Washington County, UT Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

The county's sign chapter carves political signs out of the normal permit process. 10 of the zoning title, signs relating to the nomination or election of any individual for public office, or advocacy of a ballot measure at any special or general election, do not require a sign permit at all, unlike almost every other sign type in the unincorporated county, which needs a permit issued by the building inspector under Section 10-19-2-H before it goes up. That exemption comes with two conditions instead: the sign must be temporary and taken down within 10 calendar days after election day, and if it sits in a residential zone, it cannot exceed 16 square feet in area.

The code does not set a separate size cap for commercial, agricultural or other zones; the 16 square foot ceiling is written specifically for residential placement. Political signs still have to comply with the general rules that apply to every sign in the county under Section 10-19-3-C, including the ban on anything that obstructs the view of traffic at a street intersection or that could be confused with a traffic control device, and the prohibition on off-premises signs or billboards under item 12 of the same subsection.

Because political signs fall under the county's zoning title, enforcement runs through the building inspector's zoning authority under Section 10-19-2-C, the same official who issues citations for other zoning violations countywide. This chapter governs only the unincorporated area of Washington County; St. George, Hurricane, Washington City, Santa Clara, Ivins and the county's other incorporated cities set their own sign rules under separate municipal codes.