Ridgecrest, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Classification
- Counted as a wall sign
- Placement cap
- No higher than 2nd-floor sill
- Area limit
- Set by frontage-based formula
- Small window signs
- ≤4 sq ft exempt from motion ban
Summary
Ridgecrest treats permanent window signs the same as wall signs: they share one aggregate sign-area allowance and can't be placed above the second-floor window sill, third floor for upper-story businesses, under Municipal Code section 106-406(a).
Wall sign means any sign painted on or attached parallel to the wall facing of a building and projecting not more than 12 inches. This shall include permanent window signs. ... Wall and permanent window signs shall not be placed above the window sill of the second floor of the building unless the business is conducted above the first floor, in which case the sign shall not be placed above the window sill of the third floor nor above the maximum height allowed for the zone.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
The zoning code defines a window sign as anything affixed to or within three feet of a window facing the public, and folds it into the "wall sign" category rather than capping it as a percent of window area. Placement is limited by section 106-406(a): a window or wall sign can't sit above the second-floor sill, or the third-floor sill if the business occupies an upper floor, and never above the zone's maximum sign height. Area is instead governed by Table I's frontage-based aggregate formula, which ranges from 0.33 to 2.0 times building frontage depending on zone.
Violations & Fines
An oversized or misplaced window sign is an infraction under section 106-64(a); planning staff can require the sign recalculated against the aggregate area cap or lowered below the sill limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my Ridgecrest storefront window can carry signage?
Can a window sign in Ridgecrest flash or move?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgecrest
California rules heatmap·Compare Ridgecrest to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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