Fall Political Sign Rules by State & City (2026)
Yard Sign Size Limits, Timing & Removal Deadlines
Find the rules for your area:
Compare political and campaign sign rules across U.S. states, cities and counties: where a yard sign can go, how big it can be, how early it can go up, and how soon after the election it has to come down.
The table below breaks down the rules across 51 states and 460 cities and counties. Every entry is based on the actual municipal code for that location, not a guess or a generic template. Click any location to see the full ordinance details, including fines, exceptions, and local FAQs.
How early a campaign sign can go up, and how fast it has to come down, is set in local sign codes, and the numbers differ from one city to the next. Omaha allows political signs installed no more than two months before the election and wants them removed within seven days after it. Miami opens the window three months before the election and gives fifteen days after (Miami 21 § 10.3.1). Tampa (§ 2-602) and Pittsburgh (§ 919.03.F) both give thirty days to take signs down, and Detroit allows portable temporary signs on residentially occupied premises in its residential and residential/mixed use sign districts only from 30 days before a City primary to seven days after the following general election, capped at six square feet per sign and 18 square feet in total (§ 4-4-183(a)(3)).
State law can take the question away from the city. Minnesota's § 211B.045 lets noncommercial signs of any size be posted in any number from 46 days before the state primary until ten days after the state general election; municipal ordinances may regulate size and number only at other times. New Hampshire sets the removal deadline itself: the second Friday following the election, except for a primary winner (RSA 664:17). For homeowners associations, Indiana protects a member's sign from thirty days before the election to five days after it (IC 32-21-13-4).
Where the sign stands matters as much as when. Pennsylvania makes it unlawful to place any sign within the legal limits of a state highway without the department's written consent (36 P.S. § 670-425). Maine allows temporary signs in the public right-of-way for a maximum of 12 weeks per calendar year and no more than 6 weeks between July 1st and December 31st, no larger than 4 feet by 8 feet, each marked with the name and address of whoever placed it and the date it went up (23 M.R.S. § 1913-A). On election day the buffer around the polls is fixed by statute: 100 feet from an entrance in Michigan (MCL 168.744), 40 feet in Virginia (Va. Code § 24.2-604). Taking down someone else's sign is its own offense: in Arizona it is a class 2 misdemeanor from seventy-one days before an election to fifteen days after (A.R.S. § 16-1019).
Related Rules
Rules by State
Each state is colored by how its local rules lean overall. Click a state to see the cities and counties we cover there.
| State | Locations | strict | restrictive | moderate | limited | permissive | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 195 | 11 | 9 | 128 | 39 | 8 | Some Restrictions |
| Florida | 66 | - | 2 | 47 | 10 | 7 | Some Restrictions |
| Texas | 54 | - | - | 6 | 2 | 46 | Few Restrictions |
| Washington | 36 | - | - | 16 | 12 | 8 | Light Restrictions |
| New Jersey | 32 | - | 2 | 22 | 8 | - | Some Restrictions |
| North Carolina | 31 | - | 2 | 17 | 6 | 6 | Light Restrictions |
| Illinois | 27 | - | - | 14 | 8 | 5 | Light Restrictions |
| Arizona | 25 | - | 1 | 5 | 3 | 16 | Light Restrictions |
| Georgia | 23 | - | 2 | 10 | 8 | 3 | Light Restrictions |
| New York | 23 | - | 2 | 14 | 5 | 2 | Some Restrictions |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | - | - | 13 | 7 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Colorado | 19 | - | - | 10 | 6 | 3 | Light Restrictions |
| Massachusetts | 19 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 6 | Light Restrictions |
| Michigan | 19 | - | - | 13 | 6 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Minnesota | 18 | - | - | 7 | 6 | 5 | Light Restrictions |
| South Carolina | 18 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 2 | Some Restrictions |
| Wisconsin | 15 | - | 1 | 9 | 1 | 4 | Light Restrictions |
| Ohio | 14 | - | 1 | 8 | 5 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Virginia | 14 | 1 | - | 6 | 5 | 2 | Some Restrictions |
| Indiana | 13 | - | 1 | 7 | 4 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Louisiana | 13 | - | - | 11 | 2 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Missouri | 13 | - | 1 | 7 | 3 | 2 | Some Restrictions |
| Utah | 13 | - | - | 8 | 2 | 3 | Light Restrictions |
| Alabama | 12 | - | 2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Tennessee | 12 | - | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | Light Restrictions |
| Maryland | 11 | - | - | 7 | 3 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Oregon | 11 | - | - | 7 | 3 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Iowa | 10 | - | - | 5 | 1 | 4 | Light Restrictions |
| Kansas | 9 | - | 1 | 6 | - | 2 | Some Restrictions |
| Nevada | 8 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 2 | Light Restrictions |
| Idaho | 7 | 1 | - | 5 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Kentucky | 7 | - | - | 4 | 3 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Oklahoma | 7 | - | - | 6 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Arkansas | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Hawaii | 5 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | Light Restrictions |
| Connecticut | 4 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | Some Restrictions |
| New Mexico | 4 | - | - | 3 | - | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| South Dakota | 4 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | Light Restrictions |
| Delaware | 3 | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Mississippi | 3 | - | - | 3 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Nebraska | 3 | 1 | - | - | 2 | - | Light Restrictions |
| New Hampshire | 3 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | Light Restrictions |
| West Virginia | 3 | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | Few Restrictions |
| Maine | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | Few Restrictions |
| Rhode Island | 2 | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Wyoming | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | Significant Restrictions |
| Alaska | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | Light Restrictions |
| District of Columbia | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
| Montana | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | Few Restrictions |
| North Dakota | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | Heavy Restrictions |
| Vermont | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | Some Restrictions |
How Cities Compare
These rankings are based on verified municipal code data, not opinion. A "strict" rating means the city has heavy restrictions, high fines, or outright bans. "Permissive" means few or no local restrictions beyond state law.
Most Restrictive
- 1Santa Paula, CA10 days after election
Political signs in Santa Paula are protected speech under the First Amendment and California Elections Code §18370. Residential properties may display political signs without a permit. Signs may not exceed 6 sq ft in residential zones. Public right-of-way signs are prohibited.
- 2Santa Clarita, CAMust remove post-election
Political signs protected under First Amendment and CA Elections Code. Cannot be banned on private property during election periods.
- 3Fremont, CAWithin 10 days after election
Fremont allows temporary political signs on private property with owner consent. Size, setback, and removal limits apply, and signs are prohibited on public property or in the street right-of-way.
- 4Citrus Heights, CAMisdemeanor (Elec §18370)
Political signs on private residential property are protected political speech under the First Amendment. Citrus Heights cannot ban political signs but may regulate content-neutral aspects such as size and placement. Signs in the public right-of-way are generally prohibited.
- 5Tulare County, CAIllegally posted signs removed at violator's cost (section 2-09-1025)
Political signs on private property in unincorporated Tulare County are governed by the County Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. 352) and California law. Posting campaign signs on County property, poles, trees, or structures is prohibited by County Code section 2-09-1005. Along state highways, temporary political signs must follow Business and Professions Code section 5405.3.
- 6Fillmore, CAMay be restricted
Political signs on private property in Fillmore are protected by the First Amendment and California Elections Code §18370. Temporary political signs cannot be prohibited on residential property. Signs in the public right-of-way may be restricted.
- 7Torrance, CAMust remove within set period post-election
Political signs are protected under the First Amendment. California law prohibits cities from banning political signs on private property during election periods.
- 8Anaheim, CA30 days after election
Anaheim allows temporary political campaign signs up to 35 sq ft without a building permit under AMC 4.04. Signs must be removed within 30 days after the election. Signs in the public right-of-way are prohibited.
- 9Fontana, CACommonly 10 days
Political signs are allowed on private property in Fontana with size and setback limits. City code cannot restrict content. Signs in the public right-of-way are prohibited and may be removed.
- 10Charleston, SC
Since January 1, 1996, City Code § 19-441 has made it unlawful to place a sign promoting a political candidate or party within any state-maintained street, highway, or right-of-way inside Charleston, or within any right-of-way the city itself maintains. The ban makes up the entirety of Article XV on its own, with no exceptions written into the section.
Fewest Restrictions
- 1Somerville, MA7-14 days
Somerville allows political signs on private property with owner consent during election seasons. Content-neutral size and placement rules apply. Reed v. Town of Gilbert limits content-based restrictions.
- 2Keller, TX
Political signs on Keller private property are protected under Texas Election Code Section 259.002 from most HOA bans and under Reed v. Gilbert from content-based city rules. Size, placement, and duration limits still apply.
- 3Bristol County, MA
Political signs allowed on private property in Bristol County under First Amendment and Reed v. Town of Gilbert. MGL ch. 54 and local sign codes impose reasonable time/place/manner limits. Signs in state highway ROW prohibited by MassDOT.
- 4Rutherford County, TNNot allowed
In unincorporated Rutherford County, temporary non-commercial signs, including political and campaign signs, may be posted on any residential lot at any time. On lots of five acres or less you may have up to 32 total square feet, split into up to five signs of no more than 16 square
- 5Haltom City, TX4 sq ft under 259.002
Political signs on Haltom City residential property are protected by the First Amendment. HOAs cannot ban them under Texas Election Code Section 259.002. City code regulates size, placement, and rights-of-way.
- 6Mcallen, TX
Mcallen allows political signs on private property with size limits. Signs in public rights-of-way are typically prohibited. First Amendment protections apply. Removal required within a set period after elections.
- 7Gilbert, AZNo
Gilbert's Land Development Code exempts political signs from its sign regulations altogether, deferring to the protections Arizona law gives them under A.R.S. § 16-1019, so the Town does not impose its own size, timing or permit rules on political signs the way it does for commercial signage.
- 8Springfield, MA
Springfield allows political signs on private property with size limits. Signs in public rights-of-way are typically prohibited. First Amendment protections apply. Removal required within a set period after elections.
- 9Los Angeles, CA30 days from installation
Los Angeles expressly protects political, ideological, and noncommercial messages on signs; temporary signs carrying such messages do not require a building permit, though they must be removed within 30 days of installation.
- 10Clark County, NVFollows NRS election-sign time guidelines
Clark County exempts political signs from sign construction permits under County Code § 22.02.210(H), so campaign and yard signs go up without a permit, though they must still stay off the public right-of-way and come down per state election-law deadlines.
All 460 Locations
Every city and county below has verified ordinance data for this topic. Click any location for the full breakdown including fines, exceptions, and local FAQs.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions come from the most common things people ask about this topic across different cities.