San Benito County, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Exempt within election window
- Posting window
- Up to 90 days before election
- Removal deadline
- Within 10 days after election
- Unauthorized placement
- Owner may remove without consent
Summary
Unincorporated San Benito County lets political signs skip the sign permit, provided they go up no earlier than 90 days before an election and come down within 10 days after: all other sign rules still apply.
(P) Political signs. (1) Political signs shall be exempt only from the permit regulations in this chapter. All other relevant regulations shall apply. For purposes of this exemption, "political signs" refers to a sign that: (a) Is placed not sooner than 90 days prior to the scheduled election; (b) Is removed within ten days after that election; and (c) Advocates for a particular outcome in an election.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-28: current through Ordinance 1078).
Full Breakdown
San Benito County exempts political signs from its sign permit process, but only within a defined window: signs may go up no sooner than 90 days before an election and must come down within 10 days after it. All other sign standards under Chapter 25.07 still apply, placement, size and safety rules aren't waived. A political sign placed on someone's property without the owner's consent may be removed by that owner, and any sign left up past the 10-day deadline can be treated as abandoned and taken down by County Code Enforcement.
Violations & Fines
Signs left up more than 10 days after the election, placed without the property owner's consent, blocking a right-of-way, or flagged as a hazard by Code Enforcement, CALTRANS or CHP may be removed as abandoned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a political yard sign in unincorporated San Benito County?
What happens if a political sign stays up after the election?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Benito County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Benito County to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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