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Lacey, WA Sign Regulations: Garage Sale Signs (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified October 2026

Key Facts

Sign permit
Not required
Signs allowed
One on premises, three off-premises
Maximum sign size
Four square feet
Removal deadline
The day the sale ends
Sales per location
Four per calendar year, four consecutive days each
Repeat violations
Class III civil infractions

Summary

In the City of Lacey, Washington, garage sale signs need no permit but are capped at one sign on the premises and three off-premises signs, each no larger than four square feet. Signs go up only during the sale and must be removed the day the sale ends. Chapter 5.34 separately limits each location to four sales a year.

J. Garage Sale (Yard Sales, Moving Sales, Patio Sales). No sign permit is required. Such sign shall be limited to one sign on the premises and three off-premises signs. No such sign shall exceed four square feet in sign area. The sign or signs may be displayed only during the sale and must be removed the day the sale ends. The person or persons for which the sign or signs are displayed shall be responsible for its removal and/or are subject to the penalties as provided in this code.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Section 16.75.100(J) of the Lacey Municipal Code sets the sign standard for garage sales, yard sales, moving sales and patio sales in the City of Lacey. No sign permit is required. Each sale is limited to one sign on the premises and three off-premises signs, and no sign can exceed four square feet in sign area. Signs are displayed only during the sale and must be removed the day the sale ends. The person for whom the signs are displayed is responsible for removal and is subject to the penalties in the code. Section 16.75.020(Q) defines garage sale signs as temporary signs used to announce a sale of used items at a residence.

The sale itself is regulated in Chapter 5.34. Section 5.34.010 defines a garage sale as a yard sale, patio sale, rummage sale or similar sale of twenty or more miscellaneous used household items that is advertised for the general public to attend. Under § 5.34.030, no more than four garage sales can be conducted at any one location during a calendar year, each sale cannot exceed four consecutive days, and goods cannot be displayed in the public right-of-way. Section 5.34.030 points to the sign chapter for sign rules, but the cross-reference as printed says § 16.75.110(A)(9). Section 16.75.110 now covers legal nonconforming signs, and the garage sale standard sits in § 16.75.100(J).

Off-premises signs stay subject to the location rules in § 16.75.050(A): no attaching signs to utility poles, street lights, trees, fences or other public property, and no freestanding sign in the city right-of-way or within five feet of it.

Violations & Fines

Under § 5.34.040, a first violation of the garage sale chapter can draw a written or verbal warning with no penalty, and second and subsequent violations are Class III civil infractions. A sign left in place can be removed by the City of Lacey 24 hours after notification, and the owner reclaims it after paying a $100.00 civil penalty under § 16.75.120(B)(3).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many garage sale signs can I put up in the City of Lacey?
One sign on the premises and three off-premises signs, per § 16.75.100(J). No sign can exceed four square feet in sign area. No sign permit is required, but the person for whom the signs are displayed is responsible for removing them and is subject to the penalties in the code.
When do garage sale signs have to come down?
The signs can be displayed only during the sale and must be removed the day the sale ends. Leaving them up exposes the sale host to the penalties in the code, and an unlawful temporary sign on private property can be removed by the City of Lacey after 24 hours from notification.
How many garage sales can I hold in a year in the City of Lacey?
No more than four garage sales at any one location during a calendar year, and each sale cannot exceed four consecutive days, under § 5.34.030. Goods cannot be displayed in the public right-of-way. The chapter covers sales of twenty or more miscellaneous used household items advertised to the general public.
Can I tape a garage sale sign to a utility pole?
No. Section 16.75.050(A)(2) prohibits attaching a sign to any public utility pole, structure or street light, tree, fence, fire hydrant, bridge, curb, sidewalk or park bench on public property. Section 16.75.050(A)(1) also bars a freestanding sign in the city right-of-way or within five feet of it, with exceptions only for sandwich board and feather signs.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Lacey

Noise Ordinances: Quiet HoursSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Chickens & LivestockSome RestrictionsDigital BillboardsHeavy RestrictionsFreeway-Facing SignsSignificant RestrictionsPolitical SignsLight RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: EV ChargingSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: BeekeepingSome Restrictions

All Lacey rules

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