Sign Regulations in Fort Smith, AR

If you live in Fort Smith or are thinking about moving there, sign regulations are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Fort Smith has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of sign regulations, and some of them might surprise you.

Digital Billboards

Fort Smith limits digital billboard faces to 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light, an eight-second minimum dwell time, and 1,000 to 1,500 feet of spacing between digital signs.

Key details: Brightness cap: 0.3 fc above ambient. Min dwell time: 8 seconds static. Spacing, interstate: 1,500 ft between signs. Spacing, other streets: 1,000 ft between signs.

Noncompliance can result in revocation of the digital-face authorization on the sign permit, following notice and an opportunity to comply, under Sec. 27-704-4(g)(13).

Holiday Displays

Fort Smith exempts temporary seasonal light displays using multiple low-wattage bulbs from its glare/light-trespass standard, as long as the display avoids creating a fire hazard or nuisance and stays in safe condition.

Key details: Exempt from: Glare/light-trespass standard, § 16-77(b). Condition: No fire hazard or nuisance. Duration limit: None stated in the code. Permit required: No.

A display that falls outside the exemption -- one creating a fire hazard, a nuisance, or unsafe wiring -- loses the exemption and is enforced as a § 16-74 misdemeanor under the § 1-9 penalty schedule.

The rules around holiday displays in Fort Smith lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Window Signs

Inside Fort Smith's Downtown Form-Based Code district, an attached window sign can cover no more than 25 percent of each window, must skip fluorescent materials, and only goes on the first story.

Key details: Coverage cap: 25% of each window's area. Location limit: first story of building only. Material ban: no fluorescent materials. Applies in: Downtown Form-Based Code district only.

No sign-specific fine is set in this section; violations of the Code of Ordinances default to the general penalty - up to a $500.00 fine, doubled for repeat offenses - under Ordinance No. 15-92, § 5 (the code's adopting ordinance).

The Bottom Line

Fort Smith'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 Fort Smith is broadly strict or permissive.

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