Costa Mesa's Sign Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sign regulations a little differently. In Costa Mesa, California, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Window Signs

Costa Mesa caps permanent window signs at 20 percent of a storefront's contiguous window area and requires a permit under Table 13-115, while non-illuminated temporary window signs also max out at 20 percent but need no permit and must come down within 60 days. Combined permanent and temporary coverage can never exceed 50 percent of the window.

Key details: Permanent window signs: 20% of window area, permit required. Temporary window signs: 20% of window area, no permit. Combined cap: 50% of contiguous window area. Temporary sign duration: 60 days maximum. Governing provision: Costa Mesa Table 13-115, § 13-115.

A window sign that exceeds the 20% area cap without Planning Division or Zoning Administrator approval, or a temporary sign left up past the 60-day limit in section 13-115, is an illegal sign under section 13-111 and subject to removal under the chapter's administration and enforcement provisions in Article 7. Combined permanent and temporary coverage above 50% of contiguous window area is a violation even where each individual sign is separately compliant.

Political Signs

Costa Mesa lets residents place non-commercial signs, including political and religious ones, in the public right-of-way without a permit under section 13-123, capped at five square feet and three feet tall. Normal weekend-only display windows expand to around-the-clock for the six weeks before any election, with a mandatory removal deadline 10 days after the vote.

Key details: Maximum size: 5 sq ft, 3 ft height above grade. Permit: None required for right-of-way placement. Normal display window: Friday 6am to Sunday 6pm. Election period: Unrestricted hours, 6 weeks before vote. Post-election removal: Within 10 days after election.

A political or other non-commercial portable sign that exceeds five square feet, stands over three feet tall, sits within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or intersection, or stays up outside the Friday-to-Sunday window (or past the 10-day post-election deadline) violates section 13-123 and is subject to removal. Signs lacking the owner's name, address, and phone number, or attached to a utility pole, fence, or tree, are likewise noncompliant.

Digital Billboards

Costa Mesa prohibits electronic changeable copy signs, the digital-display technology used for LED billboards and reader boards, in every zone in the city. Section 13-112(l) carves out only two exceptions: theater marquees and electronic time/temperature displays. Legacy nonconforming digital signs had to stop showing movement or animation by September 1, 2002.

Key details: Ban scope: Electronic changeable copy signs banned citywide. Exceptions: Theater marquees and time/temperature signs only. Governing section: Costa Mesa Municipal Code § 13-112(l). Legacy sign deadline: Nonconforming signs had to comply by 9-1-2002. Message hold requirement: No animation, minimum 4-second message display.

Installing or operating an electronic changeable copy sign outside the theater-marquee and time/temperature exceptions violates section 13-112 and makes the display an illegal sign under section 13-111's definition, subject to removal through the chapter's Article 7 enforcement process. A legacy nonconforming digital sign still showing movement, animation, or messages held for under four seconds after the September 1, 2002 compliance date is likewise out of compliance with section 13-122.1.

This is one of the stricter rules in Costa Mesa's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Costa Mesa's sign regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Costa Mesa is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Costa Mesa can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.