Long Beach, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Coverage cap
- 10% of window area, per window
- Density limit
- 1 sign per 3 linear feet of window
- Calculation
- Each window measured separately
- Permit status
- Exempt from sign permit and fee
- Escalating fines
- $100, then $250, then $1,000 misdemeanor
Summary
Long Beach limits window signs to 10 percent of a window's total area under Municipal Code § 21.44.500's Table 44-4, sign class 5. The exemption lets businesses skip a sign permit and fee only if they stay within that cap, with density further capped at one sign per three linear feet of window, each window measured separately.
The classes of signs set forth in this section are exempt from the application, permit and fee requirements for on-premises signs, provided the exempt sign conforms to Table 44-4—Exempt Signs. ... 5. Window signs Total of all signs displayed in any one window may not cover more than 10% of total window area 1 sign per 3 linear feet of window -Each window shall be calculated separately -Must be placed in such a manner so as to not obstruct visibility into business
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
500 lists 17 classes of "permit exempt signs" that skip Long Beach's sign application, permit and fee process, and Class 5, window signs, is one of the narrowest: the combined area of every sign displayed in a single window cannot exceed 10 percent of that window's total area, and no more than one sign is allowed for every three linear feet of window frontage. The code requires each window on a storefront to be calculated separately, so a business with five display windows gets five independent 10-percent allowances rather than one shared pool, and every sign must be placed so it does not obstruct visibility into the business from the sidewalk.
Window signs sit alongside, but are legally distinct from, Class 2 "interior signs," which are exhibited one to six feet inside the glass, capped at 25 percent of the window area they are viewed through, and limited to three per window; a retailer using both classes in the same window has to track two separate percentage caps at once. 44. 500 also makes clear the exemption from sign-permit fees does not excuse a business from any other Municipal Code requirement, including building or electrical permits an illuminated window sign might trigger.
Violations & Fines
A window sign exceeding the 10-percent cap loses its permit-exempt status and is treated as an unpermitted sign under Chapter 21.44. Planning and Building inspectors can issue a notice of violation with a 10-day cure period under LBMC § 1.32.060; an uncured or repeated violation escalates to a $100 infraction citation, then $250, then a $1,000 misdemeanor citation if it recurs within six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a window sign in Long Beach?
Can I cover several windows to reach a bigger total?
What happens if my window signage exceeds the limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Long Beach to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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