Sign Regulations in Ada County, ID (2026)
4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Ada County, Idaho.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Ada County's sign code is content-neutral, so it does not single out political signs. Temporary signs, including yard signs, are allowed without a permit: in residential districts up to six per property at 4 square feet and 8 feet tall each; any sign visible only from your own parcel is
Political and Yard Signs in Unincorporated Ada County
Some RestrictionsAda County Code 8-3-12(C)(5)
Any sign that is visible only from the parcel where it is located. D. Prohibited Signs: The following signs are prohibited: 1. Any sign or sign structure, other than approved County and highway signs in or on any street or highway right of way; and 2. Signs incorporating a rotating beam, beacon, or flashing illumination resembling an emergency light. E. General Regulat...
Garage Sale Signs
Garage-sale signs fall under Ada County's content-neutral temporary-sign rules. No permit is needed: residential lots may have up to six temporary signs, each up to 4 square feet and 8 feet tall. Signs may not sit in a public street or highway right-of-way, and the owner must remove them.
Garage Sale and Temporary Signs in Ada County
Some RestrictionsAda County Code 8-3-12(J)(1)
Temporary signs are allowed without a permit in all districts but must comply with the standards in Table 8-3-12-11: Temporary Signs by District. Table 8-3-12-11 Temporary Signs by District Standard Rural Residential C1 and LO Other Commercial/ Industrial Table 8-3-12-11 Temporary Signs by District Standard Rural Residential C1 and LO Other Commercial/ ...
Holiday Displays
Ada County Code 8-3-8(C)(3) exempts temporary holiday lighting from the county's outdoor lighting standards, but only if it is used forty days or less per year. Run a display longer and it must meet the same shielding rules as any permanent fixture, and Subsection (D)(4) separately bans holiday lighting on any tower that exceeds the district's height limit.
Holiday Lighting Duration Rules in Ada County
Some RestrictionsAda County Code 8-3-8(C)(3), (D)(4)
C. Exempt: The following types of lighting are exempt from these regulations: ... 3. Temporary holiday lighting used for forty (40) days or less per year. ... D. Prohibited: The installation of any of the following types of lighting are prohibited: ... 4. Lighting, including holiday lighting, on commercial or private tower structures that exceed the district height limit is prohibited e...
Digital Billboards
Ada County Code 8-3-12(K) caps animated and electronic message content on billboards at 20% of the sign face, limits billboard height to 40 feet in commercial and industrial districts and 50 feet in rural districts, and bans digital billboards outright in residential, transitional, LO and C1 zones. Billboards must sit at least 750 feet apart and may not flash or flicker.
Digital Billboard Limits in Ada County
Some RestrictionsAda County Code § 8-3-12(K)(2), (4), (6)
Billboards must comply with the standards in 8-3-12-12: Billboard Standards by District. ... Max. Sign Area 650 square feet ... Max. Sign Height 50 feet ... Illumination Yes ... Animation 20% ... 4. Spacing Between Billboards: a. A billboard shall not be constructed, erected, placed, or replaced closer than seven hundred fifty feet (750') to another billboard in any direction. ... 6. Lighting: ...
Sign Regulations by City in Ada County
1 cities in Ada County have their own sign regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Ada County ordinances
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