Understanding sign regulations in Santa Clarita, CA
Every outdoor sign in Santa Clarita 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 Santa Clarita 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 Santa Clarita.
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 Santa Clarita, 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 Santa Clarita, 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.
Census snapshot
Population
225,850
Median household income
$116,186
Median home value
$669,200
Time zone
Pacific Time
Demographic figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey) and are provided as jurisdiction context for Santa Clarita; they do not affect sign-code requirements.
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Max ground sign height
Monument: 6 ft (up to 8 ft with enhanced signing); Pylon: 15 ft (up to 20 ft with enhanced signing)
Ground sign setback
Monument: 1 ft from property line, 25 ft from adjacent residential zone; Pylon: 3 ft from property line, 25 ft from adjacent residential zone
Directional signs in C, I, MX, and PI zones: number not specified; 6 square feet, up to 12 square feet with enhanced signing; freestanding height 6 feet, up to 8 feet with enhanced signing; wall-mounted height up to 3 feet; 1-foot property-line setback and 25 feet from adjacent residential zone.
Commercial and industrial properties 50 acres or larger along SR-14 and I-5 in C, I, and MX zones may have one freeway commercial center sign; area 900 square feet; height 25 feet; minimum 2,000 feet from another freeway commercial center sign and 500 feet from another freestanding sign.
Ground Signs
Ground Sign Type
Monument and Pylon signs
Ground Sign Formula
Monument: 54 sq ft including base; Pylon: 40 sq ft (up to 160 sq ft with enhanced signing for centers with 1,000+ ft frontage)
Sign illumination must be shaded, shielded, directed, or reduced to minimize light spillage and may not create excessive glare hazardous to traffic.
Monument Signs
Monument Signs Commercial
Monument signs in C, I, MX, and PI zones: one with minimum 100 feet of lot frontage; additional signs per 400 feet of frontage with 250-foot separation; 54 square feet including base; 6 feet high, up to 8 feet with enhanced signing; 1-foot property-line setback and 25 feet from adjacent residential zone.
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Permit
Sign Permit Purpose
A sign permit is used to ensure compliance with sign design, illumination, location, materials, number, size, and type regulations.
Prohibited Signs
Prohibited Sign Categories
Prohibited signs include signs using exposed light sources over 450 lumens, exposed incandescent lamps with external metallic reflectors, revolving beacon lights, and continuous or sequential flashing operation.
Pylon Signs
Pylon Signs Commercial
Pylon signs in C, I, MX, and PI zones require minimum 500 feet of lot frontage and 3 acres; area 40 square feet, up to 160 square feet with enhanced signing for centers with 1,000 feet frontage; height 15 feet, up to 20 feet with enhanced signing; 3-foot property-line setback and 25 feet from adjacent residential zone.
Temporary Signs
Temporary Noncommercial Commercial Zones
Temporary freestanding or mounted commercial signs are not permitted; noncommercial temporary signs in C, MX, PI, I, and OS zones are limited to 32 square feet each and 200 square feet aggregate per parcel or commercial center.
Temporary Noncommercial Residential
Temporary freestanding or mounted commercial signs are not permitted in the R zone; noncommercial temporary signs are limited to 32 square feet each and 100 square feet aggregate per parcel.
Primary wall signs in C, I, MX, and PI zones: one along the main/primary elevation of each tenant; 1.5 square feet of wall sign area per foot of tenant frontage; width limited to 75% of tenant frontage.
Secondary Wall Sign Area
Secondary wall signs in C, I, MX, and PI zones are limited to half the allowable area of the primary wall sign and 75% of tenant frontage.