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Modesto, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Residential parcel with dwelling: 16 sf/sign, 60 sf combined, 6 ft
Residential parcel, no dwelling: 32 sf/sign, 100 sf combined, 10 ft
Commercial/industrial zones: 32 sf/sign, 150 sf combined, 10 ft
Install window: No more than 120 days before election
Removal deadline: Within 10 days after election
Permit: Exempt, but other rules still apply

Summary

Modesto exempts political signs from the sign permit and fee requirement, but the zone tables in section 10-6.107 still cap them: on a residential parcel with a home, unlimited unlighted signs up to 16 square feet each and 60 square feet combined at 6 feet tall; on a residential parcel with no home, up to 32 square feet each and 100 square feet combined at 10 feet. Every political sign must go up no more than 120 days before the election and come down within 10 days after.

The sign regulations provided in this article shall apply to all signs within the City of Modesto. It shall be unlawful for any person to install or maintain any sign within the City in violation of the requirements of this article.(a)Sign permits required. No person shall install, alter, or relocate any sign within the City without first obtaining a sign permit in compliance with Section 10-6.105... (ll)"Political sign." Any impermanent sign or advertising device or display, with or without letters, words, numbers or figures thereon, which is designed to advertise a candidate for political office, a political party, or a measure scheduled for an election. ...(vii)Political signs, in compliance with Section 10-6.107;... Political Freestanding - On parcels with a residential structure: No limitation on number; 16 sf each, and a maximum combined total of 60 sf; 6 ft; Signs shall be unlighted. Signs shall be installed no more than 120 days prior to election date and be removed within 10 days after election.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 71).

Full Breakdown

102(ll) defines a political sign as any impermanent sign or advertising device, with or without letters, words, numbers or figures, designed to advertise a candidate for political office, a political party, or a measure scheduled for an election. 107 still control. 1-1 (residential and office zones) splits the standard by lot: a residential parcel with a dwelling on it can carry an unlimited number of unlighted freestanding political signs up to 16 square feet each, a 60-square-foot combined total, and a 6-foot height cap; a residential parcel without a dwelling can carry signs up to 32 square feet each, a 100-square-foot combined total, and a 10-foot height cap.

1-2 (commercial and industrial zones) sets a parallel commercial-zone limit of an unlimited number of political signs up to 32 square feet each and a 150-square-foot combined total per site at a 10-foot height cap. Both tables carry the identical timing rule: signs may be installed no more than 120 days before the election date and must be removed within 10 days after. 104(c) lets anyone aggrieved by an administrative decision on a sign appeal to the Board of Zoning Adjustments.

Violations & Fines

A political sign that exceeds the square footage or height cap, is installed more than 120 days before the election, or is not removed within 10 days afterward, violates the general prohibition in section 10-6.103 against installing or maintaining any sign in the City in violation of the article's requirements. The Chief Building Official and the Director enforce the sign chapter under section 10-6.104, and a sign that is not brought into compliance can be ordered removed, with the owner or sign owner billed for the City's removal cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a political sign in Modesto?

No. Section 10-6.105(a)(1)(vii) exempts political signs from the sign permit and fee, but they still must meet every other requirement of the sign article, including the size, height, number and timing limits set out in section 10-6.107's zone tables.

How big can a political sign be on my Modesto lawn?

On a residential parcel with a dwelling, up to 16 square feet per sign and 60 square feet combined, at a 6-foot height cap, with no limit on the number of signs, under Table 6.1-1 of section 10-6.107(a).

When do political signs have to come down in Modesto?

Within 10 days after the election. They also cannot go up more than 120 days before the election date, a timing rule that applies identically in both the residential and commercial sign tables under section 10-6.107.

Are political sign rules different for businesses in Modesto?

The size cap is larger. Table 6.1-2 allows up to 32 square feet per sign and 150 square feet combined per site in commercial and industrial zones, at a 10-foot height limit, versus the 16-square-foot, 60-square-foot residential cap for lots with a dwelling.

Sources & Official References

[1]Modesto Code of Ordinances §§ 10-6.102(ll), 10-6.103, 10-6.105 and 10-6.107

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