Tuscaloosa, AL Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Political and campaign signs in the City of Tuscaloosa fall under Chapter 24, Article X (Billboards and Signs) of the adopted Zoning Ordinance. The current code contains a provision specific to political signs at Sec. 24-134(o)(4) addressing where such signs may be posted; the city has acknowledged this provision in its zoning-rewrite materials, which note the rule currently applies to "political signs" and is proposed to be broadened to all signs for content-neutrality. The general sign standards in Article X (Sec. 24-130 through Sec. 24-134) also govern matters like location, maintenance, and which signs need a permit; signs that are not legible from the right-of-way are not subject to the standards under the last paragraph of Sec. 24-131. Because recent court decisions discourage content-based sign rules, the city is moving away from singling out political signs by message. Independent of the city code, Alabama law controls signs on public roads: under Ala. Code § 23-1-6, only official signs may be placed on state-highway rights-of-way, and § 32-5A-36 treats an unauthorized sign placed in view of any highway as a public nuisance, which ALDOT may remove. Place yard signs on private property with the owner's permission and out of the right-of-way and sight triangles.