Campaign Sign Laws by State: Removal Deadlines, Polling-Place Distances and Right-of-Way Rules
There is no single national rule for campaign signs. States, counties and cities each set their own. Across the 16 states below, post-election removal rules range from noon the next day (Montgomery County, MD polling places) to a 30-day good-faith effort (Florida), polling-place sign buffers run from 25 feet (Missouri, which lets local election offices extend it to 50) to 300 feet (Iowa), and most states keep campaign signs out of public and highway right-of-way. Every row links to the official text, checked on October 26, 2026.
Not legal advice.
This is general information read from the official sources linked in each row on October 26, 2026. Cities, counties, state transportation departments and HOAs can add stricter rules. Check with your local election office or code enforcement office before you rely on a date.
Removal deadlines after the November 3, 2026 election
Maryland (Montgomery County polling places)
Polling-place signs "must be removed by 12 noon the day after an election date." Non-compliance "can result in the issuance of a $500 civil citation for each sign in violation."
Noon, Wed Nov 4
Montgomery County Board of Elections sign sheet (PDF)
South Dakota
A campaign sign a city must allow on private property "must be removed within the seven days following the election."
By Tue Nov 10 (our count)
SDCL 9-30-3.1
New Hampshire
All political advertising "shall be removed by the candidate no later than the second Friday following the election" (primary-winner exception).
Fri Nov 13
RSA 664:17
North Carolina (State highway right-of-way)
Signs allowed in State highway right-of-way only through "the 10th day after the primary or election day" and "must be removed by the end of" that period. Signs left more than 30 days after that are treated as abandoned.
Fri Nov 13
G.S. 136-32
California (signs covered by the Outdoor Advertising Act)
A temporary political sign under the Act is placed no sooner than 90 days before and "removed within 10 days after that election," and someone must file a statement of responsibility for removing it. Cities set their own rules for local streets.
Fri Nov 13
Bus. & Prof. Code 5405.3
Minnesota
Signs of any size and number may be posted from 46 days before the state primary "until ten days following the state general election." After that, city ordinances apply again.
Window closes Fri Nov 13
Minn. Stat. 211B.045
Arizona (city, town and county right-of-way)
Local governments can't remove qualifying political signs in their right-of-way from 71 days before the election through 15 days after it. After that, local rules apply again. Does not cover state highways.
Protection ends Wed Nov 18
A.R.S. 16-1019
Texas (HOAs)
An HOA can't ban candidate or measure signs on the owner's property from the 90th day before the election until the 10th day after it (it may limit size and number).
HOA protection runs through Thu Nov 12
Tex. Elec. Code 259.002
Florida
Each candidate "shall make a good faith effort to remove all of his or her political campaign advertisements within 30 days" after being elected, eliminated or withdrawing. If not, the local government may remove them "and may charge the candidate the actual cost."
About Thu Dec 3, counting from Nov 3. Confirm your trigger date
Fla. Stat. 106.1435
Polling-place distances
Iowa
On election day, no campaign signs on polling-place premises or within 300 feet of an outside door to the polls (private property that isn't a polling place is excepted).
Iowa Code 68A.406
Florida
No soliciting within 150 feet of a polling-place entrance, and soliciting includes distributing campaign material.
Fla. Stat. 102.031
Texas
No electioneering, which "includes the posting, use, or distribution of political signs or literature," within 100 feet of an outside door to the polling place or 20 feet of a curbside-voting space.
Tex. Elec. Code 61.003
Michigan
On election day, no election material "within 100 feet of an entrance to a building in which a polling place is located."
MCL 168.744
Ohio
Small U.S. flags placed 100 feet from the polling place mark the area where no one may campaign.
R.C. 3501.30 and 3501.35
Wisconsin
No electioneering on public property within 100 feet of an entrance to a polling-place building during polling hours.
Wis. Stat. 12.03(2)(b)
Maryland
A "No Electioneering Beyond this Point" line is set as near as practicable to 100 feet from the entrance (25 to 100 feet in Montgomery County, on approval of the local board).
Md. Elec. Law 16-206
North Carolina
The county board sets a buffer zone, where practical 50 feet from the entrance door, never more than 50 or less than 25. No political advertising inside it.
G.S. 163-166.4
Virginia
While polls are open, no exhibiting campaign material within 40 feet of a polling-place entrance.
Va. Code 24.2-604
Missouri
On election day and during absentee voting, no posting signs inside the polling-place building or within 25 feet of its outer door closest to the polling place. Since a 2026 law (HB 1871), a local election authority can extend that to 50 feet by posting notice six weeks ahead; St. Louis has done so for November 3, 2026. Check your county's notice.
RSMo 115.637
Right-of-way and private property
Iowa
Signs need the owner's or lessee's permission and can't go on state or local government property, "including all property considered the public right-of-way."
Iowa Code 68A.406
New Hampshire
No political advertising on public property, including highway right-of-way, or on private property without consent. State-owned right-of-way is allowed if it doesn't block traffic and the landowner under it consents. Never on utility poles or highway signs.
RSA 664:17
Florida
No political campaign advertisements on or above any state or county road right-of-way.
Fla. Stat. 106.1435
Texas
Every political sign must carry the printed notice that placing it in a highway right-of-way violates state law. Cities can't ban, require a permit or fee for, or limit the size of a political sign on private property with the owner's consent (exceptions include signs with an effective area over 36 feet, over 8 feet high, lit or moving).
Tex. Elec. Code 259.001, 259.003
Maine
Temporary signs in the public right-of-way are limited to 6 weeks in each half of the year (for a fall election, 6 weeks between July 1 and December 31), 30 feet apart for the same message, 4x8 feet max, and must be marked with the name and address of who placed them and the date.
23 M.R.S. 1913-A
Arizona
Qualifying signs in city, town or county right-of-way are protected from removal during the 71 days before to 15 days after window (size limits: 16 sq ft residential, 32 sq ft elsewhere; must list a contact name and phone or website; not hazardous). Signs a city removes for breaking these rules are held at least 10 business days.
A.R.S. 16-1019
Wisconsin
During the campaign period, a county or city can't regulate the size, shape, placement or content of political signs on residential property, except for traffic or pedestrian safety, signs larger than 11 square feet, or signs with electrical, mechanical or audio parts.
Wis. Stat. 12.04
North Carolina
State highway right-of-way is allowed only in the election window above. Cities set their own rules for city streets.
G.S. 136-32
Your state isn't listed?
We only list rules we read in the official text. Many removal deadlines come from city or county sign ordinances, not state law. People often ask about Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan removal deadlines. We haven't verified a statewide removal rule for those states yet, so call your city or county code office. We'll add states as we verify them.
How to stay inside the rules when your signs go out
Get permission in writing for every host yard
Keep the list.
Keep signs off the right-of-way
Unless your state's table row says otherwise, and keep corners clear for drivers' sight lines.
Mark polling-place buffers on your map before Election Day
Use your state's distance above.
Write down where every sign went
You'll need it on take-down day.
Where FlyerFly fits
FlyerFly is placement software. When your team puts out a sign, the app saves a GPS pin, a photo and the time, so you have a map of every sign you placed. That record helps your team find them later. It does not check whether a spot is legal, so use the rules above. Free while in beta, no credit card required.
When do political signs have to be removed after an election?
Political sign removal deadlines depend on the state and city. In the states we checked, they run from noon the day after the election for Montgomery County, Maryland polling-place signs, to 7 days in South Dakota, the second Friday in New Hampshire, 10 days for North Carolina State highway right-of-way and California signs visible from state highways, and a 30-day good-faith effort in Florida. Many cities set their own deadline, so check locally.
How long can political signs stay up after the election in Texas?
Texas state law doesn't set one statewide removal deadline for yard signs. It does stop HOAs from banning candidate signs until the 10th day after the election (Texas Election Code 259.002), and cities can't ban political signs on private property with the owner's consent (259.003). City ordinances can still set removal rules, so check with your city.
How far do political signs need to be from a polling place?
Polling-place sign distances are set by each state. Iowa uses 300 feet on election day, Florida 150 feet, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Maryland about 100 feet, North Carolina 25 to 50 feet set by the county, Virginia 40 feet and Missouri 25 feet (50 where the local election office extends it). Measure from the entrance the statute names.
Can you put political signs in the right-of-way?
Putting political signs in the public right-of-way is banned or limited in most of the states we checked. Iowa bans signs on all public right-of-way, Florida bans state and county road right-of-way, and Texas requires every sign to warn that highway right-of-way placement is illegal. North Carolina allows State highway right-of-way only during an election window, and Arizona protects qualifying signs in local right-of-way for a limited window.
Who is responsible for removing campaign signs?
The candidate or campaign is usually responsible for removing campaign signs. Florida and New Hampshire put the duty on the candidate, and Montgomery County, Maryland says the candidate and the sign installer can be held jointly responsible.
Can I take down someone else's campaign sign?
Removing another campaign's signs is restricted in many states. Arizona makes knowingly removing or defacing a candidate's sign a class 2 misdemeanor from 45 days before the primary through 15 days after the general election (with exceptions for the candidate, the campaign and the property owner), and New Hampshire allows removal only by the owner, people the owner authorizes, or officials removing improper signs. Leave signs that aren't yours to the property owner or local officials.
Laws on this page checked October 26, 2026. Not legal advice.
Spot an error? Email us at support@flyerfly.io.
