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Santa Clara, CA Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Height limit: 30 feet maximum
Sign area limit: 200 square feet maximum
Freeway proximity: Within 500 feet of right-of-way
Sign spacing: 750 feet between freeway signs
Permit required: Conditional Use Permit, Chapter 18.114
Illumination: External illumination prohibited
Landscaping: 2 sq ft per sq ft of sign area

Summary

Freeway- and expressway-oriented signs in Santa Clara must sit on the same parcel as the business they advertise, stay under 30 feet tall and 200 square feet, and sit within 500 feet of a freeway right-of-way under Title 18 Zoning Code Section 18.42.120(F). Every one needs a Conditional Use Permit, and external illumination is flatly prohibited.

F. Freeway- and Expressway-Oriented Signs... 1. Freeway- and Expressway-Oriented signs shall be located on the same parcel on which the structure or use is being advertised. 2. Freeway- and Expressway-Oriented signs shall not exceed 30 feet in height. 3. Freeway- and Expressway-Oriented signs may only be located on parcels located no more than 500 feet from the outside edge of a freeway right-of-way. 4. Freeway- and Expressway-Oriented signs shall not be placed within 750 feet of another freeway-oriented sign. 5. Freeway- and Expressway-Oriented signs shall not exceed 200 square feet in sign area. 6. Freeway- and Expressway-Oriented signs shall require the approval of a Conditional Use Permit in compliance with Chapter 18.114 (Conditional Use Permits and Minor Use Permits). 7. External illumination is prohibited.

View official code

Full Breakdown

120(F). 090. Height is capped at 30 feet, and total sign area cannot exceed 200 square feet. The parcel itself must sit within 500 feet of the outside edge of a freeway right-of-way, and no two freeway-oriented signs may stand within 750 feet of each other, a spacing rule aimed at the freeway corridors that ring the city. 114 (Conditional Use Permits and Minor Use Permits), meaning Planning Commission review rather than an over-the-counter Sign Permit. External illumination is prohibited outright, and the base of the sign must sit in a landscaped bed carrying at least two square feet of landscaping for every square foot of sign area. 010(B), makes it unlawful to erect, alter, enlarge or repair any sign in the city contrary to these standards. 200.

Violations & Fines

Section 18.42.010(B) makes it unlawful to post, erect, enlarge, alter or repair any sign in Santa Clara contrary to Chapter 18.42, including a freeway-oriented sign built without the required Conditional Use Permit. Under Section 18.42.190, an unauthorized or abandoned sign must be removed by the property owner; if the owner fails to act, the City can remove it after notice and recover removal and storage costs as a tax lien against the property.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a freeway-facing sign in Santa Clara need a permit?

Yes. Section 18.42.120(F)(6) requires a Conditional Use Permit approved under Chapter 18.114 for every freeway- or expressway-oriented sign, meaning Planning Commission review rather than a simple over-the-counter Sign Permit. Building one without the approved permit makes the sign unlawful under Section 18.42.010(B) and subjects it to removal under Section 18.42.190.

How close to the freeway does my parcel have to be?

The parcel carrying the sign must be located no more than 500 feet from the outside edge of a freeway right-of-way, and the sign must advertise the structure or use on that same parcel. Off-site freeway billboards fall under the separate, far stricter billboard cap in Section 18.42.090 instead.

Can a freeway sign be lit up at night?

No. Section 18.42.120(F)(7) prohibits external illumination on freeway- and expressway-oriented signs outright, and the standard does not carve out an exception for internal illumination on this sign type either, unlike Santa Clara's monument signs, which the code allows to be lit.

What happens if two freeway signs end up too close together?

Section 18.42.120(F)(4) bars placing a freeway-oriented sign within 750 feet of another one already in place, so an applicant seeking a Conditional Use Permit near an existing freeway sign will be denied unless that spacing is met.

Sources & Official References

[1]Santa Clara, CA Title 18 Zoning Code, Chapter 18.42 (Sign Standards)

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