Pomona Signage Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Pomona's zoning code under Title 18 requires that all home occupations remain entirely indistinguishable from standard residential use when viewed from outside the property. The signage prohibition is one of the most strictly enforced elements of this requirement. No sign of any type — permanent or temporary, illuminated or non-illuminated, freestanding or wall-mounted — may be placed on the property to advertise, identify, or draw attention to the home-based business. This includes traditional yard signs, door-mounted nameplates, mailbox lettering identifying a business name, banner signs, A-frame sidewalk signs, and any other visual communication device that would suggest commercial activity at the address.

The prohibition extends to less obvious forms of advertising. Window-facing signs, vinyl decals, or poster-board displays positioned inside the residence but oriented to be visible from the street, sidewalk, or neighboring properties are treated identically to exterior signs under the code. Pomona's Code Enforcement staff evaluates visibility from the public right-of-way as the determinative factor: if a passerby or neighbor can see any indication that a business operates at the address, the signage condition has been violated. This interpretation aligns with the broader home occupation framework, which requires that the residential character of the property be preserved at all times.

Commercially branded vehicles present a nuanced enforcement challenge. A vehicle bearing a prominent business name, logo, vinyl wrap, or painted advertising that is routinely parked in the driveway or at the curb in front of the home may be treated as an unauthorized sign if the pattern of parking creates a persistent visual advertisement for the home occupation. Occasional or incidental parking of a logoed vehicle is unlikely to trigger enforcement, but daily display of a wrapped van or truck at the same residence will be scrutinized. Some Pomona home occupation permit-holders address this by parking branded vehicles in enclosed garages when at home.

Unlike some neighboring cities that permit a small one-square-foot professional identification nameplate for attorneys, accountants, or similar licensed professionals, Pomona provides no such exception. The prohibition is categorical and applies uniformly to all home occupation types in all residential zoning districts throughout the city.