KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) The City of Keene is reminding residents, political candidates and businesses that signs generally cannot be placed on public property or within the city’s public rights-of-way.

The Public Works Department said the restriction applies to political campaign signs as well as commercial and other signs. New Hampshire law, including RSA 664:17, prohibits political advertising on public property and highway rights-of-way.

Keene city ordinance also permits a limited exception for businesses in the Central Business District/Downtown Core. Businesses may display a sandwich board sign if they obtain the required license from the City Clerk. Other signs are not permitted within the city’s public rights-of-way.

Those rights-of-way extend beyond the roadway itself. They include traveled portions of streets, shoulders, sidewalks, medians, city-owned roundabouts and drainage ditches.

Public Works employees will remove signs found in prohibited locations. Commercial signs that violate the rules will be removed and disposed of immediately.

Political signs removed from public rights-of-way will be kept at the Public Works facility through seven days after the November election. Candidates or their designees may retrieve the signs through Nov. 10, 2026. Any political signs remaining after that date will be discarded.

Residents and candidates may place political signs on private property next to roadways as long as they have the property owner’s permission.

The city’s restrictions do not apply to rights-of-way controlled by the state.

Public Works officials are asking residents and businesses to follow the restrictions and thanked the community for its cooperation.