# Sign Regulations in Rancho Cucamonga, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Rancho Cucamonga, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/rancho-cucamonga
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43293649#43293649)

## At a glance

Rancho Cucamonga, California regulates 29 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign - Posted in Public Streets in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 36 inches tall and 9 square feet, with a Signs are prohibited on right-of-way immediately adjacent to city property. setback (Sec. § 17.72.070). Most commercial signs in Rancho Cucamonga require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zones | 10 | Roofline or 20 ft, whichever is less | 50 sf | — |
| Form-Based Zones | 14 | Roofline or 20 ft, whichever is less | 150 sf | — |
| Industrial Zones | 2 | 8 ft | 150 sf | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 36 inches | 12 square feet (single person) / 50 square feet (two or more persons) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Residential Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Institution | Roofline | 20 sf | — | — | 1 sign per establishment | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Monument Sign - Institution | 6 ft | 24 sf | — | — | 1 sign per establishment | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Wall Sign - Multi-family complex, ≤ 12 units | Roofline or 20 ft, whichever is less | 12 sf | — | — | 1 sign per street frontage, maximum 2 signs | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Monument Sign - Multi-family complex, ≤ 12 units | 6 ft | 12 sf | — | — | 1 sign per street frontage, maximum 2 signs | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Wall Sign - Multi-family complex, > 12 units | Roofline or 20 ft, whichever is less | 24 sf | — | — | 1 sign per street frontage, maximum 2 signs | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Monument Sign - Multi-family complex, > 12 units | 6 ft | 24 sf | — | — | 1 sign per street frontage, maximum 2 signs | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Wall Sign - Permanent subdivision identification sign | 6 ft | 24 sf | — | — | 2 signs per development | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Monument Sign - Permanent subdivision identification sign | 4 ft | 24 sf | — | — | 2 signs per development | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |

### Form-Based Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Establishments not in a multi-tenant center | Roofline or 20 ft, whichever is less | 150 sf | — | — | 1 wall sign per building face, max 3 | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Monument Sign - Establishments not in a multi-tenant center | 8 ft | 24 sf | — | — | 1 monument sign per street, max 2 | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Pedestrian Traffic Sign - Establishments not in a multi-tenant center | 12 ft | 6 sf | — | — | 1 per establishment | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Wall Sign - Retail establishments in a multi-tenant center (Primary Establishment) | Roofline or 20 ft, whichever is less | 150 sf | — | — | 1 sign per establishment per building face, max 3 | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Monument Sign - Retail establishments in a multi-tenant center | 8 ft | 24 sf | — | — | 1 sign per street frontage | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Pedestrian Traffic Sign - Retail establishments in a multi-tenant center | 12 ft | 6 sf | — | — | 1 per establishment | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Monument Sign - Retail establishments over 100,000 square feet | 8 ft | 48 sf | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |
| Wall Sign - Retail establishments over 100,000 square feet (Sub-establishment) | Cannot project above wall plane | 75 sf (total of 3 signs) | — | — | 1 sign per sub-establishment (maximum 3 sub-establishment signs) | — | — | Table 17.74.080-1 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personally Attended Sign | — | 12 square feet (single person) / 50 square feet (two or more persons) | — | Must give at least five feet width clearance for pedestrians on sidewalks. | — | Public forums | — | § 17.72.040 |
| Freestanding Sign - Posted in Public Streets | 36 inches | 9 square feet | — | Signs are prohibited on right-of-way immediately adjacent to city property. | 1 per side of a public street on each city block | Public streets | — | § 17.72.070 |
| Commercial Sign - Posted in Public Rights-of-Way | 36 inches | 9 square feet | — | Signs are prohibited on right-of-way immediately adjacent to city property. | 12 signs per business | Public rights-of-way | — | § 17.72.080 |

## Prohibited signs in Rancho Cucamonga

- Unless specifically authorized by this chapter, no signs may be displayed on city property by private parties.
- Permanent signs not expressly permitted by this chapter are prohibited.
- Any sign not specifically in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
- Roof signs or signs placed above the roofline.
- Flashing signs.
- Pennants, banners, and flags displaying a commercial message unless allowed through a temporary sign permit.
- Signs which are mobile, rotate, or move.
- Signs held by hand or personally attended to displaying a commercial message.
- Signs which block a pedestrian path of travel.
- Off-site commercial signs, except as provided in section 17.74.100 (Allowed Off-Site Signage).
- Signs placed on the public right-of-way or affixed to an element or structure on the public right-of-way, or located on a publicly owned tree, fence, or utility pole or otherwise posted on public property, except where required by a governmental agency; or signs on private property affixed to a fence; or signs affixed to a tree, shrub, rock, or other natural object on private property.
- Inflatable balloon signs, including, but not limited to, individual balloons, balloon strings, and other inflatable objects made of a flexible material and inflated so as to be lighter than air. This category also includes air-activated or air-blown signs and 'air dancer' signs.
- Neon signs with exposed tubing and neon signs except as otherwise permitted for property zoned for commercial use or mixed use, and as part of exempt window signage.
- Painted signs, such as signs painted upon a fence, excluding murals as exempted pursuant to section 17.74.110.
- Signs affixed to vehicles or trailers that advertise or promote a business that are the primary purpose of the vehicle (e.g., rolling billboard).
- Signs attached to light standards unless part of a sign program or street banner program.
- Signs affixed to a structure or property not owned by the person installing the signs without the written consent of an owner.
- Signs that are dilapidated, abandoned, or in disrepair or dangerous condition.

## Signs exempt from permit in Rancho Cucamonga

- All devices which are excluded from the definition of a 'sign' as set forth in this title.
- Official traffic signs or other municipal governmental signs, legal notices, advertisements prescribed by law and placed by governmental entities, and signs indicating the location of buried utility lines or any notice posted by a governmental officer in the scope of his or her duties.
- Direction, warning, or information signs or structures required or authorized by law, or by federal, state, county, or city authority, including, but not limited to, traffic control signs (e.g., stop, yield), highway route number signs, and construction zone signs.
- Noncommercial utility company signs identifying cables, conduits, and dangerous situations.
- Street address signs on buildings and building identification signs consistent with the city-adopted building code or relevant provisions of this code. Notwithstanding anything in this section, street address signs may be illuminated and may contain reflective paint or material.
- Signs and advertising for the state lottery as authorized by Government Code § 8880 et seq.
- Signs on vehicles and vessels, including license plates, license plate frames, registration insignia, noncommercial messages, messages relating to the business for which the vehicle or vessel is an instrument or tool (not including general advertising, such as mobile billboards), and messages relating to the proposed sale, lease, or exchange of the vehicle or vessel.
- Noncommercial flags.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A uniform sign program shall be required for all new multi-tenant shopping centers, office parks, and other multi-tenant, mixed-use, or otherwise integrated developments of three or more separate tenants/uses that share buildings, public spaces, landscape, and/or parking facilities.
- A sign location plan shall be prepared showing the site of each directional sign and shall be submitted to the planning department prior to the issuance of the 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 4 zoning districts in Rancho Cucamonga — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Rancho+Cucamonga+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-rancho-cucamonga

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