The Public Works Department would like to remind the community that New Hampshire law and City ordinances prohibits signs in City’s public rights-of-way. This prohibition includes political signs. NH RSA 664:17 states in part that “No political advertising shall be placed on or affixed to any public property including highway rights-of-way”. City Ordinance Section 46-960 allows for the placement of a sandwich board sign by businesses within the Central Business District/Downtown Core, with a license issued by the City Clerk. No other signs are permitted within the City’s public rights-of-way.
Public Works staff will remove all signs from the City’s public rights-of-way, other than those properly licensed by the City Clerk. Please note that the City’s public rights-of-way include the traveled road surface, roadside shoulders, City owned roundabouts, sidewalks, medians, and drainage ditches. Political and other signs may be placed on private property adjacent to the roadway with the property owner’s permission. These restrictions do not apply to rights-of-way under the control of the State. Per NH RSA 664:17: “Political advertising may be placed within state-owned rights-of-way as long as the advertising does not obstruct the safe flow of traffic and the advertising is placed with the consent of the owner of the land over which the right-of-way passes.”
Prohibited commercial signs will be removed and disposed of immediately by Public Works Department.
Political signs removed by Public Works will be held at the Public Works facility until seven (7) days after the November election (11/12/25). These signs may be retrieved by the candidate or the candidate’s designee. If not retrieved by that date, the signs will be disposed of. The City’s Public Works Department would like to thank everyone for their cooperation in this matter.
If you have any questions regarding this post please email the Public Works Department or call our office at 603-352-6550.
