Bowling Green, KY Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Campaign and other temporary signs in Bowling Green are governed by Article 4 of the Warren County / Bowling Green Joint Zoning Ordinance, administered by the City County Planning Commission and enforced by City of Bowling Green Code Compliance. Temporary on-premise political signs do not require a permit. Prohibited locations include any city right-of-way or utility easement; attachment to trees, shrubs, telephone or utility poles, traffic signs or signals; any public property; and any location obstructing motorist sightlines or traffic-signal visibility. Allowed locations are private property with permission of the owner, set back from streets and roads. Size and number limits run by parcel type: residential lots under 2 acres — up to 10 temporary signs maximum, each up to 8 square feet; residential lots 2 acres or more — up to 16 square feet per sign; commercial parcels under 5 acres — up to 4 temporary signs at 16 square feet each; commercial parcels 5 acres or more — up to 32 square feet per sign. Signs may not contain flashing lights or moving parts, and a larger sign may not be subdivided into separate panels to evade the size cap. Under the federal First Amendment as construed in Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), the city applies these size, number, and location rules as content-neutral temporary-sign standards — the city does not regulate the political message itself. City staff (Code Compliance & Animal Protection, 270-393-3102) may remove and dispose of any sign in violation without prior notice. Persistent violators may be cited under City of Bowling Green Code Chapter 27 (Property Code) procedures.