Information on Sign Approvals

Sign Approvals and Processes for Businesses and Properties

The City of Concord understands the importance of signage to the success of business owners in marketing their services to customers, and to property owners in attracting tenants to commercial and retail centers. The following provides information on the City of Concord’s sign regulations and approval process.

Signs reviewed by the City of Concord generally fall under one of the following processes.

Individual sign. A single sign on a stand-alone building (i.e., a single-tenant building that is not part of an office or commercial center) must comply with the applicable sign regulations under Concord Development Code (CDC) Section 18.180.100. After checking that your sign complies with the applicable regulations, you can apply for a building permit online through the City’s Virtual Permit Center.

If your businesses is located in a multi-tenant building, or in an office or commercial center, refer to the Multiple Signs or Master Sign Program information below.

Multiple Signs (2-5 signs). A sign plan is required for sites with two to five signs unless a master sign program is required (see below). Please contact the property owner or property management group to obtain a copy of the sign plan or master sign program, if one has been approved for the site. After you have determined that your sign meets the sign plan or master sign program, you can submit for a building permit online through the City’s Virtual Permit Center.

If your site does not have an approved sign plan, please contact the Planning Division at (925) 671-3152 or zoning@cityofconcord.org for information on how to apply for a sign plan. Sign plans must be reviewed and approved by the Planning Division for conformance with the design standards of CDC 18.180.140 prior to the application for a building permit.

Master Sign Program. A master sign program is required for all of the following:

  • Any business or site with six or more signs;
  • Multi-tenant centers, buildings, or developments with six or more separate tenant spaces that share the same parcel, building or structure, or use common access and parking facilities, public spaces, and landscaping, such as multi-tenant commercial and office buildings, shopping centers, office parks, and mixed-use developments;
  • Major rehabilitation or additions to existing nonresidential projects with five or more tenants, that involve construction or renovation of more than 25,000 square feet or 50 percent or more of the exterior of the building, or 25 percent of the existing signs on the site within a 12-month period, whichever is less;
  • Freeway oriented pylon signs or wall signs;
  • When the planning division determines that a master sign program shall be required for a project due to special circumstances.

A master sign program is not required where the proposed signage is limited to building identification signs eight square feet or less in sign area and tenant identification signs three square feet or less in sign area (per tenant) for multi-tenant office buildings or business park developments.

Once a sign plan or master sign program is approved, it is active for the remainder of the life of the site, unless amended. A list of approved sign plans and master sign programs on file with the City of Concord is available below. If you need to apply for a master sign program, or if you are unsure if your property has or should have a sign plan or master sign program, please contact the Planning Division at (925) 671-3152 or zoning@cityofconcord.org