Taunton, MA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

The City of Taunton regulates illuminated and digital signage through § 440-706E(2) of the Zoning Ordinance, part of the sign standards administered by the City Planner and Building Inspector under § 440-706D. Any lighting source used on a sign, interior or exterior, must be shielded so the light source itself does not glare onto a public street or an adjacent property, and no sign may flash, shimmer or scroll. For changeable-face displays, including LED message centers, the code narrows the rule further: only static images and text are allowed, with no animation, movement, or the appearance of movement in any displayed image, picture, or background.

Text on these boards cannot flash, scroll, or otherwise move or appear to move, and the message or image can refresh no sooner than every 20 seconds, ruling out fast-cycling digital displays common on highway billboards. Every illuminated sign in the City, including LED message centers, must be turned off when the business closes for the day. Because signs fall under the Zoning Ordinance, a digital or LED message board still needs a sign permit from the Building Department before installation, per § 440-706D, and the Building Inspector or City Planner can overrule placement, size, or aesthetics under § 440-706H.

Enforcement follows the general zoning violation provisions at § 440-301B: a fine of up to $300 per offense, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense, or noncriminal disposition under MGL c. 40, § 21D starting at $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second, and $300 for a third and each subsequent offense.