How Tulare Handles Sign Regulations: A Practical Guide

Tulare maintains 96 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with sign regulations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Tulare falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Garage Sale Signs

Tulare regulates yard and garage sales themselves under Municipal Code § 6.12.300, and the Finance Department at City Hall (411 E. Kern Ave.) issues yard sale applications. Sale signs are treated as temporary signs under Chapter 10.188; they cannot be posted on utility poles, traffic signs, or in the public right-of-way, and must be removed when the sale ends.

Key details: Yard sale code: Tulare Municipal Code § 6.12.300 (Swap meets and yard sales). Application: Yard Sale Application — Finance Department, 411 E. Kern Ave.. Sign rules: Temporary signs under Ch. 10.188; no posting in right-of-way or on utility poles. Removal: Take down at end of sale; abandoned signs cited under § 10.56.340.

Signs in the public right-of-way may be removed without notice by Public Works or Code Enforcement; the City may bill for staff time. Continued posting after the sale ends can be cited as an abandoned-sign nuisance under § 10.56.340 and Ch. 7.28 (Nuisance).

Political Signs

Tulare's old political-sign rule at Municipal Code § 10.188.050(J) imposed time limits the City stopped enforcing after Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), and staff began rewriting Chapter 10.188 to be content-neutral. In practice political signs on private residential property are treated like other temporary signs, and on highway frontage Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 5405.3 controls.

Key details: Code chapter: Tulare Municipal Code Ch. 10.188 (Signs); § 10.188.050(J) unenforced. State highway rule: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 5405.3 — 90 days before / 10 days after election, ≤ 32 sq ft. Controlling case: Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 576 U.S. 155 (2015). Right-of-way: No signs in public right-of-way or within 660 ft of landscaped freeway.

Signs in the Caltrans right-of-way or visible within 660 ft of a landscaped freeway may be removed by the state at the responsible party's cost (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 5405.3). Code Enforcement may abate signs on public property or right-of-way under Title 12. Content-based time limits in § 10.188.050(J) are not being enforced per City policy.

Tulare is more permissive than most cities when it comes to political signs. That said, there are still limits.

Holiday Displays

Tulare's Municipal Code does not single out residential holiday lights or seasonal displays for regulation. They fall under the general temporary-sign / miscellaneous-sign provisions of Chapter 10.188 and the public-nuisance rules at § 7.28.030, plus the noise standards in Ch. 6.40 if amplified music is used.

Key details: Operative chapters: Ch. 10.188 Signs; § 7.28.030 Nuisance; Ch. 6.40 Noise. Time limits: No holiday-specific deadlines in Tulare Municipal Code. Noise check: Amplified displays must comply with § 6.40.071 (≈55 dBA day / 45 dBA night residential). Right-of-way: Décor cannot encroach on sidewalk, parkway, or street.

Nuisance abatement under Title 7 Ch. 7.28; noise citations under § 6.40.071 for amplified music; Code Enforcement may order removal of items obstructing the right-of-way under Title 12. There is no holiday-specific take-down deadline in the code.

Tulare is more permissive than most cities when it comes to holiday displays. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Tulare gives residents more room on sign regulations. 2 of the 3 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

This guide is based on Tulare's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.