Camarillo Signage Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know
Heavy RestrictionsThe Short Version
Camarillo Municipal Code Chapter 19.65 imposes a categorical prohibition on all exterior signage associated with home-based businesses. No sign, nameplate, advertising placard, or display of any kind may be posted, affixed, or visible from outside a residence operating under a Home Occupation Permit. The prohibition reflects the city's strict intent to ensure that homes conducting business remain visually indistinguishable from other residential properties throughout Camarillo.
Full Breakdown
Camarillo Municipal Code Chapter 19.65 establishes the conditions under which Home Occupation Permits are issued and maintained, and includes an unambiguous prohibition on exterior signage. No sign, nameplate, placard, display board, or advertising device — illuminated or non-illuminated, permanent or temporary — may be affixed to, placed upon, or visible from the exterior of the residence. This encompasses window lettering or decals facing the street, yard signs, door-mounted placards, fence-mounted panels, sandwich boards near the curb, and any other visual element that would communicate to a passerby that commercial activity is occurring at that address. The overarching requirement under Chapter 19.65 is that the property must at all times retain the appearance of a standard single-family residence.
The prohibition also applies to commercially branded vehicles. A van, truck, or personal vehicle bearing a prominent business logo, vinyl wrap, painted graphics, or magnetic signage must not be habitually stored at the residence in a manner that effectively advertises the home occupation to the street or neighborhood. Camarillo Planning and Code Enforcement staff consider the deliberate or routine use of a driveway or street frontage to display business-branded vehicle graphics to be functionally equivalent to posting an exterior sign. Occasional or incidental parking of a logoed vehicle is unlikely to prompt enforcement, but a persistent daily display pattern may result in a citation independent of whether any separate stationary sign has been posted.
Unlike some other Ventura County cities that allow a small one-square-foot identification plate for professionals such as attorneys or accountants, Camarillo's Chapter 19.65 provides no such exception. Home occupation permit-holders who need any exterior identification — for clients, deliveries, or public visibility — must conduct their client-facing operations from a commercially zoned location. Questions about signage compliance may be directed to the Camarillo Planning Division or Code Enforcement.
What Happens If You Violate This?
Exterior signage associated with a home occupation constitutes a zoning code violation under Camarillo Municipal Code Chapter 19.65 and the city's general penalty provisions. Each day of continuing violation is treated as a separate offense, and fines escalate for repeated citations. The Planning Director may also initiate revocation proceedings for the Home Occupation Permit, requiring the business to cease all residential operations. A home occupation operating without a valid permit and with exterior signage may be cited simultaneously under both the home occupation regulations and the city's sign code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I display a small nameplate or professional plaque near my front door for my Camarillo home-based business?
My work van has the company logo on the side — can I park it in my driveway each night?
What if a business sign is inside my home but visible through a front window from the street?
Sources & Official References
How does Camarillo compare?
See how Camarillo's signage rules rules stack up against other locations.