Frederick County, VA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

A governs temporary signs, the catch-all category the Zoning Ordinance uses for campaign, yard-sale, real-estate and similar short-term signage since the code has no separate political-sign section. A temporary sign located on private property is exempt from the standard sign permit requirement and is not counted toward the type, number or area of permanent signs otherwise allowed on the property. Four rules apply directly: size is capped at five feet in height and 50 square feet; location must meet the setbacks the ordinance requires for other signs and can never sit inside a public right-of-way; the person who posts the sign, not the property owner, is solely responsible for getting the owner's permission first; and duration is capped at 30 consecutive days, and that 30-day window may be used only twice per year.

Because temporary signs are permit-exempt, a candidate, campaign or homeowner does not file an application with the Department of Planning and Development the way a permanent monument or wall sign requires, but the size, setback, right-of-way and duration limits still apply in full. E(1), so an illuminated campaign sign is not permitted regardless of size. A only removes the permit requirement, not every other standard in Part 809.