Roof Signs in Commercial and Industrial Zones
San Diego Municipal Code § 142.1235
in effect§142.1235 Roof Signs in Commercial and Industrial Zones
The following regulations apply to roof signs, which are permitted only in Sign Category A of the commercial and industrial zone sign categories.
(a) One roof sign shall be permitted per premises. A roof sign is permitted only in lieu of a permissible ground or projecting sign. Roof signs may be located only on premises with accessible street frontage. Roof signs are not permitted on buildings with high-rise building identification wall signs as described in Section 142.1250.
(b) Table 142-12F provides the permitted sign area for roof signs. The sign area is determined by the width of the public right-of-way fronting the premises and the street speed limit on that public right-of-way.
Table 142-12F Permitted Sign Area and Height for Roof Signs
Maximum Allowances | Sign Categories
A | B | C
Area(1) Permitted Sign (Based on the adjacent public right-of-way width and street speed limit)
Width(2) Public Right-of-way /Street Speed Limit
60 feet or less /15-20 MPH “ /25-30 MPH “ /35-45 MPH “ /50+ MPH | 16 sf 25 sf 50 sf 75 sf | Not Permitted | Not Permitted
Greater than 60 ft /15-20 MPH “ /25-30 MPH “ /35-45 MPH “ /50+ MPH | 25 sf 50 sf 75 sf 100 sf | Not Permitted | Not Permitted
Freeway-oriented signs | 300 sf | Not Permitted | Not Permitted
Footnotes for Table 142-12F 1 The permitted sign area is for a single face. If a roof sign has two or more faces, the permitted sign area is doubled. Signs may have more than two faces, but the sign area shall not exceed twice the maximum permitted amount.
2 Where a public right-of-way is developed to 60 feet in width or less, but is designated as a major street or a primary arterial by the applicable land use plan, the roof sign area shall be based on the greater than 60 feet public right-of-way width.
(c) The maximum height of roof signs is a combination of the building height and the maximum vertical dimension of the sign. The maximum vertical dimension includes the height of the sign plus any space that is required for clearance under the sign. The maximum total permitted height of the building and the sign is the measurement of the average elevation of the premises or the elevation of the centerline of the adjacent street at the point closest to the sign, whichever is lower, to the uppermost point of the sign. Table 142-12G provides the maximum height and vertical dimensions for roof signs. Table 142-12G Maximum Height and Vertical Dimensions for Roof Signs
Type of Roof Sign | Building Height | Maximum Vertical Dimension | Maximum Total Permitted Height of Building and Sign
Nonfreeway-oriented | 0 - 15 feet | 7 feet | 30(1)
16 - 20 feet | 10 feet
Freeway-oriented | 21 - 25 feet | 7 feet | 50(1)
26 - 30 feet | 8 feet
31 - 35 feet | 9 feet
36 - 40 feet | 10 feet
Footnote for Table 142-12G 1 See Section 142.1235(e)(2)
(d) General Regulations for All Roof Signs
(1) Roof signs shall have no more than two parallel faces.
(2) Roof signs are not permitted to revolve.
(3) All projecting roof signs must be internally illuminated.
(e) Locational Regulations for All Roof Signs
(1) All roof signs shall be set back a minimum of 3 feet from the edge of all outside building walls on which the sign is located, unless the following circumstances exist:
(A) The lower edge of the sign is at least 7 feet above the top of the building wall and the surface of the roof; and
(B) The sign occupies 25 percent or less of the length of the building elevation above which the sign is located.
(2) Roof signs that are located on a premises with a boundary within 100 feet from the property line of a residentially zoned lot or premises shall not exceed 20 feet in height unless one of the following circumstances exist:
(A) The sign is located more than 100 feet from the property line of the residentially zoned property; or
(B) The entire premises is within 100 feet from the property line of the residentially zoned property, and the sign is located on the 25 percent of the lot or premises that is farthest from the property line.
(3) Roof signs may project over parkways provided that the following circumstances exist:
(A) The sign pertains to an establishment or activity that is within the building on which the sign is located;
(B) The portion of the sign projecting into the parkway does not exceed 33-1/3 percent of the total roof sign area;
(C) The sign does not exceed the permitted sign area for roof signs in Table 142-12F; and
(D) The sign does not exceed the maximum projection provision for projecting signs in Table 142-12E.
(Added 12-9-1997 by O-18451 N.S.; effective 1-1-2000.)
(Amended 8-9-2019 by O-21114 N.S.; effective 9-8-2019.)
(Amended 2-1-2021 by O-21288 N.S.; effective 3-3-2021.)
(Amended 7-22-2024 by O-21836 N.S.; effective 10-5-2024.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter14/Ch14Art02Division12.pdf#page=28Fetched: 10/28/2026