Cal. Civ. Code § 1940.4
California Civil Code
Operative Text
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), a landlord shall not prohibit a tenant from posting or displaying political signs relating to any of the following: (1) An election or legislative vote, including an election of a candidate to public office. (2) The initiative, referendum, or recall process. (3) Issues that are before a public commission, public board, or elected local body for a vote. (b) Political signs may be posted or displayed in the window or on the door of the premises leased by the tenant in a multifamily dwelling, or from the yard, window, door, balcony, or outside wall of the premises leased by a tenant of a single-family dwelling. (c) A landlord may prohibit a tenant from posting or displaying political signs in the following circumstances: (1) The political sign is more than six square feet in size. (2) The posting or displaying would violate a local, state, or federal law. (3) The posting or displaying would violate a lawful provision in a common interest development governing a document that satisfies the criteria of Section 1353.6. (d) A tenant shall post and remove political signs in compliance with the time limits set by the ordinance for the jurisdiction where the premises are located. A tenant shall be solely responsible for any violation of a local ordinance. If no local ordinance exists or if the local ordinance does not include a time limit for posting and removing political signs on private property, the landlord may establish a reasonable time period for the posting and removal of political signs. A reasonable time period for this purpose shall begin at least 90 days prior to the date of the election or vote to which the sign relates and end at least 15 days following the date of the election or vote. (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any changes in the terms of a tenancy that are made to implement the provisions of this section and are noticed pursuant to Section 827 shall not be deemed to cause a diminution in housing services, and may be enforced in accordance with Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1940.4 gives tenants the right to display political signs related to elections, ballot measures, recalls, and issues before public bodies, while setting clear boundaries on that right. Signs must fit within six square feet, must not violate applicable law, and must be posted and removed within time windows set by local ordinance or, where none exists, within a landlord-established window that opens at least 90 days before and closes at least 15 days after the relevant vote. The rule specifies where signs may be placed depending on whether the unit is in a multifamily or single-family dwelling.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1940.4, compliant operators generally allow tenants to display qualifying political signs in permitted locations—windows, doors, balconies, or outside walls—without interference. Landlords may enforce size limits (no larger than six square feet) and, where no local ordinance sets a posting schedule, may establish a reasonable time period that begins at least 90 days before and ends at least 15 days after the relevant vote. Changes to tenancy terms made to implement this section can be noticed under Section 827 and enforced accordingly.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1940.4 protects your right to post political signs in permitted areas of your unit, provided the sign is no larger than six square feet and complies with applicable laws. If a landlord attempts to prohibit a qualifying sign, tenants can raise the statute as a defense in any resulting proceeding or contact a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options. Be aware that you are solely responsible for complying with any local ordinance governing posting and removal timelines.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 5, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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