Gwinnett County, GA Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Brightness cap
- 0.30 foot-candles above ambient
- Measuring distance
- 100 to 250 feet, by sign size
- Spacing rule
- 5,000 feet between electronic oversized signs
- Conversion trade
- Remove 3+ non-conforming signs to add 1
- Buffer
- 100 ft from schools, parks, worship sites
- Penalty
- $25 to $1,000 fine, up to 60 days jail
- State overlay
- Stricter of county or GDOT rules applies
Summary
An electronic oversized sign or digital billboard in unincorporated Gwinnett County cannot run brighter than 0.30 foot-candles above ambient light, measured at a distance set by the sign's size: 100 feet for signs under 100 square feet, 150 feet for 101 to 300 square feet, and 250 feet for signs 349 square feet or larger, under § 78-114A(f).
(f)Regulation. In addition to the provisions of this ordinance, each oversized electronic sign shall conform to the following:(1)Each individual static message must be displayed for not less than ten seconds.(2)Oversized electronic signs may not operate at brightness levels of more than 0.30 foot-candles (under measurement conditions) above ambient light levels as measured at the following distances: Electronic sign sq. ft. Distance < 100 sq. ft. 100 ft. 101 sq. ft.—300 sq. ft. 150 ft. ≥ 349 sq. ft. 250 ft.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9).
Full Breakdown
Section 78-114A only lets a billboard operator convert an existing legal non-conforming oversized sign into an electronic display in exchange for removing at least three comparable non-conforming sign faces elsewhere in the unincorporated county, a trade the board of commissioners adopted to shrink the overall inventory of oversized signage while allowing limited digital conversion. 30 foot-candles above ambient light measured at 100, 150, or 250 feet depending on the sign's square footage, and the owner must arrange an independent contractor's light-intensity certification for the director on request.
No electronic oversized sign can sit within 5,000 feet of another one, measured along the right-of-way, or within 100 feet of a place of worship, school, park, cemetery, or residentially zoned lot, unless a specific exception applies. Conversions within 500 feet of a residence need board of commissioners approval as a special use permit, including certified mailings to nearby residents and a public hearing, and the board specifically weighs whether the sign face will be visible from those residences and properly screened from cast light.
Signs visible from Sugarloaf Parkway, Ronald Reagan Parkway, Hamilton Mill Parkway, or any road later declared historic or scenic cannot be erected at all, and any oversized sign, converted or not, is barred from activity center or corridor overlay districts. Where a billboard sits on a state route, it must also meet Georgia DOT's electronic changeable message sign rules, and the stricter of the county and state standards controls.
Violations & Fines
Violating the billboard brightness or spacing rules is enforced under § 78-118 by the director, who can issue a citation to the sign owner, manager, or tenant; a conviction carries a fine of $25 to $1,000, up to 60 days in jail, or both, and the penalty cannot be stayed or suspended. The county can also sue to force removal or repair of a noncompliant sign, and the director can remove any sign illegally placed in a public right-of-way without notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can a digital billboard be in Gwinnett County?
Can any billboard owner just install a digital sign?
What is the penalty for an over-bright or noncompliant digital sign?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gwinnett County
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