# Sign Regulations in Lawndale, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lawndale, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/lawndale
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43965756#43965756)

## At a glance

Lawndale, California regulates 14 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial and industrial zones zoning district are capped at 30 ft (may increase to 40 ft with setback) tall and 200 sq ft, with a May increase height by 1 ft for each 2 ft setback setback (Sec. § 17.76.140B). Most commercial signs in Lawndale require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial street | 1 | — | — | — |
| Civic center area (CCA) zone | 4 | — | 80 sq ft | — |
| Commercial and industrial zones | 5 | 30 ft (may increase to 40 ft with setback) | 200 sq ft | — |
| Residential zones | 1 | 5 ft | 12 sq ft (may double during election period) | — |
| Nonresidential uses in residential zones | 1 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| Hotels in commercial zones | 1 | Freestanding pole signs higher than 20 ft prohibited | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | Residential: 8 ft; Commercial/Industrial: 16 ft | Residential: 12 sq ft per frontage, 24 sq ft total; Commercial/Industrial: 48 sq ft per frontage, 96 sq ft total | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Civic center area (CCA) zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accessory Sign | — | 80 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises | — | § 17.52.100A |
| Bulletin Board | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | One per lot or parcel | On premises for publicly owned, charitable or religious institution | — | § 17.52.100C |
| Temporary Accessory Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | Site of building or structure under construction | — | § 17.52.100I |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per lot or parcel | On premises | — | § 17.52.100J |

### Commercial and industrial zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 30 ft (may increase to 40 ft with setback) | 200 sq ft | — | May increase height by 1 ft for each 2 ft setback | — | On lot or parcel | — | § 17.76.140B |
| Projecting Sign | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | — | On building wall or face | — | § 17.76.140C |
| Wall Sign | Must not project above roofline or eave line | — | — | — | — | On building face | — | § 17.76.140E |
| Permanent Window Sign | — | Minimum 10 sq ft | — | — | — | On windows | — | § 17.76.140H |
| Digital On-Premises Sign | — | — | — | Not within 100 ft of residential property | — | On premises | — | § 17.76.140I |

### Residential zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Sign | 5 ft | 12 sq ft (may double during election period) | — | — | Two signs allowed, no limit during election period | On residential property | — | § 17.76.120A |

## Prohibited signs in Lawndale

- Signs which contain or utilize any exposed incandescent lamp with a rated wattage in excess of forty watts.
- Any exposed incandescent lamp with an internal or external metallic reflector.
- No sign shall contain any spotlight or searchlight used for advertising purposes which is visible from any public right-of-way; nor shall any illuminated sign change color or intensity.
- Animated signs and moving image signs.
- Any moving, flashing, rotating or scintillating sign component or structure.
- Any sign advertising or displaying a message advocating or promoting any unlawful act, business or purpose.
- Devices or signs emitting bubbles, smoke, fumes, or other free floating particles of matter.
- Any notice, placard, bill, poster, card, sticker, banner, sign, advertising or other device calculated to attract the attention of the public, which any person posts, prints, sticks, stamps, tacks, or otherwise affixes, or causes the same to be done to upon any street, street furniture, right-of-way, sidewalk, crosswalk, curb, lamp post, hydrant, tree, alley, telephone, or lighting system, or other public alarm or communication system.
- Any stringers, twirlers or propellers, flares, and similar attention-attracting devices, including noise-emitting devices.
- Devices projecting or otherwise reproducing the image of a sign or message on any surface or object.
- Signs emitting or amplifying sounds for the purpose of attracting attention.
- No sign shall, by color, wording, design, location or illumination, resemble or conflict with any traffic control device.
- Signs which block or interfere with the visibility at or near street intersections or driveways.
- No sign shall project into the public right-of-way, except as permitted by an encroachment permit.
- No sign shall be located so that any portion of the sign or its supports interferes with the use of any fire escape or exit, or obstructs any required standpipe, stairway, sidewalk, roadway, door, ventilator, or window; nor shall any sign be located so as to obstruct the visibility of vehicles or pedestrians.
- No sign shall be closer to a utility line than allowed by the California Public Utilities Commission and Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
- Signs displaying off-site commercial messages are prohibited except as expressly allowed by this chapter, such as human signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lawndale

- Official notices issued by any court, public body or public officer.
- Notices posted by any public officer in performance of a public duty or governmental function, or for any person in giving legal notice.
- Traffic, directional, warning, or information signs required or authorized by the public authority having jurisdiction.
- Official signs used for emergency purposes only.
- Public utility signs, provided such signs do not exceed three square feet in area.
- Flags displaying noncommercial images or symbols, provided they comply with all applicable codes including Section 17.76.120 regarding area and number and height of poles.
- Signs that conceal interior storefront security bars, grilles or gates at such times that such bars, grilles or gates are being utilized for security purposes.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Signing for the entire project shall be developed according to an approved sign plan.
- On multiple tenant developments, no permits for digital on-premises signs shall be issued until approval of a master sign program for the development has been granted by the community development director and/or designee.

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

---

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