Redlands, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Base coverage limit
- 25% of total window area
- Seasonal limit
- 50%, Nov. 15 to Jan. 10
- Permit required
- No
- Exempt items
- Public service fliers/posters
- Adopting ordinance
- Ord. 2552 § 1, 2004
Summary
Redlands caps window signs on commercial businesses at 25% of total window area, rising to 50% between November 15 and January 10. No permit is required, but the sign must be kept in good repair or the city can order it removed.
Businesses in commercial zoning districts shall be permitted to display window signs, subject to the following regulations: A. No time limit is placed on the display of window signs. B. The area of a window sign shall be calculated as the gross window area for all the windows on the same floor, building frontage or facing the same direction. Buildings with setbacks facing the same direction shall be considered one side for the purposes of calculating window sign area. C. Window signs may cover no more than twenty five percent (25%) of the total window area of the business, as defined in subsection B of this section. D. Between November 15 and January 10, window signs may cover up to fifty percent (50%) of the total window area of the business. E. Public service fliers or posters shall be exempt from the area limits specified above. F. No permit is required for window signs.
Full Breakdown
600 lets businesses in commercial zoning districts post window signs without a time limit and without a permit, but the coverage is capped. The 25% ceiling is measured against the gross window area for every window on the same floor or building frontage facing the same direction, and buildings with setbacks facing that direction still count as one side, so a business cannot dodge the cap by splitting a storefront into separate wall segments. The city built in a seasonal allowance: between November 15 and January 10 each year, coverage can jump to 50% of total window area, covering the holiday shopping season.
Public service fliers and posters are exempt from both the 25% and 50% caps entirely, so community notices do not eat into a business's advertising allotment. Because no permit is required, the section is self-enforcing until a problem surfaces: subsection G requires window signs to be repaired as necessary to maintain an attractive appearance and lists disqualifying conditions, including broken, faded or missing letters, broken or missing sign faces, chipped or peeling paint, and missing or inoperative lights. If the city sends a written request to perform maintenance and the sign owner does not respond, the code authorizes outright removal of the sign, not just a citation. 36, and was adopted by Ordinance 2552 section 1 in 2004.
Violations & Fines
Section 15.36.600 itself carries no fine schedule; the enforcement tool is removal, not a citation. A written city request to repair an unacceptable sign (broken letters, missing sign faces, chipped paint, inoperative lights) that goes unanswered results in removal of the sign. Separately, chapter 15.36's nonconforming-sign provisions require signs that no longer meet the code to be brought into compliance or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a window sign in Redlands?
How much of my storefront window can I cover with signs?
Does a holiday poster count toward my window sign limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redlands
California rules heatmap·Compare Redlands to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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Window Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle window signs.