Forsyth County, GA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Baseline limit
- 2 expression signs per lot, no permit
- Election-period limit
- 6 signs per lot, 60 days pre-election
- Removal deadline
- 15 days after the election/initiative
- State override
- O.C.G.A. § 21-2-3(a)(2) controls if conflicting
- First enforcement step
- Owner notice, chance to remove excess
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
Political and other expression signs go up in Forsyth County without a permit, up to two per lot year-round. That cap rises to six per lot for the 60 days before any primary, special or general election or ballot initiative, and the extra signs don't need to reference the election at all. Anything placed under the election-period bump must come down within 15 days after the vote.
Expression signs shall be allowed without the necessity of obtaining a permit, subject to the following requirements:(a)Conformity to the performance tables and all other general requirements of this article;(b)No more than two expression signs shall be allowed on any lot, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section...(c)Within 60 days prior to any local, state or federal primary, special or general election or ballot initiative wherein citizens of Forsyth County are entitled to vote, an additional four expression signs shall be permitted on any lot thereby raising the total number of expression signs allowed during this period to six...(e)Any expression signs placed in accord with subsection (c) of this section shall be removed 15 days after the election or ballot initiative, at which time the maximum number of Expression Signs shall revert to two per lot.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).
Full Breakdown
Section 66-105 of the sign ordinance defines expression signs as a permit-free category limited to two per lot under normal circumstances, so long as they conform to the general performance tables that govern setback and size for other signs in the district. Beginning 60 days before any local, state or federal primary, special or general election, or any ballot initiative Forsyth County citizens are entitled to vote on, the limit jumps to six expression signs per lot, an increase of four over the baseline. The section is explicit that the added signs during this window do not have to display a message related to the election or initiative at all; any lawful, non-obscene copy qualifies.
Once the election or initiative has passed, the county gives owners 15 days to pull the extra signs, after which the per-lot limit reverts to two. A. 21-2-3(a)(2), the state statute controls instead of the local number. Enforcement for exceeding the count follows section 66-72, but section 66-105(f) requires the enforcing officer to first notify the lot owner and give a chance to remove enough signs to reach compliance before further action, unless the owner cannot be readily located.
Violations & Fines
If a lot exceeds the expression-sign count, the county's first step under section 66-105(f) is to notify the owner and let them remove enough signs to come into compliance, rather than issuing an immediate citation; that grace step only fails if the owner can't be readily located. Beyond that, enforcement follows section 66-72, which allows a magistrate court citation, an injunction, or removal at the owner's expense, and section 66-73 sets a fine of up to $1,000.00 per violation or up to 60 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many political signs can I put on my lot in Forsyth County?
Do I have to take my election signs down after the vote?
What happens if I have too many signs on my lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
Compare Forsyth County to another location·View the Georgia sign regulations overview
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