Nash County, NC Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential setback
- No illuminated sign within 100 ft of a residential zone
- Dark hours
- No illumination 12 midnight to 6 a.m. within 300 ft of a residence
- Shielding standard
- Light cannot shine directly on surrounding property
- Enforcing office
- Zoning Administrator, Nash County Planning and Development
- Compliance window
- 30 days to fix a violation or sign is removed
Summary
In unincorporated Nash County, the Unified Development Ordinance requires every illuminated sign, including billboards, to be shielded so its light does not shine directly on surrounding property or distract passing drivers. Illuminated signs other than nameplates, on-premises signs, incidental signs and identification signs cannot sit within 100 feet of a residential zone, and any illuminated sign within 300 feet of a residence must go dark between midnight and 6 a.m.
(D)All lights used for the illumination of a sign shall be shielded so that the light will not shine directly on surrounding areas or create a traffic hazard or distraction to operators of motor vehicles on the public thoroughfares. The Zoning Administrator shall have the power to order a change in the illumination of any sign that becomes a hazard or a nuisance.(E)No illuminated sign, other than professional or occupational signs or nameplates, on-premises signs, incidental signs, or identification signs shall be permitted within 100 feet of any residential zone. Illuminated signs other than those listed above which are located within 300 feet of a residence or residentially zoned district shall not be illuminated between the hours of 12 midnight and 6 a.m.
Full Breakdown
2, sets the county's lighting rules for every sign in the unincorporated area, including the Type I, II and III advertising signs (billboards) that Article XI defines and regulates separately by road classification. Under subsection (D), all lights used to illuminate a sign must be shielded so the light does not shine directly on surrounding areas or create a traffic hazard or distraction for drivers on public roads; the Zoning Administrator can order a change in a sign's illumination if it becomes a hazard or a nuisance.
Subsection (E) adds two distance-based limits. No illuminated sign, except for professional or occupational nameplates, on-premises signs, incidental signs and identification signs, can be placed within 100 feet of any residential zone. m. Because billboards, defined in the code as advertising signs, fall outside every one of the exempted sign categories, both the shielding rule and the two distance limits apply to them in full. The rules apply county-wide in the unincorporated area, wherever a sign requires the county's sign permit under Section 11-1. 2 or the permit-issuing authority can require it changed.
Violations & Fines
The Zoning Administrator enforces Section 11-1.2 directly and can order the owner to repaint, repair, alter or change the illumination of any sign that becomes a hazard, nuisance, or safety risk, at the owner's expense. Under Section 11-1.2(G), any sign erected or operated in violation of the Ordinance, including an unshielded or improperly timed billboard light, must be brought into compliance within 30 days of notification or the sign must be removed immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard near a home in Nash County be lit at night?
Who decides if a sign's lighting is too bright in unincorporated Nash County?
What happens if a billboard light in Nash County is not shielded?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nash County
Compare Nash County to another location·View the North Carolina outdoor lighting overview
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