8511 Lankershim Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352 Open daily 7 AM to 10 PM Calls and texts: (818) 806-9006
(818) 806-9006Open daily 7 AM–10 PM Get My Free Mockup & Quote

Los Angeles sign permits: What the City Needs, How Long It Takes, Who Can Pull It

Most new, changed and lit business signs in Los Angeles need a sign permit from LADBS, the city's Department of Building and Safety, before they go up. This guide covers what the city asks for, how long it usually takes and who can pull the permit, with links to the official sources.

8511 Lankershim Blvd, Sun Valley · Open daily 7 AM–10 PM

Check My Address Call (818) 806-9006

Send the address. A person at our shop replies in writing: which city reviews your sign and what it usually asks for. Information, not an approval.

Jump to the steps Permits by city

Illustration: a round lit blade sign reading BAR on a brick building at dusk
Illustration: A lit blade sign. In the City of LA it needs a permit, 8 ft of clearance over the sidewalk and a C-10 or C-45 licensed contractor.

The short answer

Do I need a permit for a business sign?

In the City of Los Angeles, usually yes. A new sign, a change to an existing sign, a lit sign and removing a sign all need a sign permit. Temporary signs and banners need one too.

The common exception is a face change: new copy or a new face on an existing cabinet, with the cabinet left in place. If the cabinet comes off, the replacement is a new sign and has to meet today's code.

Sun Valley, North Hollywood, Van Nuys and Hollywood are in the City of LA. Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena are separate cities with their own rules (see permits by city).

City of Los Angeles: when a sign needs a permit

Usually needs a permit

  • A new sign
  • Changes to an existing sign
  • Lit (illuminated) signs The permit is issued only to a C-10 or C-45 licensed contractor.
  • Removing a sign
  • A sign inside a mall
  • Temporary signs, pennants and banners Up to 30 days, then 30 days off; 90 days a year at most.

Usually doesn't

  • New face or copy on an existing cabinet Only while the cabinet stays in place.
  • Small unlit ground signs 20 sq ft or less, under 6' 6" tall, no moving parts, at least 15 ft apart.
  • Official and legal notices
  • Temporary non-commercial signs An electrical permit is still needed if lit.

From the LADBS Sign Manual, P/BC 2023-078. General information for the City of Los Angeles, not an approval. Sign districts and landlord criteria can be stricter.

Check My Address

Send the address and whatever else you have. A person at our Sun Valley shop replies in writing with which city reviews your sign, whether it likely needs a permit and what the city usually asks for.

Helpful if you have it

  • A straight-on photo of the wall
  • Your landlord's sign criteria, if you rent
  • A drawing or photo of the old sign, for a change or face swap

Text photos to (818) 806-9006 or email hello@angelsprint.com with the address in the subject.

Street and city, or cross streets

Sign type Optional

New or existing Optional

We need an email for now so your request reaches our system.

A person at our Sun Valley shop reads it and replies in writing. Information, not an approval. Rules change, and we confirm them for your address before anything is drawn. No payment details. We don't sell your details (privacy policy).

Rather talk? Call (818) 806-9006 or text a photo. Open daily 7 AM to 10 PM.

How a sign permit works in the City of LA

The usual path through LADBS for a permanent business sign. Each step links to the official source.

  1. Application and pre-inspection

    A building (B) permit application plus a Sign Pre-Inspection (SPI) for each sign, with an 8½ × 11 plan per sign. Some wall signs far from a freeway skip the SPI (Sign Manual).

    Who Permit filer

  2. Dimensioned plans

    A plot plan with the lot, the buildings and every existing and proposed sign, plus elevations. Multi-tenant buildings can show tenant frontage and wall-sign area instead. ZIMAS screenshots don't count as a plot plan (LADBS correction sheet).

    Who Sign drawings: our shop

  3. Structural calcs, if needed

    Calculations stamped by a California engineer or architect. Not needed for wall signs under 100 sq ft or code-compliant projecting signs, unless the building is unreinforced masonry (Sign Manual).

    Who Engineer

  4. Plan check

    Simple scopes can go through PermitLA, others through ePlanLA. Both need an Angeleno account (LADBS).

    Who LADBS

  5. Clearances, issuance, install

    Apply for department sign-offs right away: some departments can take months to review a project. At issuance the contractor shows a notarized agent letter, workers' comp, a license copy and an LA Business Tax Registration Certificate (LADBS correction sheet). Then the sign goes up.

    Who City, then the licensed partner

How long each step takes

How long does a sign permit take in LA?

No one can promise a date the city controls, including us. These are the waits LADBS publishes itself.
FeatureWhat LADBS saysSource
Sign Pre-InspectionNormally takes at least two weeks.LADBS FAQ
Plan checkRegular submittals normally take 15 to 30 business days just to be assigned to an engineer, or 6 to 10 if expedited. Estimates can change.LADBS FAQ
Department clearancesApply right away. Some departments can take months to review a project.LADBS correction sheet
Application lifeThe application expires 18 months after plan-check submittal.LADBS correction sheet
Face change onlyNo sign permit, so no permit wait, while the cabinet stays in place.Sign Manual

Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena run their own reviews with their own timelines. Landlord approval usually comes before any of these steps.

Who can pull it

Who can pull a sign permit in Los Angeles?

For lit signs, LADBS issues the permit only to a contractor with a C-10 (electrical) or C-45 (sign) license, and that licensee signs the application. The CSLB describes a C-45 sign contractor as one who fabricates, installs and erects electrical and non-electrical signs.

Hiring someone for sign work that needs a permit? California's $1,000 minor-work exemption doesn't apply to work that needs a permit (CSLB), so that person needs a contractor's license.

At Angels Signs, a licensed sign-contractor partner files the permit and installs the sign. We prepare the drawings and coordinate. Your quote lists the installer's CSLB license number, and you can look up any license on the CSLB website.

How Installation Works

Who files the permit, who installs the sign, and what your quote lists.

How big can my sign be in the City of LA?

Limits for most commercial zones (C2 and less restrictive), from the LADBS Sign Manual (LAMC Chapter 1, Article 4.4). Look up your zone in ZIMAS. Sign districts, specific plans and landlord criteria can be stricter.
See It at the Allowed Size

General information, not an approval. We check the numbers for your address.

Wall signs
2 sq ft per foot of street frontage, plus 1 sq ft per foot of building frontage. Tenant shortcut: about 3 sq ft per foot of your own storefront.
Channel letters
20% more area when the wall color behind the letters doesn't change.
Taller buildings
10% more per extra story, up to 50% more.
Projection
Wall signs stick out no more than 24 inches and stay below the top of the wall.
All signs together
No more than 4 sq ft per foot of street frontage.
Window signs
No more than 10% of the window area.
Monument signs
Up to 8 ft tall. Area: 1.5 sq ft per foot of street frontage, and no more than 75 sq ft per traffic direction. At least 7.5 ft from interior lot lines, and at least as wide as tall.
Blade (projecting) signs
At least 8 ft above the sidewalk, and the lot needs 50 ft of frontage.
Pole signs
The lot needs at least 50 ft of frontage. Height 25, 35 or 42 ft depending on frontage; 400 sq ft at most.
C1 and C1.5 zones
Signs attached to the building only, projecting no more than 2 ft.

Cases that change the rules

A few situations add reviews or ban sign types outright. Check these before you design.

  • Near a freeway

    Signs within 500 ft of a freeway and visible from it get an extra review. Within 2,000 ft, signs aimed mainly at the freeway are prohibited, apart from small identification and business wall signs.

  • Digital displays

    The property owner records a covenant. Messages change no faster than every 8 seconds, each message is static, and brightness may not change.

  • Auto uses and mini-malls

    Pole, projecting and roof signs need a Conditional Use Permit for automotive uses and mini-shopping centers.

  • Sign districts

    Areas like the Hollywood Signage Supplemental Use District have their own sign rules that override the general code.

  • The new zoning code

    Areas that adopted the city's new Chapter 1A zoning code, starting with Downtown, use its sign rules. Check which code applies to your parcel.

  • Lit signs near homes

    No lit wall sign may face a rear lot line within 30 ft of an R3 or more restrictive zone. Lit electric signs must also be listed under the National Electrical Code (NEC 600.3).

Landlord approval comes first

If you rent, your lease very likely makes any sign subject to the landlord's prior written approval. Shopping centers and office buildings usually have sign criteria: letter height, colors, lighting, mounting, and sometimes who may build the sign. Many ask for landlord-signed drawings before you apply to the city.

So the usual order is mockup, then landlord, then city. Once you approve your mockup, we prepare a dimensioned drawing of the sign on your building for the landlord, included with your quote. If someone files the permit as the owner's agent, LADBS asks for a notarized letter from the owner.

Start With a Photo

Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale or Pasadena?

Your address decides which city reviews the sign. Most of the San Fernando Valley is in the City of Los Angeles. Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena are separate cities, and each reviews signs its own way.
CityWho reviews signsWhat to know
City of Los AngelesSun Valley, North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Hollywood, Downtown LADBS (Building and Safety). City Planning for sign districts, conditional use permits and special cases. B-permit plus Sign Pre-Inspection. Lit signs only through a C-10 or C-45 licensee. A face change on an existing cabinet usually needs no permit. LADBS Sign Manual
Burbank Planning Division first, then the Building Division. Planning reviews sign applications first. The checklist asks for the application and a site plan, and incomplete submittals aren't accepted. Burbank sign checklist
Glendale Community Development (sign programs and urban design), then Building and Safety. Multi-tenant buildings often work under a sign program approved under GMC 30.33.220. Under a program, each sign is usually reviewed by the city's urban design or planning staff, and permits come from Building and Safety. Example approval
Pasadena Planning: design review by staff or the Design Commission, depending on the sign. A Master Sign Plan is required when six or more non-residential tenants share a property. Pasadena's sign code limits flush-mounted cabinet signs; we confirm the rules for your address. Pasadena design review

Other cities nearby, such as Santa Clarita, San Fernando, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and unincorporated LA County areas like Altadena, have their own codes. Send the address and we'll tell you which one applies. Information, not an approval.

Check My Address

A person replies in writing. Information, not an approval.

How we help with your sign permit

Our sign permit services in Los Angeles are the drawings and the coordination. The filing is done by our licensed sign-contractor partner.

  • Check the address

    Which city reviews the sign, the zone, any sign district, and your landlord's criteria. Information, not an approval.

  • Design to the rules

    Your mockup is sized to what the city and the landlord usually allow, so you don't fall for a sign you can't put up.

  • Prepare the drawings

    The landlord drawing, then the sign permit drawings: plot plan information, elevations and sign details.

  • Coordinate the filing

    Our licensed partner files the permit and answers city corrections. We keep the drawings in step. Your quote lists the installer's CSLB license number.
Sign design and mockups

Keep reading

Sign permit questions

Still deciding? Call (818) 806-9006 or text a photo and ask.

Do I need a permit for a business sign in Los Angeles?
Usually. In the City of LA, a new sign, a change to an existing sign, a lit sign, removing a sign and temporary signs and banners need a permit. A new face or copy on an existing cabinet usually doesn't, as long as the cabinet stays. Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena have their own rules.
How long does a sign permit take in LA?
LADBS says a Sign Pre-Inspection normally takes at least two weeks, and regular plan-check submittals normally take 15 to 30 business days just to be assigned. Some department sign-offs can take months. We don't promise dates the city controls.
Who can pull a permit for a lit sign?
Only a contractor with a C-10 (electrical) or C-45 (sign) license. Our licensed sign-contractor partner files it, and we prepare the drawings. Your quote lists the installer's CSLB license number.
How do I get a temporary sign or banner permit from the City of LA?
Temporary signs, pennants and banners need a permit from LADBS too. A temporary sign can stay up for 30 days, then must come down for 30 days, and can be up no more than 90 days in a calendar year. Signs on construction walls also need a $10,000 bond.
Does a restaurant need a sign permit in California?
For an exterior sign, almost always. Each California city runs its own sign code. In the City of LA a new restaurant sign needs an LADBS permit, a lit one is filed by a C-10 or C-45 licensee, and window signs may cover no more than 10% of the window.
Can I change the face of my old sign without a permit?
In the City of LA, usually yes: a copy or face change on an existing cabinet doesn't need a sign permit. If the cabinet comes off, it's treated as a new sign and has to meet the current code.
What goes into sign permit drawings?
A plot plan with the lot, the buildings and all existing and proposed signs, elevations, and sign details: size, materials, mounting and lighting. Larger or freestanding signs may also need structural calculations stamped by a California engineer.
How much is a sign permit fee in LA?
LADBS fees are based on the project's valuation, so there isn't one flat sign fee to quote. Your quote says whether permit fees are included.
Does my landlord have to approve my sign?
If you rent, almost always, and usually before the city. Send us the criteria. Once you approve your mockup, we prepare a dimensioned drawing for the landlord.

Find out what your address allows

Send the address and a photo of the wall. We tell you which city reviews it, then show your sign on your building.
Get My Free Mockup & Quote Call (818) 806-9006 Text a storefront photo

Free: 1 mockup + 1 round of changes per location for business-sign requests. Extra rounds are billed. Permit information is general, not an approval.

8511 Lankershim Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352Open daily 7 AM to 10 PMGet directions