# Sign Regulations in Garden Grove, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Garden Grove, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/garden-grove
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/42533352#42533352)

## At a glance

Garden Grove, California regulates 26 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Temporary Advertising Balloons in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 35 ft. tall and 1,000 cubic feet, with a Not in landscaped areas, parking space or required setback area setback (Sec. § 9.20.040J.1-3). Most commercial signs in Garden Grove require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 35 ft. | 1,000 cubic feet | — |
| R-1 | 2 | — | 6 sq. ft. | — |
| R-2, R-3 | 3 | 5 ft. or 6 ft. | 20 sq. ft. display surface, not greater than 5 feet in height; 32 sq. ft. display surface, not greater than 6 feet in height, for the uses listed in Section 9.20.050.J only. | — |
| O-P | 4 | — | 40 sq. ft. per 10,000 sq. ft. of building area, not to exceed 200 sq. ft. | — |
| C-1, C-2, C-3 | 3 | — | 20 sq. ft. aggregate display | — |
| M-1 | 2 | — | 20 sq. ft. aggregate display | — |
| M-P | 2 | — | 20 sq. ft. aggregate display | — |
| O-S | 1 | — | — | — |
| International West Resort Area | 3 | 50 ft. | — | — |
| Garden Grove (22) Freeway Corridor | 1 | 60 ft. | 680 sq. ft. per face | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Private property | — | § 9.20.030C.1-2 |
| Political Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per candidate or issue | Private property | — | § 9.20.040B.1-5 |
| Window Display | — | 15% of total window area | — | — | — | Window | — | § 9.20.040D.1-3 |
| Public Service Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 2 per facility | Public right-of-way of major or primary highway | — | § 9.20.040E.1-5 |
| Development Directional Sign | 10 ft. | 64 sq. ft. per face | — | — | 2 per project | Land development project | — | § 9.20.040G.1-3 |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | — | 2 per tract | Any tract recorded within approved tentative tract map | — | § 9.20.040H |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. per face | — | — | 2 per site | Construction site | — | § 9.20.040I |
| Temporary Advertising Balloon | 35 ft. | 1,000 cubic feet | — | Not in landscaped areas, parking space or required setback area | 1 per event | Affixed to immobile structure | — | § 9.20.040J.1-3 |

### R-2, R-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per unit | Residential unit | — | § 9.20.060C |
| Sales/Lease Sign | — | 0-4 units: 12 sq. ft.; 5-15 units: 16 sq. ft.; 16+ units: 20 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per property | Residential property | — | § 9.20.060C |
| Monument Sign | 5 ft. or 6 ft. | 20 sq. ft. display surface, not greater than 5 feet in height; 32 sq. ft. display surface, not greater than 6 feet in height, for the uses listed in Section 9.20.050.J only. | — | — | 1 per property | Residential property | — | § 9.20.060C |

### O-P

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate | — | 1 sq. ft. per business | — | — | 1 per business | Business property | — | § 9.20.060C |
| Directory Sign | — | 1 sq. ft. per business | — | — | 1 per business | Business property | — | § 9.20.060C |
| Sales/Lease/Rental Sign | — | 20 sq. ft. aggregate display | — | — | 2 per property | Business property | — | § 9.20.060C |
| Wall Sign | — | 40 sq. ft. per 10,000 sq. ft. of building area, not to exceed 200 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Business property | — | § 9.20.060C |

## Prohibited signs in Garden Grove

- No sign shall be so located or constructed so as to interfere with or hinder vehicular movement or be placed over any vehicular access way in a manner that would reduce the vertical ground clearance to less than 14 feet.
- No sign may be designed, lighted, placed or displayed that would in any way simulate any type of traffic control device, emergency vehicle or any emergency warning device.
- No sign shall be erected, constructed, or maintained within an area designated by an approved street specific plan for a public right-of-way.
- Exposed light bulbs that may be seen from a public street or property line shall not be used in conjunction with any advertising display, except that neon lights or similar types of fluorescent lighting specifically designed to be used as a sign face materials may be used.
- No person shall erect or maintain any device that directs a beam of light in a flashing sequence toward any street or highway.
- Rotating or revolving signs, except for temporary advertising, are prohibited.
- Painted commercial and industrial wall signs in any location are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Vehicle signs are prohibited.
- Portable and A-frame signs are prohibited.
- Bare bulb illumination is expressly prohibited.
- Reader boards are specifically prohibited on monument or pylon signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Garden Grove

- Interior signs not defined as window signs and that are not intended to be viewed outside the structure.
- Official notices of any court or public office and legal notices posted pursuant to law or ordinance.
- Traffic signs or other signs erected or maintained by a government body or agency, including, but not limited to, danger signs, railroad crossing signs, geographic signs, and historical signs.
- Public utility company signs erected or maintained as aids to safety or service or indicating danger.
- Flags of nations, states, counties, or cities; political groups; religious organizations; charitable or fraternal organizations or societies.
- Positions available signs provided they carry no information other than company identification and positions available, display area does not exceed 15 square feet, must be constructed as a window or wall-type sign, and only one sign per street frontage is permitted.
- Signs on benches or shelters authorized pursuant to Chapter 11.36 of this code and in compliance with Business and Professions Code Section 5408.5.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign program shall be required for all existing commercial and industrial developments in the City that contain two or more uses where individual signs are allocated or have been placed for those individual uses and that currently do not have an approved and adopted sign program.
- Sign programs for existing developments shall be submitted for discretionary review and approval to the Zoning Administrator.
- No permit shall be issued after six months from the above scheduled sign program time frame for an individual sign requiring a permit, unless and until a sign program for all the existing commercial and industrial developments on which the sign will be erected has been submitted and approved by the Zoning Administrator.

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

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