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Boston · Zoning Code Article 11

Boston sign permit — what the new Article 11 allows

By USSignCode Editorial · Last updated October 11, 2026 · How we check this page

Boston repealed and rewrote Article 11 of its Zoning Code in 2026. Wall, canopy and projecting signs are now sized from your Sign Frontage, and a sign within the tables gets a sign permit without zoning relief. Bigger signs, roof and high-building signs and electronic signs become conditional uses, and a historic district commission may still review the design.

Brick row houses in Boston

Boston sign permit at a glance

QuestionShort answer
Do I need a permit?Yes, to erect, install, construct, move, alter, replace, suspend or display any sign, unless it is exempt under Section 11-3 or Section 11-10. Other cities compared.
Do I need zoning relief?No, if the sign fits Tables 11.A to 11.G: it needs a sign permit only (§11-4). Beyond them, or for a roof sign, High Building Sign or marquee, it is a conditional use (checker).
How big can wall signs be?Each sign, and all wall signs together, up to 3.5 sq ft per foot of Sign Frontage; sign height 4.5 ft (Tables 11.A to 11.G). Other cities compared.
Projecting signs?Each sign up to 25 sq ft; all projecting signs together 1 sq ft per foot of Sign Frontage. Other cities compared.
Window signs?Up to one third of the total combined window area on each story. Other cities compared.
Historic district?An additional commission must approve your sign before the city will issue a permit (historic districts). Other cities compared.
What does it cost?A new sign takes a Long Form permit: $50.00 primary fee plus $10.00 per $1,000.00 of the estimated cost of work; a replacement sign a Short Form permit at $20.00 plus the same rate (fees).
How long does it take?The city's published figure for standard signs is 30 days or less (cost and timeline). Other cities compared.
How is sign area measured?On a background panel, the smallest rectangle around the content and the panel; for individual letters or logos, the sum of the smallest rectangle around each word and graphic; two faces at 45 degrees or less count as one face (other cities compared).
Sidewalk A-frame sign?Article 11 forbids portable signs, including A-frame and T-frame signs; the only route is a variance under Article 7. Other cities compared.
Digital or LED sign?Article 11 forbids electronic signs, except lawful ones existing on July 1, 2026 and those for Entertainment/Events, Hospital and certain college or university assembly uses; those are conditional uses that need Comprehensive Sign Review and may operate only between 7:00 AM and 2:00 AM (§11-5). Other cities compared.
Grand opening banner?Article 11 exempts non-permanent temporary signs from a permit if each one is displayed for a maximum of 180 days or seven (7) days after the activity ends, whichever is less, with one per lot frontage, up to 32 square feet, at or below the second story and not internally illuminated ((§11-3(15))sect;11-3, item 15). The article does not say in so many words whether a fabric banner counts as one; a banner mounted as a projecting sign needs a permit (needs a permit (§11-7)sect;11-7). Other cities compared.
Only swapping the sign face?Maintenance needs no sign permit if it does not change the size, illumination method or location of the sign or its structure; that includes changing items of information and replacing sign panels (Section 11-10). Other cities compared.

Check your sign against the new Article 11

Checks one sign against Article 11 as repealed and re-enacted by Text Amendment No. 499 (approved by the Zoning Commission on June 17, 2026). It tells you whether the sign is allowed with a sign permit, exempt, a conditional use, or forbidden. Historic-district commission review, and sign plans approved for an Article 80C Planned Development Area or an Article 80D Institutional Master Plan are not modeled.
Length of the building faces your business alone occupies, summed over each side with a patron entrance or facing a street (Table 11.I).
Window signs are left out of the combined total (Table 11.A).
Building signs: lowest to highest part of the sign. Free-standing: top of the sign to the ground, structure included (Table 11.K).
From the wall; for a canopy-face sign, from the canopy face (Table 11.L).
Removal is due 180 days after posting or seven days after the activity ends, whichever comes first.

Historic gate Review limits Size tables How to apply Cost & timeline Review structure Checklist Fees Sign companies

In Boston, the size tables decide the permit path; in a historic district, design review comes on top.

Text Amendment No. 499 repealed the former Article 11 and enacted a new one. The city’s Sign Code Modernization page says it was approved by the BPDA Board on May 14, 2026 and the Boston Zoning Commission on June 17, 2026, and that it cut permitting timelines for standard signs from 150 days to 30 days or less. A sign that fits Tables 11.A to 11.G needs a sign permit and nothing more; one that goes beyond them is a conditional use under Article 6 (§11-7(2)). In one of Boston’s 10 historic districts the district commission also reviews the design, and there materials, illumination and lettering can decide the outcome.

⚠ The rules changed in 2026

Sizes quoted from the former Article 11, including its window-coverage share and its free-standing and projecting sign areas, no longer apply. This page follows the new Article 11, read 10 October 2026 on Municode.

Historic districts are the real gate

If your storefront is in one of Boston's historic or architectural conservation districts, an additional commission must approve your sign before the city will issue a permit — and these boards apply strict design standards:

Back Bay
Back Bay Architectural Commission. Its commercial guidelines cover Newbury Street, Boylston Street, Massachusetts Avenue and the commercially zoned segments of the cross streets. A sign that needs an exception to the sign code needs a Conditional Use Permit from the Board of Appeal before BBAC review.
Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill Architectural Commission.
Bay Village / South End / Fort Point
The Bay Village Historic District, the South End Landmark District and the Fort Point Channel Landmark District each have their own commission. They are three of the 10 historic districts the Boston Landmarks Commission lists.
Landmarks
Individual landmarks, like the 10 historic districts, go through design review with the Boston Landmarks Commission, which takes design review applications online.

Source: Boston Landmarks Commission, historic districts list, read 10 October 2026; Back Bay Architectural Commission Commercial Guidelines (updated January 11, 2023).

What historic-district review actually restricts — 5 items

These are the design factors that get signs rejected in Boston's historic districts — none of which a size calculator would catch:

  • Materials. In Back Bay, the commission's commercial guidelines prefer wood, metal and glass and state that vinyl, plastic or other synthetic sign materials are not acceptable. Other districts set their own material rules.
  • Illumination. Back Bay reviews sign lighting case by case, calls box signs with illuminated backgrounds inappropriate and requires steady-burning light; the Bay State Road/Back Bay West conservation district allows no illuminated or back-lit signs at all.
  • Projecting signs. In Back Bay a blade sign may be allowed when the facade does not suit an applied sign; it should not exceed six square feet and should hang from metal brackets, not attach directly to the building.
  • Colors. On dark brick or brownstone facades Back Bay prefers light lettering on a dark background and asks applicants to avoid bright background colors. Approvals belong to the applicant and are not transferable.
  • Off-premise signs. Billboards and other signs advertising goods or services not provided on the premises are forbidden under §11-5(1); the only route is a variance under Article 7.

Source: Back Bay Architectural Commission Commercial Guidelines (updated January 11, 2023); Bay State Road/Back Bay West Architectural Conservation District Standards and Criteria; Boston Sign Code (Article 11). Guidelines read 10 October 2026.

⚠ Two approvals, not one

In a historic district like Back Bay, a sign that needs an exception to the sign code requires a Conditional Use Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeal first, then architectural commission review — two separate approvals before the building permit. Skipping either one means a rejected permit or, after install, a forced removal.

What the new Article 11 allows: Tables 11.A to 11.G

Wall, canopy, projecting, awning, window and free-standing signs are allowed for all uses in all zoning districts, except on exclusively residential buildings with 14 or fewer dwelling units, where they are conditional uses (§11-7(1)). Anything beyond the limits below is a conditional use under Article 6 (§11-7(2)).

Wall sign — Tables 11.A, 11.B
Each sign, and all wall signs together, up to 3.5 sq ft per foot of Sign Frontage. Sign height 4.5 ft, placement height 25 ft, projection 1 ft from the facade.
Canopy sign — Tables 11.A, 11.C
3.5 sq ft per foot of Sign Frontage, each and together. Sign height 4.5 ft, placement height 25 ft, clearance at least 8 ft (10 ft for signs subject to Public Improvement Commission review). On the canopy face, projection 1 ft; above or below the canopy, no projection beyond its edges.
Projecting sign — Tables 11.A, 11.D
Each sign up to 25 sq ft; all projecting signs together 1 sq ft per foot of Sign Frontage. Placement height 25 ft, clearance at least 8 ft (10 ft with Public Improvement Commission review), projection 6 ft or two-thirds of the sidewalk width, whichever is less.
Awning sign — Tables 11.A, 11.E
Up to 50% of the awning area, on basement, first or second story awnings.
Window sign — Tables 11.A, 11.F
Up to one third of the total combined window area on each story, in basement, first or second story windows. The area cannot move between stories, and window signs are left out of the combined total.
Free-standing sign — Tables 11.A, 11.G
One per lot frontage, 32 sq ft, 6 ft tall, in a front yard. Set back 3 ft from property lines with no part over the public right of way, 5 ft from a driveway or drive aisle, and 10 ft from the nearest building.
All signs combined — Table 11.A
4.5 sq ft per foot of Sign Frontage for all of an establishment’s signs, window signs excluded.
Sign Frontage — Table 11.I
The length of the building faces your establishment alone occupies, summed over each side that has a patron entrance or faces a street. A second-story or basement business has a Sign Frontage only with its own street entrance, though it may still use window signs.
Illumination — §11-7(2)(a)
Internal or external, steady and stationary light only. Only letters and logos may be lit from inside; backing panels and sign boxes may not. Every lit sign needs a dimming control. Signs may be lit from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. or until shortly after closing, and a sign lit after 11 p.m. that faces or is in a residential, conservation protection or open space district is dimmed to 150 cd/m2.

Source: Boston Zoning Code Article 11 (Signs), §§11-7 and 11-8, as enacted by Text Amd. No. 499, read in full on Municode on 10 October 2026.

Exempt, conditional and forbidden signs

No sign permit — §11-3
Bike parking signs; building addresses up to 8 sq ft; community event and construction signs until the event or work ends; directional signs without advertising up to 6 sq ft each; directory signs up to 8 sq ft per entrance; signs on gas pumps and EV chargers; historic markers; home occupation signs up to 8 sq ft, unlit; hours of operation on doors and windows; fixed menu boards; non-commercial murals; official signs; public access signs; window displays of merchandise.
Temporary signs — §11-3(15)
Exempt when shown no more than 180 days, or seven days after the activity ends if sooner; one per lot frontage; up to 32 sq ft; at or below the second story or in a front yard meeting the Table 11.G setbacks; not internally lit. Beyond that, a conditional sign.
Conditional signs — §11-6
Roof signs (on the roof or above the roofline), High Building Signs (at or above the fourth story) and marquees. They are conditional uses under Article 6 and need Comprehensive Sign Review.
Forbidden signs — §11-5
Billboards and off-premise advertising; signs that block ingress, egress or traffic signals or create glare or a traffic hazard; signs that rotate, inflate, move or emit sound, odor or visible matter; signs on trees, rocks or other natural features; portable signs, including A-frame and T-frame signs; and electronic signs, except lawful ones existing on July 1, 2026 and those for Entertainment/Events, Hospital and certain college or university assembly uses, which are conditional uses.
Comprehensive Sign Review — §11-9
The Planning Department reviews electronic and conditional signs after Inspectional Services refers the application. A complete application should take no longer than 30 days, except for High Building Signs and Electronic Signs.
Old signs — §§11-10, 11-11
Maintenance that keeps size, lighting method and location needs no permit. A previous establishment’s signs must be removed within 30 days after a sign permit application for the new one is filed, unless kept through Comprehensive Sign Review.

Source: Boston Zoning Code Article 11, §§11-3 to 11-6 and 11-9 to 11-11, read on Municode on 10 October 2026.

How to apply for a Boston sign permit — 5 steps

Boston can be one filing or several. Which one you face depends on whether the sign fits the tables and whether the address is in a historic district.

1. Size the sign against Article 11
Use the check at the top of this page. Within Tables 11.A to 11.G, the sign needs a sign permit only (§11-4). Beyond them, or for a roof sign, High Building Sign or marquee, it is a conditional use (§§11-6, 11-7(2)).
2. Find out whether you are in a historic district or on a landmark
The Boston Landmarks Commission lists 10 historic districts, each with its own commission, and reviews individual landmarks itself. Its website has a map of landmarks and districts.
3. Get the conditional use permit where one is needed
A conditional use goes to the Board of Appeal under Article 6. Roof signs, High Building Signs, marquees and electronic signs also need the Planning Department’s Comprehensive Sign Review (§11-9). In Back Bay, the commission’s 2023 guidelines make the Board of Appeal’s conditional use permit a prerequisite to its own review.
4. Commission review
Design review by the district commission or the Landmarks Commission where it applies.
5. Sign permit from Inspectional Services
Boston Planning’s storefront signage page says a new sign takes a Long Form permit and a replacement sign a Short Form permit from ISD.

Steps assembled from the confirmed items on this page. The permit fees are in “How much does a Boston sign permit cost?” and what drives the schedule is in “Cost & timeline”, both below — not repeated here.

What other cities ask you to submit: sign permit application checklists by city.

Cost & timeline

Boston sign-permit fees are modest, but the review layers are what set your timeline:

Source: Boston Planning, Sign Code Modernization (30 days or less for standard signs); Boston Zoning Code Article 11, §11-9, read on Municode 10 October 2026.

Not sure how the code reads for your sign?

Send your dimensions and we will reply with how the Boston code reads for that sign, at no charge. We are not a sign contractor and do not file permits; the sign companies listed on this page say they handle the permit.

Send your sign details →
How Boston decides your sign: the review structure behind the checklist

Boston now answers two questions in order. The first is the permit path: Article 11 sorts every sign into exempt (§11-3), allowed with a sign permit (§11-7), conditional (§§11-6, 11-7(2)) or forbidden (§11-5), and the size tables decide which one yours is. The second, in a historic district, is design: the district commission reviews whether the sign belongs on that building.

A sign can pass the first and fail the second. Zoning asks whether this kind and size of sign is allowed; commission review asks whether its materials, lighting and lettering fit the district. A fabricator who checks only the size tables can hand you a sign a commission will not approve.

What each check is testing

Article 11 tables. Wall and canopy signs are sized at 3.5 sq ft per foot of Sign Frontage, projecting signs at 1 sq ft per foot with 25 sq ft per sign, and all signs together at 4.5 sq ft per foot. Exceeding them does not forbid the sign; it makes it a conditional use (§11-7(2)).

Historic districts. The Boston Landmarks Commission lists 10 historic districts, among them Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Bay Village, the South End and Fort Point Channel, and each has its own commission. In Back Bay, the commission’s 2023 guidelines make a conditional use permit from the Board of Appeal a prerequisite to commission review of a sign that needs an exception to the sign code.

Landmark designation. Individual landmarks are reviewed by the Boston Landmarks Commission. Existing signs with an official landmark designation, or on landmark buildings, are Historic Signs: they may be kept and maintained without zoning relief and are left out of the sign-area totals (§11-10(2)).

Illumination and materials. Article 11 allows steady light only and lets only letters and logos be lit from inside (§11-7(2)(a)). The Back Bay Architectural Commission’s commercial guidelines (updated January 11, 2023) go further: they consider sign lighting case by case, call box signs with illuminated backgrounds inappropriate, require steady-burning light, prefer wood, metal and glass, and state that vinyl, plastic or other synthetic sign materials are not acceptable. The Bay State Road/Back Bay West Architectural Conservation District allows no illuminated or back-lit signs.

Three ways Boston sign projects fail

1. Ordering a lit sign box. A cabinet sign with a lit background is outside §11-7(2)(a) anywhere in the city, so it becomes a conditional use, and in Back Bay the commission also calls it inappropriate.

2. Treating two approvals as one. Where a sign needs a conditional use permit and commission review, the Back Bay guidelines make the Board of Appeal’s permit a prerequisite to commission review, so file for it first.

3. Leaving the old sign up. A previous establishment’s signs must come down within 30 days after the new sign permit application is filed, unless kept through Comprehensive Sign Review (§11-11(1)).

Worked example: a Newbury Street café

A café on Newbury Street has 20 ft of Sign Frontage and wants a 40 sq ft wall sign and a 12 sq ft blade sign. The wall sign fits the 70 sq ft wall limit, the blade sign fits both the 25 sq ft per-sign cap and the 20 sq ft projecting total, and together they are 52 sq ft against the 90 sq ft combined limit. Both signs are within the tables.

The owner planned both as internally lit acrylic boxes. Under §11-7(2)(a) only the letters and logo may be lit from inside, so lit boxes would make both signs conditional uses. The address is in Back Bay, whose guidelines also reject illuminated-background box signs and plastic materials. Wood or metal with external light, or individually lit letters on an unlit panel, keeps the signs on the sign-permit path; the Back Bay commission still reviews the design.

Illustrative example; not a determination for a specific address.

Questions Boston owners ask about design review

Can my sign be rejected even if it meets the size limits?
Under Article 11, a sign that fits Tables 11.A to 11.G needs a sign permit and no zoning relief. In one of the 10 historic districts, or on a designated landmark, the commission also reviews the design, and it can turn down a sign that fits the tables on materials, lighting or lettering.
Do I need two approvals, or one?
One, a sign permit, when the sign fits the tables and the address is outside a historic district. A sign beyond the tables, or a roof sign, High Building Sign, marquee or electronic sign, is a conditional use that goes to the Board of Appeal under Article 6. In Back Bay, the commission's 2023 guidelines make that conditional use permit a prerequisite to its own review.
Can my sign be lit from inside?
Yes, but only the content. Article 11 lets letters and logos be internally illuminated and bars lit backing panels and sign boxes (§11-7(2)(a)). In Back Bay the commission's guidelines call box signs with illuminated backgrounds inappropriate, and the Bay State Road/Back Bay West district allows no illuminated or back-lit signs.

Sources & how this page is maintained

The sign rules here come from Boston Zoning Code Article 11 as re-enacted by Text Amendment No. 499, read in full on Municode on 10 October 2026; the design standards from the Back Bay Architectural Commission Commercial Guidelines and the Bay State Road/Back Bay West standards; the district list from the Boston Landmarks Commission; and the permit types, fees and timelines from Boston Planning and Inspectional Services. US Sign Code is independent: not affiliated with or compensated by the City of Boston or any commission. The worked example is illustrative.

Last reviewed: October 10, 2026 · next scheduled review with the next Boston sign-zoning or commission-guideline change.

Boston sign checklist — 7 items

Before you design or order anything, confirm:

  • Is my storefront in a historic or architectural conservation district (Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Bay Village, South End, Fort Point)? → commission approval required.
  • Is my building an individually designated landmark? → Boston Landmarks Commission review.
  • Does my sign fit Tables 11.A to 11.G for my Sign Frontage? → if not, it is a conditional use.
  • Is my sign internally illuminated? → only letters and logos may be lit from inside (§11-7(2)(a)); Back Bay rejects illuminated-background box signs and Bay State Road/Back Bay West allows no illuminated signs.
  • Are my materials traditional (wood/metal) rather than plastic/vinyl?
  • Is the sign on-premises (about my own business here)? Off-premise signs are forbidden (§11-5(1)).
  • Does my sign need an exception to the sign code, and so a Conditional Use Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeal before commission review?

Official Boston resources

Go straight to the city for permits and the binding code:

Boston Planning Department — Storefront & Signage — the sign code and the exterior-facade review process.

I'm a new business owner and English isn't my first language — where do I start?
Two facts decide your path: whether the sign fits the Article 11 tables, which the check at the top of this page answers, and whether the address is in one of the 10 historic districts, which the Boston Landmarks Commission’s map shows. A Boston sign company can take the sign through both and pull the permit as part of the job.
Can this page tell me my exact square footage?
Yes, for the Article 11 tables: enter your Sign Frontage in the check at the top. In a historic district the commission still reviews the design, so a sign that fits the tables can be asked to change on materials, lighting or lettering.
This is an informational guide based on the public Boston Zoning Code (Article 11) and historic-district guidelines, not a permit, legal advice, or a guarantee of compliance. Design-review requirements, historic-district rules, and site conditions require professional confirmation. Always verify with the City of Boston Inspectional Services, the relevant architectural commission, and a licensed Boston sign contractor before designing, ordering, or installing a sign.

Other US city sign guides

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Sources & how this page is maintained

Sources and official references: Back Bay Architectural Commission Commercial Guidelines (updated January 11, 2023); Bay State Road/Back Bay West Architectural Conservation District Standards and Criteria; Boston Planning Department — Storefront Signage. Boston Zoning Code — Article 11 Signs (Text Amd. No. 499), read in full on Municode on 10 October 2026; it replaces the former Article 11, which earlier versions of this page quoted from a third-party republication. Boston Landmarks Commission, read the same day, for the list of historic districts. Sign Code Modernization, read 9 October 2026, for the approval dates and the 30-day figure.

Last inspected against the official code: October 2026 · confirm current rules with the city before you file

How much does a Boston sign permit cost?

Boston does not print a sign-specific fee. The fee comes from two city sources: which permit a sign needs, and what that permit costs.

Which permit. The BPDA (Boston Planning) page on storefront signage says: “Adding a new sign requires a Long Form Permit from the City of Boston’s Inspectional Services Department (ISD)” and “Replacing an existing sign requires a Short Form Permit from ISD”.

What that permit costs. The ISD Building Division permit fees give these amounts:

What you are doingPermitWhat the permit costs
Adding a new signLong Form Building (major alteration)$50.00 primary fee plus $10.00 per $1,000.00 of the estimated cost of work
Replacing an existing signShort Form Building (minor alteration)$20.00 primary fee plus $10.00 per $1,000.00 of the estimated cost of work

The ISD fee schedule itself does not mention signs; the link between a sign and these permit types comes from the BPDA page above.

Landmark districts only. A sign in a landmark district also pays a design review fee, set out in A Guide to Applying for Design Review (City of Boston Code Title 14 Section 450):

Design reviewFee
Review of an exterior change that includes exterior signs$50.00
Review of a minor change that includes interior window signs$25.00

How long it takes. Boston is the one city here that publishes a figure: “Sign Code Modernization has cut permitting timelines for standard signs from 150 days down to 30 days or less”. ISD’s guide to navigating the permit process gives about one week for a Short Form and four to five weeks for a Long Form; that document prints no date.

Source: Boston Planning, Storefront & Signage; City of Boston Inspectional Services, Building Division Permit Fees; A Guide to Applying for Design Review. Read 7 October 2026.
https://www.bostonplans.org/urban-design/storefront-signage
https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2021/10/Building%20Division%20Fees.pdf
https://www.boston.gov/permitting/permits/short-form-permits
https://content.boston.gov/boston-permitting/permits/long-form-permits
https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2025/12/Application%20%26%20Fee%20Instructions_1.pdf
https://www.bostonplans.org/planning-zoning/zoning-initiatives/sign-code-modernization

Boston sign companies that say they handle the permit

Compiled from each company's own public website. We are not affiliated with any of them and we are not paid to list them. Confirm licensing and pricing yourself before you hire.

CompanyPhoneLocationWhat their site says about permitsIn-house
Ardon Visual Communications866-592-1544167 Bow St, Everett, MA 02149We handle all necessary permits and ensure your sign complies with Boston's signage codes and building regulations.we handle everything in-house, from creative design and permitting to fabrication and expert installation
Boston Signs and Graphics(781) 325-409755 West Street, Suite 201, Walpole, MA 02081We manage permitting, municipal approvals, and coordination with general contractors or property managersYour sign is crafted in-house using commercial-grade equipment and materials.
Metro Sign & Awning(978) 851-2424170 Lorum St, Tewksbury, MA 01876We handle the zoning research, engineering, permitting, fabrication, and installationOur New England factory is obsessed with quality and service.

Each company's website is linked from its name. Source pages read 7 October 2026.

Not sure your sign qualifies? Send your dimensions and we will tell you how the Boston code reads for it →

Ask us how the code reads for your sign

Send your dimensions and we will reply with what the Boston code allows for that sign. No charge. We are not a sign contractor and not a permit agent.