Sign Ordinances

 

Permit required. Not more than one such real estate sign shall be permitted on any lot and the total area of such sign must not exceed 9 square feet. City council may, in its discretion, grant special permission to erect and maintain signs of a larger size than specified for advertising and the development of a tract of land, and may grant special permission to place signs spaced not less than 150 feet apart advertising the sale of acreage property. One double-sided real estate sign will be deemed to be one sign. Real estate signs must not be maintained for a period in excess of 60 days and in no event must such signs be maintained more than 5 days after the date of specific event, if any, for which the sign was erected.  

Atherton Sign Ordinance, see 15.36 Signs 

No permit required. Property owner or his or her agent may display on own real property, as well may display on real property owned by another with that persons consent, signs pertianing to the sale, elase, rental or display of the property. Signs prohibited within the public right-of-way and on all public property, except by permission of the agency, which owns such property, or as permitted. One sign is allowed on the property that is for sale and cannot be located in the public right-of-way. These signs must not be larger than six (6) square feet in size in residential districts and twelve (12) square feet in non-residential districts. Directional real estate signs are limited to no more than three (3) which must be displayed on private property only with the owners' consent and may not exceed three (3) sqaure feet per sign and have a mximum height of five (5) feet above exiting grade. Real estate signs must be removed within 15 days after a property is no longer for sale, lease or exchange. 

Belmont Sign Ordinance, see 23.8.5 Real Estate Signs 

No permit required. Limit to only one sign per unit. Off-site signs are allowed only on the day of the open house. Residential signs must not exceed 6 square feet and non-residential signs must not exceed 16 square feet. Real estate signs must be removed within 10 days after finalization of sale or rental.

Brisbane Municipal Code, see 17.36 Advertising Signs 

No permit required. Limit to one sign on private property, with the exception of corner lots where two signs may be placed one per street. Off-site, A-boards, and directional signs are prohibited. Sign must not exceed 3 square feet in a single-face area in any R zoning district or 9 square feet in a single-face area in any other (commercial or manufacturing) zoning district. 

Burlingame Municipal Code, see Title 22 Signs 

No permit required.  Off-site signs and signs on public property are prohibited.   

No permit required. Limit to one sign per property or business. Off-site and A-frames allowed provided that they are removed by sundown each day and limited to the minimum necessary for directional purposes. A-frames may identify the owner or agent’s name, address and telephone number but must not otherwise be used to identify or advertise real estate offices or businesses. Sign must not exceed 4 square feet in a residential zone or 12 square feet in any other zoning district. Real estate signs must be placed on the offered property and must be removed within 30 days after the sale, rental or lease of the property

Daly City Municipal Code, see Chapter 17.32.170 

No permit required. Limit to one real estate sign on property for sale, rent or lease. Sign must not exceed 4 square feet in area. Sign must be mounted on a post or A-Frame and can not be illuminated. Up to 4 additional “open house” signs may also exhibit directional arrows and instructions on weekends, holidays and on one weekday per week (multiple listing service tour day) on other private property with the owner’s permission. No more than 3 such “open house” directional real estate signs allowed on any single property or 6 such signs located within forty feet of an intersection. Signs are not allowed on sidewalks, streets, medians, public right-of-way, or where they interfere with automobile sight distance, nor may they be taped, wired, glued, tied or in any way attached to light poles, street signs or any public property. 

Foster City Municipal Code, see Chapter 15.12 Sign Control 

No permit required.  Limit to two signs per parcel.  Signs are permitted within 5 feet of the front property line, providing that no single sign face exceeds 4 square feet for each single-family home or duplex, and 16 square feet for a multiple-family use.  Sign height may not exceed 5 feet, nor project into any required building setback area.  A-frame and off-site are prohibited. Signs must be removed 5 days after close of transaction. 

No permit required. Limit to one sign per property. Signs are only allowed on private property with permission of the private property owner or occupant, as appropriate. Sign must only consist of black letters, symbols or artwork on a white background setting forth the name, address, phone number, and logo of person or firm, and words “for sale.” Sign must not exceed 12 inches by 15 inches. Sign may be posted once the owner has decided to offer the property for sale and must be removed no later than 1 week after such transaction has been completed or the effort abandoned or the listing expired. 

Hillsborough Municipal Code, see 17.48.040 Real estate and contractors’ signs 

No permit required.

On-premise sign: Limit to one sign per address for each street abutting the premises. Sign must not exceed 4 square feet in area and 6 feet in height in an R-1 and R-2 zoning districts. All other districts are permitted 9 square feet of area and 6 feet of height if sign is placed on a pole. The sign must be displayed on the subject property and is limited to the period that such premise is held for sale, rent or lease, and not more than 15 days thereafter.

Off-site signs: Two off-site signs are permitted per address signs and must not exceed 4 square feet in area. Signs may only be displayed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. when the open house is held. Signs must be placed on private property; however, if private property is not physically available, 1 of the 2 signs may be placed on public property in a safe manner that does not obstruct or interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic. 

Millbrae Municipal Code, see Chapter 10.10 Sign Regulations 

No permit required. Limit to one sign per property or business. Real estate sign must not exceed 6 square feet. A-frames used for real estate purposes are allowed. Such signs are allowed off the site provided that they are removed by sundown each day and are limited to the minimum necessary for directional purposes. A-frames must not be used to identify or advertise real estate offices or business. Real estate sign placed on the offered property must be removed within 30 days after the sale, rental, or lease of the subject property. 

Pacifica Municipal Code, see 9-4.2904 

No permit required. A maximum of 4 signs total for both on-site and off-site locations. Each sign must be removed within 10 days following the close of escrow on the sale or exchange of the property, the execution of a lease or the withdrawal of the property from the market, or the completion of the economic transaction proposed by the sign. Portable signs may be displayed at off-site locations, so long as they are on private property with the property owner’s consent. Directional signs must not exceed 4 square feet and 4 feet in height. Signs must not be placed in a manner as to constitute a traffic hazard or an obstruction of view for drivers.   

Residential Real Estate Signs:

Freestanding signs located on property with 4 or more units must not exceed 32 square feet in area and 15 feet in height, while a property with less than 4 units must not exceed 12 square feet in area and 6 feet in height. Portable signs must not exceed 3 feet in width and 3 feet in height. Wall signs or window signs located on property with 4 or more units must not exceed 12 square feet in area, while a property with less than 4 unites must not exceed 4 square.  On-site: Real estate signs may be displayed on residential property. Properties with 4 or more unites are limited to 1 sign of each type displayed per street frontage. Properties with less than 4 units are limited to 1 sign of either type per premise. 

Nonresidential Real Estate Signs:

Freestanding signs located on property with 100 feet or more of linear frontage must not exceed 64 square feet in area and 15 feet in height, while property with less than 100 feet of linear frontage must not exceed 32 square feet in area and 6 feet in height. Portable signs must not exceed 9 square feet in area, 3 feet in width, and 3 feet in height. Wall signs or window signs located on property 100 feet or more of linear frontage must not exceed 64 square feet in area, while properties with less than 100 feet of linear frontage must not exceed 32 square feet in area.  On-site: properties with 100 feet or more of street frontage is limited to 1 of each freestanding and wall sign per street frontage. Properties with less than 100 feet of linear frontage is limited to 1 sign of either freestanding or wall sign. 

Redwood City Municipal Code, see Chapter 3, Article II, Sec. 3.109-3.111 

No permit required. Signs may only advertise the sale or lease of premises on which they are placed, or provide directions to premises which are for sale or lease. Directional signs are permitted but they must not be placed in a manner as to unreasonably obstruct or interfere with the free passage or view of the traffic by motorists, pedestrians or other persons using such right-of-way. Signs must not exceed 4 square feet. Signs advertising the sale of a single-family lot, condominium community apartment, or stock cooperative subdivision or project may be displayed on the site of the subdivision or project for a period not exceeding one year.

No permit required. Limit to one sign posted upon each property advertising it for sale, not to exceed 6 square feet for each lot.

Open house (directional signs) may only provide information and direction to the view and must not contain an advertising message. Off-site open house signs must not exceed 4 square feet in are per side (8 square feet total) and 3 feet in height. Single-sided signs must not exceed 4 square feet in area. Off-site signs may be placed in the public right-of-way or on private property only in the following matter:

          1. The sign must not be placed on the sidewalk or in the street. 

          2. The sign may be placed in a park strip where not impairing vehicular visibility or pedestrian movement. 

          3. The sign may be placed behind the sidewalk on public property when not impairing vehicular visibility or pedestrian movement. 

          4. The sign may be placed on private property with written permission from the owner. 

          5. The sign can be displayed during daytime hours, and only when an open house is in progress. Signs must be removed by dusk. 

San Carlos Municipal Code, see Chapter 18.150 

No permit required. Signs must be erected or maintained with the consent of the owner of the real property or the person or entity in legal possession of the real property. Freestanding signs must not exceed the maximum height of 6 feet above grade, and must not exceed 6 square feet. A-board and off-site signs are prohibited.

San Mateo Municipal Code,  see Title XXV Signs

No permit required. Limited to one sign per parcel. Sign may only be placed upon the property by either the owner or by a person having the written authority to do so. Rest Estate signs must be erected parallel to the street upon which they face. If parcel is located in a: 

          (a) Residential Zone: Sign must not exceed 4 square feet.

          (b) Nonresidential Zone: Sign must not exceed 6 square feet. 

          (c) Commercial Zone: If parcel is 100 linear feet or more of public street frontage and at least 1 or more acre in site area then Sign must not exceed 20 square feet or 2 signs not each exceeding 10 square feet in area. 

          (d) Industrial Zone: If parcel is 100 linear feet or more of public street frontage and at least 1 or more acres in site area then sign must not exceed 50 square feet or 2 signs not each exceeding 25 square feet in area. 

          (e) Undeveloped Sites: Each parcel is permitted 1 sign not exceeding 28 square feet in area. However, if parcel is larger than 3 acres in size, 2 such signs may be place  if at least 500 feet apart.

Sign must only contain the words “For Sale”, “For Rent”, “For Lease” or words of similar import and the name, address and telephone number of the person to contact in connection therewith and whether the person to be contacted is the owner or broker. All such signs must be maintained in continuous good order and repair. Must be removed with 15 days after close of escrow, rental or lease has been accomplished.  

South San Francisco Municipal Code, see Chapter 20.76.090 

In “R” or residential districts: No permit needed. Only allowed on private property not to exceed 6 sq. ft. for all signs on parcel.