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Sign Code Summary

New London, CT

Local sign ordinance requirements — free, cited to the source section.

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Understanding sign regulations in New London, CT

Every outdoor sign in New London is governed by the municipality’s sign ordinance, which sets how large a sign may be, how tall it may stand, how far it must sit from the property line, whether it may be illuminated, and which sign types are permitted in each zoning district. This page summarizes those requirements in plain language and links each value back to the section of the New London code it came from.

Sign rules here are layered. The base zoning district — commercial, industrial, or residential — sets the default limits, and overlay districts such as historic or downtown districts can tighten them further. Because the most specific jurisdiction controls, a freestanding monument sign on a commercial parcel and a wall sign in a historic overlay can face very different limits even on the same street in New London.

Use the figures below as a fast first check, then run a full address lookup to confirm the exact limits for a specific parcel in New London, Connecticut. The full report also covers permit requirements, prohibited sign types, and illumination rules — each cited to the source ordinance so your permit application can reference it directly.

Before you order or install a sign in New London, confirm three things: the maximum sign area and height allowed in the parcel’s zoning district, the minimum setback from the right-of-way, and whether the sign type you want — freestanding, monument, wall, projecting, or awning — is permitted there at all. Many permit denials come from missing a setback or an overlay-district restriction rather than from the size of the sign itself, so checking the governing section before applying saves a costly resubmittal.

Census snapshot

Population
27,596
Median household income
$56,237
Median home value
$220,300
Time zone
Eastern Time

Demographic figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey) and are provided as jurisdiction context for New London; they do not affect sign-code requirements.

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Ground sign setback
15' from the property line/edge of roadway

Awning Signs

Awning Sign Sf Calc
entire awning counts toward SF; 20% of wall area on road frontages
Awning Projection Clearance
8' off grade, 3' off the wall

Building Signs

Building Sign Formula
2 sq ft of sign area per lineal ft of frontage, up to 75 sq ft; one sign per building frontage
Building Sign Max Number
no multiple signs allowed per elevation
Building Sign Illumination
in full report

1 more building signs rule in the full report →

Directional Signs

Directional Max Size
2 sf
Directional Max Height
4' off grade

General Standards

Height Restriction General
not above the roofline or parapet wall
Projecting Sign Rules
8' off grade, 3' off the building, 6 sf
Paint Does Not Count Toward Sf
in full report
Boxed In Sign Elements
in full report
Ground Sign Base Sf Included
in full report
Window Sign Light Boxes
in full report
Directional Sign Branding
in full report
Architectural Lighting Allowed
in full report
Llowner Signature Required
in full report
Msp On File
in full report

8 more general standards rules in the full report →

Ground Signs

Ground Sign Type
yes, one monument sign on this site; permit required to replace panels
Ground Sign Setback
15' from the property line/edge of roadway
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Permit Process

Permit Time Frame
7 to 10 days
Triangulation Requirements
25' corner triangulation
Permit Fee
in full report

1 more permit process rule in the full report →

Temporary Signs

Temp Signs Allowed
yes
Temp Sign Rules
32 sf, 30 days, 8' high; one per entrance or combined at corner; installed once permit in hand

Variance Appeals

Variance Process
submit application to city for site hardship; council meets every second Tuesday of the month

Window Signs

Window Sign Allowable Area
25% of the available window area; must be 3' back from window

Need the full sign-code report?

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