# Sign Regulations in Santa Maria, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Santa Maria, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/santa-maria
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43642935#43642935)

## At a glance

Santa Maria, California regulates 3 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Commercial District (C-1, C-2, CPO, CC, HC, FS, CM) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 50 square feet (Sec. Section 12-34.05(b)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial District (C-1, C-2, CPO, CC, HC, FS, CM) | 2 | 8 feet | 80% of building street frontage width | — |
| Industrial District (M-1, M-2) | 2 | 8 feet | 80% of building street frontage width | — |
| Specific Plan (SP) | 2 | 8 feet | 80% of building street frontage width | — |
| Public Facilities (PF) | 2 | 8 feet | 80% of building street frontage width | — |
| Airport Service (AS I, II, III) | 2 | 8 feet | 80% of building street frontage width | — |
| Residential District (R-1, RSL-1, R-2, R-3, RMH) | 2 | 6 feet | 80% of building street frontage width | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | Not to exceed roof eave line of nearest building | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Commercial District (C-1, C-2, CPO, CC, HC, FS, CM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not to exceed the eave or parapet of the roof | 80% of building street frontage width | — | — | — | — | — | Section 12-34.05(a) |
| Monument Sign | 8 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | One per 125 linear feet of parcel frontage | On landscaped mounds | — | Section 12-34.05(b) |

### Industrial District (M-1, M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not to exceed the eave or parapet of the roof | 80% of building street frontage width | — | — | — | — | — | Section 12-34.05(a) |
| Monument Sign | 8 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | One per 125 linear feet of parcel frontage | On landscaped mounds | — | Section 12-34.05(b) |

### Specific Plan (SP)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not to exceed the eave or parapet of the roof | 80% of building street frontage width | — | — | — | — | — | Section 12-34.05(a) |
| Monument Sign | 8 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | One per 125 linear feet of parcel frontage | On landscaped mounds | — | Section 12-34.05(b) |

## Prohibited signs in Santa Maria

- Any sign designed for emitting sound.
- Any sign or sign structure which has become a public nuisance due to inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, or abandonment.
- Any sign which obstructs in any manner the ingress to, or egress from, a door, window, fire escape, or other access way required by building codes adopted by the City of Santa Maria.
- Any sign unlawfully installed, erected, or maintained.
- Any sign that encroaches into any City right-of-way and/or easement, except under-canopy, projecting and sandwich board signs.
- Any sign that flashes, blinks, moves, changes color, appears to change color, changes intensity, or contains any part of attachment which does the same.
- Any sign that is inconsistent with the traffic safety sight area, pursuant to Santa Maria Municipal Code Section 12-27.03.
- Any sign structure located so that it interferes with visibility at an intersection, public right-of-way, driveway, or other ingress/egress.
- Any freestanding pole sign.
- Any sign located or displayed on or over public property except as expressly permitted in this chapter.
- Any sign attached to a tree.
- Any sign structure erected or maintained which has less horizontal or vertical clearance from communication lines and energized electrical power lines than that prescribed by the state, or rules and regulations duly promulgated by agencies thereof.
- Any sign structure adversely affecting traffic control or safety.
- Balloons and blimps.
- Roof signs.
- Any sign on public property or property in which the City holds an interest unless otherwise authorized by this chapter.
- Bow/feather signs.
- Sandwich board signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Santa Maria

- Any public or legal notice required by a court or public agency.
- City approved directional signage for new home construction.
- Decorative or architectural features of building, except letters, trademarks, or moving parts.
- Time and temperature devices.
- Signs on street legal vehicles, license plates, license plate frames, registration insignia, including noncommercial messages, messages relating to the business or service of which the vehicle is an instrument or tool (not including general advertising), and messages relating to the proposed sale, lease, or exchange of the vehicle.
- Traffic, directional, emergency, warning or informational signs required or authorized by a governmental agency having jurisdiction.
- Permanent memorial or historical signs, plaques, or markers that comply with Section 12-34.03(u).
- Public utility signs.
- Newsracks.
- City approved 'Adopt-a-Road' signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- On a multi-tenant building or multi-building site, a master sign plan shall be prepared by the owner for review and approval by the Zoning Administrator in accordance with Section 12-34.07.
- Sites with multiple tenants shall be required to submit a sign program, for approval by the Zoning Administrator, to determine the share of total sign area for each tenant space.

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

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