How Roswell Handles Sign Regulations: A Practical Guide

Roswell maintains 77 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with sign regulations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Roswell falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Political Signs

Political signs may be posted from 46 days before the primary election until 10 days after the state general election. Each sign must not exceed 12 square feet, must be set back at least 15 feet from the outside edge of any street or back of curb, and cannot be on city-owned property.

Key details: Display Window: 46 days pre-primary to 10 days post-general. Max Size: 12 sq ft. Setback: 15 ft from curb/road edge. City Property: No signs allowed. Property Owner Consent: Required.

Non-compliant political signs can be removed by Roswell Code Enforcement without notice and disposed of. Continuing violations can be cited with civil fines under the city's sign-ordinance penalty schedule.

Garage Sale Signs

Garage and yard sale signs in Roswell are limited to a maximum of 6 signs per sale, must not exceed 4 square feet each, must be at least 10 feet from the curb, and may only be displayed Thursday through Sunday. No charge for the permit or decals.

Key details: Max Signs: 6 per sale. Max Size: 4 sq ft per sign. Setback: 10 ft from curb. Display Window: Thursday-Sunday. Permit Fee: Free.

Non-compliant signs can be removed by Code Enforcement immediately. Failure to obtain the free permit, exceeding 3 sales per year, or leaving signs up past Sunday can result in citations with fines under the sign and property-maintenance code.

The Bottom Line

Roswell's sign regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Roswell is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Roswell's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.