Sign Regulations in Sarasota County, FL (2026)
4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Sarasota County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Sarasota County lets political signs go up on private property without a sign permit starting 60 days before an election's qualifying date, bars any commercial advertising on them, and requires removal within 21 days of the election, or up to 21 days after a runoff if the two elections fall within 75 days.
Sarasota County Political Sign Rules: 60/21-Day Window
Light RestrictionsSarasota County UDC § 124-212(a)(13)-(14)
(13)Political Sign. A temporary sign installed during a political or referendum campaign. The following standards are required in all zoning districts.a.Political signs shall be placed only on private property and shall not contain any commercial advertising.b.Such signs shall not block any intersection or driveway clear sight triangle.c.Political signs may be displayed no sooner than 60 days p...
Digital Billboards
Sarasota County allows only one digital Electronic Message Center per lot, limits it to half the area of the property's ground sign, requires an 8-second minimum hold between messages with no scrolling or flashing, and bans them within 100 feet of a shoreline or anywhere on the barrier islands.
Sarasota County Electronic Message Center Sign Rules
Significant RestrictionsSarasota County UDC § 124-213(l)(2), (3), (8)
(l)Electronic Message Center Signs.... An Electronic Message Center is not allowed as part of an On-Site Ground Sign unless consistent with this section. The following standards shall apply:(1)The entire property must be brought into compliance with this Article.... (2)Only one Electronic Message Center sign is permitted per lot. The changeable copy area shall not exceed 50 percent of the allow...
Window Signs
Sarasota County allows a window sign without any Sign Permit, but caps its coverage at 10 percent of the window area on the building frontage where it's installed, on top of a separate permanent address sign, and excludes it entirely from the property's overall sign-area calculation.
Sarasota County Window Sign Coverage Limit
Light RestrictionsSarasota County UDC § 124-212(a)(23)
(23)Window Sign. A temporary, nonstructural sign affixed to the interior or exterior of a window or door or any other sign containing a message legible from the public right-of-way or adjacent property clearly intended for public recognition outside the building. No sign permit shall be required for any window sign. The following standards shall also apply:1.Such signs shall not cover more than...
Freeway-Facing Signs
Sarasota County bans off-site advertising signs, the billboard type that advertises something other than the business on-site, within 660 feet of the right-of-way of any portion of the Interstate Highway System. Outside that buffer, off-site signs are confined to CG and CI zoning districts, capped at 75 square feet and 15 feet in height, and require a County Sign Permit.
Sarasota County: No Billboards Within 660 Ft of I-75
Significant RestrictionsSarasota County Code § 124-215(b)(1)-(4)
(1)Off-site advertising signs may only be erected in the CG and CI zoning districts following issuance of a Sign Permit.(2)Off-site advertising signs shall not exceed 75 square feet in area, and shall not exceed a maximum height of 15 feet above unaltered grade at the site upon which the off-site sign is located. Filling or berming the site to raise the sign height is prohibited.(3)No advertise...
Sign Regulations by City in Sarasota County
2 cities in Sarasota County have their own sign regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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