Sign Regulations in Johnson County, IA (2026)

2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Johnson County, Iowa.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Johnson County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Political Signs

Cities and the county regulate signs through zoning codes, not a countywide rule. Since Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), those codes must stay content-neutral: Iowa City or Coralville cannot give a political yard sign a shorter window or special limit because of its message.

Johnson County Political Sign Rules

Few Restrictions

Iowa Code §414.1(1)

any city is hereby empowered to regulate and restrict the height, number of stories, and size of buildings and other structures, the percentage of lot that may be occupied, the size of yards, courts, and other open spaces, the density of population, and the location and use of buildings, structures, and land for trade, industry, residence, or other purposes.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Freeway-Facing Signs

No sign may stand in the right-of-way of a county road, state highway, or interstate highway anywhere in unincorporated Johnson County, and signs near any intersection must clear a measured sight-distance triangle so they never obscure traffic on the county's road and interstate corridors.

Johnson County Highway Right-of-Way Sign Ban

Some Restrictions

Johnson County UDO § 8:1.25(D)(1), General Sign Regulations

No sign shall be located in the right-of-way of any county road, state highway, or interstate highway. i. Signs shall also be anchored and/or secured so as to prevent any risk of displacement or movement in such a way that the sign may enter the right of way or otherwise obscure or physically interfere with vehicular traffic. Signs shall not be allowed within the sight distance triangle at inte...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Sign Regulations by City in Johnson County

1 cities in Johnson County have their own sign regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.

Iowa CityPop. 74,828

1 verified rule • Freeway-Facing Signs

All Johnson County ordinances

See every category we cover for Johnson County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.

Johnson County Ordinance Hub →