Portland, OR Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum area
- 3 square feet per lawn sign
- Where allowed
- All zones, entirely outside the right-of-way
- Prohibited features
- Illumination, electric signs, changing image features
- Site allowance
- Not counted in permanent signage square footage
- Adjustments
- Prohibited for lawn sign standards
- Noncompliant sign
- Must meet freestanding sign standards
- Current edition
- Amended effective March 1, 2025
Summary
Portland allows a lawn sign in every zone without counting it against the site's permanent sign allowance, as long as it is no larger than 3 square feet, sits entirely outside the right-of-way, and has no illumination, electric components or changing image features. A yard sign that misses any one of those limits is judged as a freestanding sign instead.
J. Lawn signs. 1. General standards. Lawn signs that meet the standards of this subsection are allowed in all zones and are not counted in the total square footage of permanent signage allowed on the site. Adjustments or modifications to the standards of this subsection are prohibited.
2. Size. Lawn signs may be up to 3 square feet in area.
3. Placement. Lawn signs must be entirely outside the right-of-way.
4. Sign features. Illumination, electric signs, and changing image sign features are prohibited.
5. Lawn signs that do not meet the standards of this subsection. Lawn signs that do not meet the standards of this subsection must meet the standards for freestanding signs.
Full Breakdown
Portland City Code 32.32.030.J is the lawn sign standard in Title 32, the City's sign code. It applies in all zones, so the same test governs a front yard in a residential neighborhood, a storefront lot in a commercial zone and an industrial site. Lawn signs that pass are not counted in the total square footage of permanent signage allowed on the site, so a yard sign does not use up the allowance for a wall sign or freestanding sign.
The subsection sets three limits. Area: a lawn sign can be up to 3 square feet. Placement: the whole sign must sit outside the right-of-way, so no part can overhang the public street edge or sidewalk. Features: illumination, electric signs and changing image sign features are all prohibited, so a lit or animated display cannot qualify even when it is small.
There is no variance path. Paragraph J.1 states that adjustments or modifications to the standards of the subsection are prohibited, so a 4 square foot sign cannot be approved through an adjustment. Under J.5, a lawn sign that does not meet the subsection must meet the standards for freestanding signs instead.
The zone tables confirm the role of lawn signs. Table 1 in 32.32.010, which covers the residential zones plus CI1, CR, IR and OS, gives a house, duplex or attached house 1 permanent sign per site with a maximum face area of 1 square foot, and lists lawn signs under Additional Signs Allowed, subject to note 3, which requires the standards of 32.32.030 H.-J. Table 2 in 32.32.020, for the commercial, employment and industrial zones, points to the same subsections for lawn signs.
A temporary sign route also exists under 32.32.030.K. Temporary portable signs are allowed in all zones, up to 4 square feet and 24 inches tall including the support structure, but only between 6 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Sunday and between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesdays. Temporary freestanding signs of up to 32 square feet are limited to the RX, C, CI, E and I zones, for two continuous periods of up to 180 days per year. No temporary sign can have direct or internal illumination.
Section 32.32.030 was last amended by Ordinances 176469, 185915, 188959, 189805 and 191959, effective March 1, 2025.
Violations & Fines
Portland's lawn sign subsection names no fine or penalty amount, and the chapter text does not designate an enforcing office. Its stated consequence is structural. A sign over 3 square feet, any sign with a part in the right-of-way, or a sign that is lit, electric or has changing image features fails 32.32.030.J and must meet the freestanding sign standards, outside the exemption from the site's permanent sign square footage. Because adjustments are prohibited, the cures are shrinking the sign to 3 square feet, moving it fully outside the right-of-way, removing the lighting or electronics, or taking it down.
Frequently Asked Questions
How large can a yard sign be in Portland?
Can a lawn sign go in the public right-of-way?
Can I light a sign in my yard?
Can I get an adjustment for a bigger sign?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portland
Compare Portland to another location·View the Oregon sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.