Knox County Tennesee
Political Sign Regulation
(click here for City of Knoxville's Policy on Signs)
(click here for Town of Farragut's Policy on Signs)
A candidate's temporary sign cannot be larger than 32 square feet in size, cannot be displayed for more than 30 days, and must be removed within 5 days following the election.
Temporary signs cannot be erected at the intersection of any street so as to obstruct free and clear vision, be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device, or be located in any required parking space.
A portable sign cannot be considered or utilized as a temporary sign.
At the conclusion of a primary, general or special election, candidates are responsible for the removal of any signs, posters, or placards advocating their candidacy that have been placed on highway right-of-ways or other publicly-owned property. The removal of such materials shall be accomplished within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed three (3) weeks.
A candidate in a primary election who will be a candidate in the following general election will not be required to remove any signs until the conclusion of the general or special election.
City of Knoxville's Permits & Policy on Signs
The City of Knoxville goes to a great deal of effort to maintain presentable and safe roads - this effort can easily be destroyed by waves of campaign signs. Therefore, any political signs that are placed on the public right-of-way that affect the safety, the beauty, or the maintenance of that right-of-way will be removed and discarded without notice. The City's primary emphasis will be in the medians and triangles, but signs on the sides of the road in areas that are mowed and where the City accepts responsibility for maintenance will be removed as well. Signs on utility poles are also a violation of this policy and will be removed and discarded.
The law is very clear on this issue. Signs in the ROW are prohibited at all times. Article V, Section 10, subsection A10 of the City Charter states, "Temporary signs shall not be erected or otherwise fixed to any pole, tree, stone, fence, building structures or any object within the right-of-way of any street." Subsection A12 states "No sign shall be placed in any public right-of-way except publicly owned signs, directional signs, and those signs approved by the City Engineer."
1. No sign, portable sign, outdoor display, or billboard other than "for sale" or temporary political signs shall be placed, operated, maintained, erected or attached to, suspended from, or supported on a building, structure or ground until a permit in writing, authorizing the same, has been issued by the office of the chief building official.
2. The sign inspector shall have primary responsibility for the administration and enforcement of these sign regulations, and shall issue sign applications and permits for all signs located within the City of Knoxville.
For questions or more information, contact the Bob Whetsel, the City's public service director, at 865-215-3710.
Please call Mark Shipley first at 966-7057 so that he can go over the requirements.
Political Signs: One (1) non-illuminated sign per candidate per lot, parcel, or tract, not to exceed twelve (12) square feet in size and six (6) feet in height. No such signs are permitted on any public rights-of-ways or other public property. Such political signs shall not be posted prior to thirty (30) days before an election and shall be removed by the owner of the property on which the sign is located within five (5) days after any election to which it refers.
