Simi Valley — Signage

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes how the City of Simi Valley regulates signs in the Development Code (commonly referenced as the local "zoning code"). The sign rules live in the City's sign chapter (collectively identified as the sign provisions, e.g., § 9-37.020 et seq.) and apply citywide with district‑specific allowances (residential, commercial/industrial) plus special overlay exceptions such as the NVD and Hospital‑Medical overlays. The City requires sign permits for most permanent and many temporary commercial signs and provides numeric limits, illumination rules, and special program requirements (Master Sign Programs) for nonresidential projects.

(For related rules you will frequently need, see the citywide zoning and development pages: Simi Valley Zoning, Simi Valley Development Standards, and Simi Valley Land Use.)

Controlling structure (where to read)

• The sign chapter applies to all zoning districts (§ 9-37.020) and is content‑neutral (does not regulate message copy) § 9-37.020.
• Sign permits are required unless the ordinance specifically exempts the sign type (§ 9-37.030). Master Sign Programs are required for all new nonresidential projects and major exterior remodels (§ 9-37.030(C)).
• General design/illumination and electronic display standards are in the general requirements (including electronic changeable copy rules) (§ 9-37.050 (G)).
• District‑based permanent sign standards are summarized in § 9-37.060 (Tables 3‑9 and 3‑10). Temporary sign rules are in § 9-37.070. Enforcement, removal, and judicial review provisions are in the latter part of the chapter.

District-by-district sign summary (what differs by zone)

The Development Code defines the zoning districts used in Simi Valley (for example OS, RE, RL, RM, RMod, CO, CN, CR, CC, CPD, CI, LI, GI, BP, RCC, and overlay suffixes such as NVD) — see Table 2‑1 for the full district list.

Below are the sign rules by broad district groups. All numeric standards below are drawn from the City sign chapter and, where noted, the tables contained in § 9-37.060 and companion subsections.

Note: If a project requires additional discretionary approvals (Planned Development, Conditional Use Permit, etc.), the City will often require a Master Sign Program and the applicable review body will apply the standards in § 9-37.030(C).

Residential districts (example: RE, RL, RM, RMod, RH, RVH, MH, OS)

• Purpose & typical uses: single‑family, multi‑family, institutional; residential identity preserved. (District list: Table 2‑1.)
• What signs are allowed: limited permanent signs (project entry signs, monument/project identification, limited building‑mounted signs for churches/schools), ancillary signs, and non‑commercial signs. Rules and maximums are in Table 3‑9 (part of § 9-37.060).
• Key standards (high‑value points): project entry or monument signs typically limited to 24 sq ft and 5 ft height for project entry signs (see Table 3‑9), ancillary signs without permit up to 6 sq ft each (total up to 24 sq ft), non‑commercial signs may be exempt but total ≤ 6 sq ft without permit (confirm specific subtype). See § 9-37.060(A) and Table 3‑9 for exact allocations.
• Illumination: generally indirect only for residential project signage; electronic displays sited in or abutting residential zones have additional hour limits and size caps under § 9-37.050(G) and § 9-37.060.

Practical note: residential parcels with home occupations are treated as residential for signs — commercial signage is not permitted in residential zones except limited charitable signs per § 9-37.020 and § 9-37.070.

Commercial, office, and industrial districts (example: CO, CN, CR, CC, CPD, CI, BP, LI, GI, RCC)

• Purpose & typical uses: retail, office, services, light industry — broader sign allowances to identify businesses and centers.
• What signs are allowed: building‑mounted signs (wall, channel letters), street‑frontage signs sized to tenant frontage, monument signs for centers and tenants, projecting signs, under‑canopy signs, gas price signs, ancillary traffic/safety signs. See Table 3‑10 in § 9-37.060 for most numerical standards and permitted types.
• Key standards (high‑value points): building‑mounted area generally calculated as 1.5 to 2.0 sq ft per linear foot of tenant frontage (with specific ramps for setbacks and large frontages) and an absolute cap (e.g., no single building‑mounted sign over 300 sq ft); monument tenant signs often 40–60 sq ft and heights 8–10 ft depending on center size and Planned Development status; ancillary signs are small (e.g., 2 sq ft each for driveway/drive‑through). See § 9-37.060(B) and Table 3‑10 for details and exceptions.

Practical note: when a site also has a freestanding sign, the allowed building‑mounted area is reduced by one‑half (see Table 3‑10 notes).

New Vehicle Dealer Overlay (the NVD overlay)

• Purpose: special rules to allow vehicle dealerships expanded signage and promotional activities in a targeted area. The overlay is mapped as a suffix on the base zone (see Table 2‑1 and the overlay chapter).
• Temporary signage: many temporary sign permit/fee limits are relaxed — temporary sign permits are not required inside the NVD, quantities and durations are relaxed, and larger temporary signs (up to 50 sq ft, with up to three at 300 sq ft) are allowed under the NVD special rules (see NVD overlay provisions).
• Electronic signs for dealerships: one freestanding Electronic Changeable Copy (text‑only) sign allowed in lieu of or incorporated into an allowed freestanding sign; electronic display area limited to 40 sq ft for some frontages, and special brightness/time rules apply for signs abutting residential zones (hours 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. where abutting residential). Brightness caps (nits) and dimmer/photocell requirements are specified for NVD electronic signs. See the NVD overlay rules and the electronic standard cross‑refs (§ 9-37.060 exceptions and § 9-37.050(G)).

Hospital‑Medical Overlay

• Purpose: facilitate medical campus wayfinding; overlay adds directional sign allowances for the hospital area (see § 9-28.100 and cross‑references). Permanent and directional sign allowances are expanded to help locate services; follow the overlay text plus the base district sign rules.

Quick reference table — most decision‑relevant sign standards

Practical guidance / plain‑English interpretation (what applicants actually do)

• If you run a business in CN/CO/CC/CPD/CI or similar, plan to submit a sign permit with scaled elevations and a sign‑area calculation tied to tenant frontage; expect the Director to act within 20 business days unless the application is referred to the Planning Commission (§ 9-37.030). Consider a Master Sign Program for multi‑tenant centers because the City requires them for new nonresidential projects and large remodels (§ 9-37.030(C)).
• If your property abuts or sits inside the NVD overlay and you want larger temporary displays or an electronic price/display sign (vehicle dealers), review the NVD overlay exceptions carefully — the overlay allows larger temporary signs and prescribes electronic sign brightness and time limits (§ 9-28 / NVD overlay cross-ref and § 9-37.050(G)).
• For residential uses (including signs for multifamily projects and schools/churches), the allowed sign sizes are much smaller (see Table 3‑9 in § 9-37.060) and external illumination is limited (indirect only in many cases). Non‑commercial speech is permitted but still must meet dimensional and placement rules.

(When you prepare drawings, coordinate sign setbacks with site development setbacks and parking layouts — see Simi Valley Development Standards and Simi Valley Parking.)

Checklist

• Confirm the zoning district symbol for your parcel (e.g., CN, CO, RMod, NVD).
• Determine whether a Sign Permit or Master Sign Program is required (§ 9-37.030).
• Measure linear tenant frontage and compute allowed building‑mounted area per Table 3‑10 (§ 9-37.060).
• For temporary signs, check applicable duration and size limits and whether your sign is eligible for an exemption or requires a Temporary Sign Permit (§ 9-37.070).
• If proposing electronic/changeable copy, comply with motion, message rate (≥30 sec), no flashing, brightness controls, and residential hour limits where applicable (§ 9-37.050(G)).
• Provide scaled elevations, materials/colors, support/attachment details, and (if required) manufacturer certification for electronic sign brightness (NVD special rules reference). § 9-37.030 and NVD overlay rules.
• Coordinate with any required Simi Valley Design Review, Simi Valley Landscaping and Screening, or other site approvals that could condition or modify signage.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Simi Valley's zoning code centralizes sign rules in a single sign chapter that applies to every zoning district: most permanent signs need a Sign Permit, nonresidential projects usually need a Master Sign Program, temporary signs are tightly limited in size/duration (with well‑documented exceptions), and special overlays like the NVD give dealerships broader temporary and electronic sign privileges with explicit brightness and hour limits. Always check the sign chapter (§ 9‑37.020 et seq.) plus any overlay chapter that applies to your parcel before ordering fabrication or installation.

Information Gaps

• The exact formatting and full, row‑by‑row contents of Table 3‑9 and Table 3‑10 are present in the code excerpts but the uploaded material is an extraction; verify the complete tables and any footnotes with the city's official Development Code PDF or the Department of Environmental Services. (Not found in retrieved materials: a single‑page printable summary sheet or fee schedule for sign permits.)
• Parcel‑specific determinations (whether a parcel is mapped in an overlay or has previously approved Master Sign Program conditions) are not included here — Verify with the City and the official Zoning Map. (Verify with the jurisdiction.)

Source References

• Sign chapter applicability, content neutrality, and permit requirement: § 9-37.020; § 9-37.030.
• General sign design/illumination and electronic sign standards: § 9-37.050 (G).
• Zoning district permanent sign tables and standards (residential Table 3‑9; commercial Table 3‑10): § 9-37.060 (Tables 3‑9 and 3‑10).
• Temporary sign standards, permit processing, and durations: § 9-37.070.
• NVD Overlay sign exceptions and electronic‑sign brightness/time special rules: NVD overlay text and NVD exceptions to § 9-37.060 (see overlay chapter).
• Enforcement, removal, and abatement authority: enforcement subsections and Chapter 9‑78 references.
• Zoning district symbols and chapter references (Table 2‑1): zoning districts list (e.g., CN, CO, NVD, RMod, etc.).

For design coordination, see the City pages linked above and consult California Building Standards Code / Title 24 when a building permit is required.

Retrieved passages

• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Chapter shall) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Chapter to) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 4) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Article 8) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 5) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Chapter 9-33) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 5) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 5) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Sign chapter applicability, content neutrality, and permit requirement: **§ 9-37.020; § 9-37.030**. (chapter applicability)
• General sign design/illumination and electronic sign standards: **§ 9-37.050 (G)**. (§ 9-37.050)
• Zoning district permanent sign tables and standards (residential Table 3‑9; commercial Table 3‑10): **§ 9-37.060** (Tables 3‑9 and 3‑10). (§ 9-37.060)
• Temporary sign standards, permit processing, and durations: **§ 9-37.070**. (§ 9-37.070)
• NVD Overlay sign exceptions and electronic‑sign brightness/time special rules: NVD overlay text and NVD exceptions to **§ 9-37.060** (see overlay chapter). (§ 9-37.060)
• Enforcement, removal, and abatement authority: enforcement subsections and Chapter 9‑78 references. (Chapter 9)
• Zoning district symbols and chapter references (Table 2‑1): zoning districts list (e.g., **CN**, **CO**, **NVD**, **RMod**, etc.). (chapter references)
• SimiValley_ZoningCode.md

• Official Simi Valley code library