Sign Regulations in Thurston County, WA (2026)
6 rules for unincorporated Thurston County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Thurston County treats a political yard sign as a temporary noncommercial sign under Code Section 20.40.040. On private property in a residential zone it is capped at five square feet and eight feet tall (thirty-two square feet in commercial/industrial zones), while a sign placed in the county right-of-way is capped at four square feet, thirty inches tall, and must come down within fifteen days after the related event.
Thurston County Temporary Political Sign Rules
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 20.40.040(1)(c)-(d), (2)(k)-(l)
Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, noncommercial signs shall meet the following requirements: 1.Temporary Noncommercial Signs on Private Property. ... c.In residential zones, such signs shall not exceed five square feet in sign area per side, placed wholly on private property, and not to exceed a height of eight feet.d.In commercial and industrial zones, not to exceed thirty-two square ...
Garage Sale Signs
Thurston County caps garage-sale advertising at two off-property signs, both postable only on the day of the sale and removable immediately afterward, under TCC 6.30.020. The same section requires three working days' advance notice to the sheriff, a posted sale number, and limits sales to three consecutive days, twice per person per year.
Thurston County Garage Sale Sign Rules
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 6.30.020
It is unlawful for any person to hold a garage sale as defined in this chapter without first having notified the Thurston County sheriff at least three working days prior to commencement of the sale. The notification shall include the name and address of the person providing the notification, the names and addresses of the people responsible for the sale, and the dates of the sale. The sheriff ...
Holiday Displays
Thurston County places no time limit on holiday lighting or seasonal decorations in the unincorporated Olympia Urban Growth Area. Section 23.42.020 of the Olympia UGA Zoning Ordinance excludes "holiday decorations" entirely from the sign chapter, so no permit, size cap, height limit, or removal deadline applies to string lights, wreaths, inflatables, or yard displays put up for a holiday.
Thurston County Holiday Display Sign Exemption
Few RestrictionsThurston County Code § 23.42.020
It is the purpose of this chapter to safeguard the life, health and welfare of the citizens of the Olympia UGA by regulating and controlling the design, quality of materials, construction, location, use, electrification and maintenance of all signs and sign structures. ... This chapter shall not regulate building design, official directional signs, traffic signs, copy of signs (except as provid...
Digital Billboards
Thurston County's Lacey UGA sign code bans off-premises billboards outright, along with animated and flashing signs, so digital billboards cannot be permitted anywhere in that unincorporated zoning area.
Thurston County Bans Off-Premises Digital Billboards
Heavy RestrictionsThurston County Code § 21.75.080(B),(C),(J)
The following signs or displays are prohibited: ... B. Animated signs; C. Flashing signs; ... J. Off-premises signs including: 1. Any sign identifying a use, facility or service which is not located on the premises; ... 3. Any sign that advertises or otherwise directs attention to a product, service or activity, event, person, institution or business... offered elsewhere than on the premises wh...
Window Signs
Inside the Grand Mound Urban Growth Area's Arterial Commercial, Planned Industrial, and Light Industrial districts, Thurston County's design guidelines cap window signage at thirty percent of pedestrian-level windows. The limit sits inside the wall-sign rules of Section 20.36.050 and applies on top of, not instead of, the countywide sign standards in Chapter 20.40.
Thurston County Grand Mound Window Sign Limit
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 20.36.050(2)(a)(ii)(G), (2)(b)(ii)(E)
2.Permitted Signs.a.Arterial Commercial District and Commercial Uses Within All Other Districts.i.Monument signs shall be permitted...ii.Wall signs shall be permitted in accordance with the following criteria:...F.Wall signs shall not extend above the eave or parapet of the building.G.Window signs shall not cover more than thirty percent of pedestrian-level windows....b.Industrial Uses Within P...
Freeway-Facing Signs
Thurston County allows billboards only in its Arterial Commercial, Highway Commercial, Planned Industrial, and Light Industrial districts, and Code Section 20.40.033 strips that permission away entirely if the sign would be visible from Interstate 5, US 101, Yelm Highway, Rainier Road, State Routes 507 or 12, Tilley Road, or Old Highway 99 south of 93rd Avenue SE. Billboards must also sit at least 1,000 feet apart and stay under 300 square feet.
Thurston County Freeway-Visible Billboard Ban
Significant RestrictionsThurston County Code § 20.40.033(1)(b)
1.Location.a.Billboards are only permitted in the following districts, subject to the provisions of this title: Arterial commercial district (Chapter 20.25); Highway commercial district (Chapter 20.26); Planned industrial park district (Chapter 20.27); Light industrial district (Chapter 20.28).b.Billboards shall not be located in the following areas, regardless of the zoning district:i.In the N...
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