Sign Regulations in Modesto, CA (2026)
5 verified sign regulations for Modesto, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Modesto exempts political signs from the sign permit and fee requirement, but the zone tables in section 10-6.107 still cap them: on a residential parcel with a home, unlimited unlighted signs up to 16 square feet each and 60 square feet combined at 6 feet tall; on a residential parcel with no home, up to 32 square feet each and 100 square feet combined at 10 feet. Every political sign must go up no more than 120 days before the election and come down within 10 days after.
Modesto Political Signs: 120 Days Before, 10 After
Some RestrictionsModesto Code of Ordinances §§ 10-6.103, 10-6.102(ll), 10-6.105(a)(1)(vii) and Table 6.1-1 (§10-6.107(a))
The sign regulations provided in this article shall apply to all signs within the City of Modesto. It shall be unlawful for any person to install or maintain any sign within the City in violation of the requirements of this article.(a)Sign permits required. No person shall install, alter, or relocate any sign within the City without first obtaining a sign permit in compliance with Section 10-6....
Garage Sale Signs
Modesto lets a household hold a garage sale with no sign permit, but caps the signage under section 10-6.107(a): only two unlighted signs, three square feet each and five feet tall, displayed only while the sale is actually happening. Signs must sit on private property with the owner's consent and can never be attached to a street tree, utility pole, or placed in the public right-of-way.
Modesto Garage Sale Signs: 2 Max, 3 Sq Ft Each
Light RestrictionsModesto Code of Ordinances §§ 10-6.102(x), 10-6.105(a)(1)(iv) and Table 6.1-1 (§10-6.107(a))
(x)Garage sale sign. A sign that is used to advertise the sale of used or secondhand goods or merchandise at dwellings and on residentially zoned property; these sales may also be known as patio sales, yard sales, etc. ...(iv)Garage sale signs, in compliance with Section 10-6.107;... Garage sale (for residential uses): 2 per garage sale; 3 sf each; 5 ft each; Shall be: unlighted; displayed only...
Digital Billboards
Digital freeway billboards in Modesto are allowed only as relocations or conversions of existing billboards along State Highway 99, per Section 10-6.108(f)(3) of the Municipal Code. The City Council must approve a conditional use permit for each one, and citywide, no more than seven digital freeway billboards may operate at once, spaced at least 2,500 feet apart.
Modesto Digital Freeway Billboards: Capped at Seven Citywide
Significant RestrictionsModesto Code of Ordinances § 10-6.108(f)(3)
(3)Digital Freeway Billboards.(i)Purpose and Designation. Digital billboards may be permitted along Freeway 99 only as billboard relocations or as conversions of an existing billboard in place.(ii)Conditional Use Permit. Digital freeway billboards must obtain a conditional use permit approval which requires a recommendation by the Planning Commission to the City Council and final approval autho...
Window Signs
Modesto limits temporary window signage to half the glass: under the commercial and industrial sign table in section 10-6.107(b), a window sign can cover no more than 50 percent of the window it is displayed in, with no limit on the number of signs and no maximum height beyond the window itself. The residential table separately caps window signs on nonconforming uses at the same 50 percent and requires them to face a public street.
Modesto Window Signs Capped at 50% of Glass
Some RestrictionsModesto Code of Ordinances §§ 10-6.102(fff) and 10-6.107
(fff)Window sign. Any sign temporarily displayed on the inside of a window or temporarily painted on a window and facing a street, highway, parking lot, walkway or mall. ...Window: No limitation on number; 50% of the window of which it is located; No limitation; None.
Freeway-Facing Signs
Modesto caps digital freeway billboards along Highway 99 at seven citywide, and each one needs a conditional use permit approved by the City Council on the Planning Commission's recommendation. Section 10-6.108(f)(2) fixes where a digital billboard can sit: within 660 feet of the freeway, at least 300 feet from any residential parcel, at most 60 feet tall, capped at 700 square feet per face, and 2,500 feet from the next digital freeway billboard.
Modesto Digital Freeway Billboards: 7 Max, CUP Required
Significant RestrictionsModesto Code of Ordinances § 10-6.108(f)(2)
1)Location. A digital freeway billboard shall be located within 660 feet of State Highway 99 but shall not be located on any parcel with a residential zone or use, and shall be a minimum of 300 feet from any parcel with a residential zone or use.2)Number of Faces. A digital freeway billboard may consist of, at most, two (2) digital display areas, each positioned to be visible only by opposing d...
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