Sonoma County, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Zoning permit required
- R1 size limit
- 16 sq ft per face, 2 signs
- Other districts
- 32 sq ft per face, 2 signs
- Earliest posting
- 90 days before election
- Removal deadline
- 20 days after campaign ends
Summary
Unincorporated Sonoma County requires a zoning permit for campaign and political signs, caps size at 16 or 32 square feet depending on district, and bars posting more than 90 days before the election.
(f)Campaign and Political Signs. Campaign and political signs may be permitted in any zoning district upon being issued a zoning permit and are subject to the following criteria:(1)No more than two (2) sixteen (16) square foot single-faced...political or campaign sign is permitted, per parcel, in the R1 (single family residential) districts...(4)No signs shall be erected earlier than ninety (90) days prior to the election in which the candidate or measure will be voted upon.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 26-84-030(f) permits campaign and political signs in any zoning district but only after a zoning permit is issued. In R1 single-family districts the limit is two 16-square-foot single-faced signs (or one double-faced/wing-type sign up to 16 square feet per face) per parcel; in all other districts the limit rises to two single-faced or one double-faced V-type sign up to 32 square feet per face. No sign may go up earlier than 90 days before the election, and detached signs can't sit closer to the road than the property line or block sightlines. This applies only outside the nine incorporated cities. Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sonoma and the rest set their own limits.
Violations & Fines
Zoning permit required before posting; the planning department can require removal, and unremoved signs after the 20-day post-campaign deadline can trigger a penalty covering removal costs. Revocation of the zoning permit follows failure to comply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a political yard sign in unincorporated Sonoma County?
How early can I put up a political sign before an election?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma County to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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