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Colusa County, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Max window coverage
25 percent of continuous window area
Placement
Top of the window
Repeated signs rule
Identical signs across windows count as one
Governing table
Table 44-3.50-1, Business Identification Signs
Permit required
Administrative Permit, Zoning Administrator approval
Temporary exception
New-business window sign up to 5 sq ft, no permit

Summary

Under Table 44-3.50-1 of the Colusa County Zoning Code, a permitted business window sign in unincorporated Colusa County can cover up to 25 percent of any continuous window area, must sit at the top of the window, and identical signs repeated across several windows on one frontage count as a single sign.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Colusa County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

TABLE 44-3.50-1: BUSINESS IDENTIFICATION SIGNS ... Window Sign Up to 25 percent of any continuous window area Top of window Identical signs evenly placed in multiple windows along a business frontage will be considered a single sign.

Full Breakdown

Window signs fall under Article 44-3, Division 44-3.50 (Sign Standards), Section 44-3.50.080 (Signs Allowed with a Permit), which covers permanent business identification signage. Table 44-3.50-1, Business Identification Signs, sets a separate row of standards for each sign type: wall signs, projecting signs, awnings, monument signs, and window signs among them. For a Window Sign, the table caps the maximum area at up to 25 percent of any continuous window area and fixes the maximum height at the top of the window, meaning the sign has to sit in the upper portion of the glass rather than at eye level or the sill.

The table also addresses a common workaround: a business that repeats an identical sign across several storefront windows along the same frontage does not get to count each pane separately. The Other Requirements column for the Window Sign row specifies that identical signs evenly placed in multiple windows along a business frontage are considered a single sign, so the 25-percent cap applies to the whole run of repeated signage rather than to each window individually.

Because window signs sit within Section 44-3.50.080's permit track, rather than the no-permit list in Section 44-3.50.040, installing one as permanent business identification requires an Administrative Permit application to the Zoning Administrator under Section 44-3.50.050, including a site plan, scale drawing, and an inventory of the business's existing signage. A window sign used only as a temporary, five-square-foot new-business identifier is treated separately, under the no-permit provisions of Section 44-3.50.040(B)(3), and does not have to meet the 25-percent table limit.

Violations & Fines

A window sign that exceeds 25 percent of the continuous window area, or one installed without the Administrative Permit Table 44-3.50-1 requires under Section 44-3.50.050, is enforced by the Community Development Department under the Zoning Code's general enforcement authority, Section 44-1.130.020. Violating any Zoning Code sign standard is a misdemeanor under Section 44-1.130.030, carrying a fine of up to $5,000, up to six months in jail, or both, plus mandatory abatement of the oversized signage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much of a storefront window can a sign cover in unincorporated Colusa County?
Up to 25 percent of any continuous window area, per the Window Sign row of Table 44-3.50-1 in the Zoning Code. The sign also has to sit at the top of the window rather than lower in the glass, and it needs an Administrative Permit as a permanent identification sign.
Can a store put the same sign in five different windows to get around the size limit?
No. Table 44-3.50-1 specifically treats identical signs evenly placed in multiple windows along one business frontage as a single sign for measurement purposes, so the county applies the 25-percent cap against the combined run of repeated signage, not against each individual window pane separately.
Does a window sign need a permit in Colusa County?
A permanent business identification window sign does, through the Administrative Permit process in Section 44-3.50.050. A temporary window sign of five square feet or less announcing a new business is exempt under Section 44-3.50.040(B)(3) until the permanent sign goes in.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Colusa County

All Colusa County rules

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