Napa County, CA Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Code Section
- NCC 18.116.020(A); 18.116.030; 18.104.090(C)
- Permit-Exempt Sign
- One sign, max 1 sq ft, wall-mounted, parallel to front wall
- Permitted Content
- Name, address, and occupation of the occupant only
- Illumination
- Not authorized under the no-permit exemption
- Freestanding Signs
- Require administrative sign permit; not allowed for home occupation under 18.104.090(C)
- Directional Sign Cap
- 1 ft copyboard height x 3 ft length, single-faced, max 6 ft total height (NCC 18.116.055)
Summary
Napa County Code 18.116.020(A) allows one wall-mounted, parallel-to-the-front-wall sign of up to one square foot displaying the occupant's name, address, and occupation without any permit. Any larger or freestanding sign for a home occupation would need a separate sign-permit pathway under Chapter 18.116, and Section 18.104.090(C) bars 'visible evidence' of the home occupation.
18.116.020 Signs allowed without a permit. The following signs shall be allowed without a permit on any lot in any zone: A. One sign, not exceeding one square foot in sign area, attached to and parallel to the front wall of a building and containing the name, address and occupation of the occupant; B. One temporary, unlighted real estate sign not exceeding six square feet in sign area advertising the sale, rental or lease of the lot or building on which the sign is located so long as the lot or building on which the sign is located is offered for sale, rental or lease; ... 18.116.055 Directional signs. Permitted directional signs shall comply with the following standards: A. Size and dimension: Directional signs may not exceed a copyboard height of one foot nor a length of three feet. Signs shall be single-faced unless a need for double-facing is demonstrated. B. Height: The total height of a directional sign, including the post or standard upon which a directional sign is placed, shall generally lie below the normal vehicular line of sight to the horizon, and may not exceed six feet above the centerline of any adjacent vehicular right-of-way. C. Color: Directional signs shall employ white reflective copy on a solid blue background.
Full Breakdown
020(A), 'One sign, not exceeding one square foot in sign area, attached to and parallel to the front wall of a building and containing the name, address and occupation of the occupant' is allowed on any lot in any zone without a permit. 090(C) that prohibits any 'visible evidence' of the home occupation. The Sign Permit Application Packet (PBES, Updated 10/23/2013) specifies the items required for any non-exempt sign: a completed signed application; a location map/site plan showing sign location and setbacks relative to property lines and rights-of-way; a sign elevation showing height, length, materials, color, lettering, and content; a State or County encroachment permit if the sign is in a public right-of-way; and the application fee.
055 may not exceed a copyboard height of one foot or a length of three feet, must be single-faced, and may not exceed a total height of six feet above the centerline of any adjacent right-of-way - with the lettering and copy in white reflective characters on a solid blue background.
Violations & Fines
Posting a home-business sign over one square foot, an illuminated sign, or a freestanding sign without a sign permit is a zoning violation under Title 18. PBES Code Compliance can issue notices of violation and administrative citations and require removal. Because NCC 18.104.090(C) bars visible evidence of the home occupation, an unauthorized sign can also be cited as a violation of the Home Occupation Permit and grounds for permit revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a sign on my house advertising my home business?
Can I put a sandwich board or a sign at the driveway?
Can my home-business sign be lit at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Napa County
California rules heatmap·Compare Napa County to another location·View the California home business overview
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