Political signs on DC private property are protected speech under the First Amendment and are largely unregulated in size or number on residential lots per DCMR Title 13. Signs in public space (tree boxes, lampposts, bus shelters) are governed by DCMR 24-108 and generally must be removed within 30 days after an election. Federal election signs follow similar rules.
The District allows political signs on private residential property with minimal restriction — no permit is required, and signs may be displayed at any time leading up to an election. Content-based time limits have been unenforceable since Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015). In the public right-of-way, DCMR 24-108 and the Department of Transportation's Public Space regulations allow campaign signs on lampposts and utility poles, subject to important rules: signs must be posted no more than 180 days before an election, must be removed within 30 days after the election, may not cover traffic signs or obstruct pedestrian pathways, and must not be affixed with adhesive or nails (zip ties only). Only one sign per candidate per light pole is permitted. Signs on federal property (National Park Service land, the National Mall, federal building exteriors) are prohibited. DC Board of Ethics and Government Accountability (BEGA) and DOEE enforce candidate disclosure rules on signs.
Signs left up past 30-day post-election deadline: $75 per sign civil infraction plus District removal. Prohibited adhesive attachments: $100 per sign. Signs on federal property: removal by federal police, no fine. Signs obstructing traffic signs: immediate removal and $100 fine.
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