# Sign Regulations in Orange, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Orange, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/orange
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43569370#43569370)

## At a glance

Orange, California regulates 11 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 15 feet for parcels with 100 feet or more frontage tall and 160 square feet, with a No portion within two feet of any other structure or public right-of-way setback (Sec. § 17.36.070). Most commercial signs in Orange require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 42 inches | 160 square feet | — |
| Single-family residential zone | 2 | 42 inches | 35 square feet | — |
| Multi-family, commercial, or industrial developments | 2 | 42 inches | 35 square feet | — |
| OTMU, NMU, UMU | 3 | 42 inches | 35 square feet | — |
| C-TR, C-R, C-2, C-3 | 2 | 15 feet for parcels with 100 feet or more frontage | 160 square feet | — |
| Commercial and industrial districts | 2 | 15 feet for parcels with 100 feet or more frontage | 160 square feet | — |
| Residential district | 2 | 42 inches | 35 square feet | — |
| Mobile Home (MH) Districts | 2 | 42 inches | 35 square feet | — |
| Office Professional District | 3 | 5 feet | 24 square feet per face | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Two-thirds of the height of the vertical surface | — | — | — | No greater than the number of tenants in a building | Vertical surface, not extending beyond lateral edges | — | § 17.36.080 |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 feet for parcels with 100 feet or more frontage | 160 square feet | — | No portion within two feet of any other structure or public right-of-way | One per parcel with up to 400 feet frontage | Parcel frontage | — | § 17.36.070 |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 6 square feet in single-family residential zone, 24 square feet in multi-family, commercial, or industrial developments | — | — | — | Property to advertise for sale, lease, or rent | — | § 17.36.020 |
| Construction Project Sign | 5 feet in residential district, 10 feet in all other districts | 6 square feet in residential district, 32 square feet in all other districts | — | — | No more than two on-site signs | On-site | — | § 17.36.150 |
| Directional Sign | 42 inches | 6 square feet | — | — | — | On property to which they pertain | — | § 17.36.150 |
| Name Plate | — | One square foot | — | — | One per tenant | Building for each tenant | — | § 17.36.150 |

### C-TR, C-R, C-2, C-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 feet for parcels with 100 feet or more frontage | 160 square feet | — | No portion within two feet of any other structure or public right-of-way | One per parcel with up to 400 feet frontage | Parcel frontage | — | § 17.36.070 |
| Wall Sign | Two-thirds of the height of the vertical surface | — | — | — | No greater than the number of tenants in a building | Vertical surface, not extending beyond lateral edges | — | § 17.36.080 |

### Office Professional District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 5 feet | 24 square feet per face | — | — | One per parcel | Parcel of record zoned Office Professional | — | § 17.36.120 |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Building elevation | — | § 17.36.120 |
| Name Plate | — | Two square feet | — | — | One per tenant | Building for each tenant | — | § 17.36.120 |

## Prohibited signs in Orange

- Any sign erected or maintained without the consent of the owner of the land upon which the sign is located.
- Any sign erected upon or over public property, other than signs installed by state, county, or city agencies.
- Flashing, moving or otherwise animated elements or any revolving signs, other than time/temperature signs.
- Any sign placed upon, attached, or suspended from a vehicle intended to advertise goods or services available on site or nearby, when said vehicle is located on private property within 75 feet of a public right-of-way.
- Any abandoned sign that advertises goods or services which have not been available for a period of 90 or more days.
- Any 'sandwich' or A-frame sign, or any ground sign temporarily supported by poles or braces placed upon the ground, or any other sign propped against a vehicle or object in a parking lot or public right-of-way unless otherwise permitted.
- Bench signs at bus stops, excluding City authorized bus shelter signs.
- Roof signs, or any sign proposed above a roof line that is not integrated architecturally.
- Any sign containing 'harmful matters' as defined by Chapter 9.09 of the Orange Municipal Code.
- All banner signs, wind signs, balloons, and tube signs of a commercial nature, except those permitted as temporary special promotions.
- Items of merchandise used as a sign.
- All inflatable signs and signs designed to be flown, including balloons, strings of balloons, kites or aerial signs, that are made of an electrically conductive material.
- Signs that create sound.
- Any sign greater than six square feet on property located in a residential district, except as otherwise provided by this code.

## Signs exempt from permit in Orange

- Temporary freestanding or wall mounted real estate signs of six square feet or less in a single-family residential zone and 24 square feet in multi-family, commercial, or industrial developments, when placed upon a property to advertise that property for sale, lease, or rent.
- Any sign that is placed by a governmental agency as required by law or to protect health and safety.
- Temporary construction project signs that conform to the other requirements of this chapter.
- Signs that may require no building permit, yet remain subject to the other requirements of this chapter.
- Any sign in conformance with a sign program approved by the Community Development Department.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign program for all multitenant buildings shall be required to ensure proper design of signage and adequate identification of building tenants.
- Planned communities, planned unit developments and specific plans may propose sign criteria that differ from the limitations contained within this chapter, subject to review and approval by the Planning Commission.
- Sign programs for major commercial centers are subject to the review and approval of a conditional use permit by the Planning Commission.
- Sign programs in mixed use zones are subject to review and approval by the Design Review Committee.
- Any sign program is subject to initial review and recommendation by Design Review Committee (DRC). Sign applications for individual tenants will be subject to final approval by DRC unless the sign program is specific in describing the height, width and design components of signs for each tenant space.

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

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