# Sign Regulations in Claremont, California

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Claremont, California, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Claremont, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/claremont
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43837935#43837935)

## At a glance

Claremont, California regulates 15 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Under-Canopy or Other Pedestrian-Oriented Signs in the Claremont Village District (CV) zoning district are capped at 8 feet above walkway tall and 3 square feet (Sec. § 18.025.040.C). Most commercial signs in Claremont require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Claremont Village District (CV) | 7 | 8 feet above walkway | 32 square feet | — |
| Commercial Professional District (CP), Commercial Neighborhood District (CN), Commercial Limited District (CL), Mixed Use District (MU) | 7 | 8 feet above walkway | 32 square feet | — |
| Commercial Highway District (CH), Commercial Freeway District (CF), Business Park/Industrial District (BP/I) | 7 | 8 feet above walkway | 50 square feet | — |
| Institutional Districts (I) | 3 | 6 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Park/Resource Conservation District (P/RC) | 1 | — | 20 square feet | — |
| Specific Plan Districts (SP) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Village Expansion Specific Plan (VESP) Area | 2 | — | 50 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 6 feet | 16 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### Claremont Village District (CV)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building-Mounted Major Identification Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | One per business or two if facing streets | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.040.A.2, § 18.025.010.D.6, § 18.025.040.A.3 |
| Building-Mounted Secondary Identification Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per building exposure | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.040.B |
| Under-Canopy or Other Pedestrian-Oriented Sign | 8 feet above walkway | 3 square feet | — | — | One per business or two if located on awning end sides or two building frontages | Under-canopy or pedestrian-oriented | — | § 18.025.040.C |
| Freestanding Identification Sign | 5 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | Freestanding | — | § 18.025.050.A |
| Shared Freestanding Multi-Tenant Monument Sign | — | 20 square feet per street frontage | — | — | One per non-freeway street frontage, additional for every 500 feet of frontage | Freestanding | — | § 18.025.050.B |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | No limit on number | Window | — | § 18.025.060.B |
| Temporary Building-Mounted Banner/Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.090.A |

### Commercial Professional District (CP), Commercial Neighborhood District (CN), Commercial Limited District (CL), Mixed Use District (MU)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building-Mounted Major Identification Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | One per business or two if facing streets | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.040.A.2 |
| Building-Mounted Secondary Identification Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per building exposure | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.040.B |
| Under-Canopy or Other Pedestrian-Oriented Sign | 8 feet above walkway | 3 square feet | — | — | One per business or two if located on awning end sides or two building frontages | Under-canopy or pedestrian-oriented | — | § 18.025.040.C |
| Freestanding Identification Sign | 5 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | Freestanding | — | § 18.025.050.A |
| Shared Freestanding Multi-Tenant Monument Sign | — | 32 square feet per street frontage | — | — | One per non-freeway street frontage, additional for every 500 feet of frontage | Freestanding | — | § 18.025.050.B |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | No limit on number | Window | — | § 18.025.060.B |
| Temporary Building-Mounted Banner/Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.090.A |

### Commercial Highway District (CH), Commercial Freeway District (CF), Business Park/Industrial District (BP/I)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building-Mounted Major Identification Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | One per business or two if facing streets | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.040.A.2 |
| Building-Mounted Secondary Identification Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per building exposure | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.040.B |
| Under-Canopy or Other Pedestrian-Oriented Sign | 8 feet above walkway | 3 square feet | — | — | One per business or two if located on awning end sides or two building frontages | Under-canopy or pedestrian-oriented | — | § 18.025.040.C |
| Freestanding Identification Sign | 6 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | Freestanding | — | § 18.025.050.A |
| Shared Freestanding Multi-Tenant Monument Sign | — | 50 square feet per street frontage | — | — | One per non-freeway street frontage, additional for every 500 feet of frontage | Freestanding | — | § 18.025.050.B |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | No limit on number | Window | — | § 18.025.060.B |
| Temporary Building-Mounted Banner/Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | Building-mounted | — | § 18.025.090.A |

## Prohibited signs in Claremont

- Flashing or otherwise light-animated signs which contain or are illuminated by flashing or moving lights or lights which are intermittently on and off, change in intensity, or which create the illusion of flashing in any manner.
- Rotating, revolving, or otherwise moving signs designed to attract attention by visual means through the movement or semblance of movement of the whole or any part of the sign.
- Signs which, by color, wording, design, location, or illustration, resemble or conflict with any traffic control device.
- Signs that create a potential safety hazard by obstructing clear view of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Building-mounted signs placed on or above the eave line of a pitched or mansard roof, or above the top of wall of a building with a flat or parapet roof.
- Off-premises signs, including billboards, except those specifically permitted in this title.
- Balloon signs, inflatable animal or other figures, or other inflatable displays, whether tethered or not, unless specifically permitted in this title.
- Flags, pennants, streamers, spinners, festoons, windsocks, valances, or similar displays, unless specifically permitted in this title.
- Signs placed within, on, or over public rights-of-way, on public land, or on utility poles, except as specifically permitted in this title.
- Signs located closer to overhead utility lines than the minimum distance prescribed by California law, or by the rules duly promulgated by agencies of the state or by the applicable public utility.
- Trailer signs and other signs affixed to vehicles which include directional arrows or other instructions which direct potential customers to a business or other enterprise.
- For Sale signs affixed to vehicles parked on any vacant property.
- Portable signs, such as A-frame type, except as specifically permitted in this title.
- Neon signs, except as specifically permitted in this title.
- Signs drawn or painted onto or otherwise affixed to trees or rocks.
- Advertising statuary.
- Any temporary sign or banner unless specifically permitted in this title.
- Commercial signs on bus stop benches and similar structures, or on bench enclosures in the public right-of-way.
- Any sign not specifically permitted in this title.

## Signs exempt from permit in Claremont

- Non-commercial flags, subject to specific restrictions.
- Non-commercial decorative building-mounted or freestanding pennants and windsocks provided they meet certain size and placement criteria.
- Real estate signs up to a maximum of six square feet in area, and, if freestanding, a maximum of five feet in height.
- Construction announcement signs, including names of architect, contractor, etc., up to a maximum of six square feet in area, and if freestanding, five feet in height.
- Signs used to enforce private property rights such as 'No Trespassing' or 'No Parking,' up to a maximum of four square feet in area, and if freestanding, a maximum of four feet in height.
- Temporary Political Signs of no more than four square feet in area and four feet in height are encouraged.
- Off-premises temporary posters pertaining to future limited-term events which will be held within three months of the placement of such poster.
- Occupant, office, or home occupation nameplates, maximum of one square foot per sign and maximum one sign per home, office, or other use.
- Temporary garage sale signs, one per street frontage, maximum of four square feet in area, and if free-standing, up to five feet in height.
- Bulletin boards, maximum of four square feet in area.
- Tombstones for human or animal graves.
- Non-commercial decorative, non-metallic balloons, maximum of 12 per premises and maximum of one foot in diameter each.
- Pavement markings for directing motorists.
- Chalkboards, marker boards or restaurant menus, maximum of one per business and maximum of six square feet in size.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Submission of a planned sign program for a building, business park, shopping center, or other development within a commercial or industrial district may be required by the City in conjunction with review of a new development or with review of any proposed new sign within an existing development.
- Planned sign programs may be voluntarily submitted for review to the City by the owner of an existing development.
- All signs for developments for which a sign program has been approved shall be in compliance with such sign program.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 8 zoning districts in Claremont — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Claremont+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-claremont

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/claremont