# Sign Regulations in Rancho Palos Verdes, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Rancho Palos Verdes, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/rancho-palos-verdes
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-26
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CA/Rancho_Palos_Verdes/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZO_ARTVIIDEAPRE_CH17.75SICO)

## At a glance

Rancho Palos Verdes, California regulates 19 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Awning or Canopy Sign (Permanent)s in the Nonresidential Properties zoning district are capped at Not to be displayed above 2nd story tall, Max 75% valance coverage, and Max 60% of canopy or valance wide, with a Min 2 ft. setback from outer curb setback (Sec. Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties). Most commercial signs in Rancho Palos Verdes require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonresidential Properties | 15 | Second story but not more than 25 ft. from grade | Max 75% valance coverage | — |
| Residential Properties | 6 | 12 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | No part of a mural shall exceed the height of the structure on which it is placed | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Nonresidential Properties

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning or Canopy Sign (Permanent) | Not to be displayed above 2nd story | Max 75% valance coverage | Max 60% of canopy or valance | Min 2 ft. setback from outer curb | 1/ canopy, 1/valance | On awning or canopy | — | Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties |
| Construction Signs (Temporary) | 6 ft. | 20 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft. from property line | 1 sign per entrance | At entrance | — | Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties |
| Electronic Readerboards (Permanent) | 6 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from property line | 1 sign per entrance | At entrance | — | Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties |
| Flags (Permanent/Temporary) | 12 ft. | 30 sq. ft. per business; max 24 sq. ft. per flag | — | 5 ft. from property line | n/a | On flagpole | — | Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties |
| Freestanding Sign (Permanent; Monument/Ground-Mounted Directory) | 6 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | Max width: 10 ft, including structure | 5 ft. from property line | 1 per entrance, 1 additional sign on corner, if applicable | At entrance or corner | — | Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties |
| Pole Signs (Permanent) | 6 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from property line | 1 sign per entrance | At entrance | — | Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties |
| Portable Signs (Temporary) | 3 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from property line | 1 per business | Near business entrance | — | Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties |
| Projecting Signs/Suspended Signs (Permanent) | 14 ft. from grade; not higher than floor where business is located | 12 sq. ft. | Max 10 inches | Can encroach up to 3 ft. into PROW with City Engineer approval and encroachment permit | 1 per business entrance | On business structure | — | Table 17.75.090-1, Signs on Nonresidential Properties |

### Residential Properties

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Architectural Sign (Permanent) | — | — | Max width: max 75% of wall | — | 1 per wall | On decorative, fence, or retaining wall | — | Table 17.75.100-1, Standards for all signs on residential properties |
| Flags (Permanent/Temporary) | 12 ft | 15 sq ft/flag 30 sq ft total | — | 5 ft from property line | n/a | On flagpole | — | Table 17.75.100-1, Standards for all signs on residential properties |
| Freestanding Signs (Permanent; Monument and Ground-Mounted Directory Signs) | 6 ft | 40 sq ft | Max. width: 6 ft, including structure | 5 ft from property line | 1 per entrance | At entrance | — | Table 17.75.100-1, Standards for all signs on residential properties |
| Subdivision Signs (Temporary) | 6 ft | 20 sq ft per 15 units | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 sign per 15 units | External | — | Table 17.75.100-1, Standards for all signs on residential properties |
| Wall Signs (Permanent) | Not above building height | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property | On property | — | Table 17.75.100-1, Standards for all signs on residential properties |
| Yard Signs (Temporary) | Inverted L: 6 ft from lowest grade; Other yard signs: 3 ft from lowest grade | 5 sq ft/sign | — | Min 2 ft from vehicular right-of-way | 3 signs | On property | — | Table 17.75.100-1, Standards for all signs on residential properties |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Murals | No part of a mural shall exceed the height of the structure on which it is placed | — | — | — | — | On building | — | 17.75.120, Murals |

## Prohibited signs in Rancho Palos Verdes

- No person shall willfully mutilate, mark on, deface or destroy any sign required by this section.
- Signs or sign structures which by color, wording, or location resemble or conflict with traffic control signs or devices.
- Signs which obstruct vehicular views of pedestrians or other vehicles or pedestrian views of vehicles, so as to affect the safety of the public.
- Human signs.
- Rotating, moving, scintillating, blinking or flashing illumination signs, except for randomly blinking Tivoli lights.
- Commercial advertising statuary or holograms.
- Airborne signs.
- Air dancers.
- Billboards.
- Mobile billboard advertising displays, and advertising signs on motor vehicles parked or left standing upon a public street.
- Signs on hillsides.
- Feather signs.
- Roof signs.
- Obscene messages or graphic representations.

## Signs exempt from permit in Rancho Palos Verdes

- Signs or displays that are not visible by the general public from any public right-of-way or public area, or from an adjacent private property.
- Any sign, posting, notice or similar signs placed, installed, or required by law by the city, the county, or a federal or state governmental agency in carrying out its responsibility to protect the public health and safety.
- Signs neatly and permanently affixed to a vehicle, which do not project or deviate above or from the vehicle profile.
- Signs that constitute an integral part of a permitted vending machine or similar facility located outside of a business.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign program approved by the planning commission is required for any parcel with four or more businesses or commercial tenant spaces.
- Once a sign program is approved, sign permits are not required for individual business signs that are installed in compliance with the sign program.
- Individual signs in compliance with an approved sign program can be approved by the director through a sign program compliance review.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Rancho Palos Verdes, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Rancho+Palos+Verdes+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-rancho-palos-verdes

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/rancho-palos-verdes