Salem planned limited return to temporary-sign enforcement

Salem planned to restart limited enforcement of noncompliant temporary signs on Oct. 19, 2026, but that date was a scheduled start, not confirmation enforcement resumed. The city announced the plan Oct. 16, after pausing temporary-sign enforcement in January in response to business and community concerns.

The city said the limited enforcement would focus on safety, citing concerns that signs could distract drivers or impair visibility. It lists sidewalk signs, rigid signs, feather flags, lawn signs, pennants and banners as examples of temporary signs; those categories are not automatically violations. Salem says temporary signs are not allowed in public rights-of-way, including sidewalks, alleys, curbs, utility poles and planter strips. Some sidewalk signs downtown and in mixed-use zones may qualify for a permit-based exception. Signs in rights-of-way may be removed, and owners may have to pay a retrieval fee to claim them.

Outreach and education were to continue, while broader sign-code enforcement and education would wait for process improvements; the city gave no date for that wider resumption. As of Oct. 20, available city information and reporting did not confirm whether enforcement began as scheduled.