# Sign Regulations in South El Monte, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** South El Monte, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/south-el-monte
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-10
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://ecode360.com/45043474#45043474)

## At a glance

South El Monte, California regulates 22 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Real estate signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 3 sq ft in residential areas, 12 sq ft in industrial and commercial areas, with a 5 ft setback (Sec. § 17.15.070). Most commercial signs in South El Monte require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 8 ft | 25% of the total window area | — |
| Residential (R-1, R-2, R-3) | 2 | 6 ft | 20 sq ft | — |
| Commercial and Manufacturing (C, C-M, M) | 6 | 20 ft | 144 square inches per flag | — |
| Public Facilities | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Signs not exceeding 1 square foot | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | — | Convenience of the public such as restrooms, public telephones, walkways | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Memorial signs or tablets | — | — | — | — | — | Cut into the surface of the façade of the building | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Directional signs | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | Aid the public in locating entrances to buildings, business or parking areas | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Real estate signs | 6 ft | 3 sq ft in residential areas, 12 sq ft in industrial and commercial areas | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | Per lot frontage | — | § 17.15.070 |
| House numbers and warning signs | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On the lot to which the sign is appurtenant | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Window signs | — | 25% of the total window area | — | — | — | Inside of the window | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Contractor's signs | 8 ft | 24 sq ft per enterprise, total not to exceed 120 sq ft | — | 5 ft | 1 per street frontage | Construction site | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Political Signs | — | 16 sq ft per sign, total not to exceed 64 sq ft per lot | — | — | — | Private property | — | § 17.15.070 |

### Residential (R-1, R-2, R-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Neighborhood Identification Signs | 6 ft | 10 sq ft | — | — | 2 per entry point | At each entry point in connection with any residential neighborhood | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Building Identification | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | For each multifamily building of between 3 and 10 units | — | § 17.15.070 |

### Commercial and Manufacturing (C, C-M, M)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Signs | 20 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per 300 lineal ft of street frontage | Not encroaching into a public right-of-way | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Wall Signs | 5 ft | — | — | — | — | On building faces | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Projecting Signs | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building frontage | In lieu of 1 permitted wall sign | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Gateway Signs | — | — | — | — | 1 per specified location | Within 200 lineal ft of specified intersections | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Automobile Service Station Signs | — | 100 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 freestanding sign per service station | Service station | — | § 17.15.070 |
| Flags and Banners | — | 144 square inches per flag | — | — | — | On property where vehicles or watercraft are displayed for sale | — | § 17.15.070 |

## Prohibited signs in South El Monte

- It is unlawful for any person, firm, organization, or corporation to authorize, erect, construct, maintain, move, alter, attach, change, place, or suspend any sign within the city without first obtaining a written permit.
- Signs on public property or within the public right-of-way shall be prohibited unless otherwise authorized by these regulations.
- No person shall paint, mark, paste, fasten, or in any manner affix or cause to be painted, marked, pasted, fastened, or any manner affixed to or on the curb, street, sidewalk, street sign post, or to or on any sign erected for the purpose of directing or warning traffic, or to or on any telephone, telegraph or electric light pole, or to or on any tree or shrub in any park, public street, alley, parkway or sidewalk any sign, poster, or advertisement of any kind without first obtaining written approval of the city council.
- Off-site signs (billboards), except as provided in Section 17.15.090, are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Signs extending above the roof line of any building are prohibited.
- Any sign, including the illumination thereof, which is animated or designed or operated so as to flash, scintillate, or in any way simulate motion or emit sound other than specified exceptions is prohibited.
- Revolving signs are prohibited.
- Portable signs, except as otherwise provided in these regulations, are prohibited.
- Vehicle advertising displays other than those painted on or permanently affixed to public transportation vehicles used regularly in a business to which the sign pertains are prohibited.
- Signs, which by color, wording, design, location or illumination resemble or conflict with any traffic-control device, or which interfere with the safe and efficient flow of traffic are prohibited.
- No sign in which a live animal or human being is included as a part of the advertising display shall be permitted.
- No word, statement, or symbol of an obscene or immoral nature, or any picture, illustration or other depiction of the human body or any feature thereof in such detail as to offend the public morals or decency shall be permitted.
- Signs, which because of location or physical characteristics are determined to be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare are prohibited.
- Inflatable advertising devices are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in South El Monte

- Signs not exceeding 1 square foot in area, erected for convenience of the public such as signs identifying restrooms, public telephones, walkways and similar features or facilities.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and dates of erection, when cut into the surface of the façade of the building or when projecting no more than 2 inches from the face of the building.
- Traffic or other municipal signs (signs required by law), railroad crossing signs, legal notices, and such temporary advertising signs as may be authorized by the city council.
- Signs of public utility companies indicating danger or which serve to aid the public safety or which show the location of underground facilities or public telephones.
- Directional signs not exceeding 3 sq ft in area, erected to aid the public in locating entrances to buildings, business or parking areas.
- Newspaper stands, provided the sign area does not exceed 6 sq ft.
- One real estate sign per lot frontage, provided such sign meets the provisions of Section 17.15.060.
- House numbers, nonilluminated or directly illuminated, 'no trespassing,' 'no parking' and similar warning signs located on the lot to which the sign is appurtenant and provided that the sign does not exceed 4 sq ft in area.
- Signs located in the interior of any building or within an enclosed court or lobby of any building or group of buildings which signs are designed and located to be viewed exclusively from within the building, court or lobby.
- Window signs in all commercial and manufacturing zones, when placed within the inside of the window and not obscuring more than 25% of the total window area.
- Wind signs (banners, pennants, etc.) in all commercial and manufacturing zones during a 30-day period following the initial or grand opening of a store or business, or for a period or periods not to exceed 30 aggregate days per year for sales or promotional purposes.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Application for Sign Approval. When signs are to be considered in conjunction with new construction or development, which in itself is subject either to site plan review or conditional use permit approval, the sign shall be considered as a part of this review.
- Requests for signs other than as a part of an overall project or development shall be submitted to the planning and community development department on forms prescribed by the department and accompanied by a fee established by resolution of the city council.
- The application shall be accompanied by three copies of a plot plan showing the position of the sign or other advertising structure in relationship to the adjacent buildings or structure, the design and size, structural details and calculations as required by the Uniform Sign Code or the building code, and the proposed location of the sign or sign structure, and the location, size and dimensions of all signs existing on the premises at the time of the filing of the application.

## 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 4 zoning districts in South El Monte — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=South+El+Monte+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-south-el-monte

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/south-el-monte