Lincoln, NE Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Lighting curfew
- Midnight to 5:00 a.m.
- Curfew exception
- Government emergency announcements only
- Reflected lighting
- Downlighting methods required
- Control device
- Automatic timing device required
- Enforcement
- Director of Building and Safety
Summary
Off-premises signs (billboards) in Lincoln cannot be illuminated between midnight and 5 a.m., except for government emergency announcements, and any reflected lighting must use downlighting on an automatic timer.
Illumination of off-premises signs shall not be allowed from midnight to 5:00 a.m., except for government initiated emergency information announcements. If off-premises signs are illuminated by reflected lighting, the lighting shall be provided by downlighting methods, until such time as sign illumination standards are adopted by resolution of the City Council and thereafter it shall in accordance with design standards. The lighting shall be controlled by an automatic timing device.
d. Abandoned Signs. In addition to all other applicable regulations, off-premises sign structures and existing nonconforming off-premises sign structures which contain no sign copy on all faces for a continuous period of six months shall be considered an abandoned sign and shall be removed. This removal shall take place within ten days of the date of the abandonment.
Full Breakdown
Lincoln Municipal Code § 27.69.035(c) bars illumination of off-premises signs, billboards, from midnight to 5:00 a.m., with a carve-out only for government-initiated emergency information announcements. Reflected-light billboards must use downlighting methods rather than glare-producing upward or outward fixtures, and every illuminated billboard needs an automatic timing device to enforce the curfew rather than relying on someone to switch it off manually. The rule sits inside Chapter 27.69's off-premises sign section, which also caps billboard height, spacing, and placement near residential districts, schools, and the Capitol View Corridor. The Director of Building and Safety enforces it citywide.
Violations & Fines
Violating Title 27 sign rules is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $100, with each day the violation continues counting as a separate offense (§ 27.81.070).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard in Lincoln stay lit all night?
Does a Lincoln billboard's lighting need a timer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lincoln
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