Santa Monica — Signage

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Santa Monica zoning/planning ordinance (the Santa Monica Sign Code, Chapter 9.61) actually requires for signs: who decides, what sign types are allowed or prohibited, how total sign area is calculated and limited by district, illumination and digital-display rules, exemptions, and how nonconforming signs are handled. The rules in this chapter are content‑neutral and intended to protect aesthetics and traffic safety while allowing business identification and communication (§ 9.61.020) .

When the page mentions other planning topics it links to the City pages you will want to check in parallel: parking, design review, Overlay Districts, Development Standards, ADUs, Santa Monica Zoning, and the California Building Standards Code.

Key rules at a glance

• A sign permit is required for all non‑exempt new or altered signs; administrative approvals and review bodies are defined in the Code (§ 9.61.040) .
• The City calculates a site's total non‑exempt total sign area by reference to building/store frontage; per‑district multipliers/limits apply (§ 9.61.190) .
• Certain small or safety‑oriented signs are exempt from permitting but still must meet Code standards (§ 9.61.140, 9.61.150) .
• Many sign types are explicitly prohibited (e.g., freestanding/pole signs, off‑premises signs, animated signs except where authorized) (§ 9.61.180) .
• The Bayside (Third Street Promenade) area and a defined Digital Display District have special rules allowing more or different signage subject to conditions (§ 9.61.200, 9.61.205) .
• Animated/digital displays have strict brightness, timing, transparency and placement limits (dimmable, max candela limits, limited hours, no window‑covering) (§ 9.61.205 and animated‑sign rules) .
• Nonconforming signs must be removed or brought into compliance under defined triggers (remodeling, destruction, abandonment, permit of a new sign, etc.) (§ 9.61.240) .

District-by-district breakdown (sign area and notable local rules)

The Sign Code uses the City's zoning district labels when prescribing maximum total sign area. Below are the district headings as written in the sign ordinance with practical notes. Each district name is stated exactly as in the Code.

R1/OP1 — Single Unit Residential District

• Purpose / typical context: single‑family lots.
• Sign rules: only the exempt sign types apply (no general non‑exempt sign area allocation) — see § 9.61.190(F)(1) .
• Practical note: residential yards and political/temporary neighborhood signs are governed by the exempt/temporary sign sections; check temporary sign allowances in § 9.61.160 .

R2/OPD — Duplex Residential Districts

• Purpose / typical context: duplexes and similar.
• Sign rules: also limited to exempt signs only — § 9.61.190(F)(2) .
• Practical note: temporary signs allowed without permit within the caps in § 9.61.160 .

All Multi‑Unit Districts Except the Beachfront District

• Purpose / typical context: multi‑family residential zones (R3, R4 except beachfront).
• Sign rules: maximum of 0.25 sq ft per linear foot of building frontage with total nonexempt sign area capped at 25 sq ft; externally illuminated signs allowed for building name/address (§ 9.61.190(F)(3)) .
• Practical note: small building identification signs typically suffice; larger commercial identity requires review.

Hotels in R4 High Density Residential District

• Purpose / typical context: hotels in the high‑density residential district.
• Sign rules: 1 sq ft per linear foot of building frontage; internally illuminated signs permitted (§ 9.61.190(F)(4)) .

All Downtown Districts and Beachfront Districts

• Purpose / typical context: downtown commercial corridors and beachfront zones.
• Sign rules: 1 sq ft per linear foot of building/store frontage; on corner sites the same 1 sq ft/lf applies per street‑facing frontage and corner rules in § 9.61.190(B) do not apply here (§ 9.61.190(F)(5)) .
• Practical note: the Bayside/Third Street Promenade (a subset of downtown) has even more specific rules — see the Bayside Conservation subsection below.

All Other Commercial and Industrial Districts

• Purpose / typical context: commercial/industrial outside downtown.
• Sign rules: 1 sq ft per linear foot of building/store frontage (§ 9.61.190(F)(6)) .
• Practical note: no single sign may exceed 100 sq ft (§ 9.61.190(D)) .

Off‑Street Parking Districts

• Sign rules: follow the sign limits of the adjacent residential district (§ 9.61.190(F)(7)) .
• Practical note: directional or wayfinding signage on parking lots must still meet public‑sign and maintenance rules; coordinate with the City when signs sit near the public right‑of‑way (see parking).

Bayside Conservation (Third Street Promenade area)

• Special area: bounded by 2nd Court, 3rd Court, Broadway, and Wilshire Boulevard.
• Key departures from the general table:
  • No limit on maximum total sign area for signs facing the Third Street Promenade in certain locations (§ 9.61.200(A)) .
  • Window covers must be 50% transparent for tenant windows (above 15' glazing on single story buildings exempt) (§ 9.61.200(B)) .
  • Projecting signs facing the Promenade must be at least 10 ft above sidewalk and not project more than 42 inches (§ 9.61.200(D)) .

Digital Display District (Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place)

• Purpose: permits digital/animated displays in a narrowly defined area under strict controls (§ 9.61.205).
• Key limits: dimmable displays; brightness limits and ambient‑based foot‑candle restrictions; operating hours and refresh/contrast controls; no window‑covering; City Manager has rule‑making authority on technical specs (§ 9.61.205 and animated‑sign rules) .

Most decision‑relevant standards (quick table)

What the ordinance says about specific sign types (brief)

• Window signs: Permanent window signs allowed so long as they do not exceed 40% of first‑floor frontage glass area and letters ≤ 12 in; administrative approval is limited if it would obstruct the lower 5 ft of a first‑floor window (§ 9.61.170(A)(8); § 9.61.120(A)(1)) .
• Projecting signs: Small projecting signs allowed if ≤ 4.5 sq ft; projecting signs on the Promenade must be ≥ 10 ft above sidewalk and ≤ 42 in projection (§ 9.61.170(A)(9); § 9.61.200(D)) .
• Ground/monument/pylon signs: One ground sign per commercial/industrial site; monument ≤ 6 ft height; pylon ≤ 16 ft height and ≤ 30 in width; one‑side max area 40 sq ft (§ 9.61.170(A)(3)) .
• Animated/digital: Allowed only where expressly authorized (primarily Third Street Promenade/Santa Monica Place) and subject to strict luminance, contrast, operating‑hour, dimmability, and sign‑adjustment ineligibility rules (§ 9.61.205; animated sign conditions) .
• Exempt small signs: Building identification signs ≤ 2 sq ft, information signs ≤ 2 sq ft (with some Bayside exceptions), plaques/tablets, certain banners, and change‑of‑copy items (§ 9.61.150) .

Checklist

• Confirm whether the proposed sign is exempt under § 9.61.140 or § 9.61.150; if exempt, verify compliance with the limits in those sections (§ 9.61.140, § 9.61.150) .
• Calculate total sign area per § 9.61.190 using building/store frontage; check the district allocation (e.g., 1.0 sq ft/lf or 0.25 sq ft/lf where applicable) (§ 9.61.190(F)) .
• Confirm the maximum individual sign size will not exceed 100 sq ft (§ 9.61.190(D)) .
• Identify applicable review body: Director (administrative), Architectural Review Board, or Landmarks Commission for historic resources (§ 9.61.120, § 9.61.050) .
• For the Third Street Promenade / Digital Display locations, prepare illumination plans and demonstrate compliance with candela and foot‑candle limits, dimming, and operating hours (§ 9.61.205 and animated sign rules) .
• Provide required sign program documentation for multi‑tenant or remodel projects (drawings, elevations, materials, colors) as required by the signin application checklist (§ 9.61.070 and sign program requirements) .
• If the property is a City‑Designated Historic Resource, prepare a Certificate of Appropriateness application for Landmarks Commission review (§ 9.61.050) .
• Confirm maintenance obligations and the six‑month permit exercise deadline on issued sign permits (§ 9.61.210, § 9.61.110) .
• If there is an existing nonconforming sign, review triggers that require removal/modification and coordinate timing with any building/permit work (§ 9.61.240) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Santa Monica’s Sign Code (Chapter 9.61) requires a permit for most new or changed signs, caps total sign area by zoning district using building frontage (common commercial rule is 1 sq ft per linear foot; many residential districts are much smaller), bans many large or distracting sign types (including most freestanding poles and off‑premises billboards), and imposes strict brightness and operating limits on digital/animated displays; special, more permissive rules exist for the Third Street Promenade/Bayside area but carry transparency and projection limits (§ 9.61.040, 9.61.190, 9.61.180, 9.61.200, 9.61.205) .

Source References

• Santa Monica Sign Code, Chapter 9.61 — Applicability, findings, substitution clause (§ 9.61.010, § 9.61.020, § 9.61.025) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Definitions and sign area calculation (§ 9.61.030.0480) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Permitted signs (§ 9.61.170) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Prohibited signs (§ 9.61.180) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Total sign area by district (§ 9.61.190) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Bayside Conservation / Third Street Promenade rules (§ 9.61.200) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Digital Display / animated sign standards (§ 9.61.205) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Administrative approval and review bodies (§ 9.61.050, § 9.61.120) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Exempt / temporary sign rules (§ 9.61.140, § 9.61.150, § 9.61.160) .
• City planning menu pages referenced in the text: Santa Monica Zoning, Development Standards, parking, design review, Overlay Districts, ADUs, California Building Standards Code.

Retrieved passages

• Santa Monica Zoning Code (Section govern) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (§ 9.60.190.) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (§ 9.61.020.) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (§ 9.61.210.) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (Section as) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (§ 9.61.150.) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (§ 9.61.170.) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (Section shall) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Santa Monica Zoning Code (Section 9.61.200.F) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Santa Monica Sign Code, Chapter 9.61 — Applicability, findings, substitution clause (§ **9.61.010**, **§ 9.61.020**, **§ 9.61.025**) . (Chapter 9.61)
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Definitions and sign area calculation (§ **9.61.030.0480**) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Permitted signs (§ **9.61.170**) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Prohibited signs (§ **9.61.180**) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Total sign area by district (§ **9.61.190**) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Bayside Conservation / Third Street Promenade rules (§ **9.61.200**) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Digital Display / animated sign standards (§ **9.61.205**) .
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Administrative approval and review bodies (§ **9.61.050**, **§ 9.61.120**) . (§ 9.61.120)
• Santa Monica Sign Code — Exempt / temporary sign rules (§ **9.61.140**, **§ 9.61.150**, **§ 9.61.160**) . (§ 9.61.150)
• City planning menu pages referenced in the text: Santa Monica Zoning, Development Standards, parking, design review, Overlay Districts, ADUs, California Building Standards Code.
• SantaMonica_ZoningCode.md

• Official Santa Monica code library