Concord, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Political-speech signs enjoy the highest level of First Amendment protection, and California law further strengthens these rights. Following Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Concord's sign code cannot impose content-based distinctions — political signs are treated identically to real-estate, garage-sale, or other temporary signs for size, placement, and duration. California Elections Code §13.5 and Civil Code §4710 protect the right of property owners and tenants to display non-commercial signs, including political signs, on private property, overriding most HOA restrictions (though HOAs may impose reasonable time/place/manner rules including up to 90 square feet per sign in most cases). On state highways, Outdoor Advertising Act (Bus. & Prof. Code §5405.3) allows temporary political signs on private property within 660 feet of a state highway if not exceeding 32 sq ft, erected no more than 90 days before the election, and removed within 10 days after — though this 90/10 rule applies only to signs visible from state highways, not to all political signs. Within Concord's non-highway residential areas, temporary-sign duration limits govern. Political signs in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, in medians, or attached to traffic signs are prohibited and summarily removed like any other non-compliant sign. Candidates and campaigns should consult Concord's sign regulations and Fair Political Practices Commission rules on campaign signage responsibility.