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Spokane County, WA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Permit status
exempt, SCC 14.804.040(6)
Setback rule
10 feet from ROW, 3-7 ft signs
Sight-distance rule
must clear vehicle/pedestrian sight lines
Clear view triangle
must conform to Chapter 14.812
Governing sections
SCC 14.804.040(6) and 14.804.110

Summary

Political signs never need a sign permit in unincorporated Spokane County: Section 14.804.040(6) exempts them entirely from the permit process that governs every other on-premises sign. That exemption does not waive placement rules; Section 14.804.110 still requires every sign, political ones included, to clear sight lines, stay out of the right-of-way, and meet a ten-foot setback once it tops three feet.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Spokane County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

14.804.040 - Sign permit not required. The following shall not require a sign permit, provided that these exemptions shall not be construed as relieving the owner from the responsibility to comply with the provisions of this code or any other law or ordinance, including the Uniform Building Code. ...6.Political signs.

14.804.110 - Sign location and setback. 1.All signs shall be located so that they:a.Do not interfere with vehicular/pedestrian accessibility or sight distance.b.Conform to the provisions of chapter 14.812, Fences/Clear View Triangle.c.Do not overhang, or are not located in any public right-of-way.2.All signs shall be located and set back as follows:a.Any portion of a sign (including structural supports) that is higher than three feet and less than seven feet above grade shall be located a minimum of ten feet back from any public right-of-way, unless it can be demonstrated that the location of a structural support or monument sign will not create an adverse impact with regard to sight distance of vehicles entering and exiting the site.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).

Full Breakdown

040 lists eight categories exempt from the county's sign permit requirement, and item six is simply political signs, alongside changeable copy on existing signs, painting and normal maintenance, temporary banners, real estate signs, incidental signs, right-of-way bench signs, and contractor signs. The exemption is not a blank check, though: the same section warns that these exemptions shall not be construed as relieving the owner from the responsibility to comply with the provisions of the code or any other law or ordinance, including the Uniform Building Code.

110's location and setback standards. 812, and to stay off and not overhang any public right-of-way. Subsection 2 adds a numeric setback: any part of a sign, including its structural supports, that stands higher than three feet and less than seven feet above grade must sit at least ten feet back from a public right-of-way, unless the applicant can show the support or monument will not create a sight-distance hazard for vehicles entering or leaving the site. A political sign shorter than three feet or taller than seven feet skips that particular setback test, since it only applies within the three-to-seven-foot band.

Violations & Fines

Because political signs carry no permit, the county has no application file to revoke, but a sign placed in the right-of-way, blocking a clear-view triangle, or violating the ten-foot setback under Section 14.804.110 is still a code violation the building and planning department can order removed or relocated like any other nonconforming sign. The maintenance duty in Section 14.804.130, repairing a damaged sign base within sixty days or removing a hazardous sign immediately, applies regardless of permit status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to put up a political sign in unincorporated Spokane County?
No. Section 14.804.040(6) lists political signs among the categories exempt from the county's sign permit requirement, so you can post one without filing an application with the department of building and planning.
Does that mean a political sign can go anywhere on my property?
No. Section 14.804.040 says permit exemptions do not relieve the owner of complying with the rest of the code, so Section 14.804.110's location rules, clearing sight lines, staying off the right-of-way, and meeting the setback, still apply to political signs.
How far back from the road does my political sign have to be?
If the sign or its support stands higher than three feet and less than seven feet above grade, Section 14.804.110(2)(a) requires it to sit at least ten feet back from the public right-of-way, unless you can show it will not block sight distance for drivers.
What if my political sign's support is very narrow?
Section 14.804.110(2)(b) exempts structural supports less than two feet wide, measured at three to seven feet above grade, from the ten-foot setback that otherwise applies to signs in that height range.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Spokane County

All Spokane County rules

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