Political signs are protected speech under the First Amendment and Reed v. Town of Gilbert. Chesapeake allows political signs on private property with standard size limits applicable to temporary signs. The city cannot regulate political signs more strictly than other temporary signs based on content.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), municipalities cannot apply content-based sign restrictions. Chesapeake allows temporary signs on private residential property with a typical maximum of 6-8 square feet per sign and limits on total sign area per lot. Signs may be displayed without a permit on the owner's property. Placement in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, or in medians is prohibited for all signs including political messages. Homeowner associations can impose stricter rules on political signs on HOA common property, but state law (VA Code Section 55.1-1824) protects reasonable display of political signs on owners' private lots in HOAs, typically 60 days before and 7 days after an election.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Chesapeake, VA
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See how Chesapeake's political signs rules stack up against other locations.
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