York County, VA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Window
- 90 days before to 10 days after election
- Permit needed
- No, for signs meeting the size limits
- Small sign limit
- 6 sq ft, 4 ft tall, unlimited count
- Large sign limit
- 40 sq ft, 6 ft tall, one per frontage
- Applies in
- All zoning districts
Summary
In York County, Virginia, homeowners and candidates get extra temporary signs for free during the 90 days before an election through 10 days after: unlimited small signs up to six square feet, plus one larger 40-square-foot sign per street frontage, all without a sign permit.
(b)Additional Temporary Signs Permitted in All Zones. During the time period extending from ninety (90) days prior to and ten (10) days after a National, State, or Local election additional temporary signs are allowed, without a permit, on any property with the permission of the property owner in accordance with the following quantity and dimensional provisions;(1)Maximum area of six (6) square feet and maximum height of four (4) feet: unlimited number of signs.(2)Maximum area of forty (40) square feet and maximum height of six (6) feet: one sign per street frontage.
Full Breakdown
York County's temporary sign article ordinarily requires a permit and limits temporary signage to a 120-day display window per Sec. 24.1-704(a). Political and election signage gets its own separate track under Sec. 24.1-704(b), titled 'Additional Temporary Signs Permitted in All Zones.' Starting 90 days before a national, state, or local election and running through 10 days after it, any property owner can put up extra temporary signs without pulling a permit, so long as the property owner has actually given permission for the sign to go up.
There is no cap on how many small signs qualify: any sign of six square feet or less and four feet or less in height is unlimited in number. Anyone wanting a bigger sign gets exactly one per street frontage, up to 40 square feet in area and six feet in height. Because Sec. 24.1-704(b) signs are described as additional, they don't eat into the 120-day allowance or the permanent sign allowances that apply to the same property under Sec. 24.1-703, and the rule applies 'in all zones,' meaning residential yards get the same window as a commercial parcel.
All temporary signs, including election signs, still have to respect the county's sight-triangle clearance standards at intersections and driveways under the temporary-sign article's general terms, even though they're exempt from the usual 10-foot property-line setback.
Violations & Fines
Putting up an election sign larger than 40 square feet, more than one oversized sign per street frontage, or any sign outside the 90-day-before to 10-day-after election window is outside the Sec. 24.1-704(b) allowance and falls back under the ordinary permitted temporary-sign rules, which require a permit; a sign that blocks the sight triangle at an intersection is a violation regardless of the election-sign exemption.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I put up election signs in York County?
How many political signs can I put on my property?
Do election signs need a permit in York County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the Virginia sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.