Rialto, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- RMC 18.102.020(B)(25), 18.102.060(G)(5)
- Street-facing elevation cap
- 50% of window area
- Other elevation cap
- 25% of window area
- Permit-exempt threshold
- 3 sq ft, ID info only
- Applies to zones
- A-P, C-1, C-1A, M-1, M-2, PID
Summary
In Rialto's commercial and industrial zones, window signs may not cover more than fifty percent of the window area on street-facing building elevations, or twenty-five percent on other elevations, though a permit-exempt window sign under three square feet is always allowed.
5.Window signs, commerical and noncommercial, provided that the total area of the displayed window signs shall not exceed fifty percent of the total window area for the front building elevation and side building elevations facing a public street, and twenty-five percent of the total window area on all other building elevations. The placement of window advertisement signs is exempt from the requirement of a sign permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 39).
Full Breakdown
020(B)(25) defines a 'window sign' as a sign painted, attached, glued or otherwise affixed to a window, or otherwise easily visible from the exterior of the building. 060(G)(5), governing the C-1 and C-1A commercial zones, sets the standard coverage cap: the total area of displayed window signs, commercial and noncommercial, may not exceed fifty percent of the total window area on the front elevation and side elevations facing a public street, and twenty-five percent of the total window area on all other elevations. 060(I)(4). Placement of window signs within those caps is exempt from the sign permit requirement.
050(A)(1) exempts permanent window signs not exceeding three square feet in area from the chapter's application, permit and fee requirements entirely, so long as they're limited to business identification, hours of operation, address, and emergency information. 050(A)(16), capped at thirty days' display within any ninety-day period unless the city council extends the time.
Violations & Fines
Window signage exceeding the fifty/twenty-five percent coverage caps in the applicable zone, or a permanent window sign over three square feet that hasn't gone through the sign permit process, is a zoning violation under RMC Chapter 18.102, enforced by the police chief or a designated code enforcement representative under Section 18.102.050(E).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my storefront window can I cover with signs in Rialto?
Do I need a permit for a small window sign?
Does the 50/25 percent window sign rule apply everywhere in Rialto?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rialto
California rules heatmap·Compare Rialto to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Window Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle window signs.