# Sign Regulations in Fountain Valley, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Fountain Valley, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/fountain-valley
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/42937591#42937591)

## At a glance

Fountain Valley, California regulates 10 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Monument Signs in the Commercial Zones, Industrial Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft. (12 ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) tall and 50 sq. ft. (80 sq. ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage), with a Minimum 5 ft. from property lines or public right-of-way setback (Sec. § 21.24.080(c)). Most commercial signs in Fountain Valley require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial Zones, Industrial Zones | 7 | 20 ft. as measured from the elevation of the nearest freeway lane | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Multi-Family Zoning Districts | 3 | 8 ft. (12 ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) | 50 sq. ft. (80 sq. ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) | — |
| Assembly Facilities | 1 | 8 ft. (12 ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) | 50 sq. ft. (80 sq. ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) | — |
| Residential Zone | 2 | 6 ft. (9 ft. in rear yard adjacent to arterial street) | 15 sq. ft. including all riders | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Commercial Zones, Industrial Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Below edge of roof | Varies based on building frontage | — | — | 1 sign per building elevation; 2 signs maximum for corner/end tenants in a multi-tenant shopping center; 3 signs maximum for freestanding buildings | Building frontages facing a public street, private drive, or parking lot | — | § 21.24.080(a) |
| Directional Sign | 3 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per site entrance, or as allowed by a master sign program | On-site | — | § 21.24.080(b) |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 8 ft. (12 ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) | 50 sq. ft. (80 sq. ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) | — | Minimum 5 ft. from property lines or public right-of-way | 1 sign for every 300 feet of street frontage | Set back a minimum 5 ft. from property lines or public right-of-way | — | § 21.24.080(c) |
| Freeway Visible Monument Sign | 20 ft. as measured from the elevation of the nearest freeway lane | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 sign | Only on parcels with a minimum freeway frontage of 200 ft. | — | § 21.24.080(d) |
| Banner | 3 ft. by 15 ft. | 45 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building or tenant space | On the face of the structure to which it is associated | — | § 21.24.080(e) |
| Window Sign | — | Not to exceed 30% of each window area | — | — | — | Upper 2/3 of window area | — | § 21.24.080(f) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per awning per building elevation | Building frontages, ground level only | — | § 21.24.080(g) |

### Multi-Family Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | 3 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per site entrance, or as allowed by a master sign program | On-site | — | § 21.24.080(b) |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 8 ft. (12 ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) | 50 sq. ft. (80 sq. ft. for properties with 500 ft. or more of continuous street frontage) | — | Minimum 5 ft. from property lines or public right-of-way | 1 sign for every 300 feet of street frontage | Set back a minimum 5 ft. from property lines or public right-of-way | — | § 21.24.080(c) |
| Banner | 3 ft. by 15 ft. | 45 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building or tenant space | On the face of the structure to which it is associated | — | § 21.24.080(e) |

### Residential Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Protected Non-Commercial Speech Temporary Sign | 6 ft. (9 ft. in rear yard adjacent to arterial street) | 3 sq. ft. per sign face | — | — | Maximum of four per parcel | Freestanding | — | § 21.24.080(k) |
| Real Estate Sign | 6 ft. | 15 sq. ft. including all riders | — | Minimum 2 ft. from property line | 1 per lot or parcel | Setback a minimum of 2 ft. from property line | — | § 21.24.080(q) |

## Prohibited signs in Fountain Valley

- Aerial signs or aerial devices
- Animated, moving, flashing, blinking, reflecting, revolving or other similar signs
- Banners, bunting, flags, streamers and pennants
- Bench signs, except at approved bus passenger loading areas
- Billboards
- Changeable copy signs, except at land uses characterized by human assembly and periodically changing programs
- Electronic reader board signs, electronic message centers and changeable electronic variable message signs
- Fence signs
- Inflated signs, balloons and figures
- Mobile signs
- Exposed neon, exposed LED or similar illuminated signs
- Off-site commercial advertising signs
- Signs painted on fences, walls, roofs, storage bins or cargo containers; including murals
- Paper, cloth or similar lightweight, flimsy material signs on the exterior of a building
- Pennant signs
- Portable signs displaying commercial messages, including A-frame signs
- Commercial mascots
- Pole signs
- Roof signs
- Projecting signs
- Signs erected in a manner that a portion of its surface or supports will interfere in any way with the free use of a fire escape, exit or standpipe or obstruct a required ventilator, door, stairway or window above the first story
- Signs not in compliance with the provisions of this chapter
- Signs emitting audible sounds, odors or visible matter
- Signs that conflict with or imitate traffic control devices due to color, wording, design, location or illumination, or that interfere with the safe and efficient flow of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic
- Snipe signs
- Strings of lights or signs outlined with individual light bulbs
- Vehicles used primarily as advertising devices

## Signs exempt from permit in Fountain Valley

- Notices required or allowed by law
- Governmental signs
- Flags
- Temporary non-commercial signs on residential property
- Real estate signs
- Window signs

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit application must include a proposed master sign program for new nonresidential projects with four or more tenants.
- A sign permit application must include a proposed master sign program for major rehabilitation work that involves the exterior remodeling of an existing nonresidential project with four or more units.
- The sign committee shall review master sign programs.

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

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