Herald Harbor Sign Regulations: Political Signs Rules (2026)

Anne Arundel County Code Article 18 treats political (noncommercial) signs as temporary signs permitted on private property with the consent of the owner. No permit or fee is required. Typical size limits are 6 square feet in residential zones and up to 32 square feet in commercial zones, and signs may not be illuminated, placed in sight triangles, or attached to trees, utility poles, or traffic control devices. Placement in the public right-of-way — including the shoulders and medians of state highways such as MD-2, MD-32, MD-97, MD-100, MD-175, MD-178, US-50, and US-301 — is prohibited under Maryland Transportation Article §21-1116 and county code; the Maryland State Highway Administration removes violating signs and stores them at district shops. The Board of Elections and the Hatch Act also prohibit posting on federal property at NSA Fort Meade, the U.S. Naval Academy, and NSWC Indian Head/Carderock properties. Post Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), duration-only removal rules are applied in a content-neutral manner.