Daly City, CA Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

DCMC Sec. 17.36.030(F) requires that 'the existence of a home occupation shall not be evident from outside the dwelling' and expressly lists 'Signs and displays' among the items not permitted, alongside alterations to the outside of the dwelling and an entrance to the home occupation directly from outside. The city's official Home Occupation Permit Application makes every applicant acknowledge in writing: 'I cannot have any signs installed on my home or yard that advertise my home occupation.' This is a complete prohibition - there is no allowance for small nameplates or window placards for home occupations in residential districts, unlike many neighboring cities that allow a modest identification sign. Exterior advertising of any kind, including yard signs, banners, or building-mounted signs, would also undermine the chapter's core standard that the average neighbor would not be aware the business exists (Sec. 17.36.020).