Kitsap County, WA Sign Regulations: Garage Sale Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit exemption
- Signs under 4 sq ft (§ 17.510.050(G))
- Cannot be affixed to trees
- § 17.510.040(G)
- County right-of-way
- Banned unless authorized, § 17.510.040(H)
- Intersection buffer
- 30 ft from ROW lines, § 17.510.040(E)
- Jurisdiction reach
- Unincorporated Kitsap County only
Summary
Kitsap County exempts garage sale, estate sale, and similar temporary event signs under four square feet from sign-permit review under Section 17.510.050(G), but placement is still restricted: signs cannot go on public property, in the county right-of-way without authorization, or on trees.
A sign or modification to an existing sign shall be exempt from review under this sign code and may be constructed without a permit:
...
G. Garage sale, estate sale, or other temporary signs for similar events less than four square feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4864424; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).
Full Breakdown
050(G) exempts "garage sale, estate sale, or other temporary signs for similar events less than four square feet" from the permit requirement that otherwise applies to signs in unincorporated Kitsap County. 040, Prohibited signs. That section bars signs "placed on public property, including Kitsap County right-of-way, except when authorized by the appropriate public agency," bars any sign "affixed to a tree," bars signs within thirty feet of an intersecting county right-of-way line, and bars any sign structure that creates a safety hazard by obstructing sightlines.
A garage sale poster stapled to a utility pole, planted in a road shoulder, or nailed to a street tree therefore violates the sign code even though its size is exempt. 060(A), if placement in the right-of-way is wanted. This chapter applies only to unincorporated Kitsap County; Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, and Bainbridge Island enforce their own sign codes inside city limits.
Violations & Fines
Garage sale signs placed in the right-of-way without authorization, affixed to trees, or blocking intersection sightlines can be ordered removed and cited. Section 17.610.020 makes any sign code violation a Class I civil infraction, with a separate infraction accruing for each day the sign remains, processed under the county's civil enforcement ordinance, Chapter 2.116.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a garage sale sign without a permit in unincorporated Kitsap County?
Can I staple my garage sale sign to a street tree or plant it in the road shoulder?
What happens if I leave my garage sale sign up in the right-of-way after the sale?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kitsap County
Compare Kitsap County to another location·View the Washington sign regulations overview
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