Irvine, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max size within 150 ft of intersection
- 3 sq ft (18 in x 24 in)
- Max size beyond 150 ft
- 12 sq ft (up to 3 ft x 4 ft)
- Election sign posting window
- 39 days before the event
- Election sign removal deadline
- Within 10 days after the event
- Permit required
- No
- Freeway ramp exception
- Max 4 signs within 250 yards
Summary
Irvine treats political signs as "Temporary Non-Commercial Signs": no permit needed, but size is capped at 3 square feet near an intersection or 12 square feet farther away, and election-related signs may go up no earlier than 39 days before the vote and must come down within 10 days after.
SIGN TYPE #107 TEMPORARY NON-COMMERCIAL SIGNS Sign location: In public right-of-way; or on private property with owners consent. Maximum sign size: 3 square feet (18 by 24 inches), if located within 150 feet of an intersection. 12 square feet (up to 3 feet by 4 feet), if not located within 150 feet of an intersection. Maximum sign height: Top of sign may be 3 feet above the ground if located in public right-of-way within 150 feet of an intersection. Top of sign may be 6 feet above the ground if not within the public right-of-way and not within 150 feet of an intersection. Top of sign may be 20 feet above the ground for a wall-mounted sign, if not located in public right-of-way. Sign installation and removal: Signs unrelated to a specific event may remain in place for 39 days and must immediately thereafter be removed. Signs related to a specific event (e.g., election) may be installed no earlier than 39 days prior to the event to which the sign relates and must be removed no later than 10 days after the event. ...no more than four signs on City-owned public property within 250 yards of any freeway on-ramp or off-ramp shall be permitted. Permit required? No.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 | Zoning: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 7-3-3, General Regulations. Signs Exempt from Sign Permit Requirements, governs Sign Type #107, Temporary Non-Commercial Signs, which covers yard and right-of-way political signage. Signs may sit in the public right-of-way or on private property with the owner's consent, but not on City traffic signs, signals, or devices, and must stay outside sight-distance triangles. Within 150 feet of an intersection, a sign is capped at 3 square feet (18 by 24 inches) and 3 feet tall if placed in the right-of-way; farther out, signs may reach 12 square feet (up to 3 by 4 feet), 6 feet tall outside the right-of-way, or up to 20 feet if wall-mounted.
Signs unrelated to a specific event may stay up for 39 days before removal is required. Election-related signs follow a tighter window: they may be installed no earlier than 39 days before the event (election day, not the start of early voting) and must be removed within 10 days after; for a district election, signs are limited to inside that district's boundaries rather than citywide. If a sign isn't removed on time, or is installed before the 39-day window opens, the City may recover its removal costs from the person or organization the sign relates to.
Two carve-outs apply: no more than four signs are allowed on City-owned public property within 250 yards of any freeway on- or off-ramp, and no more than four signs may sit on public property within 250 yards of a vote center while it is open. No permit is required for any of this.
Violations & Fines
Sign Type #107 requires no permit, but the City may recover the cost of sign removal from the person or organization the sign relates to if a non-event sign stays up past its 39-day limit, if an election sign is installed earlier than 39 days before the event, or if an election sign is not removed within 10 days after the event. Signs exceeding the size/height caps, placed on traffic control devices, or exceeding the four-sign cap near a freeway ramp or open vote center are likewise subject to removal and cost recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put up a campaign sign in Irvine?
When do election signs have to come down in Irvine?
Do I need a permit for a political yard sign in Irvine?
Can I place political signs near a freeway ramp in Irvine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Irvine
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