# Sign Regulations in Ojai, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Ojai, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/ojai
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/44871083#44871083)

## At a glance

Ojai, California regulates 7 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Commercial and manufacturing zoning districts zoning district are capped at 54 inches tall and 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. (Sec. § 10-2.1607(f)). Most commercial signs in Ojai require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — |
| Residential-only zone | 1 | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — |
| Commercial or mixed-use zones | 1 | — | — | — |
| Commercial and manufacturing zoning districts | 1 | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — |
| Residential zoning districts | 1 | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — |
| Nonresidential zoning districts | 1 | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — |
| Village mixed use zoning districts | 1 | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — |
| C-1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| B-P | 1 | — | — | — |
| VMU Zoning Districts | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Building frontages, including those fronting a parking lot or pedestrian way. | — | § 10-2.1607(a) |
| Banner Sign | — | 24 square feet or 50% of the allowed permanent sign area, whichever is less. | — | — | — | Affixed to the exterior wall(s) of the building or structure to which the sign pertains. | — | § 10-2.1607(b) |
| Halo-lit or Back-lit Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 10-2.1607(d) |
| Monument Sign | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — | — | — | Frontages adjoining a public street. | — | § 10-2.1607(f) |
| Neon Sign | — | 2 square feet for 'OPEN' signs | — | — | — | Inside a business window. | — | § 10-2.1607(h) |
| Wall Mounted Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached to building walls. | — | § 10-2.1607(p) |

### Residential-only zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — | — | — | Frontages adjoining a public street. | — | § 10-2.1607(f) |

### Commercial and manufacturing zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 54 inches | 40 square feet or 10% of the main building face area, whichever is less. | — | — | Maximum of two signs for each property, except that a property having more than two main entrances may have a sign indicating each entrance. | Frontages adjoining a public street. | — | § 10-2.1607(f) |

## Prohibited signs in Ojai

- Animals or human beings, live or simulated, designed or used to attract attention to a business.
- Animated, blinking (intermittent light), color-changing, flashing, fluctuating, moving, reflecting, revolving, changeable-copy signs, electronic reader board signs, or other similar signs, except for changeable-copy signs displaying time or temperature.
- Balloon signs, and similar floating, flying, or inflated signs.
- Commercial billboards and commercial off-site signs.
- Bench signs, except for commemorative plaques.
- Internally illuminated signs, unless specifically approved by the Director as in compliance with the illumination standards and as consistent with the City's aesthetic character.
- Neon signs, except as specified or as approved through a comprehensive sign program.
- Pole signs, except for City signs, or as specified.
- Portable signs, including A- or T-frame sandwich board signs, unless approved by the Planning Commission or allowed as specified.
- Price signs, except for those located at service stations.
- Rider signs that are appurtenances attached to a sign and which are not an integral part of the display panel of the approved sign.
- Signs mounted on the roof of a structure or extending above the edge or eave of the roof.
- A sign erected in a manner that would cause a portion of its surface or supports to interfere with the free use of a fire escape, exit, or standpipe; or obstruct a door, stairway, ventilator, or window required by law.
- Signs that imitate, conflict or interfere with, or may be confused with traffic control devices.
- Signs that obstruct or interfere with the safe and efficient flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
- Signs that contain fighting words, obscene language or images, or create a clear and present danger to the general public.
- Signs on public property or that project onto a public right-of-way, except as specifically allowed or by Federal or State law, and then only with an encroachment permit issued by the City.
- Vehicle signs, unless the vehicle is used for transporting goods or for services for business purposes. A vehicle sign must be affixed so as to not project from the usual profile of the vehicle. A vehicle bearing a vehicle sign may not be stored or parked on private or public property for the principal purpose of advertising the business, good, and/or service displayed on the sign.
- Signs attached to fences, shrubs, trees, stones, utility poles, structures on public property or in the public right-of-way, or any similar object or structure, except as specifically allowed or other applicable provisions of Federal, State, and local law.
- Signs outlined by individual light bulbs.
- Except as otherwise specifically allowed or by Federal or State law, signs not intended for permanent display or erected for a limited duration, including signs that are glued, nailed, pasted, stapled, tacked, taped, or similarly secured to a structure.

## Signs exempt from permit in Ojai

- Affiliation signs for auto-related uses, motels, and hotels that note services provided or required by law, trade affiliations, credit cards accepted, and similar content provided they are attached to an otherwise approved sign or structure.
- Change of sign copy within an approved comprehensive sign program that conforms to the provisions of the specific comprehensive sign program.
- Commemorative signs, plaques, and tables that are carved in aluminum, bronze, concrete, stone, wood, or other similar permanent material and mounted on a building or structure.
- Gasoline pump and price signs erected and maintained in compliance with Sections 13470 through 13490 and 13530 through 13540 of the California Business and Professions Code.
- Holiday decorations, provided that display of such decorations is limited to 30 days before and after the holiday.
- City placed or owned signs or signs as authorized by the City for a municipal purpose.
- "No Trespassing" signs, not to exceed three square feet in area, placed at each corner and each entrance to the property, and at intervals of not less than 100 feet or in compliance with State requirements.
- Occupant name, street number, and street name signs not exceeding three square feet in area for each single-family or multi-family unit.
- Official and legal notices required by a court or governmental agency, including any signs required by the City.
- Official flags of a nation, the State of California, other states of the United States, and municipalities, provided that the pole height for such flags shall not exceed 25 feet in residential zoning districts and 35 feet in nonresidential zoning districts.
- Political signs.
- Public utility signs indicating danger, construction, excavations or similar hazards, or signs that serve as an aid to public safety, or show the location of underground facilities.
- Service club signs, clustered on a single uniform sign of a design and location approved by the Director.
- Signs on a construction site shall be allowed in all zone districts provided such signs do not exceed one per street frontage, nor 40 square feet in area nor 54 inches in height.
- Signs erected and maintained in compliance with a governmental function or required by a law, ordinance or governmental regulation.
- Signs for commercial, office, and industrial uses not exceeding two square feet and limited to property identification, hours of operation, address, and emergency information.
- Signs erected for the convenience of the public (e.g., signs identifying restrooms, public telephones, walkways and similar features and facilities), with a maximum area of two square feet.
- Signs on a property that is for sale, rent, or lease, subject to specific limitations.
- Signs limiting easement rights under Section 1008 of the California Civil Code.
- One additional sign, beyond the base allowance in this chapter applicable to the property, shall be allowed on property under construction.
- Signs solely for the purpose of guiding traffic, parking, and loading on private property.
- Signs which are not visible by the general public from the public right-of-way or from private property which is generally accessible to the public.
- Small window signs, limited to a maximum of 20% of the property's total window area, minus the area devoted to window signs.
- Future tenant identification signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign approved by the Planning Commission via a comprehensive sign program and which is consistent with that program shall not require a further sign permit.
- A comprehensive sign program shall be required whenever any of the following circumstances exist: Multi-tenant developments of three or more separate tenants that share either the same parcel or structure and use common access and parking facilities, including all multiple tenant signs; Whenever five or more signs are proposed for a new or existing development; Whenever three or more signs are requested by a single tenant in an existing multi-tenant project that currently is not covered by a comprehensive sign program; Whenever the organizer of a special event intends to utilize more signs than permitted by Section 10-2.1607(n).
- Installation of signs or modification of signs that are consistent with an approved comprehensive sign program and that are consistent with that program shall not require a further sign 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 10 zoning districts in Ojai — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Ojai+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-ojai

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