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Sign Code Summary

City of Burlingame, CA

Local sign ordinance requirements — free, cited to the source section.

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Understanding sign regulations in City of Burlingame, CA

Every outdoor sign in City of Burlingame 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 City of Burlingame 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 City of Burlingame.

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 City of Burlingame, 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 City of Burlingame, 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
25' high.
Ground sign setback
Cannot be installed within clear view triangle

Awning Signs

Awning Sign Sf Calc
Awnings allowed; 40% of awning face; signage on awning counted as part of max total signage below 24 ft on specified frontage
Awning Projection Clearance
May extend 4 ft into private property or 3 ft into public ROW; 8 ft above grade; down-directed external illumination allowed

Building Signs

Building Sign Formula
0 to 50 Ln building frontage up to Max 50 SF sign face area , over 51' to you per 120 sf sign face area.
Building Sign Max Number
No more than 5 signs. / Per street frontage.
Building Sign Illumination
in full report
Height Restriction
in full report

2 more building signs rules in the full report →

Directional Signs

Directional Max Size
Max 4 square feet

General Info

Jurisdiction Name
City of Burlingame, CA

General Standards

Msp On File
No
Projecting Sign Requirements
Cannot project above 24 ft or above roofline; min clearance 8 ft above grade; max projection 4 ft private / 3 ft public ROW
Monument Design Requirement
in full report
Directional Max Number
in full report

2 more general standards rules in the full report →

Ground Signs

Ground Sign Type
pylon
Ground Sign Formula
One (1) SF per face per lineal foot of frontage max 250 sf per face
Ground Sign Max Height
in full report
Ground Sign Setback
in full report

2 more ground signs rules in the full report →

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Illumination

Architectural Lighting
Architectural lighting allowed; does not count against overall SF; no Dark Sky requirements

Permit Process

Permit Time Frame
Up to two weeks
Triangulation Requirements
Cannot be installed within clear view triangle
Landlord Approval Required
in full report

1 more permit process rule in the full report →

Prohibited Signs

Window Lightboxes Allowed
No, lightboxes/marketing display windows not allowed
Directional Copy And Logo
No, permit not required, only allowed at entrances and exits

Temporary Signs

Temp Signs Allowed
Temporary construction signs not allowed
Temp Sign Rules
Banners allowed 30 consecutive days within a 12-month period, 20 sq ft, 8 ft height

Variance Appeals

Variance Process
Must show hardship to current bylaw
Variance Fee
Based on scope of work
Variance Likelihood
in full report

1 more variance appeals rule in the full report →

Window Signs

Window Sign Allowable Area
25% of window area; permit not required

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