Sign Regulations in New Castle County, DE (2026)
5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in New Castle County, Delaware.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
New Castle County caps noncommercial ideological, religious, and political signs at 32 square feet and allows them in every zoning district without site limitations, under the Unified Development Code's sign article.
New Castle County Political Sign Rules
Light RestrictionsNew Castle County Code § 40.06.040.A.12; § 40.06.050.D.4.d
Noncommercial signs relating to ideological, religious or political thought, provided they do not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area. ... Permits shall be required for all signs except the following types: a. Real estate sign, lot-premises type. b. Nameplate. c. Instructional. d. Temporary election sign.
Holiday Displays
New Castle County's Unified Development Code bans balloons and other air- or gas-filled figures outright as signs in every zoning district of the unincorporated county, with no seasonal or noncommercial exception.
New Castle County Inflatable Display Ban
Heavy RestrictionsNew Castle County Code § 40.06.040.E.8
E. Prohibited signs. The following signs shall be prohibited: ... 8. Flags, banners or twirling, A-type, sandwich type, sidewalk or curb signs and balloons or other air- or gas-filled figures.
Digital Billboards
New Castle County limits digital billboards to the I-95, I-295, I-495 and US-13 corridors, caps their brightness, and requires an old static billboard to come down before a new digital one goes up.
New Castle County Digital Billboard Rules
Significant RestrictionsNew Castle County Code § 40.06.030(B)(6)(g)(i)-(ii)
EVM off-premises advertising signs shall only be located on and be oriented to interstate highways: I-95, I-295 and I-495; and state highway US-13 NB between SR-273 and US-40. EVM off-premises advertising signs along the same roadway and facing the same direction of travel shall not be located within two thousand five hundred (2,500) feet of another EVM off-premises advertising sign or within f...
Window Signs
Window signs are not "signs" under New Castle County's Unified Development Code: Section 40.06.020 excludes interior displays visible through glass from the definition, so no permit, area limit, or setback applies to them in ordinary zoning districts. Two overlays claw the exemption back: designated scenic byway corridors ban window signs outright, and Historic overlay districts cap window advertising at 20 percent of the glass.
New Castle County Window Sign Coverage Rule
Light RestrictionsNew Castle County Code § 40.06.020
Sign means and includes any writing, figure, representation, emblem, flag, three-dimensional figure or model, device, letter, word, street clock and temperature announcement, and shall include any announcement, declaration, demonstration, display, illustration, name, identification, description or insignia used to advertise or promote the interest of any person, group or business when such is v...
Freeway-Facing Signs
New Castle County bans electronic off-premises billboards facing freeways everywhere except I-95, I-295, I-495 and a stretch of US-13, and even there imposes spacing, brightness and permit limits across the unincorporated county.
New Castle County Freeway-Facing Sign Limits
Significant RestrictionsNew Castle County Code § 40.06.030.B.6.g.i
EVM off-premises advertising signs shall only be located on and be oriented to interstate highways: I-95, I-295 and I-495; and state highway US-13 NB between SR-273 and US-40.
Sign Regulations by City in New Castle County
1 cities in New Castle County have their own sign regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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