Washington County, MD Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- none
- Size/height limit
- not set by county
- Only condition
- no interference with traffic visibility
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 22.21(g)
- Applies in
- unincorporated county only
Summary
Washington County lets residents put up election signs without a zoning permit, imposing only one condition: the sign cannot interfere with traffic visibility, unlike other no-permit signs on the same list, which do carry size or duration caps.
Section 22.21 Signs Permitted Without Zoning Permits The following signs are permitted without zoning permit in any district provided the following conditions are adhered thereto. ...
(g) Election signs, provided the signs do not interfere with traffic visibility.
Full Breakdown
21 of the Washington County Zoning Ordinance, 'Signs Permitted Without Zoning Permits,' lists specific sign types a property owner may erect in any zoning district without going through the permit process. 21: home-occupation signs are capped at ten square feet (a), farm-product signs at thirty square feet (b), temporary off-site directional signs must come down within three days of the event (c), and civic or church directional signs are capped at six square feet and six feet tall within a one-mile radius (d). Election signs carry none of those numeric limits under county zoning; the only textual restriction is the traffic-visibility condition shared with several of the other no-permit sign categories.
Because the provision sits under Division II - Signs of Article 22, it binds the unincorporated county; Hagerstown, Boonsboro, Williamsport, Smithsburg, Funkstown and Hancock each administer their own municipal sign codes within town limits and are not covered by this county provision. Placement still has to respect right-of-way and drainage-easement rules that apply to the surrounding no-permit signs in the same section.
Violations & Fines
An election sign that blocks a driver's sightline can be ordered removed as a zoning violation under Article 26. A conviction under Section 26.1 is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000 and each day of the violation counted as a separate offense; the Zoning Administrator can alternatively issue a civil citation under Section 26.2.1, capped at $500 per violation, doubling if unpaid within 15 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for an election sign in Washington County, Maryland?
Is there a size limit on political signs under the county zoning code?
Does the county rule apply inside Hagerstown or Boonsboro?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Maryland sign regulations overview
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