Federal Way, WA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- None for temporary signs
- Max duration (private property)
- 120 consecutive days per calendar year
- Removal after event
- Within 10 days of event close
- Right-of-way size limit
- 6 sq ft per sign face
- Right-of-way height limit
- 4 feet above grade
- Right-of-way number limit
- No limit per property
Summary
Federal Way treats campaign and political signs as temporary signs under FWRC 19.140.050: no permit or fee is required, but placement outside the right-of-way is capped at 120 consecutive days per calendar year, and signs tied to a specific event must come down within 10 days of the event's close.
(d) Duration. Temporary signs may be placed, with the permission of the property owner when placed on property outside the right-of-way, for a maximum of 120 consecutive days per calendar year and must be removed within 10 days of the close of the event if the sign pertains to a specific event, or as otherwise specified elsewhere in this section.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-1049, passed August 11, 2026).
Full Breakdown
050 governs all temporary signs placed in the city, and the city does not carve out a separate category for political or campaign signs, so the general temporary-sign standard controls. No sign permit and no fee applies to a temporary sign. On private property, a temporary sign may stay up for a maximum of 120 consecutive days per calendar year with the property owner's permission, and if the sign relates to a specific event (such as an election), it must be removed within 10 days after the event closes.
Temporary signs cannot be electric or illuminated, cannot move, vibrate, emit noise, or display changing images, and must be built to withstand rain and wind. Placement can never interfere with the visibility of traffic control devices, directional devices, or street name signs. 050(2): the sign face may be no larger than six square feet, no taller than four feet above grade, must sit entirely outside the roadway and clear of the required 48-inch pedestrian pathway, cannot attach to trees, utility poles, or street furniture, and is barred outright from medians, roundabouts, and traffic circles.
There is no cap on the number of right-of-way temporary signs allowed in front of a property. 70 FWRC), though political signs typically need no permit to trigger that path.
Violations & Fines
A temporary political sign left up beyond the 120-day limit, left in place more than 10 days after the related event, placed inside a median or roundabout, or exceeding the six-square-foot/four-foot right-of-way limits is a code violation subject to the city's general sign enforcement and removal process under Chapter 19.140 FWRC. Signs that obstruct sight distance, block the 48-inch clear pedestrian path, or are anchored to utility poles or trees can be removed by the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a political yard sign in Federal Way?
How long can a campaign sign stay up in Federal Way?
Can I put a political sign in the road right-of-way?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Federal Way
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Political Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle political signs.