U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Liquor store sign

Sign Certification

Community Development

Signs in the City of Cambridge must conform to the requirements of Article 7.000 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance and must receive a sign permit through the City’s online permitting system

Sign Certification by Community Development Department is a part of the sign permit application review and does not constitute issuance of a permit. The sign permit is issued by Inspectional Services Department upon completion of all review steps. For additional information, email cddzoning@cambridgema.gov.

City Council approval is also required for all signs that extend 6 inches or more from the face of the building. Contact the City Clerk's Office for more information at 617-349-4260.

Tips and FAQs

According to the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance, a sign is defined as any permanent or temporary structure, device, letter, words, model, banner, pennant, insignia, trade flag, or representation used as, or which is in the nature of, an advertisement, announcement, or direction and which is designed to be seen from the outside of a building. See Section 7.13 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance

Page was last modified on 12/17/2024 4:10 PM
Contact Us

How can we help?

Please provide as much detail below as possible so City staff can respond to your inquiry:

As a governmental entity, the Massachusetts Public Records Law applies to records made or received by the City. Any information received through use of this site is subject to the same provisions as information provided on paper.

Read our complete privacy statement


Service Requests

Enter a service request via SeeClickFix for things like missed trash pickups, potholes, etc.