Every outdoor sign in Bakersfield is governed by the municipality’s sign ordinance, which sets how large a sign may be, how tall it may stand, how far it must sit from the property line, whether it may be illuminated, and which sign types are permitted in each zoning district. This page summarizes those requirements in plain language and links each value back to the section of the Bakersfield code it came from.
Sign rules here are layered. The base zoning district — commercial, industrial, or residential — sets the default limits, and overlay districts such as historic or downtown districts can tighten them further. Because the most specific jurisdiction controls, a freestanding monument sign on a commercial parcel and a wall sign in a historic overlay can face very different limits even on the same street in Bakersfield.
Use the figures below as a fast first check, then run a full address lookup to confirm the exact limits for a specific parcel in Bakersfield, California. The full report also covers permit requirements, prohibited sign types, and illumination rules — each cited to the source ordinance so your permit application can reference it directly.
Before you order or install a sign in Bakersfield, confirm three things: the maximum sign area and height allowed in the parcel’s zoning district, the minimum setback from the right-of-way, and whether the sign type you want — freestanding, monument, wall, projecting, or awning — is permitted there at all. Many permit denials come from missing a setback or an overlay-district restriction rather than from the size of the sign itself, so checking the governing section before applying saves a costly resubmittal.
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Max ground sign height
8' high
Ground sign setback
Must be behind property line
Awning Signs
Awning Sign Sf Calc
Yes (entire awning counted per part of wall sign calculation)
Awning Projection Clearance
8' off grade, 3' off wall; part of wall sign calculation
Building Signs
Building Sign Formula
2 sf per linear ft of building frontage facing a roadway; 1 sf per linear ft not facing a roadway
Comprehensive prohibited/permitted sign type table includes Residential ID, Business ID (wall/pylon/monument/window), Readerboard/menuboard, Shingle, Name plate, Building ID, and Temporary sign subtypes (Real Estate, Construction, Future Facility, Promotional, Special Event, Political Election) each with number/area/height/illumination/location rules per Sections 17.60.050-17.60.080
Temporary Signs
Temp Signs Allowed
Yes, allowed and requires its own permit
Temp Sign Rules
One per entrance (or combined at corner for sight lines); installed once permit is in hand; 30 days, 8' high, 32 sf
Variance Appeals
Variance Process
Submit application to city, show site hardship; council meets every second Tuesday of the month; fee starts at $380 per application
Variance Process And Fee
Submit application to city, site hardship; council meets 2nd Tuesday of month; fee $600 per application; likelihood based on scope of work