The law

Most communities have laws prohibiting these signs. Every state, city, and county has its own laws in force and it would be unbelievably complicated and time consuming to list them all. So far we have absolutely NO knowledge of any locality that allows these signs.

Our lawyer has cautioned us to mention here that we are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice.

Some sample laws which have been brought to our attention by readers are:

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix cracking down on pole advertisements

City of New York

Section 10-119 Posting.
a. It shall be unlawful for any person to paste, post, paint, print or nail any handbill,
poster, notice, sign or advertisement upon any curb, gutter, flagstone, tree, lamppost,
awning post, telegraph pole, telephone pole, public utility pole, public garbage bin, bus
shelter, bridge abutment, elevated train structure, highway fence, barrel, box, parking
meter, mail box, traffic signal stanchion, tree box, bench, traffic barrier, hydrant,
public pay telephone, any personal property maintain on a city street or other city-owned
property pursuant to a franchise, concession or ravocable consent granted by the city or
other such item or structure in any street, or to direct, suffer or permit any servant,
agent, employee or other person under his or her control to engage in such activity;
provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any handbill, poster, notice, sign
or advertisement so posted by or under the direction [of the council, or by or under the
direction] and issued under proper guidelines of any city agency, or pursuant to a
franchise, concession or revocable consent granted pursuant to chapter fourteen of the
charter except that the provisions of this subdivision shall not apply where a license has
been granted pursuant to subdivision c of this section.

State of Rhode Island

SECTION 2. Chapter 11-22-2.1 of the General Laws entitled "Highways" is hereby amended by
adding thereto the following section:
11-22-2.1. Advertising on highways. -- A person who affixes any posting, sign or other
advertisement intended for the purpose of soliciting business to any telephone pole,
utility pole, traffic control device or highway sign post without just obtaining the
written consent of the chief of police of the city or town in which the highway is
located, or to any private property which is the property of another, shall be punished by
a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than five hundred dollars
($500) or by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) days or both.  Any advertisement in
or upon a public highway in violation of this section may be taken down, removed or
destroyed by anyone. 

State of Kansas

Section 3-9-C-16 ADVERTISEMENTS AND NOTICES.
A. Tampering With Public Notice: Tampering with public notice is knowingly and without 
lawful authority altering, defacing, destroying, removing or concealing any public notice
posted according to law, during the time the notice is required or authorized to remain posted.
(1994 Code)
B. Unlawful Posting Of Pictures And Advertisements: 
Unlawful posting of pictures and advertisements is:
1. The putting up, affixing or fastening of either or both to a traffic-control device or 
traffic-control standard or a telegraph, telephone, electric light, power or other utility
pole, but 
it shall not be unlawful to affix official traffic-control devices to such poles; or
2. The placement of either or both on public property other than as prescribed in 
subsection B1 hereof; or
3. The placement of either or both on the right of way without the consent of the 
landowner or the person in possession whose land lies along the right of way where such
picture  or advertisement is placed; or
4. The placement of either on private property without the consent of the landowner or the
person in possession of such property. (1984 Code Section 13-1014.14)

Violation of this Section shall constitute a public offense and punishable as set forth in
Article J of this Chapter. (1994 Code)

State of Oregon

368.942 Posting notices, signs or pictures on structures within county road right of way
prohibited. Except as provided in ORS 368.950, no person may paste, paint, brand or in any
manner whatever place or attach to any building, fence, gate, bridge, tree, rock, board,
structure or anything whatever within the limits of the right of way of any county road
any written, printed or painted advertisement, bill, notice, sign, picture, card or
poster, except within the limits of any incorporated city through which the county road
runs. [1973 c.462 s.2]

368.990 Penalties. (2) Violation of ORS 368.942 is punishable, upon conviction, for each
violation by a fine of not more than $100 or imprisonment in the county jail for not more
than 30 days or both. [Subsection (4) enacted as 1973 c.462 s.7; 1981 c.153 s.70]

Portland, Oregon City Code

14.20.070 Advertising on Streets.
A. It is unlawful for any person to scatter notices or advertisements on any street
right-of-way or to post a notice or advertisement anywhere on a street right-of-way or
upon the exterior of a public building.

Beaverton, Oregon Code

Beaverton City Code 5.05.115.A.2

No person shall erect, construct, build, raise, place or maintain any post, pole, sign, wall,
fence, tree, building, structure or any other object in or upon any public right-of-way.

5.05.115.B

Attachments to Poles or Trees. No person shall attach to any telephone pole, electric pole or
other pole or post installed for or used by a public utility, or to any wire used by a public
utility, or to any tree or post growing or located in a public right-of-way, any contrivance or
device of any kind which is used for any purpose other than a public utility purpose.

North Carolina Statute

Section 14-145.  Unlawful posting of advertisements.
Any person who in any manner paints, prints, places, or
affixes, or causes to be painted, printed, placed, or affixed,
any business or commercial advertisement on or to any stone,
tree, fence, stump, pole, automobile, building, or other object,
which is the property of another without first obtaining the
written consent of such owner thereof, or who in any manner
paints, prints, places, puts, or affixes, or causes to be
painted, printed, placed, or affixed, such an advertisement on
or to any stone, tree, fence, stump, pole, mile-board,
milestone, danger-sign, danger-signal, guide-sign, guide-post,
automobile, building or other object within the limits of a
public highway, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. (Ex.
Sess. 1924, c. 109; 1993, c. 539, s. 84; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24,
s. 14(c).)