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

Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 17.50 establishes the operating standards for home occupations in residential zones, and among the clearest and most strictly enforced is the prohibition on exterior business signage. The code explicitly requires that a home occupation produce no exterior evidence of the commercial activity, and this requirement is applied to completely preclude any form of business identification on the outside of the dwelling. This means no business name signs, no professional nameplates, no illuminated logos, no service banners, no menu boards, and no advertising of any kind attached to or displayed from the residence, garage, yard, fence, or mailbox.

The signage prohibition extends to vehicles. A commercial vehicle with business lettering, logos, or branding parked in the driveway or on the street in front of the home on a regular or habitual basis may be treated by Code Compliance as exterior evidence of a business and a violation of both the home occupation sign prohibition and the City's residential sign code under Municipal Code Title 22. This is particularly relevant for contractors, mobile service providers, and delivery-based businesses that operate from home. The rationale for the prohibition is that a home occupation must remain incidental to the residential use and must not alter the residential character of the neighborhood — visible business identification does exactly that. Permitted home-based businesses may advertise freely through websites, business cards, social media, and off-site signage, none of which is regulated by the home occupation ordinance. Contact the Planning Division at (626) 744-4009 to verify sign compliance for your home business.