Clayton County, GA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned zone
- Right-of-way of any public road (§62-30.7(b))
- Also banned
- Public property/buildings countywide (§9-16)
- Who can be cited
- Placer, business named, agent, employee (§62-30.7(c))
- Only exception
- Written DOT authorization on state ROW
- Per-sign penalty
- Each sign is a separate offense
- Maximum fine/jail
- $1,000.00 and/or 6 months (§1-12)
- Printed material rule
- Warning notice required on political signs (§9-17)
Summary
Clayton County bans posting any poster, sign or advertisement, political or otherwise, on or within the right-of-way of any public road under Code § 62-30.7(b). A separate 1971 local law, Sec. 9-16, independently bars political posters, signs and advertisements from public rights-of-way and public property, and each sign posted in violation is its own citable offense.
(a)For the purpose of this code section, the term "public road" shall mean any county street, road, or any state highway, or other public roadway.(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to place a poster, sign or advertisement on or within the rights-of-way of any public road.(c)The person placing the sign, the business/person identified in the sign, the registered agent of the business/person identified in the sign, a manager of the business/person identified in the sign, an employee or operator of the business/person identified in the sign may be cited for placing the sign.(d)Exception: A poster, sign or advertisement may be placed within the rights-of-way of a public road under the jurisdiction of the state department of transportation pursuant to written authorization from the commissioner of the department of transportation. Provided that anyone claiming this exception shall have the burden of proof.(e)Each poster, sign or advertisement posted in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense.(f)Anyone who violates this section shall be punished as provided for in section 62-30.6.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 104).
Full Breakdown
Two provisions reach political signs here. Sec. 7 defines "public road" as any county street, road, state highway or other public roadway, then makes it unlawful for any person to place a poster, sign or advertisement on or within that road's right-of-way. Liability is not limited to whoever staked the sign: the business or person named on it, its registered agent, a manager, or any employee or operator identified with it can also be cited under subsection (c). Subsection (d) carves out exactly one exception: a sign placed within a state-DOT-jurisdiction right-of-way under written authorization from the DOT commissioner, and the person invoking that exception bears the burden of proving it.
Subsection (e) makes each posted sign a separate offense, so a campaign that plants ten yard signs along one shoulder faces ten counts, not one. Subsection (f) sends the penalty to Sec. 6, which sets the offense as a misdemeanor punished under the county's general penalty, Sec. 00, up to six months in the county jail, or both. Layered on top, Division 2 of Article IX (Sec. 9-16 through 9-18), enacted by Ga. Laws 1971, p. 2264, separately prohibits placing "political posters, signs and advertisements" within any public street right-of-way or on any public property or building countywide, and Sec.
9-17 additionally requires that any political poster or sign printed for outdoor use in the county carry a printed statutory warning notice on its face; distributing or transporting unmarked political material is itself unlawful. Sec. 9-18 punishes any violation of this division as a misdemeanor. Both laws apply only to public rights-of-way, public property and public buildings; they do not reach signs placed on private property with the owner's consent.
Violations & Fines
Placing a poster, sign or advertisement in a public road right-of-way or on public property is a misdemeanor under Sec. 62-30.6/1-12, carrying a fine up to $1,000.00, up to six months in jail, or both, with each individual sign counted as a separate offense under Sec. 62-30.7(e). Political material printed for outdoor use without the warning notice required by Sec. 9-17 is independently unlawful and punishable under Sec. 9-18.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a campaign sign along the road shoulder in unincorporated Clayton County?
Is there any lawful way to post a sign in a road right-of-way?
What happens if I post ten campaign signs along the same road?
Does printed political material need special wording under county law?
Who can be cited if a candidate's sign turns up on public property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clayton County
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