Los Angeles regulates political signs as part of its content-neutral temporary sign rules under LAMC 91.6217. Residential properties may display temporary signs up to 12 square feet without a permit. Signs cannot be placed in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, or illuminated. After Reed v Gilbert, the city rewrote restrictions to apply equally to all temporary signs regardless of message.
LAMC §91.6217 governs all temporary signs on private property in Los Angeles, including political, real estate, garage sale, and event signs. After the Supreme Court's 2015 decision in Reed v Town of Gilbert, which held that content-based sign rules face strict scrutiny under the First Amendment, Los Angeles revised its sign ordinance to remove the prior 60-day election-window restriction that singled out political signs. The rule is now content-neutral: any temporary sign on residential property is limited to 12 square feet in aggregate, regardless of what it says.
The code prohibits placement of any temporary sign in the public right-of-way, including parkways, sidewalks, medians, utility poles, traffic signals, and street trees. Signs may not be illuminated, motorized, or include audio. The Bureau of Street Services removes signs from public property without notice; political signs are not exempt. Property owners remain responsible for signs on their land even when posted by a campaign worker.
Violation is an infraction with fines starting at $100 and rising to $500 for repeat offenses, plus sign removal at the owner's expense. Signs placed in the public right-of-way are summarily removed by the Bureau of Street Services without notice.
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