Hollywood's Sign Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sign regulations a little differently. In Hollywood, Florida, 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

Garage-sale signs in Hollywood must follow the sign standards in Article 8 of the Zoning and Land Development Regulations, and none may go up on public right-of-way or swale strips. The city's garage-sale code specifically warns that signs placed on public property can be deemed illegal.

Key details: Sign standard: Must follow Article 8 sign regulations. Prohibited locations: Public right-of-way and swale areas. Governing sections: §§ 118.02(C), 118.04(B), 118.99(B). Enforcement: Sign may be deemed illegal, removed.

Posting a garage-sale sign on the public right-of-way, a swale strip, or another public property location violates § 118.02(C) and § 118.04(B), and § 118.99(B) expressly authorizes the city to treat such signs as illegal. A Code Enforcement or law enforcement officer can cite the offending sign, and conviction is a civil infraction enforced under § 36.27's citation authority.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Hollywood gives residents more flexibility on garage sale signs.

Digital Billboards

Hollywood caps billboards citywide at 15 static structures on arterial roads, and separately bans electronic message centers and running lights as a sign type. Between the hard count cap and the electronic-display ban, no new digital billboards can be permitted anywhere in the city.

Key details: Citywide billboard cap: 15 structures total. Max billboard size: 14 ft by 48 ft. Location restriction: Limited-access arterial roads only. Electronic message centers: Prohibited sign type, § 8.6.B.9. Off-premises signs: Prohibited, § 8.6.B.2.

Installing an off-premises billboard beyond the 15-structure cap, or converting any sign into an electronic message center, running-light display, or animated/flashing display, violates §§ 8.5.D and 8.6.B; the Chief Building Official may initiate removal proceedings for a sign erected or maintained without a permit, and illegal nonconforming signs must be removed before any new sign permit issues.

This is one of the stricter rules in Hollywood's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Window Signs

Hollywood caps permanent window signs in Commercial, Office, Industrial, and Institutional/Recreational districts at 15% of the door, window, or storefront glazing area, with a 20-square-foot floor even on small storefronts. Unlike wall or monument signs, window signs applied to the interior of glazed areas do not need a separate building permit under City Code Article 8.

Key details: Permanent window sign cap: 15% of window/storefront area. Minimum size floor: 20 square feet. Building permit for glazed signs: Not required (§ 8.2.B). Construction-period window signage: 100% of window area. Real estate window sign cap: 12 square feet.

A window sign exceeding the 15%/20-square-foot cap, or a permanent sign posted without the required sign permit, is treated as an illegal non-conforming sign under § 8.5. The Chief Building Official may initiate removal proceedings under § 8.5.B.2, and any non-complying sign lacking a permit, along with its supporting structure, must be removed under § 8.5.B.3.

Freeway-Facing Signs

Hollywood caps billboards at 15 citywide, and every one must sit along a limited access arterial roadway rather than a local street. Size is fixed at 14 feet by 48 feet on a single pole, and the code carves billboards out of its normal non-conforming-sign removal rules so the existing 15 can stay in place.

Key details: Citywide billboard cap: 15 signs. Location: Limited access arterial roadways only. Maximum size: 14 ft by 48 ft, single pole. Non-conforming status: Exempt from Article 3 removal rules. Permit appeal window: 30 days to City Commission.

A billboard erected beyond the 15-sign citywide cap, off a limited access arterial roadway, or without a sign and building permit is an illegal non-conforming sign under § 8.5. The Chief Building Official may initiate removal proceedings under § 8.5.B.2, and any billboard lacking a required permit, together with its supporting pole structure, must be removed under § 8.5.B.3.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Hollywood actively enforces its freeway-facing signs requirements.

Political Signs

Hollywood regulates political and other temporary non-commercial signs, like yard signs, under its temporary-sign article: 24 square feet and 4 feet tall on residential property, up to 180 days. Larger caps apply on non-residential lots, and the city treats message content as protected, exempting non-commercial copy from its usual permitting scheme.

Key details: Residential sign cap: 24 sq ft, 4 ft tall. Duration limit: 180 days. Non-residential aggregate cap: 1 sq ft per linear ft frontage, max 100 sq ft. Non-residential height cap: 15 feet. Permit needed: No, content-neutral exemption applies.

A temporary non-commercial sign that exceeds the area, height, or 180-day duration limit, or that is left in deteriorated or unsafe condition, is subject to enforcement as an illegal non-conforming sign under § 8.5.B; the Chief Building Official may initiate removal, and signs on public property may be removed by the city with recovery costs charged to the owner under § 8.5.B.6.

The Bottom Line

Hollywood is tougher than many cities when it comes to sign regulations. Out of the 5 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Hollywood, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Hollywood can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.