# Sign Regulations in Seal Beach, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Seal Beach, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/seal-beach
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43959286#43959286)

## At a glance

Seal Beach, California regulates 42 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial Districts (LC/RMD, PO, SC, GC) zoning district are capped at 15 feet tall and 60 square feet, with a 5 feet from any property line setback (Sec. 11.4.25.025.D). Most commercial signs in Seal Beach require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 16 | 8 feet (commercial, mixed-use, nonresidential); 5 feet (residential) | 32 square feet (commercial, mixed-use, nonresidential); 6 square feet (residential) | — |
| Commercial Districts (LC/RMD, PO, SC, GC) | 10 | 40 ft. maximum and not less than 12 ft. | 100 square feet | — |
| Main Street Specific Plan District (MSSP) | 8 | 8 feet but not more than 12 feet above grade | 40 square feet | — |
| Residential Districts | 3 | 25 feet | 40 square feet | — |
| Nonresidential Districts | 2 | — | 32 square feet | — |
| LM and OE Districts | 2 | 10 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| RG District | 1 | 6 feet | 60 square feet | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Construction Signs | 8 feet (commercial, mixed-use, nonresidential); 5 feet (residential) | 32 square feet (commercial, mixed-use, nonresidential); 6 square feet (residential) | — | — | — | On a construction site | — | 11.4.25.010.C |
| Commemorative Signs | — | 3 square feet | — | — | — | Attached to or cut into the surfaces of buildings | — | 11.4.25.010.F |
| Parking and Directional Signs | — | 5 square feet | — | — | — | On-site | — | 11.4.25.010.G |
| Informational Signs | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | Wholly on private property | — | 11.4.25.010.H |
| Time and Temperature Devices | — | 6 square feet | — | — | — | Wholly on private property | — | 11.4.25.010.I |
| On-Site Real Estate Signs | — | 6 square feet (residential); 6, 25, 50 square feet (commercial, mixed-use, nonresidential) | — | — | 1 per public street frontage per lot | On-premises | — | 11.4.25.010.J |
| Window Signs | — | 20% of window and transparent door frontage | — | — | — | Residential zones and properties | — | 11.4.25.010.L |
| Barber Poles | 6 feet | — | — | — | — | Commercial private property | — | 11.4.25.010.M |

### Commercial Districts (LC/RMD, PO, SC, GC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Roof line | 100 square feet | — | — | 1 per building wall | Building wall | — | 11.4.25.025.D |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 feet | 60 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 1 for each site with over 100 feet of lot width | Parcel or building site | — | 11.4.25.025.D |
| Monument Sign | 5 feet | 60 square feet | — | — | Maximum 4 per site | Traffic entrance to the center | — | 11.4.25.025.D |
| Projecting Sign | Roof line (below canopy); 20 ft. (not below canopy) | 6 sq. ft. (below canopy); 10 sq. ft. (not below canopy) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Street frontage | — | 11.4.25.025.D |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | Top of awning or canopy | See Section 11.4.25.025.A and Section 11.4.25.025.B | — | — | 1 per awning | First and second floor of buildings | — | 11.4.25.025.D |
| Permanent Window | Limited to first and second floor windows | 10% - 20% of window area | — | — | N/A | Interior surface of the window | — | 11.4.25.025.D |
| Marquee Sign | Roof line, or up to 6 feet above roof line with minor use permit approval | See Section 11.4.25.025.A and Section 11.4.25.025.B | — | — | 1 per building | Building | — | 11.4.25.025.D |
| Flags | 40 ft. maximum and not less than 12 ft. | 12 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot frontage | Lot frontage | — | 11.4.25.025.D |

### Main Street Specific Plan District (MSSP)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Courtyard Signs | 7 feet | 20 square feet | — | 3 feet from a street property line, 2 feet from an interior property line, 10 feet from the edge of a driveway | 1 per courtyard | Courtyard | — | 11.4.25.025.D.10 |
| Projecting Signs | 8 feet but not more than 12 feet above grade | 4 square feet per side | — | — | 1 per ground-level occupancy frontage | Near primary entryway | — | 11.4.25.025.D.10 |
| Monument Signs | 5 feet | 40 square feet | — | 3 feet from a street property line, 3 feet from an interior property line, 10 feet from the edge of a driveway | 1 per site | Landscape planter | — | 11.4.25.025.D.10 |
| Restaurant Menu Signs | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per restaurant | Surface of the building adjacent to the entry | — | 11.4.25.025.D.10 |
| Permanent Window Signs | No window sign above the second story | 20% of the area of each window | — | — | N/A | Interior surface of the window | — | 11.4.25.025.D.10 |
| Neon Signs | — | — | — | — | N/A | Interior within 5 feet of a storefront window | — | 11.4.25.025.D.10 |
| Temporary Window Signs | — | 30% of any window (50% during December) | — | — | 1 per window | Window | — | 11.4.25.025.D.10 |
| Portable A-Frame Signs | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant/use | Building frontage within 10 feet of a public sidewalk | — | 11.4.25.025.D.10 |

## Prohibited signs in Seal Beach

- No sign shall be erected or maintained anywhere in the city except in conformity with this chapter.
- Banners, streamers, pennants, and other signs made of lightweight fabric or similar material, or designed to rotate or move with the wind, except where expressly provided for in this chapter.
- Signs that produce noise or sounds that can be heard at the property line, excluding voice units at menu boards, and signs that emit visible smoke, vapor, particles, or odor.
- Signs which incorporate any manner of animation, flashing, moving, or intermittent lighting.
- Signs located in such a manner as to constitute a traffic hazard or obstruct the view of any authorized traffic sign or signal device.
- Off-premises signs, except signs on a public bus bench, public bus shelter, or any waste bin attached to a public bus bench or public bus shelter which convey a commercial message as their primary purpose and are authorized by a contract or franchise agreement with the applicable transit agency.
- Roof signs that extend above the roof line or parapet of a building with a flat roof, above the eave line of a building with a sloped roof, or above the deck line of a mansard roof.
- No sign, or supporting sign structure, may be erected in the public right-of-way, with specific exceptions.

## Signs exempt from permit in Seal Beach

- Address Signs: Required address identification signs that are in conformance with the building code.
- Change of Business Signs: Temporary attachment or covering indicating a change of ownership or activity for no longer than 30 days.
- Construction Signs: Temporary construction sign for the duration of construction activities.
- Interior Signs: Signs located in interior areas of a building or site, not visible from public streets or adjacent properties.
- Official Government Signs: Official notices issued by a court, public body or office; signs erected by a governmental body to direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Commemorative Signs: Commemorative plaques, memorial signs or tablets, or signs indicating names of buildings and dates of building erection.
- Parking and Directional Signs: On-site parking and directional signs not exceeding 5 square feet in area.
- Informational Signs: Noncommercial informational signs located wholly on private property not exceeding 2 square feet in area.
- Time and Temperature Devices: Time and temperature devices not exceeding 6 square feet.
- On-Site Real Estate Signs: On-premises signs conveying information about the sale, rental, or lease of the appurtenant lot.
- Vehicle Signs: Signs painted, stenciled or similarly affixed to the surface of vehicles.
- Window Signs: Window signs subject to specific provisions.
- Barber Poles: Barber poles not exceeding 6 feet in height.
- Newspaper Stands: Signs that are part of newspaper stands not exceeding 6 square feet.
- Decorative Holiday Displays: Noncommercial decorative holiday displays removed within 45 days of installation.
- Bus Shelter and Bus Bench Signs: Signs on a public bus bench or shelter authorized by a contract or franchise agreement with the applicable transit agency.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A planned sign program shall be required for the signage of a new structure, or a conversion of an existing structure into separate tenant spaces, that will establish or create 4 or more separate tenant spaces.
- All commercial projects with more than 4 nonresidential tenant occupancies, all separately identifiable commercial building groups, and all construction and renovation projects involving more than 20,000 square feet must obtain approval for a planned sign program prior to the installation of any signs.

## 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 Seal Beach — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Seal+Beach+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-seal-beach

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