# Sign Regulations in Placentia, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Placentia, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/placentia
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/42700581#42700581)

## At a glance

Placentia, California regulates 18 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Monument Signs in the Commercial District (C-O, C-1, C-2, C-M, T-C) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 320 square feet, with a Minimum 5 feet from any property line setback (Sec. § 23.90.180(5)). Most commercial signs in Placentia require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Residential District (R-A, R-1, R-2, R-G, R-3) | 1 | 4 feet | 20 square feet | — |
| Commercial District (C-O, C-1, C-2, C-M, T-C) | 4 | 8 feet | 320 square feet | — |
| Santa Fe Commercial District (SF-C) | 3 | — | 25% of window area | — |
| Industrial District (M) | 3 | 4 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| SP-5 Specific Plan 5 Districts | 2 | Height of building | 320 square feet | — |
| TOD Area | 2 | 5 feet including base structure | 36 square feet | — |
| Old Town Placentia | 2 | 5 feet including base structure | 36 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | 4 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On property being sold or rented | — | § 23.90.060(1) |
| Professional Nameplate | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 1 per occupant | Commercial or public institutional building | — | § 23.90.060(2) |
| Identification Nameplate | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 per building | Apartment house, boarding or rooming house | — | § 23.90.060(3) |
| Occupant Nameplate | — | 2 square feet | — | Minimum 2 feet from property line | 1 per dwelling | Dwelling | — | § 23.90.060(4) |
| Nonadvertising Warning Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | Minimum 100 feet apart | — | Private property | — | § 23.90.060(6) |
| Development Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Work under construction | — | § 23.90.060(8) |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | Public and private developments | — | § 23.90.060(9) |
| Off-site Directional Sign | — | 3 square feet | — | — | — | Public right-of-way | — | § 23.90.060(11) |

### Commercial District (C-O, C-1, C-2, C-M, T-C)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per building frontage | Attached to building or canopy, parallel to building face | — | § 23.90.180(3) |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 8 feet | 320 square feet | — | Minimum 5 feet from any property line | 1 per street frontage | Parcel with street frontage of at least 100 feet | — | § 23.90.180(5) |
| Center Identification Sign | Height of building | 320 square feet | — | Minimum 5 feet from any property line | 1 per street frontage | Integrated developments of 5 or more separate units | — | § 23.90.180(6) |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area | — | — | — | Inside window of business | — | § 23.90.180(9) |

### Industrial District (M)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | — | 1 per building frontage | Attached to building or canopy, parallel to building face | — | § 23.90.200(3) |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 4 feet | 60 square feet | — | Minimum 5 feet from any property line | 1 per street frontage | Parcel with street frontage of at least 100 feet | — | § 23.90.200(5) |
| Center Identification Sign | 4 feet | 60 square feet | — | Minimum 5 feet from any property line | 1 per street frontage | Integrated developments of 5 or more separate units | — | § 23.90.200(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Placentia

- Inflatable signs or balloons containing signs, except as permitted by Section 23.90.160(7)
- No vehicle containing any advertising matter, words, symbols or pictures shall be so parked either on public or private property for the sole purpose of advertising or directing attention to a business
- Signs which incorporate in any manner any flashing moving, or intermittent lighting
- Rotating or animated signs, or signs which contain any moving parts
- Temporary advertising devices, except as permitted by Section 23.90.160
- A-frame signs, H-stake signs
- Signs painted directly on a building, except as permitted by Section 23.90.190(4)(E)
- No sign, lights or other advertising structure shall be located in such a manner as to constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision at any location where, by reason of its position, shape, color or movement, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device. Nor shall such sign or advertising structure make use of any word, phrase, symbol or character in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic
- Pennant signs, except as permitted by Section 23.90.160(4) and Section 23.90.160(7)
- Signs which exceed the roofline or parapet to which such signs are attached
- Signs on vehicles, trailers, boats or other similar property parked on private property within the city limits for the purpose of advertising such vehicle, trailer, boat or similar property for rent, sale or lease, unless: Such property is on the premises owned, rented or leased by the owner of the vehicle, trailer boat or similar property, Such property is on a business premises licensed by the city to engage in the sale, rental or lease of such property
- Any off-site advertising, including billboards, except as otherwise provided in this chapter
- No person, except a public officer or city employee in the performance of his or her duty, shall paste, post, paint or erect any flag, pennant, sign or notice of any kind, or cause the same to be done, upon any public property, street, bridge, or sidewalk within the city, and no person shall attach any item to private utility company poles without prior written approval from the utility company to which such poles belong
- Abandoned signs (includes signs on abandoned or closed businesses)
- Animated and moving signs, including electronic message display signs, and variable intensity, blinking, or flashing signs, or signs that emit a varying intensity of light or color, except time and temperature displays (which are not considered signs), and barber poles
- Exposed cabinet/raceways behind channel letters
- Internally illuminated cabinet (can) signs
- Off-site signs (e.g., billboards, and signs mounted on vehicles)
- Obscene signs
- Pole signs and other freestanding signs over six feet in height
- Roof signs
- Signs that simulate in color, size, or design, any traffic control sign or signal, or that make use of words, symbols, or characters in a manner that interferes with, misleads, or confuses pedestrian or vehicular traffic
- A sign burned, cut, or otherwise marked on or affixed to a rock, tree, or other natural feature
- A sign placed within a public right-of-way, except as provided by Table 3 (Sign Standards by Use)
- A sign painted directly on a building
- Permanent signs that advertise continuous sales, special prices, or include phone numbers are prohibited
- Temporary signs, including the following, Balloons and other inflatable devices, Flags, except official national, state, or local government, institutional or corporate flags, properly displayed, and Pennants and streamers, except in conjunction with an athletic event, carnival, circus, or fair

## Signs exempt from permit in Placentia

- One double-faced real estate sign not exceeding six feet in area nor four feet in height, pertaining to the sale or rental of the property on which displayed, provided that not more than one sign per street frontage is allowed, and provided that such sign shall be removed at the time the property is sold or rented
- One professional nameplate or occupational sign denoting only the name and occupation of an occupant in a commercial building or public institutional building, provided that said sign does not exceed two square feet in area and is attached to and mounted parallel to the face of the building not exceeding four inches from the wall
- One single-faced identification nameplate or sign on an apartment house, boarding or rooming house or similar uses, not exceeding three square feet in area; provided that said sign is attached to and mounted parallel to the face of the building not exceeding four inches from the wall
- One nameplate, denoting only the name of occupants of a dwelling, and not exceeding two square feet in area not located closer than two feet to the property line
- Traffic or other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing or danger signs
- Nonadvertising warning signs or trespass signs on private property, posted no closer than one hundred feet apart, not exceeding two feet in area
- Nonadvertising signs of public utility companies as may be required in their operations in providing services for the health and welfare of the general public, or as required by any law or regulations of the state or any agency thereof
- One sign per street frontage identifying the development and denoting the architect, engineer or contractor, when placed upon work under construction; provided, however, that no such sign shall exceed thirty-two square feet in area nor eight feet in height
- On-site directional signs for public and private developments, denoting the entrance, exit and direction of traffic flow and not exceeding four square feet in area; provided such sign is not prohibited or further regulated by other sections of this title or any other ordinance of the city
- Nonadvertising displays commemorating legal holidays; providing, however, that said displays are not detrimental to public health, safety and general welfare
- Off-site directional signs for the location of open houses, new residential developments, and garage sales not exceeding three square feet in area and subject to the regulations in Section 23.90.140
- Temporary signs, other than temporary advertising devices, subject to the regulations in Section 23.90.120
- Window signs, including signs painted on windows, shall be permitted subject to the following: They shall be permitted only inside a window of the business to which such signs pertain; Total area occupied by such signs shall not exceed more than twenty-five percent of the window area through which they are displayed; Signs shall be displayed in a neat and orderly manner; Painted signs shall consist of lettering and/or random figures, the painting of solid areas shall be prohibited, except for seasonal holiday displays

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All mixed use projects shall require a master sign program, which is reviewed and approved by the decision-making body in each case.
- A sign permit application for a master sign program shall include all information and materials required by the department, and the filing fee set by the city’s fee resolution.
- Revisions to a master sign program may be approved by the director with a standard sign permit if the intent of the original approval is not affected.
- Revisions that would substantially deviate from the original approval shall require the approval of a new master sign program.

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

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