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Franklin County, WA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Max consecutive display
6 days
Max annual display
60 days per calendar year
Sign count allowed
1 per street front, 1 off-site within 1 mile
Max sign size
8 sq ft, 3 ft height
Permit required
No, if standards are met
Applies in
All residential districts, unincorporated county

Summary

Franklin County doesn't limit how many garage sales you can hold, but it caps how long you can advertise one: yard, garage and estate sale signs may run no more than six consecutive days and no more than sixty total days per calendar year in unincorporated Franklin County's residential districts, erected at most two days early and removed when the sale ends.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Franklin County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

15.Yard/garage/estate sale signs, providing signage meets the standards as set forth in Section 15.16.080(2)(c) of this chapter. ... c.Yard/Garage/Estate Sale Signs. Signs temporarily displayed to advertise yard/garage/estate sales shall be permitted in all residential districts subject to the following limitations:i.Such signs shall be limited to one sign per street front and one off-site sign within one mile of sale, providing the proper consent of the land owner or his/her tenant has been secured.ii.Such signs may be displayed for not more than six consecutive days, and not more than sixty total days in any calendar year. The signs shall be erected no more than two days prior to the sale, and shall be removed at the termination of the sale.iii.Such signs shall not be attached to any utility pole, light standard, street tree or any other public facility located within the public right-of-way.iv.The area of all such signs shall not exceed eight square feet in area and three feet in height above grade.

Full Breakdown

080(2)(c). Those standards allow one sign per street front plus one off-site sign within a mile of the sale, as long as the sale host has the off-site landowner's or tenant's consent. The signs may be displayed for no more than six consecutive days and no more than sixty total days in any calendar year, they can go up no earlier than two days before the sale, and they must come down once the sale ends. Size is capped at eight square feet and three feet in height above grade, and the signs cannot be attached to any utility pole, light standard, street tree, or other public facility within the public right-of-way.

100. Franklin County adopted this framework as its standalone sign code in 2010 (Ord. No. 9-2010), replacing the earlier 1975 sign ordinance, and it applies countywide in unincorporated Franklin County alongside the International Building Code's sign provisions the county has adopted by reference.

Violations & Fines

Signs that exceed the six-day/sixty-day display limits, exceed the eight-square-foot/three-foot size cap, or attach to a utility pole, light standard or street tree lose their no-permit exemption and become an illegal sign under Franklin County Code §§ 15.16.050(15) and 15.16.080(2)(c). The planning and building director enforces the sign code countywide and can order removal of noncompliant signs from unincorporated Franklin County properties and rights-of-way.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many garage sales can I hold per year in unincorporated Franklin County?
The code doesn't cap the number of sales directly, but its sign rules cap how long you can advertise one: yard, garage and estate sale signs may be displayed no more than six consecutive days per sale and no more than sixty total days in any calendar year, per Franklin County Code § 15.16.080(2)(c). Exceed those limits and the sign loses its no-permit status under § 15.16.050(15).
Do I need a permit for my garage sale sign?
No, as long as the sign meets the county's yard/garage/estate sale sign standards: one sign per street front plus one off-site sign within a mile with the landowner's consent, no larger than eight square feet or three feet tall, displayed for no more than six consecutive days. Meeting these standards keeps the sign exempt from the permit requirement under § 15.16.050(15).
Can I put my garage sale sign on a utility pole or street tree?
No. Franklin County Code § 15.16.080(2)(c)(iii) bars attaching yard, garage or estate sale signs to any utility pole, light standard, street tree or other public facility located within the public right-of-way, regardless of whether the sign otherwise meets the size or duration standards.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Franklin County

All Franklin County rules

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