Fillmore Signage Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Fillmore's home occupation ordinance under Chapter 10.02.12 of the Municipal Code requires that home-based businesses not alter the exterior residential appearance of the property in any way. This includes an explicit prohibition on all exterior signs, banners, window signs, door placards, flags, or any other form of commercial identification visible from the street, sidewalk, or neighboring properties. The intent is straightforward: a person walking or driving past the residence should have no visual indication that a business is being conducted inside. Fillmore is a small agricultural community where residential streets retain a distinctly small-town character, and the city is protective of that quality.

The sign regulations in Chapter 10.02.26 reinforce the home occupation prohibition. Residential zones in Fillmore are among the most sign-restricted areas in the code, and home-based businesses receive no special exception or variance pathway. Unlike some larger California cities that permit a single small nameplate sign of one square foot or less, Fillmore does not allow even minimal identification signage for home occupations. Business operators who need exterior visibility to attract clients — such as walk-in retail, personal services, or tutoring centers — are expected to operate from commercially zoned locations along Central Avenue or other commercial corridors.

Commercial vehicles parked at the residence present a gray area. A single work truck or van with company lettering parked in the driveway is generally tolerated, but parking multiple branded vehicles or positioning a vehicle in a way that functions as advertising may be treated as a prohibited sign by Code Enforcement. Home business operators should be mindful that in Fillmore's tight-knit neighborhoods, conspicuous commercial activity draws notice and complaints quickly. Violations are discovered through neighbor complaints or officer observation and result in a Notice to Comply directing the owner to remove the sign within five to ten days.