Fort Myers, FL Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Fort Myers political sign regulations live in the Land Development Code, Subpart B, Chapter 126 (Signs), with the operative provisions in the exemptions and temporary-sign sections (commonly Sec. 126-61). The city limits the display window: political signs may not be displayed until after a candidate has qualified for participation in a primary, general, or special election, and may be displayed for no more than 60 days prior to a referendum election. All political signs must be removed within five (5) calendar days following withdrawal of candidacy, elimination from the race, being elected to office, or the date of a referendum election. Size limits depend on zoning: political signs located in residential districts are limited to a maximum surface area of four (4) square feet; political signs in all other districts (commercial, industrial, mixed-use) are limited to a maximum of thirty-two (32) square feet. Location rules: no political sign shall be placed on any privately owned property without the authorization of the property owner, and no political sign shall be placed on any public property, including any public right-of-way. Any sign placed in violation may be removed immediately by an officer of the police department, code enforcement, the city engineer, or other authorized personnel. Cities cannot apply content-based restrictions to political speech under the First Amendment (Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 2015), so the time and size limits in Fort Myers' code apply as content-neutral temporary-sign rules. Enforcement is through the Fort Myers Code Enforcement Division (1825 Hendry St., Suite 101; 239-321-7940), with citations issued through Special Magistrate / Code Enforcement Board hearings under Fort Myers' code enforcement chapter and FS 162.