Flint, MI Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 50-142.6(f)
- Requirement
- Shield bare lamps from view
- Exposed-lamp signs
- Need Building Safety glare approval
- Colored lights
- Barred if confusable with traffic signals
Summary
Flint requires every illuminated sign, including billboards, to shield its light source so passersby and neighboring occupants can't see the bare bulb, with glare reviewed by Building Safety.
All light sources used to illuminate signs shall be shielded in such a manner that passersby and building occupants within view of such signs will not be able to view the bare lamps of such illuminated signs. Signs with exposed lamps shall be approved by the Division of Building and Safety Inspection as to elements of glare. No colored lights shall be used at any location or in any manner so as to be confused with or construed as traffic-control devices.
(g) Signs are defined as structures and are subject to height limitations set forth herein.
(h) A sign not in conformance with this article shall constitute a nonconforming use of property. No nonconforming sign shall be replaced, restored, reconstructed, extended or substituted except in accordance with the provisions of this article. (Ord. 2504, passed 6-23-1975; Ord. 2726, passed 7-23-1979; Ord. 3063, passed 7- 11-1988) Cross-reference: Building Code, see §§ 11-1 et seq.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2016 Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 3821, passed 3-1-2012).
Full Breakdown
§ 50-142.6(f) of the general sign article applies to every sign type in the code, including Type 6 poster boards/billboards: all light sources used to illuminate a sign must be shielded so that passersby and building occupants who can see the sign cannot see its bare lamps. Signs with exposed lamps need approval from the Division of Building and Safety Inspection for glare, and no colored lighting may be used in a way that could be mistaken for a traffic-control device.
Violations & Fines
Unshielded sign lighting violates § 50-142.6(f); with no sign-specific fine set, § 1-7's citywide general penalty applies: up to a $500 fine and 90 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Flint regulate billboard lighting?
Who approves an illuminated sign with exposed bulbs in Flint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Flint
Compare Flint to another location·View the Michigan outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.