Sign Regulations in Downey, CA (2026)
5 verified sign regulations for Downey, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Downey treats political signs as exempt from sign permits but still caps them under Municipal Code § 9612, Table 9.6.1: 9 square feet each and 36 square feet total on residential parcels, or 32 square feet each and 96 square feet total on nonresidential property. Every sign needs a five-foot setback and must come down within 10 days of the election, with copy conforming to the State Election Code.
Downey Political Sign Size and Removal Rules
Some RestrictionsDowney, CA, Municipal Code § 9612, Table 9.6.1 (Schedule of Exempt Signs - Political sign, residential/nonresidential)
Political sign, residential A maximum of 9 sf per sign; a total sign area of 36 sf per parcel NR, provided that total area of signs does not exceed max. area of 36 sf per parcel NR • Political signs shall maintain a minimum setback of five feet from the front or street side property line and shall be subject to Section 4118 of the Downey Municipal Code • All such signs shall be removed by the t...
Holiday Displays
Downey exempts holiday lights, decorations and displays from sign permits, but only for a fixed window. Municipal Code Table 9.6.1 lets them go up no sooner than 45 days before a national or religious holiday and requires removal within 14 days after it. There is no area, number or height limit on the display itself.
Downey Holiday Light Display Time Limits
Light RestrictionsDowney, CA, Municipal Code § 9612, Table 9.6.1 (Schedule of Exempt Signs - Holiday lights, decorations, and displays)
A sign permit shall not be required for exempt signs. Such signs shall be exempt from the sign regulations and design standards of this chapter except for regulations related to prohibited signs and locations provided in Section 9614. Exempt signs are permitted in all zones subject to the requirements of Table 9.6.1. [...] Holiday lights, decorations, and displays NR NR NR • May be displayed no...
Digital Billboards
Downey does not write a separate rule for digital or electronic billboards: every off-site billboard, lit or static, is governed by Municipal Code § 9622. Billboards are allowed only in the M-1 and M-2 Zones with a Conditional Use Permit, capped at 300 square feet and 35 feet tall, and must be pulled down if the display goes dark for 45 days.
Downey Billboard Rules Cover Digital Signs
Significant RestrictionsDowney, CA, Municipal Code § 9622 (Billboards, Off-Site Signs)
The following provisions shall establish the standards of development for billboard signs where permitted: (a) Location. (1) Billboard signs shall only be permitted in the M-1 and M-2 Zones subject to approval of a Conditional Use Permit. (2) No new installation shall be erected within 500 feet of an existing off-premises sign fronting on the same street. (3) Billboard signs shall not be lo...
Window Signs
Downey caps how much of a storefront window can carry signage. Temporary window signs are limited to 30% of the window area on the building's front face under § 9618.06(c)(7), while permanent window signs get a slightly different allowance under Table 9.6.1: 15% of any single window and 30% of all window area combined, with changeable copy allowed.
Downey Window Sign Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsDowney, CA, Municipal Code § 9618.06(c)(7) (Window Signs); § 9612, Table 9.6.1 (Window sign, permanent)
Window Signs. (i) Placement of temporary window signs is limited to a 30% permit maximum for all window areas on the front face of the building, not to exceed 30% in any one window, provided that the total area of window areas used for signing and all other permitted signs together do not exceed the total allowable sign area of the applicable zone for the business. (ii) Any portion of a sign ...
Freeway-Facing Signs
Within 500 feet of a freeway right-of-way, Downey Municipal Code § 9620.08 narrows what a sign can say no matter the zone. Signs there are limited to on-site sale or lease notices, ownership identification, or ads for the business actually located on that lot, and none of it can be designed for freeway drivers to read.
Downey Freeway-Facing Sign Restrictions
Significant RestrictionsDowney, CA, Municipal Code § 9620.08 (Signs Near Freeways)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, signs erected on any lot within five hundred feet (500′) of either side of a freeway right-of-way line shall comply with the following: (a) Signs which advertise the sale or lease of the lot upon which such sign is placed; (b) Signs which only designate the name of the owner or occupant of the lot or identifying such premises; (c) Signs li...
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