Lawrence, MA Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

Section 15.36.070 of the Lawrence Code lists categories of work exempt from review by the historic district commission, and subsection F covers home business signage: "Signs of not more than 150 square inches in area in connection with use of a residence for a customary home occupation or for professional purposes, provided only one such sign is displayed in connection with each residence and if illuminated only indirectly." This exemption applies within Lawrence's two designated local historic districts, the Prospect Hill historic district and the Mechanics' Block local historic district, established under Chapter 15.36 pursuant to M.G.L. c.

40C. Outside those exemption categories, §15.36.050 requires the historic district commission to issue a certificate of appropriateness, hardship, or nonapplicability before the building inspector may issue any permit affecting a structure's exterior features within the district, so a home-occupation sign larger than 150 square inches, illuminated directly, or accompanied by a second sign at the same residence loses the automatic exemption and must instead go through the commission's certificate process, which under §15.36.060 carries a $25 application fee in the Prospect Hill district plus any costs of state historical commission review.

The one-sign, indirect-lighting conditions in §15.36.070(F) function as the operative cap: exceed any one of the three conditions and the sign is no longer exempt from commission review.