Carteret County, NC Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)

Section 2102.3 of the Carteret County Zoning Ordinance is the county's general illumination standard for signs, and because it sits in the 'General requirements' portion of the sign chapter, it governs every illuminated sign in unincorporated Carteret County, including billboards and other off-premises commercial signs defined elsewhere in the chapter. The rule is a performance standard, not a flat ban: an illuminated sign is allowed, but it cannot be so designed or placed that direct or reflected light or glare constitutes a hazard or annoyance to motorists or occupants of adjoining properties.

The section adds a specific mandate for LED signage. Every LED sign in the county, whether it is a business sign, a school identification sign, or a billboard's electronic message panel, must have automatic dimming controls, either a hardwired photocell or software settings, so the lighting level drops at night rather than staying at full daytime brightness. Other sign provisions in the ordinance, such as the rule for on-premise school accessory signs, cross-reference Section 2102.3 directly, confirming it is the ordinance's central lighting rule rather than a one-off restriction limited to a single sign type. A sign that violates the glare standard or lacks required dimming controls is a Zoning Ordinance violation handled by the county's zoning enforcement officer.