Sacramento sizes your attached sign from your building frontage — 3 sq ft of sign for every foot of frontage. Oversized or unpermitted signs get bounced or cited. Enter your frontage for a clear read before you pay for fabrication.
This checks attached (wall) premise signs in Sacramento commercial zoning districts, sized from your building frontage. Detached/monument signs, billboards, and special districts (CBD-SPD, arts & entertainment) route to a pro.
The width of your business's building frontage along the street — Sacramento sizes attached signs from this.
Combined area of all your attached (wall) signs.
How Sacramento sizes your sign
Sacramento ties your attached (wall) signs to your building frontage: you get up to 3 sq ft of total sign area for every linear foot of your building occupancy's frontage, with up to 2 attached signs per occupancy (City Code Ch. 15.148). A separate detached monument sign is allowed at one per street frontage, capped at 48 sq ft. Roof signs are prohibited.
This tool takes your frontage, applies the 3-sq-ft-per-foot rule, and tells you where your plan stands before you commit.
Questions owners ask
What counts as my "building frontage"?
The area of the building wall your sign is mounted on — width × height. The attached-sign limit is a percentage of that.
Pole or monument (detached) sign?
Detached signs follow separate rules (height, setback, spacing) and aren't covered here — we'll route you to a pro for those.
Digital / LED display?
Digital and changeable-message displays face separate, tighter restrictions and many zones limit them. This screen covers static/illuminated attached signs.
Special sign district?
Downtown, Arts District, West End, Deep Ellum and others override these rules with committee review. If your address is in one, confirm with a pro.
Is this an official ruling?
No. It's a first-pass risk filter on the public code, not a permit or legal advice. Final dimensions are confirmed by Sacramento Community Development and a licensed sign contractor.
Cost, timeline & temporary banners
What does a Sacramento sign permit cost?
Sacramento sets sign-permit fees by the city fee schedule, based on sign type, size, and valuation — the Community Development Department calculates the exact total after review. Illuminated signs add an electrical permit and a registered contractor. Confirm the current figure on the city fee schedule before filing.
How long does approval take?
Simple sign permits for conforming signs in standard commercial zones typically take 2–4 weeks. Electronic displays, special districts, or extra review can run 6–8 weeks, and anything needing a variance or hearing can stretch to 2–3 months. Start at least 60 days before you need the sign up.
Can I hang a "Grand Opening" banner first?
Temporary banners generally require a permit, with typical duration limits of 30–90 days per calendar year and size limits based on your building frontage. Banners must be securely mounted and out of the public right-of-way. Roof-mounted and certain inflatable/wind signs are prohibited. Check your zone before you hang anything.
Source: City of Sacramento Community Development (sign permits & fee schedule); Sacramento City Code Ch. 15.148. Fees and timelines change — confirm current figures with the City of Sacramento before filing.
Last inspected against the official code: June 2026 · monitored monthly