# Sign Regulations in Compton, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Compton, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/compton
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/35617554#35617554)

## At a glance

Compton, California regulates 5 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Wall Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at Not to exceed 75% of the applicable building fascia tall, 200 s/f in 'C' zone or 300 s/f in 'M' zone, and Not to exceed 75% of the applicable building fascia wide, with a Not applicable setback (Sec. § 30-22.6, § 30-22.7). Most commercial signs in Compton require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | Not to exceed 75% of the applicable building fascia | 200 s/f in 'C' zone or 300 s/f in 'M' zone | — |
| B-O Zone | 1 | — | — | — |
| R-A, R-L, R-M, R-H | 1 | 6 feet | 6 square feet | — |
| C-L, C-M, M-L, M-H | 2 | Not to exceed 75% of the applicable building fascia | 200 s/f in 'C' zone or 300 s/f in 'M' zone | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not to exceed 75% of the applicable building fascia | 200 s/f in 'C' zone or 300 s/f in 'M' zone | Not to exceed 75% of the applicable building fascia | Not applicable | 1 per street or parking lot frontage | Attached parallel to and projects no more than 12 inches from the exterior wall | — | § 30-22.6, § 30-22.7 |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet or height of nearest building, whichever is least | 120 s/f plus 30 s/f for non-commercial center name | — | Minimum of five feet from any property line | 1 sign only per center with 200 feet or more of street frontage located on a single street | Within a landscaped area or planter base | — | § 30-22.6 |

### R-A, R-L, R-M, R-H

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | 6 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On the premises on which it is located | — | § 30-22.4 |

### C-L, C-M, M-L, M-H

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Facade Sign | Not to exceed 75% of the applicable building fascia | 200 s/f in 'C' zone or 300 s/f in 'M' zone | Not to exceed 75% of the applicable building fascia | Not applicable | 1 per street or parking lot frontage | Attached parallel to and projects no more than 12 inches from the exterior wall | — | § 30-22.6, § 30-22.7 |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet or height of nearest building, whichever is least | 120 s/f plus 30 s/f for non-commercial center name | — | Minimum of five feet from any property line | 1 sign only per center with 200 feet or more of street frontage located on a single street | Within a landscaped area or planter base | — | § 30-22.6 |

## Prohibited signs in Compton

- No person shall erect, construct, place or maintain any advertising structure upon or over any public sidewalk, street, alley or other public places.
- No advertising structure or portion thereof shall extend or project over any building line, public sidewalk, street, alley, or other public property.
- No person shall exhibit, post or display upon any advertising structure or sign any statement, words or signs of an obscene, indecent or immoral nature.
- No person shall erect, construct, or maintain any advertising structure or sign the design of which has features which might cause undue distraction to pedestrians or motorists, or which might result in the creation of a hazardous condition.

## Signs exempt from permit in Compton

- Repainting of an advertising structure or the changing of copy thereon while such structure remains in place shall not require the issuance of a permit.
- Apartment identification signs with a maximum sign area of 12 square feet and a maximum height of four feet (if freestanding), limited to one sign per street frontage.
- Civic event and public service signs with a maximum sign area of 12 square feet.
- Cornerstones, memorial signs and plaques, not to exceed four square feet or four per building.
- Directional and parking lot signs with a two square foot maximum sign area and four foot height limit, limited to one sign per entrance.
- Holiday signs, lights, flags, banners, pennants and balloons in residential zones provided they are removed following the close of the holiday period.
- Incidental signs such as credit card, trading stamp, trade association, service station informational or similar signs not exceeding one square foot each.
- Neighborhood Watch signs authorized by the City not exceeding six square feet, limited to one sign per block.
- Nonilluminated window signs no more than three square feet in size which identify a business, hours of operation, address and emergency information.
- Notices posted by a utility or other quasi-public agency in the performance of a public duty or by any person giving due legal notice.
- Official flags of government jurisdictions, except when displayed for commercial promotion.
- Official notices of any court, public body or officer.
- Real estate (including open house) signs, construction signs (with valid building permit) and future occupant signs restricted to one sign per street frontage, no more than six square feet in size and six feet in height in residential zones and 30 square feet in size and eight feet in height in all other zones.
- Residential or commercial nameplates, street address or identification signs with a maximum sign area of one square foot located at a door, loading dock or entrance facing a public street.
- Seasonal decorations for commercial uses which do not include advertising.
- Signs within a structure not visible from the outside.
- Subdivision directional signs advertising the location of a subdivision within the City when located within 100 feet of a major highway.
- Transit seating signs and public information, timetables, directional and warning signs erected by a public agency or nonprofit organization.
- Window price signs located on individual vehicles located within a lot licensed by the City for sale of the vehicle.
- Window signs applied to the interior of the window, with maximum coverage of 25% of window area and elevated at least 42 inches above the interior floor.
- City sponsored signs and murals subject to Architectural Review Board approval.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign program shall be required for new or substantially rehabilitated commercial, office and industrial projects with three or more tenant spaces.
- A sign program shall be required for changeable copy signs.
- A sign program shall be required for banners, streamers, flags, spinners and other advertising displays used on a permanent or rotating basis at multi-tenant centers of two acres or more.
- A sign program shall be required for existing sites with three or more business identification signs where there is a request for a new, freestanding sign.
- A sign program shall be required for new signs on corner sites adjacent to major or secondary arterials.
- A sign program shall be required for service stations.
- A sign program shall be required for all drive-thru businesses.

## 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 4 zoning districts in Compton — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Compton+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-compton

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