Santa Rosa, CA Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

Section 20-38.070(Q) sets three layers of standards for window signs wherever Section 20-38.060's zoning-district sign standards allow them. First, permanent window signs "shall not occupy more than 20 percent of the total window area," a percentage cap measured against the whole window, not just the sign's own display area. Second, permanent window signs are restricted to windows on "the ground level and second story of a building frontage" and must consist of individual letters, logos, or symbols applied directly to the glass, though neon signs with transparent backgrounds may hang inside the window glass line rather than being surface-applied. Third, temporary window signs, handwritten sale notices, paper banners, and similar short-term signage, may be displayed inside a window for a maximum of 10 days and only within ground-floor windows; the standard governs the display itself, so rotating signs in and out does not restart an allowance.

The window-sign rules sit within the broader special-category standards of Section 20-38.070, alongside the separate 25 percent window-signing allowance the City gives new-car auto dealerships under subsection (A)(2). A retailer combining a large permanent decal with rotating temporary sale signage has to track the two calculations separately: the permanent decal stays under the 20 percent ceiling at all times, and any temporary addition is measured against the separate 10-day, ground-floor-only limit.