# Sign Regulations in Monterey, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Monterey, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/monterey
- **Data last verified:** 2026-02-13
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://files.monterey.gov/Document-Center/Departments/Community-Development/Planning/Land-Use-Plans-Regulations-Studies/Design-Standards/Sign-Guidelines.pdf)

## At a glance

Monterey, California regulates 17 sign types across 7 zoning districts. A-Frame Sign (Sandwich Board)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall and 9 sq ft, with a Within 15 ft of public entrance; on private property setback (Sec. Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), A-Frame Signs section). Most commercial signs in Monterey require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 14 | Top of awning sign not more than 16 ft above grade; bottom of awning min 8 ft above walkway when over public right-of-way | 50 sq ft | — |
| Residential (R-E, R-1, R-2) | 1 | — | Maximum individual sign area: 20 sq ft | — |
| Residential – Multifamily (R-3) | 1 | — | Maximum individual sign area: 20 sq ft | — |
| Commercial (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-O, CR) | 1 | — | Maximum individual sign area: 50 sq ft | — |
| Visitor Accommodation Facility (VAF), Industrial (I) | 1 | — | Maximum individual sign area: 50 sq ft | — |
| Open Space (O), Parking (P) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned Community (PC) | 2 | — | If not defined in PC plan: Maximum individual sign area 50 sq ft | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Frame Sign (Sandwich Board) | 4 ft | 9 sq ft | — | Within 15 ft of public entrance; on private property | 1 per storefront | Entirely on private property; within 15 ft of a public entrance; must not interfere with pedestrian ingress or egress required by Building or Fire Code | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), A-Frame Signs section |
| Awning Sign | Top of awning sign not more than 16 ft above grade; bottom of awning min 8 ft above walkway when over public right-of-way | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per storefront | On awning valance/skirt; generally appropriate only where wall/projecting/hanging signs are not good alternatives | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Awning Signs section; Prohibited Signs (Backlit translucent awning signs) |
| Directory Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per public entrance | Against an exterior building wall; within 6 ft of a public entry leading to the identified tenants | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Directory Signs section |
| Freestanding Sign (Pedestrian-Oriented) | 6 ft | 20 sq ft | — | Outside vehicle line-of-sight triangles per Traffic Engineer review | 1 per street frontage (shared cap across all freestanding sign types) | Only on lots with a front yard building setback of at least 10 ft | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Freestanding Signs; Pedestrian-Oriented Freestanding Signs |
| Freestanding Sign (Vehicle-Oriented) | 8 ft above grade | 50 sq ft | — | Outside vehicle line-of-sight triangles per Traffic Engineer review; min 20 ft front building setback required | 1 per street frontage (shared cap across all freestanding sign types) | Only on frontages with public vehicle entrances; only on lots with minimum lot width of 100 linear ft and minimum front building setback of 20 ft | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Freestanding Signs; Vehicle-Oriented Freestanding Signs |
| Hanging Sign | Top not more than 16 ft above grade; bottom at least 8 ft above walkway when over public right-of-way | 50 sq ft | — | — | 2 per building frontage | Suspended in parallel to the building face (e.g., in front of a window, balcony opening, or recess) | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Hanging Signs section |
| Projecting Sign | Top not more than 12 ft above grade; bottom at least 8 ft above walkway when over public right-of-way | 6 sq ft | — | Maintain 10 ft spacing between projecting signs on same/contiguous properties | 1 per storefront | Within 10 ft of the public entrance to the business; projects perpendicularly from the face of the building, generally over a walkway | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Projecting Signs section |
| Temporary Banner Sign | Top not more than 16 ft above grade | 30 sq ft | — | — | 2 per calendar year per storefront | Installed against a building wall; not attached to an exterior light fixture, street light, fire escape, or tree | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Temporary Banner Signs section |

### Residential (R-E, R-1, R-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Total Sign Area (All Signs) | — | Maximum individual sign area: 20 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Recommended Maximum Sign Area table (Residential (R-E, R-1, R-2) – nonresidential uses only) and Notes |

### Planned Community (PC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Total Sign Area (Commercial Buildings) | — | If not defined in PC plan: Maximum individual sign area 50 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Recommended Maximum Sign Area table (Planned Community (PC)) and Notes |
| Total Sign Area (Residential Buildings) | — | If not defined in PC plan: Maximum individual sign area 20 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Monterey Sign Guidelines (2016), Recommended Maximum Sign Area table (Planned Community (PC)) and Notes |

## Prohibited signs in Monterey

- Signs intentionally oriented so as to be visible from a State or Federal highway, public park, or public beach (signs incidentally visible from a highway and/or primarily directed toward another public street are not prohibited; ARC may determine as necessary).
- Attention-getting devices (e.g., pennants, streamers, spinners, balloons, inflatable signs, search lights, beacons, flashing lights or messages, and similar devices).
- Backlit translucent awning signs.
- Electronic message signs (excluding traffic control signs).
- Private party permanent signs on City property (except as permitted under Section 31-7(B)); a permanent sign is any sign used for more than 47 days.
- Private party temporary signs mounted, erected, maintained, or displayed at Don Dahvee Park, Monterey Bay Waterfront Park/Window on the Bay, Colton Hall/City Hall grounds, El Estero Park, or the Lower Presidio Historic Park.
- Ground-mounted signs installed in the public right-of-way or on other City property (excluding Government and Community Signs and ground-mounted signs authorized during limited times under Table 31-1).
- Highly reflective and fluorescent (day-glow) signs.
- Off-site signs (except as permitted under Section 31-7(B) or commercial directory programs).
- Signs posted on trees, utility poles, traffic sign posts, light posts, traffic signals, or any other official traffic control device (excluding approved decorative streetlight banners).
- Signs placed or maintained so as to interfere with free ingress to or egress from any door, window, fire escape, or parking lot.
- Signs that simulate or imitate in size, color, lettering, or design any traffic sign or signal, or that use words, symbols, or characters so as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Signs prohibited in a specific plan, master plan, area plan, or similar land use document adopted by the City Council.

## Signs exempt from permit in Monterey

- Address signs: exempt if maximum letter height is 12 inches and maximum area is 4 square feet.
- Ancillary information signs: exempt if maximum aggregate area is 3 square feet.
- Construction site signs: exempt if maximum aggregate area is 32 square feet per street frontage.
- Electronic OPEN signs: exempt if maximum area is 3 square feet and maximum one sign per street frontage.
- Government and community signs: traffic control signs; transit signs not exceeding 3 square feet; street identification signs; utility signs.
- Temporary private party ground-mounted signs on City property (noncommercial messages): exempt if maximum aggregate area is 3 square feet; may be displayed only for 45 days preceding any Federal, State, or local election and must be removed within 2 days following such election; not permitted at Don Dahvee Park, Monterey Bay Waterfront Park/Window on the Bay, Colton Hall/City Hall grounds, El Estero Park, or the Lower Presidio Historic Park.
- Temporary private party ground-mounted signs on private property (noncommercial messages): exempt if maximum area is 16 square feet per individual sign and 80 square feet cumulative total area for all signs on a premises.
- Interior signs: exempt if not visible from another lot of record or from a public right-of-way.
- No trespassing/No parking signs: exempt if posted in compliance with Federal, State and local laws.
- Parking lot signs: exempt if maximum area is 3 square feet per sign and maximum one sign per three parking spaces.
- Personally attended signs in traditional public forum areas (noncommercial): exempt if displayed daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (extended to 30 minutes after public meetings); maximum size 32 square feet; maximum height 10 feet; person must remain within 5 feet of the sign; must not stand in vehicular traffic lanes and must maintain 5-foot sidewalk clearance.
- Real estate signs: exempt if maximum one sign per street frontage and maximum area 16 square feet per sign.
- Signs required by Federal or State law (e.g., ADA, California Coastal Act).
- Handheld signs in traditional public forum areas (noncommercial): exempt if displayed daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (extended on public meeting days); maximum aggregate area 6 square feet; must not stand in vehicular traffic lanes and must maintain 5-foot sidewalk clearance.
- Window displays: exempt if 4 square feet or less.
- Window signs: exempt if maximum area is 10% of window area or 4 square feet per window, whichever is greater.
- Exempt signs may be installed without a sign permit if they meet the stated conditions (a building or encroachment permit may still be required) and do not count toward total sign area.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A Sign Permit is required to authorize display of a sign or of a Multitenant Sign Program; approvals must make required findings (MCC 31-7).
- Multitenant Sign Program: a comprehensive design document for multitenant buildings specifying allowed size, materials, and locations for each storefront/tenant; a sign permit can authorize such a program.
- Roof signs: quantity limits may be modified if approved by a multitenant sign program ("no more than one roof sign per building frontage or as approved by a multi-tenant sign program").
- Commercial Directory Programs are considered Major Signs and are not eligible for Administrative Review; they require ARC review.
- Commercial Directory Programs located in the public right-of-way require an encroachment permit and must provide all necessary clearances; ARC approval does not preempt encroachment permit requirements.
- If a proposal is inconsistent with the Sign Guidelines, it may still be approved, but the applicant must demonstrate to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) that it better achieves the purpose and objectives; such proposals require ARC review.
- Exempt signs do not require a sign permit if conditions are met, but some may still require a building or encroachment permit.

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

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