Sunnyvale residents may display temporary political signs on private property under First Amendment protections, with reasonable limits on size and placement.
Political signs in Sunnyvale are protected speech under the First Amendment and California Government Code Section 65850 and cannot be singled out for stricter regulation than other temporary noncommercial signs. Sunnyvale Municipal Code treats political signs as temporary noncommercial signage and generally allows them on private residential property without a permit. Typical limits include a maximum of 6 square feet per sign on residential lots (larger limits on commercial property), placement only with the property owners consent, and removal within 10 days after the election. Signs cannot be placed in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, traffic signs, medians, or on city trees. Signs that obstruct sight lines at intersections or driveways (traffic visibility triangles) are prohibited. Violations are typically handled by code enforcement with warnings before citations.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Sunnyvale, CA
Sunnyvale permits construction noise Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 6 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 5 PM. No construction on Sundays or major holidays without ...
Sunnyvale, CA
Sunnyvale was one of the earliest California cities to ban gas-powered leaf blowers, ahead of statewide AB 1346. Only electric or battery blowers are allowed...
Sunnyvale, CA
Aircraft noise from Moffett Federal Airfield, NASA Ames, and San Jose International is preempted by federal FAA rules. Sunnyvale cannot regulate overflight n...
Sunnyvale, CA
Street parking in Sunnyvale is governed by SMC Title 10 and California Vehicle Code. The 72-hour rule (CVC 22651(k)) applies, and posted permit zones restric...
Sunnyvale, CA
Sunnyvale driveway construction and use are governed by SMC Title 19 zoning and Title 16 encroachment rules. Blocking sidewalks or the public right-of-way is...
Sunnyvale, CA
RVs, trailers, and boats over 6 feet tall or 22 feet long are restricted on Sunnyvale streets under SMC Title 10. Short-term loading is allowed with limits; ...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Santa Clara County.
See how other cities in Santa Clara County handle political signs.
See how Sunnyvale's political signs rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.