# Sign Regulations in Rancho Mirage, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Rancho Mirage, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/rancho-mirage
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43370690#43370690)

## At a glance

Rancho Mirage, California regulates 6 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Pole Signs in the Residential District (all residential zones) zoning district are capped at 3′ above grade tall and 3 sq. ft. for one sign; 4 sq. ft. total for two signs (Sec. Table 3-13, Residential lots less than 2 acres; all residential zones.).

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District (all residential zones) | 4 | 5′ above grade | 30 sq. ft. | — |
| Commercial District (all commercial zones) | 3 | 18′ above grade | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| Resort Hotel Zone | 2 | 5′ above grade | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential and Public Facilities Zone | 2 | 12′ above grade | 30 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Residential District (all residential zones)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pole Sign | 3′ above grade | 3 sq. ft. for one sign; 4 sq. ft. total for two signs | — | — | 2 | Anywhere on the lot | — | Table 3-13, Residential lots less than 2 acres; all residential zones. |
| Wall Sign | 5′ above grade | — | — | — | — | Wall, door | — | Table 3-13, Residential lots less than 2 acres; all residential zones. |
| Pole Sign | 4′ above grade | 4 sq. ft. for one sign; 6 sq. ft. total for two signs | — | — | 2 | Anywhere on the lot | — | Table 3-13, Residential lots 2 acres or more; all residential zones. |
| Monument Sign | 5′ above grade | 30 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per median or 1 per wall facing entry | Entrance median island | — | Table 3-13, Residential subdivisions, neighborhoods and mobile home parks; all residential zones. |

### Commercial District (all commercial zones)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 5′ above grade | 50 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Primary driveway entrance | — | Table 3-13, Commercial and office centers; all commercial zones. |
| Freestanding Sign | 3′ above grade | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Parkway (not in the right-of-way) no closer than 200 ft. from any other freestanding sign | — | Table 3-13, Commercial and office centers; all commercial zones. |
| Wall or Fascia Sign | 18′ above grade | 40 sq. ft.; 45 sq. ft. when located more than 200′ from the street right-of way; 50 sq. ft. when set back more than 250′ from the street. | — | — | One wall or fascia sign per business; or two wall or fascia signs per business for corner stores or freestanding buildings | Below roof line (wall sign); centered on fascia (fascia sign) | — | Table 3-13, Commercial and office centers; freestanding commercial buildings; all commercial zones. |

### Resort Hotel Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 5′ above grade | 50 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per median | Entrance median island | — | Table 3-13, Resort hotels; resort hotel zone. |
| Wall Sign | 4′ above grade | 15 sq. ft. for each wall sign | — | — | 1 per wall facing entry | Entry wall | — | Table 3-13, Resort hotels; resort hotel zone. |

## Prohibited signs in Rancho Mirage

- Any sign not in compliance with the provisions of this chapter
- Abandoned signs and sign structures
- Animated, blinking, flashing, moving, reflecting, revolving, and similar signs
- Balloons or other inflatable signs
- Banner or pennant signs, except for temporary banners for new businesses, limited to forty-five days
- Beacons
- Bench and bus shelter signs
- Chalkboards, blackboards, sandwich boards, or A-frame signs
- Changeable copy signs either electronically or manually controlled
- Light bulb strings, except for use in residential areas, on trees, during winter holidays and except for some temporary uses
- Painted signs on fences or roofs
- Portable signs
- Roof signs
- Signs on public property or public rights-of-way, except for traffic regulatory, informational signs, or signs required by a governmental agency
- Signs in the traffic safety sight area which exceed three feet in height above the nearest street curb elevation
- Signs emitting audible sounds, odors, or visible matter
- Signs erected in a manner that any portion of its surface or supports interfere in any way with the free use of any fire escape, exit, or standpipe or obstructs any door, stairway, or window
- Signs painted on any surface except windows and glass doors, except as part of an approved sign program
- Signs which simulate in color or design a traffic sign or signal, or which uses characters, symbols, or words in a manner that may interfere with, mislead, or confuse pedestrian or vehicular traffic
- Signs which exceed the maximum number or dimensional requirements identified in this chapter
- Snipe signs
- Temporary signs, except as identified in Table 3-13 of Section 17.28.150
- Vehicle signs over four square feet in area and/or in excess of one sign per vehicle side, not to exceed three signs per vehicle
- Mobile billboards

## Signs exempt from permit in Rancho Mirage

- Direction, safety, or warning information signs required or authorized by law or by city, county, state, or federal authority including public utility signs
- City, county, state, or federal traffic control signs
- Holiday lights and decorations between Thanksgiving and January 5th
- Official flags of the United States, the state of California counties, or municipalities, not exceeding eight feet long in its largest dimension
- Exemption of sign standards in the event of disruption of business activities caused by a natural disaster, full or partial street closure, or adjacent or nearby building or lot development

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign program shall be submitted to the department for approval by the applicable review authority
- For signs requiring a sign program, no permit shall be issued for an individual sign before approval by the review authority
- Sign programs for one or more signs totaling twenty square feet or less may be approved by the director
- All complete sign program applications for total signs greater than twenty square feet shall be referred to the commission for appropriate action
- Sign programs for large-scale planned commercial projects shall include a detailed written analysis for all signs that are proposed to exceed the requirements listed in Table 3-13

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

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