# Sign Regulations in Hollister, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Hollister, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/hollister
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CA/Hollister/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZO_CH17.20SI)

## At a glance

Hollister, California regulates 32 sign types across 14 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (5-30 units)s in the Residential Zoning Districts zoning district are capped at 4 FT tall and 6 SF, with a 10 FT from front property line setback (Sec. 17.20.100.A.1, Table 17.20-1). Most commercial signs in Hollister require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (14 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zoning Districts | 8 | 8 FT | Up to 128 SF per sign (See: 64 SF of area per 10 acres, up to maximum) | — |
| Mixed Use Zoning Districts (NMU, WG, DMU) | 5 | 20 FT placement height | 200 SF | — |
| Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU) Zoning District, West Gateway Mixed Use (WG) Zoning District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) Zoning District | 2 | 4 FT | 25% of window area (if in window) | — |
| Home Office (HO) Zoning District | 5 | 20 FT placement height | 6 SF | — |
| Commercial Office (CO) Zoning District | 3 | 20 FT | 20 SF | — |
| General Commercial (GC) Zoning District | 5 | 25 FT | 200 SF (per Table 17.20-3, Table appears to say 200 SF for wall signs, but formula allows up to 300 SF) | — |
| North Gateway (NG) Zoning District, Gateway Commercial (GC) Zoning District | 6 | 25 FT | 200 SF (NG); see general commercial for GC | — |
| Industrial (I, M1) Zoning District | 4 | 20 FT placement height | 100 SF (per Table 17.20-3 for M1); up to 200 SF with Master Sign Program | — |
| Industrial Business Park (IBP) Zoning District | 3 | 20 FT placement height | 200 SF | — |
| Airport (A) Zoning District, Airport Support (AS) Zoning District | 3 | 20 FT placement height | 200 SF | — |
| Public Facilities (PF) Zoning District, Institutional (I) Zoning District, Open Space (OS) Zoning District | 1 | 8 FT | Meet the most restrictive adjoining zoning district size requirement, except: if next to residential, max 20 SF | — |
| Agricultural Zoning District | 1 | — | 32 SF | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 4 FT | 25% of window area | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 14 zones)

### Residential Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (5-30 units) | 4 FT | 6 SF | — | 10 FT from front property line | 1 per complex | Each multifamily complex or mobile home park with 5-30 units; 1 per complex. | — | 17.20.100.A.1, Table 17.20-1 |
| Wall Sign (5-30 units) | — | 12 SF | — | — | 1 per complex | Flat against a wall, not projecting above cornice or roof line. | — | 17.20.100.A.1 |
| Freestanding Sign (30+ units) | 6 FT | 18 SF | — | 10 FT from front property line | 1 per frontage | Each street frontage of each multifamily complex or mobile home park with 30+ units; 1 per frontage. | — | 17.20.100.A.2, Table 17.20-1 |
| Wall Sign (30+ units) | — | 24 SF | — | — | 1 per frontage | Flat against a wall, not projecting above cornice or roof line. | — | 17.20.100.A.2 |
| Subdivision Sign (On-site) | 8 FT | 32 SF | — | — | 1 per tract | On site of subdivision of 5 or more units for sale | — | 17.20.100.A.3 |
| Subdivision Sign (Off-site Directional) | 8 FT | Up to 128 SF per sign (See: 64 SF of area per 10 acres, up to maximum) | — | — | Up to 3 off-site per subdivision | Off-site, private property within Hollister | — | 17.20.100.A.3.a |
| Bed and Breakfast Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per establishment | As described in Section 17.22.080, Residential Zoning Districts. | — | 17.20.100.A.4 |
| Church or Commercial Use Sign | — | 32 SF (plus 32 SF bulletin board for churches) | — | — | — | Residential districts where commercial uses/churches allowed under Chapters 17.04 and 17.06 | — | 17.20.100.A.5 |

### Mixed Use Zoning Districts (NMU, WG, DMU)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign / Awning Sign / Canopy Sign | 20 FT placement height | 200 SF | — | — | Max 2 per business per frontage | Per building, each business frontage facing a public street or commercial parking area | — | 17.20.110, Table 17.20-2 |
| Blade/Projecting Sign | 20 FT placement height | 2 SF per sign face | — | — | Max 1 per business per frontage | Facing public street or commercial parking area | — | 17.20.110, Table 17.20-2 |
| Hanging Sign | — | 2 SF | — | — | — | — | — | 17.20.110, Table 17.20-2 |
| Pedestrian Sign | 10 FT placement height | 3 SF | — | — | 1 per business | May project no more than 3 FT beyond building facade; visible to pedestrian circulation | — | 17.20.110.B, Table 17.20-2 |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area | — | — | — | All windows | — | 17.20.110, Table 17.20-2; 17.20.060(A)(17) |

### North Gateway (NG) Zoning District, Gateway Commercial (GC) Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign/Awning/Canopy Sign | 20 FT | 200 SF (NG); see general commercial for GC | — | — | Max 2 per business per frontage | — | — | Table 17.20-3 |
| Blade/Projecting Sign | Over 20 FT allowed in NG with visibility findings | 16 SF | — | — | — | — | — | Table 17.20-3, note (4) |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (up to 50 FT wide site) | 12 FT | 50 SF | — | — | 1 per site | — | — | Table 17.20-4 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (smaller center up to 100,000 SF/10 acres) | 15 FT | 100 SF (NG) | — | — | — | — | — | Table 17.20-4 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (mid-size 10-20 acres) | 20 FT | 200 SF (NG) | — | — | — | — | — | Table 17.20-4 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (large 20+ acres) | 25 FT | 200 SF (NG) | — | — | — | — | — | Table 17.20-4 |

## Prohibited signs in Hollister

- Canvas signs, excluding awning signs, banners, pennants, flags, streamers, balloons, or other temporary or wind signs except as otherwise provided in sections entitled Exempt Signs, On-Site Sign Regulations, and Off-Site Sign Regulations of this chapter.
- Roof or canopy signs extending above a building roof, except that with approval of a Master Sign Plan, a wall sign may be architecturally integrated into a sloping roof fascia or mansard roof.
- Signs that resemble any official marker erected by the city, state, or any governmental agency, or that by reason of position, shape, color, or illumination would conflict with the proper functioning of any traffic sign or signal or would be a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Signs which produce odor, sound, smoke, fire, or other such emissions.
- Animated signs, flashing signs, moving signs, or rotating signs except as otherwise allowed in this chapter.
- Window signs that exceed 25 percent of the visible window glass panel area of a window in the Airport, Airport Support, General Commercial, Commercial Office, Downtown Commercial Mixed Use, Gateway Commercial, or Industrial District and commercial buildings or commercial portion of a building in the West Gateway and Mixed-Use Zoning Districts. Window signs are prohibited in the Residential and Home Office Zoning Districts.
- Off-site advertising signs. Except for temporary off-site subdivision directional signs and specified exempt signs, off-site advertising signs are not permitted within the city. Existing off-site advertising signs shall be considered nonconforming.
- Signs advertising commercial uses, child care homes, day care homes, residential care facilities, and similar uses on sites where the principal use is a residential dwelling unit unless otherwise allowed in this title or in accordance with state law.
- Signs affixed to trees, shrubs, utility poles, traffic control devices, and the like.
- Signs on any floor above the first floor unless approved by the Planning Commission or pursuant to adopted sign standards.
- Abandoned signs.
- Multi-faced signs of more than two surface areas of signage.
- Billboards. The city completely prohibits the construction, erection or use of any billboards, other than those which legally exist in the city or for which a valid permit has been issued and has not expired, as of the date on which this provision is first adopted.
- Neon signs in the Residential, Neighborhood Mixed Use, West Gateway Mixed Use, and Home Office Zoning Districts.
- At street intersections, no sign shall create a visual obstruction within vertical space between three feet above the adjacent curb and a maximum height of ten feet above the adjacent curb, within 25 feet from the intersection of street right-of-way lines.
- No sign shall be affixed to any vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way or public or private property unless the vehicle or trailer is currently and regularly being used in its normal business capacity and is not for the sole purpose of attracting business.
- Signs advertising commercial uses on private residences are generally prohibited.
- The use of upward directed sign lighting is prohibited.
- Signs that would be a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic by obstructing vision or distracting motorists.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hollister

- Traffic, danger, emergency, or other signs required under the police power of the city or federal, state, or other local government, and any sign or notice authorized, permitted, expressly or implied, by any governmental agency on any street, alley, other public way, or public property.
- Official notices of any court, public body, utility, or public or quasi-public agent or officer or any person giving legal notice as required by law.
- Any signage required by State or Federal law or local ordinance to be affixed to a vehicle.
- Street address numbers.
- Monumental citations, commemorative tablets, and the like made an integral part of the structure, and not exceeding 20 square feet in sign area.
- Temporary on-site barricades and other signs within commercial and industrial districts that inform the public of potential hazards resulting from the construction or remodeling activities occurring on the same site as the temporary barricades are located. These signs must be removed at the time of completion of the construction or remodeling activities.
- One temporary construction sign with maximum sign area of 64 square feet per street frontage and not exceeding a maximum of eight feet in height located on a construction site during the course of construction and which is removed prior to final occupancy of the building.
- One temporary on-site real estate sign per street frontage that advertises the sale, lease, or rental of a structure or land. If freestanding, the sign shall not exceed six feet in height. The sign shall be removed within 15 days following the sale, lease, or rental of the property.
- One temporary on-site open house sign, not exceeding six square feet in area. If freestanding, the sign shall not exceed four feet in height. May only be erected on the day on which the property is available for showing. Portable signs are permitted for use as open house signs.
- Eight temporary off-site directional open house signs per residential or mixed-use zoning district being offered for sale, meeting listed dimensional and location criteria.
- On-site parking and other directional signs, not exceeding one double-faced sign per entrance and not exceeding six square feet in total area and four feet in height or ten square feet in more than 100 feet from a public way.
- One on-site official state inspection sign constructed of a permanent material for each type of inspection service offered on-site, locate flat against the wall of a building and not exceeding four square feet.
- Sign manufactured as a standard, integral part of a mass-produced product accessory to a commercial or public or semipublic use, including telephone booths, vending machines, automated teller machines, and gasoline pumps.
- Credit card, trading stamp, or trade association signs not exceeding one-half square foot each.
- Flags of any governmental entity.
- Signs located within the interior of buildings and structures, including enclosed malls that are not visible from the outside of said building or structure.
- Window signs not exceeding 25 percent of the visible area of a window in commercial and mixed-use zoning districts as listed, with note that neon window signs are not exempt from administrative sign review but still count toward the window area coverage.
- Holiday lights and displays not advertising a product or sale-site, erected no sooner than 45 days before holiday and removed within 14 days following the holiday.
- Non-helium filled balloons of a non-advertising nature and not exceeding two feet in any dimension, used for decorative purposes for not more than 20 days during a calendar year to celebrate a special event.
- Plaque signs not exceeding one square foot in area.
- Temporary noncommercial message signs, not exceeding 32 square feet, in any zoning district on private property, subject to timing rules related to elections or events.
- Murals containing no commercial message.
- One portable on-site sandwich board sign per business, located on the private property of the business being advertised, subject to specific size and placement criteria.
- Temporary signs and banners for noncommercial promotion of civic, charitable, religious, educational, or service organizations, subject to timing and size restrictions.
- Two on-site, freestanding or wall menu/pre-menu board signs not exceeding a maximum of 50 square feet in total sign area and a maximum of eight feet in height for commercial drive-through or drive-in uses.
- Poster frames of theaters, not over 40 square feet in area, when affixed to the building and not projecting over any sidewalk more than 12 inches.
- Miscellaneous permanent information signs that indicate address, hours and days of operation, whether a business is open or closed, emergency contact information, with aggregate sign area not to exceed three square feet at each public entrance and a maximum of ten square feet for all such signs.
- Menu holder display case attached to the exterior of a wall of a restaurant, limited to certain size criteria and not for business identification signage.
- Temporary on-site proposed project sign(s) in accordance with Section 17.24.070(D) of the Hollister Municipal Code.
- Holiday promotional signs within specified holiday periods, subject to specific timeframes and size.
- No sign permit is required for exempt signs, and they are exempt from the regulations and design standards of the chapter except for prohibited sign location regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A Sign Permit is required for all signs unless otherwise exempt by this chapter, with applications to be filed and approved by the City Planner.
- A Master Sign Plan shall be required for any site having two or more nonresidential tenants and shall be submitted and approved by the City Planning Commission prior to the issuance of any sign permit.
- The City Planner may require submittal of a Master Sign Plan prior to approval of a sign permit.
- The Planning Commission may allow exceptions to the sign regulations as part of a Master Sign Plan, or where such exceptions would better integrate signs with the architecture or historic character of the site or neighborhood.
- Approval of a Master Sign Plan is required for deviations from the standards, provided the total sign area does not exceed the area permitted by code.
- Master Sign Plans may be included as part of Site and Architectural Review, a Conditional Use Permit, or a Planned Unit Development and can be approved with these discretionary permits.
- A Master Sign Plan or Program must include specific site and sign details: site plan, elevations, typical sign designs, statement of requested modifications, allocation of sign area, provisions for maintenance and removal, and may permit deviations with findings.
- Approval authority for a Master Sign Program, including creative signs, is the Planning Commission.
- Approval of a Master Sign Plan is required for any site with two or more tenants before any sign permits are granted.
- Master Sign Plans may allow exceptions for freestanding sign types in new development if warranted by site factors such as orientation, building locations, vegetation, or other factors.
- Building signs may be permitted above an apparent eave or parapet only with approval of a Master Sign Plan.
- Freestanding signs (other than monument types) in new development may only be approved as part of a Master Sign Plan if site conditions warrant.
- Creative sign designs which deviate from normal standards may be approved only as part of a Master Sign Plan through the Creative Sign Program with Planning Commission approval.
- Approval of a Master Sign Plan is sometimes required for certain sign types (for example, for a church contiguous to a residential zoning district seeking a freestanding sign).

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

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