Rowlett, TX Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Texas controls most temporary political-sign rules, so Rowlett's local sign ordinance cannot override the statutory protections. Texas Election Code Section 259.003 provides that a municipal ordinance regulating signs may not, for a sign that contains primarily a political message and is on private real property with the owner's consent, prohibit the sign, require a permit or city approval or impose a fee, or restrict the size of the sign. These protections apply to signs with an effective area of 36 square feet or less, that are no more than 8 feet high, are not illuminated, and have no moving elements; signs exceeding those limits fall outside the statutory protection and can be regulated by the city. "Private real property" does not include land subject to an easement or other encumbrance that lets the city use it for a public purpose. Rowlett's own sign rules (Development Code Chapter 77-500 / subchapter 77-512) still apply to placement on public property: no person may place a sign in any public right-of-way or utility easement or within five feet of a utility line, and signs may not be attached to trees, public utility poles, or public structures. So a campaign sign belongs on private property with permission, not in the median or on a utility pole. There is no waiting period in state law for how early a political sign may go up on private property.