Arkansas campaign sign laws come from three layers: state statutes enforced by the Arkansas Department of Transportation and election officials, federal disclaimer rules for federal candidates, and local zoning ordinances that govern private property. The rules candidates run into most often are the ban on signs in state highway rights-of-way, the 100-foot electioneering buffer around polling places, and the requirement that every campaign sign carry a “Paid for by” disclaimer identifying who financed it.
Signs on State Highway Rights-of-Way
ARDOT prohibits campaign signs anywhere within a state highway right-of-way. Only official directional, informational, and regulatory highway signs are allowed on state-owned highway property.1Arkansas Department of Transportation. Political Campaign Signs Not Permitted on Highway Right of Ways
The right-of-way is state-controlled land alongside the road, and it often extends farther from the pavement than people expect. ARDOT crews remove yard signs from the right-of-way without notifying the owner first. For larger billboard-style signs, ARDOT contacts the owner and asks them to take it down. Owners can retrieve confiscated signs during business hours at the nearest ARDOT Area Maintenance Office, but the agency isn’t required to hold them indefinitely.2Arkansas Department of Transportation. Political Campaign Signs Not Permitted on Highway Right of Ways
The boundary between right-of-way and private property isn’t always marked by a fence or sidewalk. If you’re not sure, call the local ARDOT Area Maintenance Office before you place a sign near a state road. Setting the sign a few extra feet back onto clearly private land takes the guesswork out.
The 100-Foot Polling Place Buffer
During early voting and on Election Day, no one may electioneer within 100 feet of the primary exterior entrance voters use at a polling place. That includes displaying campaign signs, handing out literature, wearing candidate apparel, soliciting signatures, or using audible campaigning like a loudspeaker. The prohibition covers displaying a candidate’s name, likeness, or logo, and displaying a ballot measure’s number, title, or subject.3Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners. 2026 County Board of Election Commissioners Manual
The 100 feet is measured from the primary voter entrance, not from the property line or the edge of the parking lot. Supporters holding signs or staffing tables beyond that mark are within the law. Inside the buffer, violations are a Class A misdemeanor, and the rule applies equally to election officials, campaign workers, and voters standing in line.4FindLaw. Arkansas Code Title 7 Elections 7-1-103
Government Vehicles and Other Public Property
Arkansas law makes it illegal to place campaign banners, signs, or literature on any car, truck, tractor, or other vehicle owned by the state, a municipality, a county, or a school district. The offense is a Class A misdemeanor, and a conviction can disqualify someone from holding public office or state employment.4FindLaw. Arkansas Code Title 7 Elections 7-1-103
Rules for other public property vary. Parks, community buildings, and county fairgrounds may have their own restrictions. The Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners advises checking with the responsible state, local, or federal official before posting signs on any public property.5Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners. Electioneering at Polls FAQ
Local Zoning Rules on Private Property
City and county zoning ordinances control campaign sign placement on private property, and they vary widely across Arkansas. There is no statewide standard for sign size, height, setback distance, or display period. The Board of Election Commissioners directs candidates to check directly with local city and county governments about ordinances covering signs on street or road rights-of-way.5Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners. Electioneering at Polls FAQ
Provisions you’ll commonly see in local ordinances:
- Maximum surface area, often smaller in residential zones than commercial zones.
- Setback distances from the curb, sidewalk, or property line.
- Height limits near intersections to preserve driver sight lines.
- Timing windows that allow signs only during a defined period before an election and require removal within a set number of days afterward.
Timing rules deserve attention because missing a removal deadline can cost you the signs. Some local governments pull signs left up past the deadline and bill the candidate for the removal. Confirm the exact rules with the local planning or code enforcement office before putting signs out; what applies in Little Rock may not exist in Fort Smith.
The “Paid for by” Disclaimer
Every campaign sign in Arkansas must carry the words “Paid for by” followed by the name of the candidate, committee, or person who financed it. The candidate who prints the sign is responsible for making sure the language appears. If the sign is printed on both sides, the disclaimer must appear on both faces.6Justia Law. Arkansas Code 7-6-228 – Campaign Signs and Materials
The requirement covers signs created or sponsored by a political candidate, a campaign, a political action committee, or an independent expenditure committee. A private citizen who makes a homemade sign expressing a personal opinion, without coordinating with any campaign or committee, isn’t covered by this statute.6Justia Law. Arkansas Code 7-6-228 – Campaign Signs and Materials
Missing the disclaimer is a violation of state election law, separate from any placement or zoning issue. Location and size don’t matter. If a campaign produced the sign, the disclaimer goes on it.
Federal Candidates Have Extra Requirements
Candidates for U.S. House, U.S. Senate, or President also have to follow Federal Election Commission disclaimer rules under 11 CFR 110.11. The federal disclaimer must sit in a box set apart from the rest of the sign, in text large enough to read clearly with reasonable color contrast. Black text on a white background is a safe harbor, and 12-point type satisfies the size requirement for signs up to 24 by 36 inches.7eCFR. 11 CFR 110.11 – Communications; Advertising; Disclaimers
The FEC exempts small items like bumper stickers, buttons, and pins where printing a disclaimer would be impractical. Standard yard signs and larger signs are not exempt. For authorized candidate committees, the disclaimer names the committee that paid for the communication. Independent groups such as Super PACs must also state that the communication wasn’t authorized by any candidate and provide a permanent street address or website.7eCFR. 11 CFR 110.11 – Communications; Advertising; Disclaimers
Constitutional Limits on Sign Regulation
Political signs on private residential property carry strong First Amendment protection. In City of Ladue v. Gilleo (1994), the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a municipal ban on residential yard signs, holding that residential signs are a uniquely important and inexpensive form of political communication.8Library of Congress. City of Ladue v. Gilleo, 512 U.S. 43 (1994)
In Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), the Court held that sign regulations treating political signs differently from other kinds of signs are content-based restrictions subject to strict scrutiny. A local government generally cannot impose harsher size limits or shorter display periods on political signs than it does on, say, “for sale” signs, unless the regulation serves a compelling interest and is narrowly tailored.
These protections have limits. Content-neutral rules that apply equally to all temporary signs, like setback requirements or maximum height rules, are generally constitutional. Governments can also restrict signs on public property and in highway rights-of-way without running into a First Amendment problem.
HOA Rules Are a Different Story
Arkansas has no state law protecting a homeowner’s right to display political signs in a community governed by a homeowners association. The First Amendment restricts government action, not private agreements, so an HOA can enforce its own sign rules through its governing documents, including outright bans.
If you live in an HOA-governed community, read the covenants, conditions, and restrictions before putting up a sign. Some HOAs allow political signs during a window around elections, others cap sign size or number, and some prohibit them entirely. Violating those rules can lead to fines or forced removal, whatever the state or local government would otherwise allow.
If Your Signs Are Stolen or Vandalized
Arkansas doesn’t have a statute that specifically criminalizes stealing or destroying campaign signs. Signs are personal property, though, so taking or damaging them can be prosecuted under general theft and criminal mischief statutes. The value of the signs affects the severity of the charge, and a pattern of targeting multiple signs can increase penalties.
Signs placed on private property with the owner’s permission are protected like any other personal property on that land. Pulling a sign out of someone’s yard without permission is trespassing on top of theft. Document your losses and file a police report. Law enforcement takes repeated theft of political signs during election season seriously, especially when it looks coordinated.