Los Angeles, CA Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Exclusion buffer
- 2,000 feet from freeway main traveled roadway
- Max exempt ID sign
- 50 sq ft or 5% of freeway-facing wall (whichever greater)
- Max exempt business wall signs total
- 100 sq ft per building
- Moving parts or illusion of movement
- Prohibited on all exempt signs
- Compliance period after freeway opens
- 3 years for pre-existing non-compliant signs
Summary
No sign may be erected within 2,000 feet of a Los Angeles freeway if it will be viewed primarily from the main traveled roadway or on-ramp/off-ramp; narrow exemptions exist for small identification signs and business-name wall signs.
No person shall erect, construct, install, paint, maintain, and no building or electrical permit shall be issued for, any sign or sign support structure within 2,000 feet of a freeway unless the Department of Building and Safety has first determined that the sign will not be viewed primarily from a main traveled roadway of a freeway or an on-ramp/off-ramp. The phrase "viewed primarily from" shall mean that the message may be seen with reasonable clarity for a greater distance by a person traveling on the main traveled roadway of a freeway or on-ramp/off-ramp than by a person traveling on the street adjacent to the sign. B. Exemption. ... These signs shall not have moving parts or any arrangement of lights that create the illusion of movement. 1. Identification signs identifying the building where the sign is located, providing the area of the sign is not more than 50 square feet or is not larger than five percent of the area of the side of the building, which faces primarily to the freeway, whichever is greater; and 2. Wall signs on which the advertising is limited to the name of any person, firm or corporation occupying the building, or the type of business, services rendered, or the name of any product manufactured or sold on the premises. The total area of all wall signs on a building permitted in this subdivision shall not exceed 100 square feet.
Full Breakdown
The test for 'viewed primarily from' is whether the message can be seen with reasonable clarity for a greater distance by freeway travelers than by drivers on the adjacent street. Exempt identification signs must not exceed 50 square feet or 5% of the freeway-facing building wall. Exempt business-name wall signs are capped at 100 sq ft total per building with any individual sign no larger than 50 sq ft. All exempt signs must have no moving parts or lights creating the illusion of movement. Signs that predate a freeway opening have three years to comply after the freeway opens to public travel.
Violations & Fines
The Department of Building and Safety denies building and electrical permits for non-compliant signs. Signs within 2,000 feet of a new freeway that violate this section must be removed, rearranged, or relocated within three years of the freeway opening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my business put up a large billboard that faces the 110 Freeway?
What if my sign was there before the freeway was built?
Do illuminated or moving signs get any special treatment near freeways?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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Freeway-Facing Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle freeway-facing signs.