Houston, TX Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max Sign Area
- Max sign area: 36 sq ft aggregate residential
- Permit Required Residential
- No permit required for residential temporary signs
- Public Right-Of-Way Placement
- No public right-of-way placement
- Illumination Temporary Signs
- No illumination of temporary signs
- State Law Preempts
- State law preempts content-based timing rules
- Owner Remove Within
- Owner must remove within 10 days after event
Summary
Houston regulates political signs under content-neutral temporary sign rules in Chapter 28 of the Code of Ordinances. Residential properties may display temporary signs up to 36 square feet per parcel without a permit. Texas state law (Tex. Transp. Code §393.0025) preempts most local content-based political-sign timing rules, so Houston treats them as ordinary temporary signs.
Sec. 259.002. REGULATION OF DISPLAY OF POLITICAL SIGNS BY PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATION. (a) In this section, "property owners' association" has the meaning assigned by Section 202.001, Property Code.(b) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a property owners' association may not enforce or adopt a restrictive covenant that prohibits a property owner from displaying on the owner's property one or more signs advertising a candidate or measure for an election:(1) on or after the 90th day before the date of the election to which the sign relates; or(2) before the 10th day after that election date.
Full Breakdown
Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 28 (Signs) governs all signs in the city, including political signs treated as temporary signs. Residential properties may display non-illuminated temporary signs aggregating up to 36 square feet without a permit. After Reed v Town of Gilbert (2015), Houston revised its sign code to apply content-neutral standards; political signs follow the same size, placement, and removal rules as real estate, garage sale, and event signs.
Texas Transportation Code §393.0025 further preempts local ordinances from regulating political signs on private property in ways that single them out by content. Prohibited placement under Chapter 28 includes any public right-of-way, esplanades, medians, utility poles, traffic signals, and city-owned property. Signs cannot be illuminated, animated, or include audio. Public Works removes signs from the right-of-way without notice; private-property violations are pursued by the Department of Neighborhoods.
Violations & Fines
Violation is a Class C misdemeanor with fines up to $500 per sign per day. Owners are billed for removal costs. Signs in the public right-of-way are removed by Public Works without notice and may be disposed of after a brief retrieval window.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I put up a political sign in Houston?
How big can my political sign be?
Can I post signs along the street or on esplanades?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Houston
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Political Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Harris County handle political signs.