Merced, CA Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

Signage for home occupations in the City of Merced is tightly restricted to preserve residential character. MMC Section 20.48.040.A.4 allows exactly "one (1) single, non-illuminated, wall-mounted outdoor sign of not more than one (1) square foot in area." That is the only on-premises sign a home occupation may display. The companion advertising rule, MMC Section 20.48.040.A.3, prohibits using newspaper, radio, or television service to advertise the location of the business; however, contact information including phone numbers and email address (but not the location address) is permitted in such advertisements. Combined with the prohibition on window displays of products in MMC Section 20.48.040.A.2, these rules mean a home business cannot visually present itself as a storefront. The one-square-foot, non-illuminated, single wall sign is far more restrictive than the freestanding and larger signs allowed for commercial uses under Chapter 20.62 (Signs); the home-occupation provisions in Chapter 20.48 control for residential home businesses. There is no provision for portable, A-frame, banner, or yard signs for a home occupation, so anything beyond the single permitted wall sign is not allowed.