Sign Regulations in San Antonio, TX (2026)
6 verified sign regulations for San Antonio, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Political signs in San Antonio are regulated as temporary signs under Chapter 28 (Signs) of the Code of Ordinances. They may be displayed for up to 90 consecutive days, must be staked to the ground or securely affixed, and cannot be placed on city-owned property. Signs must have property owner approval and cannot create hazardous conditions. Violations are punishable through Municipal Court with fines up to $500.
San Antonio Political Sign Regulations
Few RestrictionsTex. Election Code § 259.002
(a) In this section, "property owners' association" has the meaning assigned by Section 202.001, Property Code.(b) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a property owners' association may not enforce or adopt a restrictive covenant that prohibits a property owner from displaying on the owner's property one or more signs advertising a candidate or measure for an election:(1) on or after ...
Garage Sale Signs
Garage sale signage in San Antonio is regulated under Chapter 16, Article XII (Garage Sales) and Chapter 28 (Signs). Residents may post up to 3 signs to advertise their sale, beginning 2 days before the event. All signs must be removed when the sale ends. Signs may not be placed on telephone poles, light standards, street signs, or city right-of-way. A garage sale permit ($16) must be obtained before the sale.
San Antonio Garage Sale Sign Rules
Light RestrictionsTex. Transportation Code § 394.002
(a) This chapter applies only to a sign that is:(1) outdoors; and(2) visible from the main-traveled way of a rural road.(b) In this section, "rural road" means a road, street, way, or bridge:(1) that is located in an unincorporated area;(2) that is not privately owned or controlled;(3) any part of which is open to the public for vehicular traffic; and(4) that is under the jurisdiction of this s...
Holiday Displays
Inside San Antonio's Military Lighting Overlay Districts near Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB, Camp Bullis/Camp Stanley and Martindale Army Air Field, decorative holiday lighting is exempt from the district's strict color-temperature, foot-candle and shielding rules only from November 15 through the following January 15.
San Antonio Holiday Lighting: MLOD Exemption Nov 15-Jan 15
Light RestrictionsSan Antonio Unified Development Code Sec. 35-339.04(20)(H)
(20)Exemptions. The following outdoor lighting instances are exempt from the lighting requirements of this section:A.All legal outdoor lighting in place prior to the effective date of an MLOD district designation (see subsection (21) below).B.Outdoor lighting for which light is produced directly by the combustion of fossil fuels.C.Outdoor lighting used during law enforcement, fire, and medical ...
Digital Billboards
New off-premises digital signs, digital billboards, are prohibited across San Antonio and its ETJ. Only the roughly 13 LED billboards from a 2007 pilot program, plus narrowly council-authorized additions, may operate, and each must meet strict dwell-time, spacing, and brightness limits.
San Antonio Bans New Digital Billboards (Off-Premise Signs)
Heavy RestrictionsSan Antonio City Code § 28-54 (Digital displays; off-premise); §§ 28-51, 28-9
New, off-premise digital signs are prohibited within the jurisdiction of the city, provided however, that the director was previously authorized to issue fifteen (15) off-premise digital sign permits pursuant to Ordinance No. 2007-12-06-1247. Existing off-premise digital signs are subject to this section... The dwell time... shall be at least ten (10) seconds... An off-premises digital sign may...
Window Signs
Inside any San Antonio historic district or on a designated landmark, a window sign, defined under UDC Sec. 35-612 as anything placed inside a window or on the glass to communicate business or event information, counts as a building-mounted sign. It shares the same facade cap as any other sign there: no more than 20 percent of the facade and 50 square feet total per building without a variance.
San Antonio Historic District Window Sign Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Antonio Unified Development Code § 35-612
B.Building mounted sign means a sign attached to, painted on, inscribed upon or deriving its major support from a building, including a wall sign, a projecting sign or an awning sign. For the purposes of this chapter, permanent signs painted on windows or doors, attached to windows or doors, or hung behind and within three (3) feet of the windows or doors, either illuminated or non-illuminated,...
Freeway-Facing Signs
Along the IH-10 West/Loop 1604 corridor outside city limits, San Antonio bans off-premise billboards outright and caps on-premise freeway-facing signs at 40 feet (pole) or 50 feet (multi-tenant) in height, and 350 or 500 square feet in area, under Code of Ordinances Sec. 28-65. The overlay runs 500 feet from the right-of-way along each expressway.
San Antonio Freeway Sign Rules: IH-10/1604 Corridor
Significant RestrictionsSan Antonio Code of Ordinances Sec. 28-65
Sec. 28-65. - Specific urban corridors—IH-10/FM 1604 Urban corridor. (a)Boundaries. The following areas which are located outside the city limits are designated as the I.H. 10 West/Loop 1604 urban corridor: Both sides of I.H. 10 West, an expressway, between Wurzbach Road and Boerne Stage Road for a distance of five hundred (500) feet from the street right-of-way... (d)Off-premises signs. Off-pr...
Looking for Bexar County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Antonio city rules.
Sign Regulations in Bexar County →