# Sign Regulations in Laguna Beach, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Laguna Beach, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/laguna-beach
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/42902015#42902015)

## At a glance

Laguna Beach, California regulates 24 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestandings in the Commercial zoning district are capped at 6 feet tall and 50 square feet total; 25 square feet per sign face, with a Minimum side setback of 5 feet; corner setback as per Section 25.50.006. setback (Sec. Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type.).

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential | 6 | 6 feet | 25 square feet | — |
| Commercial | 22 | 42 inches | 75 square feet per sign face | — |
| Industrial | 21 | 42 inches | 75 square feet per sign face | — |
| Institutional | 18 | 7 feet minimum clearance | 75 square feet per sign face | — |
| Recreational | 16 | 7 feet minimum clearance | 75 square feet per sign face | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 6 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Commercial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade or Projecting | 7 feet minimum clearance | 12 square feet per sign face | — | — | Discretionary | Attached to or projecting from a building | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Canopy/Awning | 7 feet minimum clearance | 75 square feet per sign face | — | — | Discretionary | On canopy or awning | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Changeable Display | 6 feet | 10 square feet | — | — | 1 per site or parking lot entrance/exit; service stations—discretionary | 1 per site or parking lot entrance/exit | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Directory | 6 feet | 75 square feet per sign face | — | — | 1 per frontage | 1 per frontage | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Freestanding | 6 feet | 50 square feet total; 25 square feet per sign face | — | Minimum side setback of 5 feet; corner setback as per Section 25.50.006. | 1 per site | 1 per site | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Incidental | 4 feet | 8 square feet total | — | — | Discretionary | Not in public right-of-way | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Notes 5, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Menu, A-Frame or Menu Board | 4 feet for Menu A-Frame; 7 feet for Menu Board | 8 square feet per sign face for Menu A-Frame; 4 square feet for Menu Board for restaurant & 20 square feet for drive-thru | — | — | 1 per site | Private property | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Open House | 4 feet | 2 square feet per sign face | — | — | See Table 1, Footnote 6 | Private property with prior consent of property owner | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Notes 6, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |

### Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade or Projecting | 7 feet minimum clearance | 12 square feet per sign face | — | — | Discretionary | Attached to or projecting from a building | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Canopy/Awning | 7 feet minimum clearance | 75 square feet per sign face | — | — | Discretionary | On canopy or awning | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Changeable Display | 6 feet | 10 square feet | — | — | 1 per site or parking lot entrance/exit; service stations—discretionary | 1 per site or parking lot entrance/exit | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Directory | 6 feet | 75 square feet per sign face | — | — | 1 per frontage | 1 per frontage | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Freestanding | 6 feet | 50 square feet total; 25 square feet per sign face | — | Minimum side setback of 5 feet; corner setback as per Section 25.50.006. | 1 per site | 1 per site | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Incidental | 4 feet | 8 square feet total | — | — | Discretionary | Not in public right-of-way | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Notes 5, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Menu, A-Frame or Menu Board | 4 feet for Menu A-Frame; 7 feet for Menu Board | 8 square feet per sign face for Menu A-Frame; 4 square feet for Menu Board for restaurant & 20 square feet for drive-thru | — | — | 1 per site | Private property | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Open House | 4 feet | 2 square feet per sign face | — | — | See Table 1, Footnote 6 | Private property with prior consent of property owner | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Notes 6, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |

### Institutional

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade or Projecting | 7 feet minimum clearance | 12 square feet per sign face | — | — | Discretionary | Attached to or projecting from a building | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Canopy/Awning | 7 feet minimum clearance | 75 square feet per sign face | — | — | Discretionary | On canopy or awning | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Changeable Display | 6 feet | 10 square feet | — | — | 1 per site or parking lot entrance/exit; service stations—discretionary | 1 per site or parking lot entrance/exit | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Directory | 6 feet | 75 square feet per sign face | — | — | 1 per frontage | 1 per frontage | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Freestanding | 6 feet | 50 square feet total; 25 square feet per sign face | — | Minimum side setback of 5 feet; corner setback as per Section 25.50.006. | 1 per site | 1 per site | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Incidental | 4 feet | 8 square feet total | — | — | Discretionary | Not in public right-of-way | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Notes 5, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Open House | 4 feet | 2 square feet per sign face | — | — | See Table 1, Footnote 6 | Private property with prior consent of property owner | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Notes 6, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |
| Real Estate | 4 feet | 3 square feet per sign face | — | — | 1 per frontage | Within site parcel | — | Table 1, Permitted Signs by Type and Use, Table 2, Sign Design Standards by Sign Type. |

## Prohibited signs in Laguna Beach

- Animated signs except those that qualify as an interior building sign
- A sign no longer identifying a bona fide existing business
- Banners and beacons, except as permitted in accordance with Sections 25.54.012 and 25.54.020
- Billboards, including mobile billboards on trailers
- Excepting marquees, internally illuminated signs
- Inflated display signs and tethered balloons, except as permitted in accordance with Section 25.54.020 or as a part of an approved outdoor display or sign program
- Portable signs
- Roof signs
- Signs of any type associated with a bus stop. (Bus stop signs erected by a public transit agency are allowed.)
- Back-lit canopy/awning signs
- Pole signs
- Private incidental signs of any type, including 'no parking' signs, located in the public right-of-way in an effort to monopolize or control public parking spaces

## Signs exempt from permit in Laguna Beach

- Any public notice or warning signs required by valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation or ordinance
- Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message, allowed only between November 15th and January 15th of the following year
- Except for luminous tube signs, all interior building signs not positioned primarily for the purpose of being read or visible from the exterior of a building in which the business is located
- Miscellaneous business signs, such as credit card stickers, open and closed signs, hours of operation, etc., provided that each group/set of miscellaneous business signs do not exceed two and one-quarter square feet in area and there is only one group/set of such signs per entrance
- Temporary election signs posted on private property, subject to the permission of the property owner
- Memorial signs and plaques
- Signs not visible from a public street or pedestrian accessway
- Street address numerals, when not part of the business name
- Bulletin boards twenty-five square feet and under used by public, educational or religious institutions
- Official flags of the United States, the state of California and other states of the nation, counties, municipalities, foreign nations, and nationally or internationally recognized organizations

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master sign program shall be submitted for review and approval in relation to new office or shopping center construction or substantial façade improvements of an existing office or shopping center, when either contain four or more businesses or uses prior to the issuance of any sign permits
- All applications for sign permits or master sign programs shall be submitted to the department of community development on an approved application form
- Master sign program applications shall include a complete set of coordinated, common sign standards, including, but not limited to, letter size, sign size, style, colors, types, placement, lighting elements, number of signs and sign materials

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

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