As described in Title 23 of the San José Municipal Code, the Sign Ordinance (commonly called the Sign Code) is intended to promote attractive signage and streetscapes, facilitate way-finding and traffic safety, promote commerce, and to comprehensively address community aesthetic concerns about visual clutter and visual blight in the environment.

Goals of the Sign Code include:

• Signage shall be consistent with land use patterns.
• Signs on buildings shall add to rather than detract from the architecture.
• Signs shall be well maintained.
• Signs shall not create traffic safety hazards.
• The regulation of signs is intended to be content-neutral wherever required and to provide adequate opportunity for messages of many varieties. 

See also the Visual Sign Guide that illustrates various types of signs and methods for sign measurement.

To apply for a sign permit, use the Sign Permit Application.

APPROVED AMENDMENTS to sign CODE

Here are approved amendments to the Sign Code since December 6, 2002. Copies of these ordinances can be obtained from the City Clerk's Office.

• SIGN REGULATIONS FOR SUPERGRAPHIC SIGNS - Ordinance No. 29850
  Adopted 01/10/2017, effective 02/10/2017
  This ordinance amended Part 1 of Chapter 23.02 and Parts 1 and 2 of Chapter 23.04 to allow Supergraphic signs in the Downtown Sign Zone and in the North San José signage area. The amended ordinance included regulations related to the number, size, location, and duration of Supergraphic signs, and amended and added definitions for Supergraphic signs. See summary of regulations.

• SIGN REGULATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS - Ordinance No. 29843
  Adopted 01/10/2017, effective 02/10/2017
  This ordinance amended Section 23.04.020 of Part 1 of Chapter 23.04 to increase the number of attached signs allowed for large ground-level single tenant spaces located on large shopping center sites, including specific regulations related to the number, size, and location of these additional attached signs.