Carrollton's Sign Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sign regulations a little differently. In Carrollton, Texas, there are 5 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Garage Sale Signs

Carrollton limits garage-sale signs on two fronts. City Code § 92.32 caps on-premises signs at two, no larger than six square feet, displayed only on sale days; off-premises signs are capped at three, banned from poles, medians, and trees, and can only go up from noon Friday to 8 a.m. Monday.

Key details: On-premises signs: Max 2, displayed sale days only. Sign size: 6 square feet maximum. Off-premises signs: Max 3, no poles, medians, or trees. Placement window: Noon Friday through 8 a.m. Monday only. Max penalty: $2,000 per offense, § 10.99(A)(2)(f).

Posting more than two on-premises or three off-premises garage-sale signs, exceeding the six-square-foot size limit, attaching a sign to a utility pole or public property, or placing signs outside the noon Friday to 8 a.m. Monday window violates § 92.32 and is a Chapter 92 nuisance misdemeanor under § 92.99, with fines up to $2,000 per offense.

Freeway-Facing Signs

On lots larger than three acres that front IH-35E, Carrollton limits how close together pylon signs can stand and how much of their face can flash electronic messages. City Code § 151.31 requires at least 200 feet of separation between pylon, monument or pole signs on the same freeway lot, and caps electronic-message area at one-third of the sign.

Key details: Separation, lots >3 ac on IH-35E: 200 ft minimum. Separation, lots >20 ac: 300 ft minimum. Max pylon height: 20 ft including base. Max pylon sign area: 160 sq ft. Electronic message cap: 1/3 of sign area, 7-sec cycle.

Erecting or maintaining a pylon or pole sign that breaks these freeway spacing, height, area or electronic-message limits is a misdemeanor offense under § 151.99, with each day the illegal sign stays up counted as a separate violation. The property owner, manager, tenant or anyone controlling the sign is responsible under § 151.96, and the city may additionally assess an administrative penalty under chapter 31 per § 151.98, independent of any court citation, plus penalties set in § 10.99.

Digital Billboards

Converting an existing nonconforming billboard to a digital face in Carrollton requires a City Manager-approved permit, removal of three static billboard faces for every digital face erected, and entry into a lottery if applications exceed the state-law cap on digital billboards, under General Code § 151.71.

Key details: Face exchange ratio: 3 static faces removed per 1 digital face. Message change cycle: minimum 8 seconds. Message change duration: completed within 2 seconds. 2012 application window: Sept 17 - Oct 1, 2012. Lottery date: Oct 15, 2012, 2:00 p.m., City Hall.

A billboard modified to digital without completing the required permit, demolition and 3-to-1 face-removal ratio remains an unlawful sign under §§ 151.96-151.99: the owner and any person controlling the sign are responsible, the city can impose an administrative penalty under chapter 31 per § 151.98, and a criminal citation under § 151.99 applies for each day the noncompliant sign stays up.

Compared to other cities, Carrollton takes a harder line on digital billboards. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Window Signs

Carrollton lets a business skip the sign permit for window signs so long as each one stays under 25 percent of the total window area on any linear wall segment, per § 151.11(N) of the Sign Code, and limits the exemption to one- or two-story retail buildings or ground-floor retail in a mixed-use building. Blinking window signs are barred outright.

Key details: Size cap for exemption: 25% of total window area per wall segment. Eligible buildings: 1-2 story retail or ground-floor mixed-use retail. Blinking window signs: Prohibited outright. Default rule: Window signs banned unless § 151.11(N) applies. Maximum fine: $500.00 under § 10.99(A)(1)(o).

A window sign that exceeds 25 percent of the window area, blinks, or sits in a building type the exemption doesn't cover needs a sign permit from the Building Official under § 151.10; putting one up without that permit, or outside the § 151.11(N) exemption, violates the Sign Code and is fineable up to $500.00 under § 10.99(A)(1)(o), with each day a separate offense under § 10.99(B).

Political Signs

Carrollton caps political signs at 36 square feet and eight feet tall wherever they stand, bans illumination and moving parts, and keeps them off public property and rights-of-way except as the Texas Election Code allows, including a narrow polling-place exception under City Code § 151.51.

Key details: Private property size cap: 36 sq ft, 8 ft tall. Curb setback: 3 ft from back of curb. Polling-place window: first day of early voting to 24 hrs post-election. Distance from polling entrance: 100 ft minimum. Right-of-way line (no sidewalk): 10 ft from curb.

Political signs that break the size, illumination, placement or polling-place timing limits are treated the same as any other unlawful sign under §§ 151.96 through 151.99: the property owner, tenant or person controlling the sign is responsible, the city can assess an administrative penalty under chapter 31 per § 151.98, and a criminal citation under § 151.99 applies for each day the sign remains posted.

The Bottom Line

Carrollton's sign regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Carrollton is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Carrollton's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.