CaliforniaCalifornia law speeds outdoor display permit reviews and relocations
California law requires prompt review of some new display permits and allows qualifying freeway sign relocations without government-paid compensation.
What it does
Caltrans must promptly handle permit applications for new displays near newly opened interstate or primary highway sections, even before the highway project is officially complete.
Displays that violate landscaped-freeway rules may be removed with payment or moved without payment, but only after a three-year waiting period tied to the freeway’s designation.
Government agencies can make broader relocation deals for advertising displays, including message centers, without extra permit consideration or government-paid compensation if federal and statewide limits are met.
Argument forFaster permit handling may help sign owners begin the review process sooner when newly opened highway sections are usable but not formally complete.
Argument againstRelocation agreements may make it easier to move or convert displays to message centers, while each move still requires a new permit and statewide limits.
More detail
The department must accept, review, process, and decide the permit application without denying or delaying any of those steps. This covers applications for new advertising displays along new sections of interstate or primary highways that are open to public vehicle travel within 1,000 feet of the proposed location. The protection applies when the highway section is open for public vehicle travel within 1,000 feet of the proposed display. The highway project does not need to have been formally accepted as complete.
A violating advertising display may be removed with compensation or relocated without compensation. This applies to displays violating the landscaped-freeway prohibition on property next to a freeway with the required landscaping or trees. Compensation follows the rules in Section 5412 when the display is removed. Relocation without compensation follows Section 5443. Removal or relocation may occur three years after the freeway is declared a landscaped freeway and its character changes from a freeway to a landscaped freeway.
Government agencies may enter relocation agreements for any purpose, and the department must issue a permit without extra consideration or government-paid compensation for a qualifying display moved under such an agreement. The rule covers agreements between a sign and permit owner and a local government, including moves to the same or a different city or county; a moved display may also be converted to or replaced by a message center. The relocation must not reduce federal-aid highway funds or increase the number of nonconforming displays in the state. A relocated display needs a new permit and must follow the applicable advertising-display permit rules. The move must not create a net statewide increase in displays next to landscaped freeway segments. The department issues the permit without requiring a local government or state agency to pay compensation.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 14Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 208, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 14Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Aug 31Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 25Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 6446.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2024 Nguyen Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 19In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2024 Nguyen et al. By Archuleta. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 19Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 5555.).Passed Senate
- Aug 11Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 10Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 4Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 3From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.Minor
- Jun 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 23
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 15From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Major
- Jun 3Referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- May 27In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 3. Page 5291.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2024 Nguyen Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 13).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 23From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 21. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 23Coauthors revised.
- Apr 22
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 7Re-referred to Com. on G.O.Minor
- Apr 6From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on G.O. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 23Re-referred to Com. on G.O.Minor
- Mar 19From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on G.O. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 19Referred to Com. on G.O.Minor
- Feb 18From printer. May be heard in committee March 20.
- Feb 17Read first time. To print.Introduced
TransportationGovernment & EthicsNational Security