# Sign Regulations in San Luis Obispo, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** San Luis Obispo, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/san-luis-obispo
- **Data last verified:** 2025-01-07
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://sanluisobispo.municipal.codes/Code/15.40)

## At a glance

San Luis Obispo, California regulates 16 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Wall Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at Uppermost point of the second story tall and 100 square feet or 15% of the building face, whichever is less (Sec. 15.40.470(A)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zones (R-1—R-4) | 4 | — | 20 square feet | — |
| Office (O) | 1 | — | 50 square feet | — |
| Neighborhood Commercial (C-N) | 1 | — | 50 square feet | — |
| Retail Commercial (C-R), Downtown Commercial (C-D), Business Park (BP) | 1 | — | 200 square feet | — |
| Tourist Commercial (C-T), Service Commercial (C-S), Manufacturing (M) | 1 | — | 200 square feet | — |
| Public Facility (PF), Community Commercial (C-C) | 1 | — | 100 square feet | — |
| Conservation to Open Space (C/OS), Agricultural (AG) | 4 | — | 50 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 16 feet | 100 square feet or 15% of the building face, whichever is less | — |

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

### Residential Zones (R-1—R-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | 15.40.460(A) Residential Zones (R-1—R-4) |
| Hanging and Suspended Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | 15.40.460(A) Residential Zones (R-1—R-4) |
| Freestanding Post Sign | — | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | 15.40.460(A) Residential Zones (R-1—R-4) |
| Flag | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 15.40.460(A) Residential Zones (R-1—R-4) |

### Conservation to Open Space (C/OS), Agricultural (AG)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 2 | — | — | 15.40.460(A) Conservation to Open Space (C/OS), Agricultural (AG) |
| Freestanding Post Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 2 | — | — | 15.40.460(A) Conservation to Open Space (C/OS), Agricultural (AG) |
| Monument Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 2 | — | — | 15.40.460(A) Conservation to Open Space (C/OS), Agricultural (AG) |
| Hanging and Suspended Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 2 | — | — | 15.40.460(A) Conservation to Open Space (C/OS), Agricultural (AG) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Uppermost point of the second story | 100 square feet or 15% of the building face, whichever is less | — | — | 1 per wall face for each occupant, up to 2 per occupant space | Building face with a public entrance | — | 15.40.470(A) |
| Window Sign | — | 24 square feet or 15% of the window area, whichever is less | — | — | No limit | Within 36 inches of the face of a window | — | 15.40.470(B) |
| Awning Sign | — | 25 square feet or 25% of the main area of the awning, whichever is smaller | — | — | 1 per tenant space | On awnings | — | 15.40.470(C) |
| Projecting Sign | — | Varies by zone (e.g., 6 sq ft in O zone, 12 sq ft in C-N, C-D, C-C zones, 24 sq ft in C-R, C-T zones) | — | — | 1 per tenant space | Building facades with a public entrance | — | 15.40.470(D) |
| Monument Sign | 6 feet (4 feet in C-R and C-D zones) | 24 square feet (12 sq ft in C-R and C-D zones) | — | — | 1 per premises, per street frontage | Required street yards in all commercial districts and PF zone | — | 15.40.470(F) |
| Freestanding Post Sign | 6 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 per premises, per street frontage | Required street yards | — | 15.40.470(G) |
| Pole Sign | 16 feet | 72 square feet | — | — | 1 per premises along an arterial street frontage | Along arterial streets | — | 15.40.470(H) |
| A-Frame (Sandwich-Board) Sign | 4 feet | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 per tenant space | Private property, not in public right-of-way | — | 15.40.470(I) |

## Prohibited signs in San Luis Obispo

- Lighting for signs shall not create a hazardous glare for pedestrians or vehicles either in a public street or on any private premises.
- The light source, whether internal to the sign or external, shall be shielded from view.
- Internally illuminated cabinet signs are prohibited in the downtown commercial (C-D) zone.
- Signs located in residential zones may not be illuminated, except externally illuminated directory signs approved for residential projects.
- Signs shall not be made of plastic, plywood, or pressed board unless approved as a temporary sign.
- Materials such as foam, poster board, or flat plastic which are usually associated with temporary signage are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in San Luis Obispo

- Flagpoles consistent with this section and Section 15.40.200(K) do not require a sign permit but may require building permits.
- In residential zoning districts wall-mounted flags which do not project above the roofline are exempt from permit requirements.

## 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 San Luis Obispo — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=San+Luis+Obispo+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-san-luis-obispo

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