Broken Arrow, OK Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Illumination type
- external only, must be shielded
- Internal lighting
- not permitted for billboards
- Changeable copy
- not permitted
- Table source
- Table 5-1-5-3, Billboard Sign
Summary
Billboards in Broken Arrow may only use external, shielded lighting: the Zoning Ordinance's sign table does not list internal illumination as an option for this sign type.
Illumination — External, must be shielded — External, must be shielded Other Standards — 1. Minimum separation of 700 ft. between all billboards on the same side of the street; for highways, this shall be increased to 1,500 ft.
2. Billboards are only permitted when placed or contracted by a governmental entity on government-regulated property. Sign Permit Required — Yes — Yes
Canopy Sign (freestanding) Number Allowed — 1 per canopy side — 1 per canopy side Maximum Area — Cannot extend beyond sides of canopy — Cannot extend beyond sides of canopy
Maximum Height — — — — Changeable Copy Permitted — — — — Illumination — Internal or external — Internal or external Other Standards — — Sign Permit Required — Yes — Yes
Directory Sign (freestanding) Number Allowed — — 1 per property with a multi-tenant building Maximum Area — — 2 sq. ft. per linear foot of street frontage; max. 100 sq. ft. Maximum Height — — 10 ft. Minimum Setback (edge of pavement/property line) — — 0 ft. Changeable Copy Permitted — — Yes Illumination — — Internal or external Other Standards — — The bottom portion of the sign shall rest flush against the ground, allowing no space between the ground and the bottom of the sign structure Sign Permit Required — — Yes
Menu Board Number Allowed — — 2 per drive aisle of drive-through establishment — Maximum Area — — 35 sq. ft. — Maximum Height — — 8 ft. — Minimum Setback (Edge of pavement/property line) — — n/a —
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).
Full Breakdown
Table 5-1-5-3 of the Zoning Ordinance sets illumination standards by sign type, and for billboards it specifies external lighting that must be shielded: unlike monument or pylon signs, which the same table allows to be lit internally or externally. Billboards also cannot use changeable copy and are capped at 750 square feet and 35 feet in height. The shielding requirement applies wherever a billboard is permitted, which under the same table is limited to government-placed signs on government-regulated property.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unshielded or internally lit billboard is a zoning violation: a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and 10 days in jail per day (Sec. 8-1-3.C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard in Broken Arrow be internally lit?
Does the shielding rule apply to all sign types?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broken Arrow
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Billboard Lighting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle billboard lighting.