Murrieta, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 16.38.120(K)
- Coverage cap
- 25% of window area
- Applies to
- Permanent and temporary signs combined
- Allowed floors
- Ground level and second story only
- Mounting requirement
- Permanently painted or mounted
Summary
Murrieta caps window signage at 25 percent of any one window's area, counting permanent and temporary signs together, and restricts placement to ground-level and second-story windows under Municipal Code Section 16.38.120(K).
K. Window Signs.
1. Window signs shall be allowed only on windows located on the ground level and second story of a building frontage.
2. Window signs shall be permanently painted or mounted on the inside of windows and doors.
3. Window signs shall not occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the window area of any one window including permanent signs and temporary signs.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-23: A Codification of the General Ordinances of the City of Murrieta, California through Ord. 634-26, passed 7-7-2026).
Full Breakdown
030 as any sign posted, painted, placed, or affixed in or on a window exposed to public view, including interior signs facing a window within three feet of it. Under subsection (K), window signs are allowed only on windows located on the ground level and second story of a building frontage; upper-floor windows above that are off-limits for window signage. Signs must be permanently painted or mounted on the inside of windows and doors, meaning temporary paper or vinyl posted loosely is treated the same as a painted sign for coverage purposes.
The core numeric limit is that window signs cannot occupy more than 25 percent of the window area of any one window, and that 25 percent ceiling counts permanent and temporary signs together rather than giving each category its own allowance. A business that already has a painted logo covering part of a window has less remaining room for sale banners or temporary notices in that same window. 050.
Violations & Fines
A window sign exceeding the 25 percent coverage cap or lacking a required sign permit is enforceable under Murrieta Municipal Code Section 1.32.010 as an infraction, punishable by a fine up to $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation of the same section within a year, and $500 for each further violation within that year; each day the oversized signage remains up is a separate offense. The city may instead charge a misdemeanor (up to $1,000 and six months in jail) or issue an administrative citation under Chapter 1.26.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my storefront window can a sign cover in Murrieta?
Can I put a window sign on the third floor of a Murrieta building?
Do temporary paper signs in a window count against the Murrieta 25 percent limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murrieta
California rules heatmap·Compare Murrieta to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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