Effective October 1, 2011, the state is changing its rules on political signs on state roads. This new legislation (Senate Bill 315) restricts the Town’s ability to regulate political signs on State (DOT) owned roads. Read more.

View a map of roads in Cary to see which roads are Town thoroughfares, state roads, or privately-maintained streets.

Got questions or comments about the new state law? Contact the NC Department of Transportation at (877) DOT-4YOU.

How Does Cary Regulate Political Signs?

Political signs are covered in Section 9.3.2(o) of the LDO. They are permitted on private property (with the property owner’s permission) and not within the public right-of-way or affixed to any improvement within such right-of-way (median, utility pole, traffic control device, bridge, guardrail, or other safety barrier), within a required sight distance triangle, or on Town property or buildings, except within specified proximity of polling places on Election Day, under rules established by a county board of elections.

One (1) sign is permitted per individual lot or parcel for each candidate for office or side of a ballot measure or issue; for a lot or parcel with frontage on a second street, one (1) additional sign for each candidate for office or side of a ballot measure or issue shall be permitted.

Political signs may not exceed five (5) square feet in area per sign face or forty-two (42) inches in height, except where such sign is erected in place of another type of sign permitted at that location, in which case it may be the same size and subject to the same conditions as such sign. Such signs, however, are required to follow the provisions of Section 9.4 (Prohibited Signs and Devices), 9.7 (Signs Not to Create Traffic Hazard), and 9.9 (Lighting) of this Chapter.

In addition, political signs are required to be removed within ten (10) days following the date of any election or other event to which it refers, except that signs for successful primary election candidates, eligible for the general election, may remain after the primary election. The property occupant or, in the case of unoccupied property, the property owner, shall be responsible for violations on a particular property.