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El letrero dice que no se permiten las mascotas.

El letrero dice que no se permiten las mascotas.
The sign says that pets are not allowed.
From Lesson 83:Impersonal statements (se)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about El letrero dice que no se permiten las mascotas.

Why is the verb plural (permiten) instead of singular (permite)?
In this sentence, the impersonal se acts like the passive voice in English ("are allowed"). Because the things not being allowed are plural (las mascotas), the verb must match and be plural (permiten). If the sign only forbade one pet, it would be no se permite la mascota.
Why do we need las before mascotas? The English translation just says "pets".
In Spanish, when you talk about a general category of things and they are the subject of the sentence, you must include the definite article (el, la, los, or las). Because of the se construction, las mascotas is technically the subject here, so it needs the las.
Could I use la señal or la firma instead of el letrero for "sign"?
El letrero specifically means a written notice, poster, or placard with words on it. La señal is usually a symbol or a traffic signal, and la firma means a person's "signature" on a document, so neither would work here.
Is it normal to say a physical sign "says" something (dice) in Spanish?
Yes, exactly like in English! Spanish naturally uses the verb decir (to say) to talk about what is written on signs, in books, or in letters.

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