Thousand Oaks, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max size
- 12 square feet
- Max height
- 6 feet
- Signs per candidate/issue
- 1 per street-facing side of the parcel
- Minimum spacing (different frontages)
- 100 feet apart
- Permit required?
- No -- exempt from permit and seal rules
- Display window
- Up to 45 days before, must be removed within 7 days after the election/event
Summary
In Thousand Oaks' single-family residential zones, temporary political signs supporting a candidate or ballot measure are capped at 12 square feet in area and 6 feet in visible height. Only one sign per candidate or ballot position is allowed per street-facing side of a property, and signs on different frontages must stay at least 100 feet apart -- they can never go in the public right-of-way.
Temporary political signs shall be permitted and shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet in area and six (6') feet in visible height. No more than one such sign per candidate or position on a ballot issue shall be displayed on any one side of a parcel of record which has frontage on a public street, but in no case shall any sign for any candidate or any position on a ballot issue, on different street frontages, be closer than one hundred (100') feet, measured in a straight line between such signs. Such signs shall not be placed in the public right-of-way or upon public property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-78: 2026 S-78 Supplement contains: Current city legislation passed through March 31, 2026).
Full Breakdown
This size and placement cap applies to the Rural-Agricultural, Rural-Exclusive, Single-Family Estate, Single-Family Residential, and Two-Family Residential zones; a nearly identical limit applies separately to multi-family (R-3/R-P-D) zones under § 9-4.2305(b)(4). Political signs are exempt from the article's general sign-permit and sign-seal requirements (see §§ 9-4.2302 and 9-4.2312), so residents don't need to apply for a permit to put one up. Separately, § 9-4.2304(d) sets timing limits for all temporary signs, including political ones: they may go up no more than 45 days before, and must come down within 7 days after, the election or event they relate to.
Violations & Fines
Under § 9-4.2304(e), a sign that violates the article is treated as a public nuisance subject to abatement -- the Community Development Director notifies the responsible party (for political signs, the candidate or the committee backing a ballot measure) to remove it, and unremoved signs can be taken down by the City with the removal cost billed to that party.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a political yard sign in Thousand Oaks?
How early can I put up a political sign before an election?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Thousand Oaks
California rules heatmap·Compare Thousand Oaks to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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How other cities in Ventura County handle political signs.