Imperial County, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Temporary political signs in unincorporated Imperial County are governed by Title 9, Division 4, Chapter 1, Section 90401.09 ('Design and Development Standards for Temporary Campaign Signs'). The code permits temporary political, religious, or civic campaign signs to be erected for a period not to exceed 120 days. All such signs shall be removed within 15 days following the conclusion of the campaign (Election Day). In residential areas, each sign shall not exceed twenty square feet in area or a height of six feet. Any sign still remaining twenty days after the end of the campaign is subject to a fifty-dollar ($50.00) per-day fine. The signs may not be located at road intersections in a manner that obstructs visibility to the motoring public or distracts the vehicle operator. These content-neutral time, place, and manner limits operate alongside California Elections Code 20008, which restricts how local governments and the state may regulate temporary political signs on private property and along certain roadways. As with most sign rules, the underlying First Amendment principle (and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert) requires that the county apply size and duration limits without regard to the message displayed.