Stanislaus County, CA Sign Regulations: Garage Sale Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Sign limit
- 2 unlighted signs per sale
- Max sign size
- 3 square feet
- Placement
- private property, owner consent only
- Timing
- only while sale is underway
- Violation
- infraction under §6.64.040 / §1.36.020
Summary
Stanislaus County limits garage-sale advertising in the unincorporated area to two signs per sale, each capped at three square feet and unlit. Section 6.64.030 also confines every sign to private property with the owner's consent, and only while the sale is actually underway: nothing posted early or left up after closing.
No person conducting a garage sale may use more than two unlighted signs not exceeding three square feet in area. Garage sale signs shall be displayed only on private property with the consent of the owner thereof and only during such times as the garage sale is actually being conducted.
Full Breakdown
020) in the unincorporated area outside Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Riverbank, Oakdale, Patterson, Newman, Waterford, and Hughson. The sign rule adds three distinct conditions: a hard cap of two signs per sale, a three-square-foot maximum size per sign, and a ban on illumination, no lit or reflective sign counts as compliant. The section further requires that every sign sit on private property with the consent of that property's owner, which as a practical matter rules out posting on utility poles, street signs, fence lines belonging to someone else, medians, or any other public right-of-way.
Timing is also restricted: a sign may only be displayed while the garage sale is actually being conducted, so early advance postings and signs left up after the sale closes are both out of compliance, not just excess sign count. 040.
Violations & Fines
Posting a third sign, oversizing a sign beyond three square feet, lighting a sign, placing one on public property or a neighbor's fence without consent, or leaving signs up after the sale ends each violates Section 6.64.030. Like every other breach of Chapter 6.64, the offense is charged as an infraction under Section 6.64.040, punishable per County Code Section 1.36.020: the same exposure that applies to running a sale past three days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many garage sale signs can I put up in Stanislaus County?
Can I put a garage sale sign on a utility pole or street corner in Stanislaus County?
When do garage sale signs have to come down in Stanislaus County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stanislaus County
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