Los Angeles Municipal Code Div. 62 Signs

(Division Amended by Ord. No. 179,324, Eff. 12/10/07, Oper. 1/1/08.)

Section

91.6201 General Provisions. 91.6202 Definitions. 91.6203 Location. 91.6204 Identification. 91.6205 Design and Construction. 91.6206 Electrical. 91.6207 Combustible Materials. 91.6208 Animated Devices. 91.6209 Ground Signs.

91.6210 Roof Signs. 91.6211 Wall Signs. 91.6212 Projecting Signs. 91.6213 Marquee Signs. 91.6214 Portable Signs. 91.6215 Referenced Standards. 91.6216 Existing Signs.

(Amended by Ord. No. 171,175, Eff. 7/25/96.)

91.6201.1.General. Section H101.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6201.2. Sign Permits. (Amended by Ord. No. 179,416, Eff. 12/20/07, Oper. 1/1/08.)

1. A building permit shall be obtained from the Department in accordance with the provisions of Section 91.106 of this Code for any sign (including a temporary sign) and/or sign alteration, other than changes

or replacement of copy, that are regulated by this division or by Chapter I of the LAMC. Where signs are illuminated by electric lighting, an electrical permit shall also be obtained as required by the Electrical Code.

EXCEPTIONS: (Amended by Ord. No. 184,692, Eff. 12/30/16.)

a. Signs not exceeding 20 square feet (1.85 m 2 ) in area, place upon the surface of the ground, no part of which extends more than 6 feet 6 inches (1981.2 mm) above the underlying ground,

which have no mechanical or moving parts or to which no electricity or other source of illumination or power are attached to or used to illuminate the sign;

b. Boards and signs, not to exceed 6 square feet (.557 m 2 ), used exclusively to display official notices issued by any court or public officer in the performance of a public duty or by a private

person in giving legal notice;

c. Temporary signs conforming to the requirements of Article 4.4, Chapter I of the Los Angeles Municipal Code which contain political, ideological, or other noncommercial messages.

2. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Prior to the issuance of a building permit(s) for temporary signs on temporary construction walls, and/or solid wood fences surrounding vacant lots pursuant to

LAMC Section 14.4.17, the applicant shall post with the Department a bond in the amount of $10,000.00, guaranteeing compliance with all conditions of the permit and the provisions of this ordinance. The applicant may post a surety bond, cash bond or negotiable United States Treasury Certificates of the kind approved by law for securing deposits of public money in accordance with the requirements of LAMC Section 91.8305, et seq. Only one bond shall be required of each applicant regardless of the number of locations for which the applicant has requested a building permit for a temporary sign on temporary construction fences or fences surrounding vacant lots.

For purposes of this subsection, the term "applicant" shall mean the owner of the sign company or, if there is no sign company, the owner of the property.

3. The Department may revoke any sign permit as provided in LAMC Section 98.0601(a).

91.6201.3. Sign Permit Priority Status.

1. To maintain location, area, frontage, or spacing status, signs must be installed within six months of issuance of a building permit or prior to expiration of any permit extension granted by the Department.

2. Where more than one permit has been issued and the effect of those permits when considered together results in a violation of this division, all permits except the permit with the earlier date and time of issuance shall be invalid.

91.6201.4. Violations. It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, construct, install, enlarge, alter, repair, move, remove, convert, demolish, use or maintain any sign or sign support structure or cause or permit those actions to be done, in violation of any of the provisions of this division.

Any person who violates or causes or permits another person to violate any of the provisions of this division is guilty of a misdemeanor.

91.6201.5. Penalties. Any person convicted of a misdemeanor under the provisions of this division shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not more than six months, or by both fine and imprisonment. Each violation of the provisions of this division and each day during which a violation is committed or continues is a separate offense.

Any person convicted of violating any provision of this division may be required to pay restitution to the City of Los Angeles for all costs expended to investigate and/or enforce the provisions of this division.

91.6201.6. Modifications.

91.6201.6.1. Authority. In addition to its authority to grant slight modifications pursuant to LAMC Section 98.0403.1, the Board shall have the authority to grant significant modifications from these sign regulations.

91.6201.6.2. Basis. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Before granting a significant modification, the Board must find (1) that a special, individual reason makes the strict letter of the ordinance impractical and (2) that the requested modification is in conformity with the spirit and purposes of the objectives set forth in LAMC Subdivision 91.6201.6.6.

91.6201.6.3. Procedure.

91.6201.6.3.1. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Requests for modifications in individual cases shall be made in accordance with the procedure established in LAMC Sections 98.0403.1 and 98.0403.2.

91.6201.6.3.2. The Department shall determine whether an application is for a slight modification or a significant modification. The Department's determination that a proposed modification is significant shall be final and may not be appealed to the Board.

91.6201.6.3.3. An application for a request for significant modification shall be made to the Board. The applicant, in their request, shall state the special, individual reason that makes compliance with the strict letter of the provisions in question impractical and shall show that the modification requested is in conformity with the spirit and purpose of this division.

On the date of receipt of filing of the application, the file of the Department shall be forwarded to the Board. Upon receipt of the application, the Board shall set the matter for hearing and give notice by mail not less than ten days before the hearing of the time, place and purpose of the hearing to the applicant, to the owners of the property involved, and to the owners of all property within or outside of the City that is within a 300-foot radius of the property on which the sign is to be placed as shown on the records of the City Engineer, or in the case of property outside the City, the records of the County Assessor. (Amended by Ord. No. 181,595, Eff. 4/10/11.)

91.6201.6.4. Board Referral. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) The Board may refer a request for a significant modification to the Sign Advisory Committee (LAMC Subsection 91.105.4) for evaluation and recommendation before it renders a decision.

91.6201.6.5. Fees. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Processing fees for significant modifications are the same as those set forth for appeals to the Board in LAMC Section 98.0403.2. Significant modifications may also be subject to the fees set forth in LAMC Subsection 91.105.4 and LAMC Section 19.05.

91.6201.6.6. Purpose. The purpose of this division is to promote public safety and welfare by regulating signs in keeping with the following objectives:

1. That the design, construction, installation, repair and maintenance of signs will not interfere with traffic safety or otherwise endanger public safety; and

2. That both the public and sign users will benefit from signs having improved legibility, readability and visibility.

(Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

Section H102 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference, except that the following terms are not adopted:

DISPLAY SIGN

PORTABLE DISPLAY SURFACE

The following terms are added:

CODE. As used in Division 62, Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC, Code shall mean Article 4.4, Chapter I of the LAMC. This is a clarification of and not a change to existing law.

MASONRY INFILL. Masonry infill is the unreinforced or reinforced masonry wall construction within a reinforced concrete frame.

SOLID MASONRY. Solid masonry shall mean reinforced masonry properly designed in accordance with Division 21, Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC, and shall not include an unreinforced masonry bearing wall as defined in LAMC Section 91.8803 and masonry infill as defined in this section.

91.6203.1. Location Restrictions. Section H103.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6204.1. Identification. Section H104.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6204.2. Notification to Sign Purchasers. Any person who sells an identification sign, monument sign, pole sign, projecting sign or wall sign, as those terms are defined in Chapter I of the LAMC, for installation in the City of Los Angeles, shall provide written notice of the provisions of this division to the purchaser. The Superintendent shall promulgate regulations setting forth the content for this notification.

91.6205.1. General Requirements. Signs shall be designed and constructed to comply with the provisions of this Code for use of materials, loads and stresses. Glass panels used in signs shall comply with the size, thickness and type of glass as shown in Table H115.1(1) of the CBC. The use, location, size, area, and height of the sign shall comply with the provisions of this Code and Chapter I of the LAMC, whichever is more restrictive. (Amended by Ord. No. 188,739, Eff. 9/23/25.)

91.6205.2. Section H105.2 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6205.3. Section H105.3 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6205.4. Section H105.4 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6205.5. Section H105.5 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6205.6.Section H105.6 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6205.18. Off-Site Sign Periodic Inspection Program. (Amended by Ord. No. 180,446, Eff. 12/26/08.)

91.6205.18.1. General. (Amended by Ord. No. 183,249, Eff. 11/29/14.) All off-site sign structures as defined in Section 14.4.2 of the LAMC and subject to the provisions of Chapter I of the LAMC are subject to regular inspection. Beginning February 1, 2015, the Superintendent or an authorized representative shall inspect each sign a minimum of once every two years.

91.6205.18.2. Fees for Inspection. (Amended by Ord. No. 183,249, Eff. 11/29/14.) This fee shall be known as the "Off-Site Sign Periodic Inspection Fee". The person or entity in control of an off-site sign structure subject to inspection shall pay a regulatory fee of $169.87 to the Department and provide a copy of a valid permit issued by the City of Los Angeles for each off-site sign structure or a copy of a valid permit issued by the appropriate jurisdiction if the lot was annexed to the City of Los Angeles.

The regulatory fee shall be due on February 1 every two years, starting on February 1, 2015. If the fee is not paid on or before the last day of the month in which it is due, a monthly penalty equal to five percent of any outstanding fee, but not less than $10.00, shall be added to the outstanding fee each month until the outstanding fee is paid. Should the person or entity in control fail to pay the required fee, the City of Los Angeles may recover the fee, plus accrued penalties, utilizing any remedy approved by law.

The Department shall cause all money collected pursuant to this section to be deposited into the Off-Site Sign Periodic Inspection Fee Trust Fund described in Section 5.111.17 of the Los Angeles Administrative Code for purposes of disbursement as that section permits.

The regulatory fee shall be used to finance the costs of administering the inspection program, including, but not limited to, inspection and maintenance of an off-site sign structure database. Payment of the fee shall not create a presumption that the sign is lawfully erected, as that term is defined in LAMC Subdivision 91.6205.18.7. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

91.6205.18.3. Inspection Records. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) The Department shall keep records of the off-site sign inspection program, showing the following information for each off-site sign structure subject to inspection pursuant to LAMC Subsection 91.6205.18: the payment of inspection fees; that inspections have been conducted; any known building permit number; size of sign as shown on any known building permit; issuance date of any known building permit; any subsequent building permits issued for that sign; any information required pursuant to this division or obtained pursuant to inspection; and whether the off- site sign structure has been determined to be in compliance with the terms of all known building permits and with all applicable regulations at the time the permits were issued.

91.6205.18.4. Frequency of Inspection. (Amended by Ord. No. 183,249, Eff. 11/29/14.) Each off-site sign structure shall be inspected once every two years.

91.6205.18.5. (Deleted by Ord. No. 183,249, Eff. 11/29/14.)

91.6205.18.6. Orders. If, upon inspection, the Superintendent or an authorized representative observes one or more violations of the LAMC, the Superintendent shall issue an Order to Comply. The person in control of the sign shall eliminate all violations by the compliance date stated on the Order to Comply.

91.6205.18.7. Violations. If the Department determines that an off-site sign structure was not lawfully erected, then the off-site sign structure shall have its sign face removed and replaced with blank panels until the off- site sign structure is made to comply with the applicable provisions of the LAMC. The term "lawfully erected" means an off-site sign structure that was erected in compliance with the provisions of the LAMC in effect at the time of its erection or which was subsequently brought into full compliance with the provisions of the LAMC, except that the term does not apply to any off-site sign structure whose use was modified after erection in a manner that caused it to become illegal.

91.6206.1. Section H106.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6206.1.1. Except as provided for in CBC Sections 402.6.4 and 2611, where internally illuminated signs have facings of wood or approved plastic, the area of such facing section shall be not more than 120 square feet (11.16 m 2 ) and the wiring for electric lighting shall be entirely enclosed in the sign cabinet with a clearance of not less than 2 inches (51 mm) from the facing material. (Amended by Ord. No. 186,488, Eff. 12/27/19.)

91.6206.2. Section H106.2 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6207.1. Use of Combustibles. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Wood, approved plastic or plastic veneer panels as provided for in Division 26, Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC or other materials of combustible characteristics similar to wood that is used for moldings, cappings, nailing blocks, letters and latticing shall comply with Section H107 of Appendix H of the CBC and shall not be used for other ornamental features of signs, unless approved.

91.6207.1.1. Section H107.1.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6207.1.2. Section H107.1.2 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6207.1.3. Section H107.1.3 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6207.1.4. Section H107.1.4 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6208.1. Section H108.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is not adopted by reference.

(Amended by Ord. No. 186,488, Eff. 12/27/19.)

91.6209.1. Section H109.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6209.3. Section H109.3 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6210.1. General. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Roof signs shall be constructed entirely of metal or other approved noncombustible material except as provided for in LAMC Subdivision 91.6206.1.1 and Subsection 91.6207.1. Provisions shall be made for electric grounding of metallic parts. Where combustible materials are permitted in letters or other ornamental features, wiring and tubing shall be kept free and insulated from each other. Roof signs shall be so constructed as to leave a clear space of not less than 6 feet (1828.8 mm) between the roof level and the lowest part of the sign, and shall have at least 5 feet (1524 mm) clearance between the vertical supports. No portion of any roof sign structure shall project beyond an exterior wall.

91.6210.2. Section H110.2 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6210.3. Section H110.3 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6210.4. Section H110.4 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6210.5. Section H110.5 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6211.1. Materials. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Wall signs that have an area exceeding 40 square feet (3.72 m2) shall be constructed of metal or other approved noncombustible material, except for nailing rails and as provided for in LAMC Subdivision 91.6206.1.1 and Subsection 91.6207.1.

91.6211.2. Section H111.2 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6211.3. Section H111.3 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

Table 4-B of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6212.1. Section H112.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6212.2. Section H112.2 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6212.3. Section H112.3 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6212.4. Section H112.4 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6212.5. Section H112.5 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6213.1. Materials. Marquee signs shall be constructed entirely of metal or other approved noncombustible material and/or approved plastic and glass.

91.6213.2. Section H113.2 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6213.3. Section H113.3 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6213.4. Section H113.4 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6214.1. General. Section H114.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is not adopted.

(Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

Test Method for Rate of Burning and/or
Extent and Time of Burning of Self- LAMC Subdivision

ASTM D 635-03 Supporting Plastics in a Horizontal 91.6207.1.1 Position

LAMC Subsections

NFPA 70-08 National Electrical Code 91.6206.1, 91.6206.2 Methods of Fire Test for Flame LAMC Subdivision NFPA 701-99 Propagation of Textiles and Films 91.6206.1.1

91.6216.1. Existing Sign Rights. Every existing sign and/or sign support structure constructed under a valid permit and used in conformance with these regulations and Department approvals in effect at the time of construction shall be allowed to continue to exist under those regulations and approvals even though subsequent adopted regulations and approvals have changed the requirements.

91.6216.2. Maintenance of Existing Signs. Every sign and/or sign support structure shall be maintained in conformity with the requirements of this division and Chapter I of the LAMC.

91.6216.3. Illegal Signs, Construction and Use. Every existing sign and/or sign support structure or portion of a sign and/or sign support structure constructed without a valid building permit shall be made to conform to the current provisions of this Code or shall be demolished and removed. Any use of an existing sign constructed without a valid building permit shall be discontinued.

91.6216.4. Alterations, Repairs or Rehabilitation.

91.6216.4.1. Alterations, repairs or rehabilitation of any existing sign and/or support structure may be of the same type of construction as the existing sign or sign support structure provided:

1. The aggregate value of the work in any one year does not exceed ten percent of the replacement cost of both the sign and sign support structure; and

2. That there is no increase in sign area or height and no change in the location or orientation of the sign.

91.6216.4.2. Alterations, repairs or rehabilitation of existing sign and/or sign support structures in excess of ten percent of the replacement cost of both the sign and sign support structure may be made provided:

1. That the cost of the work does not exceed 50 percent of the replacement cost of both the sign and sign support structure; and

2. That there is no increase in the sign area or height and no change in the location or orientation of the sign; and

3. All new construction shall be as required for a new sign of the same type.

91.6216.4.3. Alterations, repairs or rehabilitation of existing sign and/or sign support structures that exceed 50 percent of the replacement cost of both the sign and sign support structure shall comply with all the requirements of this Code.

91.6216.5. Additions. Existing signs and/or sign support structures with additions or alterations that increase the sign area or height or which change the location or orientation of the sign shall comply with all of the requirements of this Code.