Greensboro, NC Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Brightness cap
- 1 foot-candle above ambient light
- Measured from
- Nearest property line or street ROW
- Fixture rule
- Shielded cut-off fixtures off-interstate
- White/bright cap
- 33% of display face
- Dimming equipment
- Automatic dimming and shutoff required
Summary
Digital and electronic billboards in Greensboro cannot shine more than 1 foot-candle above ambient light, measured from the nearest property line or street right-of-way, under the Land Development Ordinance. Any billboard not facing an interstate highway must also use shielded, cut-off fixtures so light does not spill onto neighboring property.
The maximum brightness of digital or electronic displays may not exceed 1 foot-candle above ambient lighting conditions when measured from the nearest property line or street right of way. When sign is not located along an interstate highway, shielded cut-off fixtures to prevent light spillover must be used... No more than 33% of the electronic display may use white colors.
Full Breakdown
8(A) sets the governing brightness ceiling for outdoor advertising signs with digital or electronic displays: the maximum brightness of digital or electronic displays may not exceed 1 foot-candle above ambient lighting conditions when measured from the nearest property line or street right of way. The same subsection adds a fixture requirement for most billboards: when the sign is not located along an interstate highway, shielded cut-off fixtures to prevent light spillover must be used. 4, without the mandatory shielded-fixture requirement, though they still have to meet the same 1 foot-candle brightness cap.
8(B) caps the amount of white or very bright coloring on an electronic display at 33% of the sign face, which further limits how much glare a billboard can throw at night. 8(C) cross-reference the same Table 14-4 electronic message board framework outside the interstate exception.
Violations & Fines
A billboard exceeding the 1 foot-candle brightness cap, running without required shielded fixtures, or showing more than 33% white/bright coloring is enforced through the LDO's Notice of Violation process under § 30-5-3.1. Continued noncompliance draws a civil penalty starting at $50 for the first violation and increasing to $500 for the fourth and later violations under § 30-5-5.4(A), with each additional day of an uncorrected violation counted as a separate offense under § 30-5-5.3.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can an electronic billboard be in Greensboro?
Do billboards need special lighting fixtures?
Is there a limit on how much white light a digital billboard can show?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greensboro
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