Anaheim, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

Anaheim's sign ordinance treats interior window signage as a defined sign type with its own coverage cap rather than folding it into general wall-sign allowances. Municipal Code Sec. 070 permits signs on the inside of windows of commercial or industrial buildings, but caps them so that, viewed from the public right-of-way, permanent and temporary window signs together cannot obscure more than 20% of the total transparent area of the window surface. The code specifies exactly how to measure that area: the sign's face is framed by four sides with opposite sides congruent and all angles right angles, and any negative or clear space between graphics inside that frame still counts toward the sign area, so a business cannot dodge the cap by spacing out individual letters or graphics.

The rule flatly bars any sign placed on the outside of a window of a commercial or industrial building, meaning exterior-mounted decals or placards on glass are not an alternative route to more coverage. 44 (Signs) alongside nameplates, awning signs, murals and projecting signs, all part of the city's broader sign program administered through the Planning Department, which reviews sign permits and coordinated sign programs for commercial centers. Because the 20% figure applies per window surface and is measured from the public-facing view, retailers with multiple storefront windows must keep each window under the threshold rather than averaging coverage across the whole storefront. The ordinance was last amended by Ord. 5998 Sec. 42 on October 25, 2005, and the coverage limit has remained unchanged since.