Dallas, TX Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max sign Area:
- Max sign area: 36 sq ft aggregate residential
- Individual sign Limit:
- Individual sign limit: 8 sq ft per sign typical
- No Permit Required
- No permit required for residential temporary signs
- No Placement in
- No placement in public right-of-way
- State Preemption Blocks
- State preemption blocks content-based timing rules
- Removal Required Within
- Removal required within 10 days post-event
Summary
Dallas regulates political signs as temporary signs under Article VII of the Dallas Development Code. Residential properties may display non-illuminated temporary signs up to 36 square feet aggregate without permits. State law (Tex. Transp. Code §393.0025) bars content-based restrictions. Signs in the public right-of-way are removed by Code Compliance without notice.
Sec. 259.002. REGULATION OF DISPLAY OF POLITICAL SIGNS BY PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATION. (a) In this section, "property owners' association" has the meaning assigned by Section 202.001, Property Code.(b) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a property owners' association may not enforce or adopt a restrictive covenant that prohibits a property owner from displaying on the owner's property one or more signs advertising a candidate or measure for an election:(1) on or after the 90th day before the date of the election to which the sign relates; or(2) before the 10th day after that election date.(c) This section does not prohibit the enforcement or adoption of a covenant that:(1) requires a sign to be ground-mounted; or(2) limits a property owner to displaying only one sign for eac...
Full Breakdown
Dallas Development Code Article VII (Sign Regulations) governs all signs in the city. Political signs are regulated as temporary signs subject to the same content-neutral standards as real estate, event, and garage sale signs following the Supreme Court's 2015 decision in Reed v Town of Gilbert. Residential properties may display non-illuminated temporary signs aggregating up to 36 square feet without a permit, with each sign typically capped at 8 square feet.
Texas Transportation Code §393.0025 prohibits municipalities from regulating political signs on private property in ways that single them out based on content. Dallas enforces a content-neutral 10-day post-event removal rule. Prohibited placement includes the public right-of-way, medians, esplanades, utility poles, traffic signals, street trees, and city-owned property. The Department of Code Compliance removes signs from the right-of-way without notice and pursues private-property violations through citation.
Violations & Fines
Violations are Class C misdemeanors with fines up to $500 per sign per day. Owners are billed for removal costs. Signs in the public right-of-way are removed by Code Compliance without notice and held briefly for retrieval before disposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I display a political sign in Dallas?
What is the max size for my sign?
Can I post signs on medians or utility poles?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dallas
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Dallas to another location·View the Texas sign regulations overview
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Political Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle political signs.