Sign Regulations in Charles County, MD (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Charles County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Charles County exempts political campaign signs from any sign permit or fee under Zoning Ordinance § 297-320A, and allows them in every zone. The only substantive limits apply in residential zones, where a political sign can't exceed 32 square feet or carry any illumination, and every political sign must sit on private property, never on a public structure.
Charles County Political Sign Size Limits
Light RestrictionsCharles County Code § 297-320A
Political campaign signs. Political campaign signs are permitted in all zones. In residential zones, political campaign signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in area and shall not be illuminated. Political campaign signs shall be confined to private property and shall not be affixed to any public structure.
Holiday Displays
Charles County doesn't require a sign permit or fee for holiday decorations under Zoning Ordinance § 297-320F, which exempts temporary special decorative displays used for holidays as long as they carry no commercial advertising. The same exemption covers displays for public demonstrations or civic and charitable promotions, so homeowners and businesses can put up seasonal lighting without applying to the Zoning Officer.
Charles County Holiday Display Sign Exemption
Few RestrictionsCharles County Code § 297-320F
Temporary special decorative displays, without commercial advertising, used for holidays, public demonstrations or the promotion of civic welfare or charitable purposes.
Digital Billboards
Charles County prohibits the erection or construction of any new outdoor advertising sign or billboard, of any size, digital or static, under Zoning Ordinance § 297-321H. Only billboards that already existed when the ban took effect may remain, and even those must come down if damage or destruction exceeds half the cost of rebuilding them.
Charles County Bans All New Billboards
Heavy RestrictionsCharles County Code § 297-321H
Outdoor advertising signs, excluding those signs enumerated in § 297-325. (1) The erection or construction of new outdoor advertising signs and billboards of any size are prohibited. (2) Any existing outdoor advertising sign shall be properly removed if damaged or destroyed in excess of 50% of the estimated expense of the reconstruction costs. The removal of outdoor advertising along rights-of-...
Window Signs
Charles County limits how much of a window can carry signage. Temporary signs taped or posted inside a window or glass door can't cover more than 25% of the transparent surface under § 297-320I, while permanent window lettering or graphics on any window over four feet wide or tall is capped separately at four square feet under § 297-324B(4).
Charles County Window Sign Coverage Caps
Light RestrictionsCharles County Code § 297-320I
Signs attached temporarily to the interior of a building window or glass door. Such signs, individually or collectively, may not cover more than 25% of the surface area of the transparent portion of the window or door to which they are attached.
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