Sign Regulations in Portsmouth, VA (2026)
3 verified sign regulations for Portsmouth, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Digital Billboards
Portsmouth caps automatic changeable copy and LED signs at 1,500 nits during daylight and 150 nits at all other times, and bars digital displays from residential Household Living or Group Living properties entirely.
Portsmouth Digital Sign Luminance Limits
Significant RestrictionsPortsmouth, VA Zoning Ordinance Sec. 40.2-307(I)(5)(c) and (I)(6)
(c)The luminance of a sign shall not exceed 1,500 nits during daylight hours and 150 nits at all other times. Signs incorporating displays that use light emitting diodes (LEDs), charge coupling devices (CCDs), plasma, or functionally equivalent technologies shall be equipped with automatic dimming technology and certified by the manufacturer or a qualified professional to be compliant with the ...
Window Signs
Portsmouth limits window signs on any floor of a building to 20 percent of the window facade area, and bars illuminating a window sign from any source except one external to the sign.
Portsmouth Window Sign Coverage Limit
Light RestrictionsPortsmouth, VA Zoning Ordinance Sec. 40.2-307(J)(3)(h)
(h)Window Sign. A window sign shall comply with the following standards:(i)On any floor of a building, the total sign area of window signs shall not exceed 20 percent of the façade area comprised of windows.(ii)A window sign shall not be illuminated by any source other than a source external to the sign.
Freeway-Facing Signs
Within 660 feet of any interstate right-of-way in Portsmouth, only official, on-premises and specific traveler-information signs are allowed under Article VII of Chapter 32, and even those cannot exceed 20 feet in any dimension or 150 square feet in area. Violating the article is a misdemeanor carrying a $10.00 to $50.00 fine.
Portsmouth Sign Limits Near Interstate Highways
Significant RestrictionsSec. 32-232; Sec. 32-234
Protected area means all areas which are adjacent to and within 660 feet of the edge of the right-of-way of any highway which is a part of the national system of interstate and defense highways. ... (g)No sign may be permitted to exceed 20 feet in length, width or height or 150 square feet in area, including border and trim but excluding supports, except class 2 signs, as designated in section ...