Hanford — Signage

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Hanford regulates private signs through Chapter 17.56 of the zoning ordinance (Title 17), with rules that are content‑neutral toward noncommercial speech and that apply citywide. Key controls are permit triggers, an explicit table of allowed building and freestanding sign sizes/heights by zone, temporary sign limits, illumination rules, and a required master sign program for larger shopping centers. See the development standards for how signs interact with setbacks and lot frontage in calculating allowed area by frontage length (§ 17.56.090) . Also consider how signs affect sightlines and on‑site circulation, and coordinate with Hanford Parking and Hanford Development Standards when planning placement.

How the ordinance is organized (quick)

• Applicability, free‑speech rule, and exemptions: § 17.56.020–040 .
• Prohibitions and safety/encroachment limits: § 17.56.050–060 .
• Design criteria, measurement and calculation of sign area: § 17.56.070–080 .
• Zone‑by‑zone permanent and temporary sign tables: § 17.56.090(A) and (B) (the operative numeric limits) .
• Illumination, electronic displays, master sign programs and murals: § 17.56.190, 17.56.160–170, 17.56.220, 17.56.230 .

District-by-district sign breakdown

Below each district heading I list what the ordinance provides about signage (where the ordinance is silent about the district purpose/uses, I note that). All numeric sign limits and placement rules below are drawn from § 17.56.090(A) for permanent signs and § 17.56.090(B) for temporary signs; measurement rules are in § 17.56.080.

AP

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the Hanford Zoning map and district descriptions.
• Permanent sign standards: Building signs — 1 sign per residence, 4 sq. ft. max, placement up to 8 ft high, external illumination only. Freestanding signs — none allowed. (§ 17.56.090(A))
• Temporary sign standards: Building signs — 1 per site, up to 12 sq. ft., max 10 ft high (no illumination). Freestanding — up to 4 per site, 16 sq. ft. cumulative, first sign up to 5 ft high, others 2 ft high. (§ 17.56.090(B))

R-L

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the Hanford Zoning map.
• Permanent: Same basic residential allowances as AP: 1 sign per residence, 4 sq. ft. max, 8 ft high; no freestanding signs. (§ 17.56.090(A))
• Temporary: Same as AP for small residential sites. (§ 17.56.090(B))

R-M

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the Hanford Zoning map.
• Permanent: If site has 5+ residences or nonresidential uses, building signs: 1 per street frontage, 30 sq. ft. max, placed at least 5 ft below roofline; freestanding signs permitted where noted: 1 per site, 20 sq. ft., 6 ft high max (external illumination only). (§ 17.56.090(A))
• Temporary: For 5+ unit sites or nonresidential uses — building signs 32 sq. ft. max; freestanding temporary signs cumulative 32 sq. ft. (first sign up to 5 ft high). (§ 17.56.090(B))

R-H

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the Hanford Zoning map.
• Permanent & Temporary: Rules parallel R-M depending on unit count and presence of nonresidential uses. (§ 17.56.090(A–B))

OR

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the Hanford Zoning map.
• Permanent: Building sign — 1 per site, 8 sq. ft. max, placement up to 8 ft high; freestanding — 1 per site, 20 sq. ft., 6 ft max height (external illumination only). (§ 17.56.090(A))
• Temporary: Building signs 12 sq. ft., freestanding up to 16 sq. ft. cumulative with same heights as small residential. (§ 17.56.090(B))

C‑N, C‑R, C‑S, C‑H, MX‑N, MX‑C, O

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with Hanford Zoning.
• Permanent (commercial cores and mixed‑use): No strict limit on number of signs per establishment; allowed sign area is cumulative based on building frontage: typical rule is 2 sq. ft. per lineal foot on primary frontage (up to 350 sq. ft. cap) and 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot on secondary frontage (up to 200 sq. ft.), with minimum allowances such as 50 sq. ft. or 35 sq. ft. depending on frontage length. Freestanding signs: 1 per establishment, 40 sq. ft. max face; height varies with setback (up to 6 ft if set back 10 ft, reduced with smaller setbacks). Sites within 100 ft of State Route 198 may treat that frontage as primary for area purposes. (§ 17.56.090(A))
• Temporary: Building signs — base 10 sq. ft. plus 1 sq. ft. per 2 ft of primary frontage; temporary freestanding signs — 1 per site plus 1 per 300 ft of frontage, split between 32 sq. ft. and 16 sq. ft. sizes; heights up to 12 ft depending on width (no illumination). (§ 17.56.090(B))

MX‑D

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with Hanford Zoning.
• Permanent: Building signs — 2 sq. ft. per lineal foot of frontage up to 100 sq. ft. on primary frontage and 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot up to 100 sq. ft. on secondary frontage. Freestanding signs not allowed. (§ 17.56.090(A))
• Temporary: Building and freestanding temporary limits tailored and more restrictive (see Table 17.56.090(B)). (§ 17.56.090(B))

PF

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with Hanford Zoning.
• Permanent: Building signs — 1 per street frontage, 30 sq. ft. max, placed 5 ft below roofline (external illumination only). Freestanding — 1 per site, 20 sq. ft., 6 ft high max. (§ 17.56.090(A))
• Temporary: Matches the PF row in Table 17.56.090(B); temporary freestanding cumulative 32 sq. ft. max. (§ 17.56.090(B))

CO

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with Hanford Zoning.
• Permanent: Building signs — 1 per building, 4 sq. ft. max, placement up to 8 ft high, external illumination only. Freestanding — none allowed. (§ 17.56.090(A))
• Temporary: No temporary building signs allowed in some CO configurations; freestanding temporary signs allowed under limited cumulative area rules. (§ 17.56.090(B))

I‑L and I‑H

• Purpose / typical permitted uses: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with Hanford Zoning.
• Permanent: Building signs — no limit to number; very large single sign faces allowed: up to 500 sq. ft. per sign with 1,000 sq. ft. cumulative surface for some sites; freestanding — 1 per frontage, 40 sq. ft. face, 10 ft height max. Sites can use formula of 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot of property line adjoining a street or 100 sq. ft. per acre in use (whichever greater) to a maximum of 600 sq. ft. per sign face. Sites adjacent to SR‑198 may increase freestanding height allowances. (§ 17.56.090(A))

Quick reference table — most decision‑relevant permanent freestanding sign rules

(See full Table 17.56.090(A/B) for temporary and additional variations; measurement rules in § 17.56.080.)

Other ordinance controls you must know (synthesis)

• Permit required: Almost all permanent signs (and most alterations/relocations) require a sign permit; ordinary maintenance and conforming temporary signs are exempt. (§ 17.56.060)
• Exemptions: small nameplates, holiday decorations, internal signs not visible from the right‑of‑way, vehicle signs (with limits), window signs that meet the chapter rules, directional signs without advertising, and certain vending cart signs are exempt from permit counts but may still require building permits if electrical/structural work is involved (California Building Standards Code applies). (§ 17.56.040) — check the California Building Standards Code when electrical/structural elements are present. California Building Standards Code
• Prohibited features (citywide): signs that mimic traffic signals, signs within 30 ft of intersecting curb lines, signs that obstruct egress or fire equipment, rotating/animated signs (with limited public‑service exceptions), feather signs, can/cabinet signs, and others are expressly banned. (§ 17.56.050)
• Illumination: Internal/external illumination must minimize glare; internal faces must be opaque/semi‑opaque and light intensity/control rules apply (including lumen limits and change frequency for electronic signs). (§ 17.56.190; electronic sign rules in the electronic sign subsection)
• Electronic signs: The code caps brightness, limits change rate (no faster than once every 6 seconds), restricts audible output, and limits messages to on‑premises advertising (subject to the message‑substitution rule at § 17.56.030). (electronic sign standards and § 17.56.030)
• Master sign program: Required for any site with more than three commercial establishments; processed as an administrative use permit and used to coordinate materials, sizes, placement, and to bind tenants to the program. (§ 17.56.220)
• Design review: Sign permits and master sign programs are reviewed for architectural compatibility and design principles in § 17.56.070; see the Hanford Design Review criteria when signs are part of larger façade or site modifications.

When you plan a sign also check for overlay district rules (for example, special allowances near State Route 198 appear in the tables) — consult the Hanford Overlay Districts page and the tables in § 17.56.090.

Checklist

• Confirm the property's zone designation and frontage measurements (used in sign area calculations). (§ 17.56.080)
• Check whether your site is an integrated shopping center (>3 establishments) — if yes, prepare a master sign program. (§ 17.56.220)
• Verify permanent vs temporary status; if permanent, prepare a sign permit application. (§ 17.56.060)
• Calculate allowable building sign area by primary/secondary frontage per § 17.56.090(A) and measurement rules in § 17.56.080.
• For freestanding signs, confirm setback/height allowances (setback changes allowable heights). (§ 17.56.090(A))
• If sign projects over a public right‑of‑way, add an encroachment permit to the application. (§ 17.56.060(B))
• If illumination or electrical work is included, plan to meet § 17.56.190 and obtain any required building/electrical permit under the California Building Standards Code.
• Review prohibited sign list to ensure the proposal avoids banned features (animated, feather, cabinet signs, etc.). (§ 17.56.050)
• If in the historic district or proposing a mural, follow the mural and historic district design criteria in § 17.56.230 and consult Hanford Historic Preservation.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English summary

Hanford’s sign rules live in Title 17, Chapter 17.56; they set how many signs you can have, how big they can be, how high they can be, and whether they can be lit or electronic — the actual numbers change by zone and by whether the sign is permanent or temporary (see § 17.56.090(A/B)). You usually need a sign permit, and large shopping centers must use a master sign program. Always check the measurement rules and illumination limits and get an encroachment permit for anything over the sidewalk.

Source References

• Hanford Municipal Code — Chapter 17.56, “Signs and Outdoor Advertising Structures” (purpose, applicability, noncommercial message rule): § 17.56.010–030.
• Exempt signs list and exemption/building permit note: § 17.56.040.
• Prohibited signs list and prohibitions (traffic safety, feather signs, cabinet signs, etc.): § 17.56.050.
• Permit requirements and encroachment permit note: § 17.56.060.
• Sign design principles: § 17.56.070.
• Sign measurement rules: § 17.56.080.
• Zone‑by‑zone permanent and temporary sign tables: § 17.56.090(A) and (B).
• Undeveloped/developing site temporary sign rules: § 17.56.100.
• Illumination and electronic sign standards: § 17.56.190 and electronic sign subsection.
• Master sign program requirements: § 17.56.220.
• Murals and historic district sign guidance: § 17.56.230.
• Illustrations and definitions (sign types, “temporary sign”, “sign structure”): § 17.56.320 and definitions portion.

Retrieved passages

• Hanford Zoning Code (§ 17.56.020.) High relevance show source text
• Hanford Zoning Code (Chapter 17.56.) High relevance show source text
• Hanford Zoning Code (§ 17.56.090.) High relevance show source text
• Hanford Zoning Code (§ 17.56.190.) High relevance show source text
• Hanford Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Hanford Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Hanford Zoning Code (§ 17.56.080.) High relevance show source text
• Hanford Zoning Code (§ 17.56.100.) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Hanford Municipal Code — Chapter **17.56**, “Signs and Outdoor Advertising Structures” (purpose, applicability, noncommercial message rule): **§ 17.56.010–030**. (§ 17.56.010)
• Exempt signs list and exemption/building permit note: **§ 17.56.040**. (§ 17.56.040)
• Prohibited signs list and prohibitions (traffic safety, feather signs, cabinet signs, etc.): **§ 17.56.050**. (§ 17.56.050)
• Permit requirements and encroachment permit note: **§ 17.56.060**. (§ 17.56.060)
• Sign design principles: **§ 17.56.070**. (§ 17.56.070)
• Sign measurement rules: **§ 17.56.080**. (§ 17.56.080)
• Zone‑by‑zone permanent and temporary sign tables: **§ 17.56.090(A) and (B)**. (§ 17.56.090)
• Undeveloped/developing site temporary sign rules: **§ 17.56.100**. (§ 17.56.100)
• Illumination and electronic sign standards: **§ 17.56.190** and electronic sign subsection. (§ 17.56.190)
• Master sign program requirements: **§ 17.56.220**. (§ 17.56.220)
• Murals and historic district sign guidance: **§ 17.56.230**. (§ 17.56.230)
• Illustrations and definitions (sign types, “temporary sign”, “sign structure”): **§ 17.56.320** and definitions portion. (§ 17.56.320)
• Hanford_ZoningCode.md

• Official Hanford code library