (cumulative per structure) | — | — | 1 per plaza/multi-business structure (with up to 5 businesses) | Ground-mounted, on premises | — | 145-39F(3)(e)[2][a] |
| Freestanding Sign (Plaza/Multiple Businesses, 5 or more) | 15 feet | 80 square feet (cumulative per structure) | — | — | 1 per plaza/multi-business structure (with 5 or more businesses) | Ground-mounted, on premises | — | 145-39F(3)(e)[2][b] |
| LED Service Station Sign | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — | 5 feet minimum from street right-of-way; not in sight triangle | — | Ground-mounted, on premises, for fuel service stations only | — | 145-39F(3)(f)[1]-[4] |
| LED Community Message Board | 10 feet, including structure | 32 square feet, including structure | — | 5 feet minimum from street right-of-way; not in sight triangle | — | Ground-mounted, for use only by not-for-profit government agencies | — | 145-39F(3)(g)[1]-[7] |
| Menu Board (Pedestrian) | 8 feet | 8 square feet per face | — | — | 1 per point-of-sale service location | Depicted on site plan, visible to business patrons only | — | 145-39F(3)(h)[1] |
| Permanent Exempt Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 2 square feet | — | 10 feet minimum from highway right-of-way | One | On premises, set back at least 10 feet from highway right-of-way | — | 145-39B(1)(e) |
| Temporary Exempt Sign (Real Estate/For Sale/For Rent - Residential) | — | 6 square feet per side | — | 10 feet minimum from highway right-of-way | 1 per lot | On premises | — | 145-39B(2)(a) |

### HC District, CO District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (with Planter Bonus) | Additional up to 4 feet allowed with planter (brick, stone, block) of equal height | — | — | — | — | Ground-mounted, on premises | — | 145-39F(3)(i)(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Dover Town

- No off-premises commercial signs are allowed, except as permitted for signs not exceeding four square feet directing the public to specific establishments with DOT approval.
- No exterior sign shall be illuminated internally, and no sign shall contain flashing, intermittent, rotating, or moving lights.
- Portable signs that are mounted on wheels, including motor vehicles or trailers parked in one location on a long-term basis and functioning primarily as signs, are prohibited.
- No permanent sign or any part thereof shall contain or consist of any moving, rotating, or revolving device.
- Signs shall not obstruct traffic movement or visibility or cause any hazard to public safety.
- No signs shall be placed, painted, or drawn on utility poles, bridges, culverts, or other road or utility structures or signposts, or on trees, rocks, or other natural features (except one-square-foot property boundary signs on trees).
- No signs shall be placed on municipally owned property without permission of the Town Board.
- No illuminated sign or lighting device shall be placed or directed so that its light is directed or beamed toward a residence or upon a public street, highway, sidewalk, or adjacent premises in a manner that causes glare or reflection sufficient to constitute a nuisance or a traffic hazard.

## Signs exempt from permit in Dover Town

- Signs not exceeding one square foot in area and bearing only property numbers, postal route box numbers, or names of occupants of premises.
- One sign, not exceeding 24 square feet in area, designating a farm.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- Signs providing noncommercial information to the public, including community service information signs, public utility information signs, safety signs, danger signs, no trespassing signs, signs indicating scenic or historic points of interest, traffic control signs, hours of operation, directional parking signs, and all signs erected by a public officer in the performance of a public duty.
- One on-premises sign, either freestanding or attached, for permitted home occupations, not exceeding two square feet, set back at least 10 feet from the highway right-of-way, stating name and occupation only and not illuminated.
- Temporary, nonilluminated ‘For Sale’ or ‘For Rent’ real estate signs and similar, subject to area and setback limits and duration of posting.
- Temporary, nonilluminated window signs and posters not exceeding 40% of each window surface.
- Two temporary signs for a roadside stand selling local agricultural produce in season, subject to area, setback, and removal at end of season.
- On-premises signs for garage sales and auctions, not exceeding four square feet, for a period not exceeding seven days per event.
- Political posters, banners, and signs (up to six square feet for residential, 16 square feet for nonresidential uses), subject to duration and contact identification limits.
- One sign, not exceeding six square feet (residential) or sixteen square feet (nonresidential), listing architect, engineer, contractor, and/or owner, on premises where construction/renovation/repair is in progress.
- Signs advertising special events for nonprofit organizations, not exceeding 24 square feet, not displayed more than 30 days.
- Signs required to be posted in connection with hearings on development applications, as provided elsewhere in the code.
- Signs marking areas of highway or utility construction, repair, or maintenance.
- Sign permit fees are waived for public agencies or educational, charitable, or religious establishments, although permits may still be required.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Prior to construction, all new regulated signs must obtain a sign permit unless exempted. If signs are proposed in connection with any special permit or site plan application, such signs shall be reviewed and approved under applicable criteria for the permitted uses and shall not require a separate sign permit or building permit if constructed pursuant to an approved plan.
- Permit applications must include scaled drawings and a plan showing location, and must be submitted in the prescribed form to the Zoning Administrator.
- Signs erected in connection with nonresidential or multifamily structures larger than 1,000 square feet gross floor area and/or in connection with a site plan approval shall also be subject to review by the permitting authority as provided in Local Law Number 3 of 1997.
- Any increase in maximum sign sizes (bonuses) must be approved by the Board or Town Engineer/Building Inspector as appropriate, generally via site plan or permitting authority review.
- Temporary new business signs to establish a new business are permitted by a Building Department sign permit to allow a sign in place during the permanent sign approval process. An application to the permitting authority must be submitted and the applicant scheduled to appear before the permitting authority within 90 days; one extension may be granted if still in process.
- Building Department submissions (not permits) are required for certain signs (specified in the ordinance) and must include documentation as for temporary new business sign permits.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Dover Town, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Dover+Town+NY&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-dover-town

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/dover-town