Los Angeles Municipal Code Art. 7 Outdoor Advertising Structures, Accessory Signs, Post Signs and Advertising…

Section

• 67.00 Commemorative Signs.

• 67.01 Definitions.

• 67.02 Construction of Signs on Streets or Other Public Property.

• 67.29 Street Clocks – Bulletin Boards.

Nothing contained in this article shall prevent the erection of signs or structures over streets containing words or figures commemorating a historical, cultural, or artistic event or location in accordance with Section 67.29 hereof. Such signs or structures shall be erected, constructed and maintained in a safe and secure manner approved by the Board. All such signs or structures shall be constructed to withstand from any direction a wind pressure of 30 pounds per square foot of exposed surface. (Added by Ord. No. 135,775, Eff. 1/13/68.)

(Added by Ord. No. 78,537, Eff. 11/8/37.)

For the purpose of this article certain terms used herein are defined as follows:

(a) The term “outdoor advertising structure” as used in this article is hereby defined to be any structure or device erected upon the surface of the ground for outdoor advertising purposes, or to attract the attention of the public and visible from any public street, alley, or other public place, as distinguished from any sign attached to or placed on a building, upon which any poster, bill, printing, painting, device, or other advertisement of any kind whatsoever may be placed, posted, painted, fastened, or affixed, or used in connection with, including a so-called electric and/or cutout sign; provided, however, that the same shall not be deemed to include any board, sign, or surface used exclusively to display official notices issued by any court or public officer in performance of a public duty or a private person in giving a legal notice; nor shall the same include any sign not exceeding 20 square feet in area used exclusively to advertise the sale or lease of the property on which the sign is placed, or to designate the name of the owner or occupant of the premises, or to identify the premises such as a physician’s or surgeon’s name sign, apartment house sign, post sign, or accessory sign. (Amended by Ord. No. 188,747, Eff. 11/24/25.)

(b) The term “accessory sign” as used in this article is hereby defined to be any advertising sign or sign device erected or placed upon the surface of the ground, which has no mechanical or moving parts or with which no electricity or other sources of illumination or power are attached to or made a part thereof, and which carries any advertisement strictly incidental and subordinate to a lawful use of the premises on which it is located, including signs or sign devices indicating the business transacted or services rendered or goods sold or produced on the premises or an occupant thereof. Provided, however, that said accessory sign shall not have a surface area greater than twenty (20) square feet on any one side thereof and not more than two sides of said accessory sign shall be used for advertising purposes. The top of said accessory sign shall not exceed six (6) feet six (6) inches above the surface of the ground upon which it is erected or placed. Said accessory sign shall not be erected, constructed or placed within a distance of less than fifteen (15) feet of any other accessory sign.

(c) The term “post sign” as used in this article is hereby defined to be any sign erected or affixed in a rigid manner to any pole or post, and which carries any advertisement strictly incidental and subordinate to a lawful use of the premises on which it is located, including signs or sign devices indicating the business transacted, services rendered or goods sold or produced on the premises or an occupant thereof. (Amended by Ord. No. 145,635, Eff. 4/8/74.)

Provided, however, that said post sign shall not have a surface area greater than two hundred (200) square feet on any one side thereof and not more than four hundred (400) square feet on or in the aggregate of all sides of said post sign. The bottom of said post sign or surface area thereof shall not be less than ten (10) feet above the sidewalk or above the surface of the ground upon which it is erected. The post supporting said post sign shall have no horizontal dimension greater than twenty-four (24) inches. Said post sign shall not be, erected, constructed or placed within a distance of less than fifteen (15) feet of any other post sign. (Amended by Ord. No. 145,635, Eff. 4/8/74.)

(d) The term “accessory sign” or “post sign” as herein defined shall not be deemed to include any sign advertising the trade name, merchandise or service of any person, firm or corporation who pays a consideration for the privilege of placing, maintaining or using any portion of said sign to the owner or occupant of the premises upon which said sign is erected or placed.

(e) The term “advertising statuary” as used in this article is hereby defined to mean any imitation, representation or similitude of any person or thing which is sculptured, moulded, modeled or cast in any solid or plastic substance, material or fabric, or any balloon or other inflatable device, which, for advertising purposes, is erected upon or attached to the surface of the ground or any vehicle which is parked upon a public street, alley or highway, or upon private property. (Amended by Ord. No. 114,749, Eff. 11/28/59.)

(f) The term “street” as used in this article is hereby defined to include all public thoroughfares, excepting alleys.

(Added by Ord. No. 78,537, Eff. 11/8/37.)

(a) No person shall erect, construct, or maintain or cause or permit to be erected or constructed or maintained any outdoor advertising structure, accessory sign, post sign or advertising statuary or any other sign or sign device upon any sidewalk, street, alley or other public place or to paint, paste, print, nail, tack or otherwise fasten any card, banner, handbill, sign, poster or advertisement or notice of any kind, or cause the same to be done on any curbstone, lamppost, pole, hydrant, bridge wall or tree upon any public sidewalk, street, alley or other public place, or upon any private property without the lawful permission of the property owner or authorized agent, except as may be permitted or required by ordinance or law. (Amended by Ord. No. 152,930, Eff. 10/19/79.)

(b) The provisions of Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any transit shelters exempted by the City Council from said provisions, or to any outdoor advertising structure associated with any outdoor advertising program for the public right-of-way that was approved by the City Council prior to January 1, 2023. (Amended by Ord. No. 188,747, Eff. 11/24/25.)

(c) The provisions of Subsection (a) of this section, however, shall not apply to existing structurally attached advertising signs in areas of the public way dedicated under Planning or Zoning actions or Section 12.37 of this Code where the dedicated area is not presently utilized by the City for street purposes. In such cases, the sign must comply with all provisions of Chapter IX, Article 1, Division 62 of this Code (LAMC Section 91.6201, et seq.) and observe all Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.), visibility and safety regulations. In addition the property owner must obtain a Revocable Permit from the Board of Public Works for allowing the sign to remain in the dedicated area. (Added by Ord. No. 170,419, Eff. 4/16/95.)

(a) Permit Required. No person shall erect, place, suspend, attach, move or maintain, any sign or structure over the street, or any street clock, or street bulletin board, without first obtaining permission in writing from the Board of Public Works, and the Council so to do.

The approval in writing of the Cultural Affairs Commission (Amended by Ord. No. 173,297, Eff. 6/30/00, Oper 7/1/00.) shall be obtained before erecting, altering or removing any street clock, sign or structure over the street. (Amended by Ord. No. 109,896, Eff. 9/28/57.)

(b) Plans to Be Filed. Any person desiring any permit, permission, or approval as provided for in this section shall file complete plans, drawings and specifications and such other information as the Board of Public Works may require showing the proposed construction.

(c) Power to Revoke Permits. The Board of Public Works shall have, and is hereby granted, the power and authority to revoke any permit granted hereunder, and is also granted the power and authority to order any sign maintained in violation of any provision of this section to be altered, repaired, changed, reconstructed, demolished or removed as may be necessary to conform hereto. Such work or act shall be completed within ten (10) days of the date of said order.

The provisions of this section shall not be deemed or constructed to prohibit the maintenance of any sign in accordance with the provisions of any previous ordinance of this City, unless such sign is dangerous and unsafe, or the advertising displayed thereon is unlawful.

(d) Signs or Structures Over Streets. No person shall erect, construct, suspend or maintain, any sign or structure across, over or above any street or sidewalk or any portion thereof, except as otherwise allowed by this section. Nothing in this section shall be deemed or construed to prohibit, upon the issuance of the permits required by this section, the erection, construction, suspension or maintenance of any such sign or structure within this City or at the recognized boundary of any local community of said City, across, over or above any such street or any portion thereof, if such sign or structure bears exclusively the name of such local community, or words or figures commemorating an historical, cultural, or artistic event or location, without the addition of any advertising whatsoever. (Amended by Ord. No. 109,896, Eff. 9/28/57.)

(e) Bulletin Boards – Clocks. The owner, proprietor or manager of any daily newspaper or theater in the City may erect, place and maintain upon the sidewalk in front of any office of such daily newspaper or in front of any such theater, as the case may be, not to exceed two bulletin boards, not more than three (3) feet six (6) inches in width and seven (7) feet in height, or one such board of six (6) feet in width and seven (7) feet in height, in case such bulletin boards are located at the curb and are at least twenty (20) feet from the point of intersection of the lines of any streets, measured parallel with the street.

The owner, proprietor or manager of any building or place of business may erect, place and maintain upon the sidewalk in front of such building or place of business not to exceed one street clock having a dial not less than thirty (30) inches or more than forty (40) inches in diameter supported upon a post or ornamental design the total height of which shall be not less than fifteen (15) feet or more than twenty (20) feet, in case no portion of such post and clock within eight (8) feet of the sidewalk is more than two (2) feet from the outer edge of the curb, and in case such clock is located at least twenty (20) feet from the point of intersection of the lines of any streets, measured parallel with the street. Such clock may be supported on the corner of any building at the intersection of streets if the lower portion thereof is not less than fifteen (15) feet or more than twenty (20) feet above the sidewalk, and in case such clock does not exceed one-tenth of the height of the building nor more than twelve (12) feet and does not project from any face, wall or the corner of the building in any direction more than five (5) feet. The supports for any clock shall be capable of sustaining four times the weight of the clock with a safety factor of four.

The Board of Library Commissioners (Amended by Ord. No. 173,297, Eff. 6/30/00, Oper 7/1/00.) of the City may erect, place and maintain upon the sidewalk in front of any branch library, not to exceed one metal sign containing the words “Public Library” supported on a cast iron post not more than eight (8) feet in height, in case no portion of such post is more than two (2) feet from the outer edge of the curb and is located at least twenty (20) feet from the point of intersection of the lines of any streets, measured parallel with the street.