Downey, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Temporary window sign cap
- 30% of front-face window area
- Permanent window sign cap
- 15% single window, 30% total
- Temporary display limit
- Four 30-day periods per year
- Gap required between periods
- 30 days
- Permit needed
- Temporary: yes, with fee; permanent: no
- Window sign defined as
- Within 36 inches of glass
Summary
Downey caps how much of a storefront window can carry signage. Temporary window signs are limited to 30% of the window area on the building's front face under § 9618.06(c)(7), while permanent window signs get a slightly different allowance under Table 9.6.1: 15% of any single window and 30% of all window area combined, with changeable copy allowed.
Window Signs.
(i) Placement of temporary window signs is limited to a 30% permit maximum for all window areas on the front face of the building, not to exceed 30% in any one window, provided that the total area of window areas used for signing and all other permitted signs together do not exceed the total allowable sign area of the applicable zone for the business.
(ii) Any portion of a sign located within thirty-six inches (36″) of a window will be considered a window sign.
(iii) Display periods shall be limited to a maximum of four, 30 day display periods per calendar year. Each display period shall be separated by a minimum of 30 days.
(v) A permit fee, as established by resolution of the Council, shall be paid. [...] Window sign, permanent 15% of individual window area and 30% of total area of all windows NR NR
• Changeable copy is permitted. Signs shall not rotate, move, or cause uncontrolled direction of lights, flash, reflect, scroll, or blink.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4807734; v5 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
Downey's sign code treats permanent and temporary window signs differently, and both carry hard percentage caps rather than a square-footage number. 06(c)(7), which requires a Special Event Permit and limits placement "to a 30% permit maximum for all window areas on the front face of the building, not to exceed 30% in any one window," counted together with every other permitted sign on the business so the combined total still fits inside the zone's overall sign-area allowance. Any signage within 36 inches of a window counts as a window sign for these purposes, whether or not it is physically mounted to the glass.
Temporary window signage is also time-limited: display periods run a maximum of four 30-day stretches per calendar year, with at least 30 days between each stretch, and a permit fee set by City Council resolution applies to every temporary display. 06(c)(7)(iv) bars showing a temporary window sign and a changeable-copy permanent window sign on the same building frontage at the same time, so a business running a permitted temporary promotion has to cover or remove any changeable-copy permanent sign for the duration.
Violations & Fines
A window sign that exceeds the 30% temporary cap, runs past its 30-day display period, or is posted without the required Special Event Permit and fee becomes an illegal sign under § 9626, giving the owner 30 days to remove it or conform once notified before the City Planner abates it. General violations of the Code are punishable as a misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and six months in jail, or an infraction with escalating fines starting at $100, under § 1200.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my store window can I cover with a temporary sign in Downey?
Are permanent window signs treated differently from temporary ones?
How long can a temporary window sign stay up in Downey?
Can I have a temporary sale sign and a lit-up permanent window sign at the same time?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Downey
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