Ventura, CA Sign Regulations: Garage Sale Signs (2026)

Ventura regulates garage sales through two intersecting code titles. Division 6 (Business Regulations) §6.200.090 governs the underlying commercial-activity character of sales in residential zones, and Chapter 24.420 (Sign Regulations) governs how — and whether — they may be advertised. The city's own Code Enforcement handout summarizes the operative rules: (1) one garage sale per household per year; (2) maximum of two consecutive days; (3) more frequent sales constitute a 'commercial activity that is not allowed in residential zones'; (4) no business license required; (5) signs are 'not permitted on street trees, poles or any signs within the public right-of-way'; (6) unsold items cannot remain in public view after the sale (donate to charity instead). The sign code itself does not include a specific 'garage sale sign' exemption — unlike open-house signs (§24.420.050.6) and political signs (§24.420.050.10), which are explicitly permitted in treewells, sidewalks, and parkways. Practically, on-site signs in the seller's own yard are tolerated as residential addressing/announcement signage so long as they don't create a hazard; off-site directional signs on utility poles or street trees are actively removed by Code Enforcement.