Pasadena, CA Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- On-site signage
- Not allowed under any circumstance
- Off-site advertising
- Business cards, mailers, web ads allowed
- Floor area cap
- 500 square feet including storage
- Client visit hours
- 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Monday-Friday only
- Enforcement
- Permit revocable after 15 days' notice
Summary
Pasadena bans any on-site sign advertising a home occupation business, even though the underlying activity itself is permitted with a Home Occupation Permit. Municipal Code Section 17.50.110.M allows only off-site paper or electronic advertising, including business cards, provided the ad omits the home's address.
M.Signs and advertising. On-site signs advertising a home occupation use shall not be allowed. Paper and electronic advertisements are allowed (including business cards) as long as they do not include the address of the home occupation permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 79 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
110, and subsection M is unambiguous: no on-site sign of any kind may advertise a home-based business, though paper and electronic advertising, including business cards, is allowed as long as it leaves out the home's street address. F). G-H). J). Because outdoor signage is barred entirely, a home business that wants visibility has to rely on mailers, websites, and social media instead of a yard sign or window placard. 090 after 15 days' written notice unless the operator brings the use back into compliance. E ties the two together.
Violations & Fines
A prohibited on-site sign is a Home Occupation Permit violation enforced through the revocation process in Section 17.78.090: the Zoning Administrator issues 15 days' written notice, and if the sign or other noncompliance is not corrected, the permit is revoked. Losing the permit automatically voids the linked Business License under Section 17.50.110.E, cutting off the ability to legally operate the home business at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a sign in my yard for my home-based business in Pasadena?
What happens if code enforcement finds an illegal home business sign?
Are electronic ads for a home business allowed in Pasadena?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasadena
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