Kitsap County, WA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Right-of-way signs
- Max 4 sq ft, 40 in. tall
- Private property signs
- Max 32 sq ft
- Metal frames in ROW
- Prohibited
- Removal deadline
- 10 days after election
- Post-primary winners
- May stay 10 days after general election
- Permit required
- None, if compliant
Summary
Kitsap County allows political campaign signs in the county right-of-way up to four square feet and forty inches tall, and on private property up to thirty-two square feet, both without a permit under Section 17.510.060(F), but requires removal within ten days after the election.
F. Political Sign.
1. A political sign is allowed in Kitsap County right-of-way; provided, that a sign:
a. Using metal faces, metal supports, metal frames, or wire frames is prohibited;
b. Is limited to a size no greater than four square feet and may not extend higher than forty inches measured from the point in which it is placed in the ground to the top of the sign; and
c. Shall be removed ten days after an election. After primary elections, political campaign signs endorsing or opposing a successful candidate or ballot measure may remain up to ten days after the succeeding general election.
2. Political campaign sign(s) are allowed on private property and may express a property owner's endorsement of a political candidate or ballot issue, provided:
a. Political campaign signs are limited to a maximum size of thirty-two square feet; and
b. Political campaign signs on private property must be removed within ten days after an election.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4864424; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).
Full Breakdown
060(F) carves political signs out of the county's general ban on right-of-way signage. " That sign "shall be removed ten days after an election"; if it endorsed a candidate or measure that won a primary, it can stay up until ten days after the following general election. Separately, political campaign signs on private property may "express a property owner's endorsement of a political candidate or ballot issue" up to "a maximum size of thirty-two square feet," eight times the right-of-way allowance, and must likewise be removed within ten days of the election, with the same primary-to-general extension.
060 preamble, which otherwise bars conditionally exempt signs from county right-of-way; political signs get an explicit exception to that placement rule. This applies only to unincorporated Kitsap County, not the four incorporated cities on the peninsula.
Violations & Fines
Political signs left up beyond the ten-day post-election window, oversized signs, or right-of-way signs built with prohibited metal frames are subject to removal and citation. Section 17.610.020 treats any sign code violation as a Class I civil infraction, with each day of continued violation a separate infraction, processed under the county's civil enforcement ordinance, Chapter 2.116.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a political yard sign be on my own property in unincorporated Kitsap County?
Can I put a political sign in the road right-of-way?
How soon after an election do political signs have to come down?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kitsap County
Compare Kitsap County to another location·View the Washington sign regulations overview
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