Baldwin Park, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Non-residential limit
- 4 signs, 24 sq ft combined
- Non-residential per-sign cap
- 12 sq ft each
- Non-residential window coverage
- 40% max per window
- Residential limit
- 6 signs, 9 sq ft combined
- Residential window coverage
- 50% max per window
- Permitting agency
- Planning Division, § 153.170.030
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, § 10.99
Summary
Baldwin Park caps temporary window signs by count, total area and window coverage before a sign permit is required. Non-residential properties get four signs totaling 24 square feet; residential properties get six signs totaling nine square feet, each with its own window-coverage cap.
(c) Up to four temporary window signs with a combined area of no more than 24 square feet, however, no individual sign may exceed 12 square feet in area and no more than 40% of the area of any given window may be covered by window signs; and ... (c) Up to six temporary window signs with a combined area of no more than nine square feet, except that no more than 50% of the area of any given window may be covered by window signs; and
Full Breakdown
Baldwin Park Municipal Code § 153.170.040 lists categories of signs that are exempt from the city's sign permit requirement under § 153.170.030, provided each threshold is met. On non-residential property, a business may display up to four temporary window signs with a combined area of no more than 24 square feet, with no single sign exceeding 12 square feet, and no more than 40% of any given window's area covered by window signs. On residential property, the allowance shrinks to six temporary window signs totaling no more than nine square feet, with no more than 50% of a given window covered.
The section separately notes that window signs printed on transparent (rather than opaque) backgrounds and placed on glass doors get double the non-residential size allowance. Exempt status only removes the permit requirement; § 153.170.040(A) makes clear exempt signs still must comply with every other applicable provision of the sign subchapter, including the illumination restriction in § 153.170.040(B) limiting exempt signs to non-illuminated, externally illuminated, or internally illuminated types. Any window signage exceeding these count, area or coverage thresholds becomes a regular sign requiring a permit from the Planning Division under § 153.170.030, or a variance under §§ 153.210 et seq. if it cannot meet the subchapter's standards. The exemption thresholds were most recently amended by Ord. 1510, passed 6-19-24, part of the city's 2026 S-32 supplement current through December 2025.
Violations & Fines
Window signs that exceed the exempt thresholds without first obtaining a sign permit are enforced as a violation of Municipal Code Title XV under the city's general penalty, § 10.99: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or six months' imprisonment, or, where the city cites the specific offense as an infraction, escalating fines of $100, $200 and $500 for a first, second and third violation of the same section within a calendar year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for window signs in Baldwin Park?
What happens if I exceed the window sign exemption?
Is window coverage capped even if I'm under the sign-count limit?
Are glass door signs treated differently than window signs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baldwin Park
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