# Sign Regulations in Lathrop, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lathrop, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/lathrop
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/44302252#44302252)

## At a glance

Lathrop, California regulates 19 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the C zoning district are capped at Height limit of the zoning district tall and 500 sq ft (Sec. § 17.84.040J). Most commercial signs in Lathrop require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RCO, UR-ST, R, RM | 8 | — | 865 sq ft | — |
| C | 6 | 8 ft | 500 sq ft | — |
| I | 5 | 8 ft | 500 sq ft per site | — |
| CN, CC, CR | 2 | — | 360 sq ft (500 sq ft for CC within 1,000 ft of freeway) | — |
| CS, CH | 2 | — | 500 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 25 sq ft (single surface), 50 sq ft (total) | — |

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

### RCO, UR-ST, R, RM

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Name Plate | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 17.84.030A |
| Identification Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 17.84.030B |
| Sale, Lease, Rental Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 17.84.030C |
| Directional Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Along a driveway or within a parking lot | — | § 17.84.030D |
| Bulletin Board | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On the site of a church, school, auditorium or other similar place of public assembly | — | § 17.84.030E |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | On the site of a construction project | — | § 17.84.030F |
| Temporary Subdivision Sales Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On the site of a residential subdivision | — | § 17.84.030G |
| Freestanding Sign (UR-ST) | — | 865 sq ft | — | — | Up to two | On-premises | — | § 17.84.030H |

### C

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | Height limit of the zoning district | 500 sq ft | — | — | One per business or grouping | — | — | § 17.84.040J |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 50 sq ft per face | — | — | One per business or grouping | Within a setback area | — | § 17.84.040K |
| Directional Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Off-street parking and loading facilities | — | § 17.84.040D |
| Sale, Lease, Rental Sign | — | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | — | — | — | § 17.84.040E |
| Marquee or Canopy Sign | — | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | — | Attached below the marquee or canopy | — | § 17.84.040H |
| Painted Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Wall exterior surface | — | § 17.84.040I |

### I

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Outdoor Advertising Sign | Height limit of the zoning district | 500 sq ft per site | — | — | — | — | — | § 17.84.020K |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 50 sq ft per face | — | — | One per business or grouping | Within a setback area | — | § 17.84.050D |
| Directional Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Along driveways or within parking lots | — | § 17.84.050E |
| Bulletin Board | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On the site of a place of public assembly | — | § 17.84.050F |
| Temporary Commercial Construction Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On the site of a construction project | — | § 17.84.050G |

## Prohibited signs in Lathrop

- No sign shall project more than 14 inches beyond the property line, except that a freestanding sign shall not extend beyond the property line.
- No sign other than a directional sign shall project more than 12 inches into a required rear yard or interior side yard.
- No red, green or amber lights or illuminated signs or outdoor advertising structures, illuminated by or including flashing lights, shall be placed in such position that they reasonably could be expected to interfere with or be confused with any official traffic-control device, traffic signal or official directional guide sign.
- A moving sign shall be permitted only in C or I districts; provided, that movement shall be slow (not to exceed 10 rpm), and shall not simulate effects obtained by varying the intensity, color, pattern or illumination.
- No sign or outdoor advertising structure shall be located within a utility easement, or erected or located in a manner which will reduce the vertical or horizontal clearance from communication lines or energized electric power lines as required by laws, rules and regulations of the state and agencies thereof.
- Animated signs, the movement of which is simulated by variations in the intensity, color, pattern, illumination, or flashing, including electronic display signs, shall be prohibited in all districts, unless exempted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lathrop

- Signs used exclusively for the posting or display of official notices by a public agency or official, or by a person giving legal notice.
- Signs erected or maintained by a public agency or official, or required by law to be displayed by a public utility for directional, warning or informational purposes.
- Nonadvertising signs of public utility companies shall be permitted as required in their operation, providing service for the health, safety and welfare of the general public.
- Signs on vehicles, including trailers, provided that the vehicle/trailer is not parked on public or private property with the intent of being a stationary sign.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master sign plan shall be required for all new multi-tenant shopping centers, office parks, and other multi-tenant or mixed-use developments of two or more separate tenants/uses that share either the same parcel or structure and use common access and parking facilities.
- Temporary subdivision sale signs may be displayed upon filing and receiving approval of a sign design application by the planning division.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/lathrop