Sign Regulations
Political signs, garage sale signs, and holiday display rules.
Modern sign codes are written around a Supreme Court case. Reed v. Town of Gilbert held that regulating signs by what they say is content-based and presumptively unconstitutional, which forced cities to rewrite ordinances that had treated political, real-estate, and church signs differently. Today's codes speak of temporary signs generally, by size, number, and duration.
For a homeowner, three rules cover most situations. Yard signs are fine within size limits. Anything permanent or large needs a permit. And nothing private may stand in the public right-of-way, which is why utility-pole and median signs vanish without warning.
All 50 States: Sign Regulations at the State Level
Each tile shows the strongest state-level rule for that state. Click a state to see its full statewide rules and how local cities are constrained.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
What's Covered
Political Signs
Rules for posting political campaign signs on your property, including size limits, how early you can put them up, and when they must come down.
Garage Sale Signs
Where you can place signs advertising a garage or yard sale, including restrictions on utility poles, medians, and public right-of-way.
Holiday Displays
Rules for seasonal decorations, lights, inflatables, and lawn displays, including the sign-permit exemptions most codes give them and any limits on timing, size, or placement.
Digital Billboards
Rules governing digital and electronic billboards, including size limits, brightness and dwell-time standards, and the ongoing legal fight in cities like LA.
Window Signs
Limits on the percentage of window area that may be covered by signs in storefronts, including transparency rules for safety visibility into businesses.
Freeway-Facing Signs
Restrictions on commercial signs visible from freeways, including height, illumination, and outdoor advertising act compliance.