Zoning codes and laws regulating sign placement are typically developed and enforced by cities and counties, not by the state government. Most cities have sign ordinances that restrict the size and placement of signs on public and private property. The specifics of the rules and regulations vary by municipality and region. The sign shop you use will probably not be able to advise you of the rules for you city. To avoid warnings and fines you should familiarize your self with the sign ordinances in your area. For example, here is a summary of State of Texas House Bill 212 (HB212)

Additional revisions to this proposed ordinance were made in response to HB 212, which was enacted during the last legislative session, effective September 1, 2003. The final language in HB 212: Does not explicitly address public safety/aesthetic regulation of political signs. Explicitly states that a city may not prohibit signs from being placed, unless it exceeds the limits descried in Section (d) of the same bill. Subsection (d) provides that the limitation on municipal regulation doesn't apply to a sign that: Has an effective area grater than 36 feet Is more than eight feet high; Is illuminated; or Has any moving elements states that a municipal charter provision or ordinance... for a sign that contains primarily a political message.... may not prohibit the sign from being placed. Is silent when it comes to regulating signs with regard to reasonable time, and setback restrictions by ordinance. Our current ordinance puts reasonable time limits on the placement of political election signs (up to 30 days after the election).

Also, Austin sign regulations currently restrict (but does not prohibit) signs placed near public right-of-ways, for safety and aesthetic reasons. These restrictions survived the TCRP's constitutional challenge. Unfortunately, the specific language of your city's sign ordinance may not be easy to find. Sometimes the law is available on-line, but often it is only available in written form from the police department or city offices. Anyone interested in erecting a sign should check with the City Zoning Office to see if a permit is needed to ensure that the sign meets City code. Click here local ordinances from American Legal . Click here for local ordinances from Municode.com