# Sign Regulations in Concord, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Concord, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/concord
- **Data last verified:** 2025-01-15
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.codepublishing.com/CA/Concord/#!/html/Concord18/Concord18180.html)

## At a glance

Concord, California regulates 24 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Wall Sign - RR, RS, RLs in the Residential Districts zoning district are capped at Not specified tall, 1 sf, and Not specified wide, with a Not specified setback (Sec. Table 18.180.100). Most commercial signs in Concord require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 48 inches | 32 sf | Yes |
| Residential Districts | 3 | Freestanding sign - 5 ft. | 25 sf | Yes |
| North Todos Santos District | 2 | Freestanding sign - 5 ft. | 12 sf | Yes |
| Commercial and Downtown Districts | 7 | 6 ft. | 150 sf | Yes |
| Commercial Mixed-Use (CMX), Neighborhood Commercial (NC), Service Commercial (SC), Regional Commercial (RC), Downtown Pedestrian (DP) | 2 | 6 ft. | 150 sf | Yes |
| Downtown Mixed-Use (DMX), West Concord Mixed-Use (WMX) | 2 | 6 ft. | 300 sf | Yes |
| Business Park and Industrial Districts | 2 | 5 ft. | 150 sf | Yes |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Frame Signs | 48 inches | 30 inches width, 48 inches height | 30 inches | — | 1 per street frontage | Sidewalk cafes in the downtown | Yes | 18.180.130.A.1-4 |
| Area Identification Signs | 6 ft | 20 sf per entrance (Residential), 1/8 sf per 100 sf site area (CO, CMX, NC, SC, RC, DMX, WMX), 1/8 sf per 160 sf site area (OBP, IBP, IMX, HI) | — | — | 1 per primary entrance or frontage | Primary entrance or frontage | Yes | 18.180.130.B.1-2 |
| Community Interest Group Signs | 6 ft | 32 sf | 10 ft | — | 1 per main entrance to the city | Main entrance to the city | Yes | 18.180.130.E.1-2 |
| Directional Signs (On-Site) | — | 6 sf | — | 5 ft from public right-of-way | 1 per driveway or service entrance | Per driveway or service entrance | Yes | 18.180.130.F.1-3 |
| Directory Signs (On-Site) | 30 inches (freestanding) | 4 sf (freestanding) | — | — | 1 attached per building frontage | Per building frontage | Yes | 18.180.130.G.1-2 |
| Projecting or Shingle Signs | 14 ft or eave height | — | 3 ft projection | — | — | Attached to building | Yes | 18.180.130.H.1-7 |
| Wall Signs | — | — | 12 inches projection | — | — | Building facade | Yes | 18.180.130.N.1-7 |
| Freestanding Signs | — | — | — | 5 ft from public right-of-way | — | Set back a minimum of five feet from a public right-of-way | Yes | 18.180.130.K.1-4 |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - RR, RS, RL | Not specified | 1 sf | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |
| Wall Sign / Freestanding Sign - RM, RH | Freestanding sign - 5 ft. | 25 sf | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |
| Wall Sign / Freestanding Sign - Other uses | Freestanding sign - 5 ft. | Maximum 25 sf | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |

### Commercial and Downtown Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign / Freestanding Sign - Residential Use | Freestanding sign - 5 ft. | 25 sf | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |
| Wall Sign - Community Office Single Tenant | Not specified | 8 sf | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |
| Freestanding Sign - Community Office Single Tenant | 5 ft | 8 sf | Not specified | Not specified | 1 allowed | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |
| Wall Sign - Community Office Multi Tenant | Not specified | 28 sf | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |
| Wall / Building / Identification Sign - Community Office Multi Tenant | Not specified | 8 sf min, max 28 sf | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |
| Freestanding / Building / Identification Sign - Community Office Multi Tenant | 5 ft | Max 28 sf | Not specified | Not specified | 1 allowed | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft. | 150 sf | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Yes | Table 18.180.100 |

## Prohibited signs in Concord

- Abandoned signs
- Any sign not specifically in accordance with the provisions of this chapter
- Animated and moving signs, including human-powered signs, electronic message display signs (except to the extent permitted in connection with freeway oriented pylon sign(s) as part of a master sign program), and variable intensity, blinking, or flashing signs that emit a varying intensity of light or color, except for public service signs, such as time-temperature displays (which are not considered signs), and barber poles
- Any sign with brilliant lighting that conflicts or interferes with traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, from a public safety standpoint or affects adjacent properties, because of shape, design, color, or reflected light
- Individual letters mounted on an exposed electrical raceway instead of being mounted directly on a building wall or with the raceway designed to be hidden by the design of the sign
- Signs attached to fences
- The construction, relocation, or maintenance of off-premises freestanding signs within 660 feet, zero inches of any freeway is hereby prohibited, unless otherwise provided by the provisions of the Outdoor Advertising Act
- Signs attached to light standards, unless part of a master sign program
- Any advertising structure or sign, with any statement or words of an obscene, indecent, or immoral character, or any picture or illustration of any human figure in such detail as to offend public morals or which is of indecent or immoral character
- Off-site signs, except as otherwise permitted, including billboards or other outdoor advertising structures; or signs affixed to vehicles or trailers that advertise or promote a business that are not parked in areas provided for vehicle storage, or are not parked adjacent to the business, or are parked in parking lots longer than necessary
- Pole signs
- Signs placed in public rights-of-way or affixed to an element or structure in the public rights-of-way, or on a publicly owned tree, fence, utility pole or otherwise posted on public property, except where required by a governmental agency as allowed in CDC 18.180.070
- Signs in rapid transit right-of-way or oriented strictly towards the rapid transit rights-of-way
- Signs painted or mounted on roofs or placed above the roofline (except as specifically allowed in this chapter)
- Temporary and portable signs, except as specifically allowed in this chapter, including flags; inflatable balloon objects, animals, or signs, including balloon strings, and other devices made of a flexible material and filled with air; pennants and streamers, except in conjunction with an athletic event, or approved carnival, circus, or fair; or portable signs, including flags, feather signs, and A-frame signs, except real estate signs
- All on-site or off-site commercial signs are prohibited for commercial cannabis businesses with the exception of storefront retailers, which are allowed one sign for identification purposes that may only contain the name of the business. On-site or off-site signage, advertising, or depiction of any paraphernalia, prohibited substances, cannabis products, cannabis uses (including but not limited to personal and commercial cultivation, manufacturer, testing laboratory, distributor, delivery), and/or any other uses or activities for which the state of California issues cannabis licenses, with the exception of storefront retailer, are prohibited
- All commercial signs advertising or depicting any use or activity which is prohibited by local, state, or federal law

## Signs exempt from permit in Concord

- Governmental or Other Regulatory Signs, including directional, warning, or informational signs or structures required or authorized by the city, including official traffic and directional signs; and construction zone signs; emergency warning signs; signs showing the location of public or quasi-public facilities; signs placed by a governmental agency for the purpose of announcing events or transmitting community information; and legal notices, licenses, permits, posting, or similar signs placed by, or required by, a governmental agency for the purpose of protecting the public health, safety, and general welfare of the city
- Historical Markers, including identification signs, tablets and plaques, installed by the city or local historical organization, including names and dates of buildings, consistent with the building code or other provisions of the Concord Municipal Code or development code
- Lottery Signs, including signs and advertising for the California state lottery as authorized by California Government Code Section 8880 et seq.
- Street address signs
- Utility Signs, including noncommercial utility company signs identifying cables and conduits

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

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