Berkeley, CA Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned zone
- west of Third Street facing Eastshore Freeway
- Only exception
- relocation agreement under § 20.04.040
- Also banned citywide
- pole signs, ground signs over 20 ft, wind signs
- Enforcing office
- City Manager, BMC § 20.68.010
- Remedy
- misdemeanor/infraction plus nuisance injunction
Summary
Berkeley outlaws off-premises signs west of the western line of Third Street that are designed to be read primarily from the Eastshore Freeway. There is only one way around the ban: a relocation agreement approved under BMC § 20.04.040, so a business cannot simply apply for a variance or design review exception.
C. The following types of signs are prohibited: 1. Off-premises signs west of the western line of Third Street that are designed to have the message thereon viewed primarily from the Eastshore Freeway, unless permitted by a relocation agreement pursuant to Section 20.04.040;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 8031-NS, passed July 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
140), located west of the western line of Third Street and designed to be viewed primarily from the Eastshore Freeway (Interstate 80). That corridor runs along Berkeley's bay-facing edge near the Marina and waterfront industrial and commercial parcels, exactly where a billboard would otherwise catch freeway traffic. 040, a mechanism the City uses to let an existing nonconforming sign move in exchange for removing signage elsewhere, not a general permit path for new freeway billboards. The same subsection bans several other sign types citywide regardless of location: pole signs, ground signs taller than 20 feet, wind signs, signs painted on or attached to an inoperable, unlicensed vehicle parked in view of the right-of-way, and any sign above the third floor or 40 feet above grade in a commercial district. 010.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Title 20's sign rules, including an unlawful freeway-facing sign, is a misdemeanor under § 20.68.020, punishable as set out in Chapter 1.20, though the prosecutor may instead charge it as an infraction. Section 20.68.030 separately declares any Title 20 violation a public nuisance subject to City abatement procedures under Chapter 1.24, and authorizes the City to seek an injunction from the Superior Court to force removal of a noncompliant sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business put up a billboard facing I-80 in Berkeley?
Is there any way to get an exception to the freeway sign ban?
What happens if someone puts up an illegal freeway sign in Berkeley?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Berkeley
California rules heatmap·Compare Berkeley to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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Freeway-Facing Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle freeway-facing signs.