Carteret County, NC Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Carteret County splits political sign regulation across two sections of the zoning ordinance depending on size. Section 2106.11, in the list of signs that need no zoning permit at all, sets the threshold at 32 square feet: a political sign at or under that size can go up in unincorporated Carteret County without any application to the county. A political sign larger than 32 square feet moves into Section 2105.8, one of the signs 'permitted in all districts' that does require a zoning permit. To get that permit, the applicant must present the landowner's written consent for the sign at the time of application, since political signs typically go up on property the candidate or committee does not own.

Section 2105.8 also sets a hard removal deadline that applies to signs authorized under that section: they must come down within seven days after the election, and the section is explicit that a political sign is never permitted within a public right-of-way. Because Section 2106.11 signs need no permit, the county does not track every small yard sign the way it tracks larger, permitted political signage, but both categories fall under the ordinance's general prohibition on placing any sign within a street right-of-way. The zoning enforcement officer in Planning and Development handles complaints and removal for both sign classes.