Decatur, AL Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Section 25-74(a)(4) is the city's rule for election and political campaign signs. It sits among the temporary signs permitted in the specified districts without a building permit. The size cap depends on the district: six square feet in a residential district, thirty-two square feet in any other district. The removal deadline is tied to the event: no later than ten days after the election, final runoff election, or conclusion of the campaign for which the sign was erected. The provision limits size and timing and sets no limit on how many signs a lot can carry.

Placement is controlled by the rest of § 25-74 and by § 25-78. Section 25-74(b) bars temporary signs in any street right-of-way or on a utility pole, and bars putting one on a building, wall, tree, fence or other property of another person or business without the owner's consent. Under § 25-78(b), in non-residential districts a temporary sign cannot be within ten feet of a public right-of-way, cannot exceed three and one-half feet in height if it stands in a setback area, and cannot exceed six feet if it is more than ten feet out and outside any setback area. Section 25-78(c) lets temporary signs in residential districts that do not exceed six square feet or six feet in height stand in the front, rear or side yard setback up to the public right-of-way.

Section 25-74(c) keeps every campaign sign subject to §§ 25-76 and 25-78. Under § 25-76, a two-sided sign counts as one sign when its faces are no more than five feet apart, no sign can project over a public right-of-way, and § 25-76(o)(9) declares a public nuisance any sign that interferes with the view needed for vehicles or pedestrians to enter or exit public or private streets safely. The ten dollar permit and ninety-day annual limit in § 25-74(d) govern special-event and sales-promotion signs, not campaign signs.