New Castle County, DE Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime cap
- 7,500 nits maximum
- Nighttime cap
- 1,000 nits maximum
- Certification
- Factory pre-set, password-protected software required
- Equipment
- Dimmer control and photocell required
- Applies to
- EVM off-premises signs only (billboards)
Summary
New Castle County caps electronic billboard brightness at 7,500 nits by day and 1,000 nits at night, requiring manufacturer certification, password-protected settings, and automatic photocell dimming for every off-premises advertising sign.
Prior to the issuance of a zoning permit, the applicant for an EVM off-premises advertising sign shall provide written certification from the sign manufacturer that the light intensity has been factory pre-set not to exceed seven thousand five hundred (7,500) nits and that the intensity level is protected from end-user manipulation by password-protected software. No sign may be brighter than is necessary for clear and adequate visibility and shall not exceed a maximum of seven thousand five hundred (7,500) nits during daylight hours and one thousand (1,000) nits during nighttime hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
The County's Unified Development Code regulates lighting intensity for electronic variable message (EVM) off-premises advertising signs: digital billboards along I-95, I-295, I-495, and US-13. Before a zoning permit issues, the sign manufacturer must certify the light intensity is factory-preset not to exceed 7,500 nits and cannot exceed 7,500 nits during daylight or 1,000 nits at night, with settings locked behind password-protected software immune to end-user changes. Every such sign must carry a dimmer control and a photocell that automatically adjusts brightness to ambient light. This applies only to EVM billboards; static off-premises signs and other sign types follow separate rules in the same Article.
Violations & Fines
Sign violations carry the County's general penalty: fines starting at $100 for a first conviction, up to $1,000 or 30 days jail for repeat offenses, with each day a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can digital billboards go up anywhere in New Castle County?
How bright can a digital billboard be in New Castle County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Castle County
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