Sign Regulations in El Dorado County, CA (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated El Dorado County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Temporary noncommercial and political signs in unincorporated El Dorado County are capped at six square feet year-round, but Section 130.36.030(B)(10) triples the allowance to 32 square feet starting 60 days before any special, general, or primary election through two weeks after it closes. The signs must sit back at least five feet from the right-of-way, stay below the roofline, and cannot be illuminated.
El Dorado County Election Sign Size Limits
Light RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 130.36.030(B)(10)
10.Temporary signs displaying noncommercial messages subject to:a.Six square feet of signage, set back at least five feet from the public right-of-way and not projecting above the roofline of any structure.b.During the time period beginning 60-days before a special, general, or primary election and ending two weeks after such election, the total allowed sign area for noncommercial messages may ...
Garage Sale Signs
El Dorado County allows garage sales by right for residents, capped at four sales and 12 total days a year per single-unit address, three days per sale. Advertising signs under Section 130.40.220(E) can't go up more than a day before the sale, must come down at close of business, and can't be posted on utility poles, streetlights or traffic signs.
El Dorado County Garage Sale Sign Rules
Light RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 130.40.220(E)(3)-(5)
3.Single-unit residential dwellings shall be allowed a maximum of four garage sales per calendar year at the same address. Each garage sale may be allowed for up to 3 days and shall not exceed a total of 12 days per calendar year at the same address.4.Multi-unit residential dwellings shall be allowed a maximum of two garage sales per calendar year per legal dwelling unit.5.Garage sale advertisi...
Digital Billboards
Electronic message signs in unincorporated El Dorado County can use digital display for no more than 50 percent of a sign's allowed face area, cannot change their message faster than once every eight seconds, and are capped at 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light under Section 130.36.070(H)(3) of the Zoning Ordinance.
El Dorado County Digital Sign Brightness Rules
Some RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 130.36.070(H)(3)
3.Electronic (Digital) Signs. Where allowed, the following standards apply to electronic (digital) signs:a.Digital display is limited to 50 percent of the total allowable display face area of any particular sign.b.Signs shall not change message more than once every eight seconds (dwell time).c.Digital signs shall not operate at brightness levels of more than 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light...
Window Signs
Window signs in unincorporated El Dorado County cannot cover more than 25 percent of a storefront's total window area, under Section 130.36.030(B)(1) of the Zoning Ordinance, and any window signage has to leave law enforcement a clear, unobstructed view into the business, including a view of the cash registers.
El Dorado County Window Sign Coverage Limit
Light RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 130.36.030(B)(1)
1.No more than 25 percent of total window area shall be obscured by signs. Window signs do not count toward cumulative allowable sign area. Window signage shall be placed so that law enforcement personnel have a clear and unobstructed view of the interior of the establishment, including any cash registers.
Freeway-Facing Signs
Signs meant to be seen from U.S. Highway 50, including any sign within 100 feet of the highway right-of-way, need a discretionary Design Review Permit under Section 130.36.070(J) of the Zoning Ordinance. The rule caps single-tenant signs at 60 square feet and multi-tenant signs at 200 square feet, spaces them at least 1,000 feet apart, and sets them back 100 feet from the highway and 200 feet from any residential zone.
El Dorado County US 50 Freeway Sign Rules
Significant RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 130.36.070(J)
J. Standards for U.S. Highway 50-Oriented Signs. Proposed on-site signs designed for visibility from U.S. Highway 50, including signs within 100 feet of the edge of the right-of-way, but outside of the officially designated scenic corridor, are subject to a Design Review Permit... a.Spacing Between Signs. U.S. Highway 50-oriented signs shall be separated by at least 1,000 feet between signs.b.S...
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