How Revere Handles Sign Regulations: A Practical Guide

Revere maintains 121 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with sign regulations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Revere falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Political Signs

Revere's sign code bans posting or affixing any notice, sign, advertisement or bill, political material included, to a utility pole, fence, wall, building, tree or ledge without the owner's consent. Section 17.36.110 explicitly stands in place of the city's former dedicated political-sign statute, which the city council repealed effective November 24, 2025.

Key details: Governing section: § 17.36.110, Sign Control chapter. Consent required from: Owner of the pole, fence, wall or tree. Max fine: $300 per day per violation (§ 17.60.090). Enforcing officer: Building inspector. Prior political-sign rule: § 9.12.030, repealed 11/24/2025.

Posting a sign, including a campaign sign, on someone else's pole, fence, wall, building or tree without consent violates Section 17.36.110. Because the section falls under Title 17, the zoning penalty in Section 17.60.090 applies: up to $300 per day per violation, paid to the city, with the building inspector empowered to withhold or revoke related permits. A sign left obstructing a sidewalk can separately draw a one-hour removal order from police under Section 12.04.030.

Digital Billboards

Revere bans digital signs outright in every residential, general business, downtown and industrial district, reserving them for a narrow special-permit lane in the Highway Business and Transit Economic Development districts. Converting an existing static billboard to digital is likewise barred citywide except by special permit in the TED district, and any approved sign must still clear strict distance buffers.

Key details: Digital signs banned: 16 listed residential/business/industrial districts. New digital sign special permit: HB and TED districts only. Conversion special permit: TED district only (§17.36.120). Buffer from residence/school/park: 300 feet minimum. Buffer from public way: 100 feet minimum.

A digital sign or converted billboard installed without the required special permit is enforced as a Title 17 permit violation under the citywide general penalty, Section 1.16.010: up to $300 per offense, with each day the nonconforming sign remains in place counted separately. The building inspector may also deny, condition or revoke the sign permit and order removal.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Revere actively enforces its digital billboards requirements.

Window Signs

Revere caps window signage at thirty-five percent of the glass area per window. Section 17.36.070 permits signs painted or placed on the inside of window glass without a separate sign permit, but only up to that percentage threshold, and Section 17.36.080 exempts window signs from the cash deposit required for other temporary signs.

Key details: Window sign area cap: 35% of window glass area. Permit required: No, if within the 35% cap. Temporary window signs: Exempt from cash deposit (§17.36.080). Measured against: Glass area of each window, not facade.

Exceeding the thirty-five percent window coverage limit is enforced the same way as any other sign violation under Title 17, through the general penalty in Section 1.16.010: up to $300 per offense, with each day the oversized window display remains up counted as a separate offense. The building inspector can order the excess signage removed or reduced to bring the storefront back into compliance.

Garage Sale Signs

Revere bans posting garage and yard sale signs on public property, trees, and light or telephone poles, and the free permit required for every sale must itself list the applicable signage rules. Enforcement runs through the inspectional services department under Municipal Code Section 5.16.180.

Key details: Signs on public property/trees/poles: Prohibited. Signage rules disclosed via: Required sale permit. Permitting agency: Inspectional services department. Violation fine: $100 per offense.

Posting a garage or yard sale sign on public property, a tree, or a light or telephone pole violates Section 5.16.180(C) and is punishable by a $100 penalty for each offense under Section 5.16.180(F), the same per-offense fine that applies to other violations of the garage sale ordinance. Police or the inspectional services department investigates sign complaints as part of their standard garage/yard sale enforcement.

The Bottom Line

Revere's sign regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Revere is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Revere can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.