# Sign Regulations in Lawrence, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lawrence, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/lawrence
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/11021501#11021501)

## At a glance

Lawrence, New York regulates 12 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Real Estate Signs in the Residence District zoning district are capped at 6 ft (total to top of post/sign) tall and 3 sq ft, with a Front/side/rear yard restrictions of principal building apply. setback (Sec. §212-94E, §212-97A-E, §212-96B). Most commercial signs in Lawrence require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business District | 3 | 30 inches | 2 sq ft per premises | — |
| Residence District | 6 | 12 inches (sign); 5 feet above ground for highest point of sign; 6 feet for post/standard. | 12 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 24 inches | 2 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 30 inches | — | 75% of frontage, up to 20 ft | — | 1 per premises, but on corner lots with more than one frontage, 1 additional may be allowed on second street frontage | Exterior wall fronting on a public street; not on side walls unless there is a public entrance. | — | §212-91D, 212-91B, 212-91C, 212-91D(1)-(7), 212-91G, 212-91L, 212-91M, 212-91N, 212-92, 212-91K |
| Wall Sign (Above Street Level) | — | 2 sq ft per premises | — | — | — | Above first story: behind or painted on window facing street. | — | §212-91E |
| Window/Interior Sign | Street address on window/door: max 5 inches high | — | — | — | 1 'For Rent', 'For Sale', or 'Opening Soon' sign per vacant premises | Window or door, but no new/existing signage except for street address; interior signage must be at least 12 inches from window/door. | — | §212-91H |

### Residence District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Name/Address Sign | 12 inches (sign); 5 feet above ground for highest point of sign; 6 feet for post/standard. | 1.5 sq ft | 3 feet | — | — | Within required front, side, or rear yard. | — | §212-94A, B, D, §212-95A, §212-96A |
| Professional Name/Occupation Sign | 12 inches | 1.5 sq ft | 3 feet | — | — | Within required front, side, or rear yard. | — | §212-94A, §212-95A, §212-96A |
| Directional/Warning Sign | 12 inches | 1.5 sq ft | 3 feet | — | — | Within required front, side, or rear yard. | — | §212-94D, §212-95A, §212-96A |
| Institutional/Organization Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use | Not within required front, side, or rear yard. | — | §212-94C, §212-95B, §212-96B |
| Real Estate Sign | 6 ft (total to top of post/sign) | 3 sq ft | — | Front/side/rear yard restrictions of principal building apply. | 1 per building plot/premises | Must conform to principal building's yard restrictions. | — | §212-94E, §212-97A-E, §212-96B |
| Address Numbers (Illuminated) | 8 inches | — | — | — | — | Visible from street on which property fronts. | — | §212-103C |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Billboard | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §212-93 |
| Temporary Sale Sign | 24 inches | 2 sq ft | 12 inches | — | 1 per premises | Posted on premises where sale is conducted. | — | §103-7 |
| Traffic/Imitation Official Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Not permitted in view of any street. | — | §178-12 |

## Prohibited signs in Lawrence

- No sign shall be constructed, altered, or enlarged without a permit previously obtained from the Building Inspector.
- No sign shall project over the sidewalk or over any public property except signs installed flat against the building projecting not more than six inches, with a permit.
- The erection, alteration, use or maintenance of any billboard within the Village is prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected on the roof of any building or structure, nor shall any part of a sign project higher than the roofline.
- Signs made of cardboard, paper, canvas, or other impermanent materials are not permitted on the exterior of the building.
- Only indirect illumination of signs is permitted, with all light sources totally concealed from view from the street or adjoining properties; flashing, moving, sound-producing, or intermittently illuminated signs or other attention-seeking devices are prohibited.
- Electric lights, lamps, or illuminated tubes of any type shall not be used for design, background, or perimeter decoration or illumination purposes of any type.
- No flashing or intermittent lights or means of illumination are permitted.
- No sign, signal or device shall be placed or displayed that purports to be or imitates or resembles an official traffic sign or signal, or directs the movement of traffic, or hides any official traffic sign or signal, without the prior written consent of the Chief of Police or Mayor or Board of Trustees.
- Signs of any nature painted directly on a wall are prohibited.
- Signs attached to fences are prohibited.
- Banners, pennants, balloons, spinners, and other similar moving, fluttering or revolving devices are prohibited.
- Any billboard, sign, advertisement, display or structure erected or maintained in violation of this chapter is declared a public nuisance and may be removed by the Building Inspector without notice, with costs charged to the owner.
- Any sign which no longer advertises a bona fide business, product, or activity must be removed within 14 days after cessation of such business, product, or activity.
- Signs erected prior to the effective date of this article and which do not conform to the standards must be removed within 30 days after the effective date.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lawrence

- In the case of religious organizations, electric lights, lamps and other means of illumination may be used in accordance with their customs, practices and usages.
- All interior signage erected prior to the effective date of this article which does not conform to the standards of this article shall be permitted to remain, subject to the restrictions of § 212-91H(2).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit issued by the Building Inspector is required for every sign in, upon or over private property, and for every illuminated sign, regardless of size, including signs located inside the building which are visible from the street or sidewalk.
- No advertising sign or advertising display of any character whatsoever, whether illuminated or otherwise, shall be constructed, altered or enlarged without a permit previously obtained from the Building Inspector.
- Subject to permit issued by the Building Inspector, certain signs (in multiple dwellings, houses of worship, schools, etc.) are allowed in residential districts.
- There is no mention of a Master Sign Plan, but permits from the Building Inspector are required for almost all signs.
- No indication of a variance or required meeting, only permits through the Building Inspector.

## Full detail

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

---

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