Norwalk, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Section 17.03.170 lists the signs the City permits in every zone without a full sign permit, subject only to administrative review by the Planning Division; political signs are one of the enumerated exempt categories under subsection G. The rule sets a hard size cap of 32 square feet per sign in any zone, and a strict election-cycle window: a political sign may be erected no sooner than 90 days before a general, primary or special election and must be removed no later than 14 days after the election. Signs supporting a candidate who wins a primary may stay up through the general election, letting that campaign's signage remain continuous rather than come down and go back up. The provision separately bans any political sign placed on the public right-of-way; such a sign is subject to removal by the City, and if it obscures a traffic sign or signal or blocks a driver's line of sight it is subject to immediate removal by City staff rather than a notice-and-cure process.

Because political signs fall under the exempt-sign article rather than the sign-permit article, the City does not require a separate application before posting one that meets these limits, though the introductory paragraph of Section 17.03.170 still requires a building permit for any ground sign exceeding seven feet in height or any sign that needs electrical service, a threshold that would rarely apply to a yard-mounted political sign. A resident who believes an enforcement action against a political sign was wrongly taken may appeal to the Planning Commission under Section 17.03.200.