Sunnyvale, CA Sign Regulations: Garage Sale Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 19.44.190, Chapter 19.44
- Permit
- none required if standards met
- Total sign area cap
- 16 sq ft per premises
- Pre-election bump
- up to 32 sq ft
- Height cap
- 3.5 ft for ground/portable signs
- Placement ban
- trees, driveways, walkways, right-of-way
Summary
Garage sale signs in Sunnyvale fall under the residential temporary-sign rule, § 19.44.190: no permit is needed, but total signage on the property cannot exceed sixteen square feet, temporary ground and portable signs cannot exceed three and a half feet in height, and signs cannot be placed on trees, driveways, walkways, or in the public right-of-way without separate authorization.
The following requirements apply to temporary signs in residential zoning districts, except as qualified by Section 19.44.150(b). No permit is required for temporary signs that meet all of the following standards: ... (b) Sign Area. The total of all temporary signs on a single premises shall not exceed sixteen square feet in total sign area, except that during the pre-election period (ninety days prior to an election and ten days after an election), the total area of all signs shall not exceed thirty-two feet in area. These limitations on total sign area do not apply to window signs. (c) Sign Height. Signs shall not project above any wall, fence, or other structure to which the sign is affixed. Temporary ground signs and portable signs shall not exceed three and one-half feet in height measured from the ground immediately adjacent to the sign. (d) Location. Signs shall not be placed on trees or in walkways, driveways, or other areas of the property used for vehicular or pedestrian travel. Temporary ground signs and portable signs may not be placed in the public right-of-way except as authorized by Section 9.58.090.
Full Breakdown
190, the temporary-sign standard for residential zoning districts. No sign permit is required as long as the display meets every standard in the section. First, the sign cannot display a commercial message, which a private garage sale notice satisfies since it advertises a one-time household sale rather than an ongoing business. Second, the total area of all temporary signs on one property, garage sale signs included, cannot exceed sixteen square feet, a limit that only expands to thirty-two square feet during the ninety-day pre-election period and does not apply to window signs at all.
Third, a garage sale sign cannot project above any wall or fence it is attached to, and if it is a ground or portable sign, it is capped at three and a half feet in height measured from the ground. 090. Every sign also needs the property owner or occupant's permission before it goes up, and any sign placed in an authorized right-of-way location needs the adjacent private parcel owner's consent too.
Violations & Fines
A garage sale sign that exceeds the sixteen-square-foot total sign area, stands taller than three and a half feet, sits on a tree, driveway, or walkway, or is placed in the public right-of-way without § 9.58.090 authorization violates § 19.44.190. Because it is a Title 19 zoning violation, it defaults to a misdemeanor under § 1.04.010 and § 1.04.020, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, and code enforcement can remove noncompliant signs from the right-of-way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a garage sale sign in Sunnyvale?
Can I put my garage sale sign on a street tree or in a driveway?
How big can my garage sale sign be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sunnyvale
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