North Hempstead, NY Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Billboards allowed only
- in industrial districts (§70-196M)
- Max billboard size
- 300 sq ft, 15 ft high
- Spillover light curfew
- off within 30 min of closing, by 11 p.m.
- Business lighting cap
- 20 footcandles total
- Flashing/blinking signs
- prohibited under § 70-197O
- Billboard operators
- need license + $10,000 bond (§70-199)
Summary
North Hempstead confines billboards to industrial districts and layers on strict lighting limits under Town Code § 70-197. A billboard's illumination cannot glare off the lot it sits on, must go dark within thirty minutes of closing, never later than 11 p.m., when it faces a residential district, and it cannot flash, blink, or change color.
No sign shall be erected which directs, emits, radiates or reflects any beam, ray, gleam or glare of light away from the lot on which such sign is located. ... All signs which direct, emit, radiate or reflect any beam, ray, gleam or glare of light on an abutting residential district shall be extinguished within one-half (1/2) hour after the close of business and in no event later than 11:00 p.m. ... Lights within business establishments may be kept on during the entire night, provided that the total amount of illumination does not exceed 20 footcandles. ... No flashing, blinking, rotating, changing, intermittent, animated or moving light or lights shall be permitted to constitute a part of any sign, including any sign or device on which the artificial light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times when in use.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4892187; v82 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Billboards, called "billboards or poster panels for hire" in the code, are permitted only in industrial districts under § 70-196M: one per lot, capped at 15 feet in height and 300 square feet in area, set at least three feet off the ground, and located at least 20 feet from any lot line and 50 feet from a residence district. Once erected, a billboard is a "sign" for purposes of Article XXI's lighting rules in § 70-197. Under § 70-197I, a billboard may not emit, radiate, or reflect any beam, ray, gleam, or glare of light away from the lot where it stands.
; illumination inside a still-open business may stay lit provided total output does not exceed 20 footcandles. Section 70-197K bars any sign lighting that could be confused with a traffic signal, and § 70-197O forbids flashing, blinking, rotating, changing, intermittent, or otherwise moving light as part of any sign, though a static time-and-temperature display or a message board that changes no more than once a day is not treated as a violation. Before installing illuminated signage, an operator must obtain a sign permit and pay the fee set under § 70-198, and anyone in the business of erecting or maintaining billboards for hire must first secure a license from the Building Official and post a $10,000 bond under § 70-199 to cover damages from negligent erection or maintenance.
Violations & Fines
Sign and lighting violations fall under the Zoning Code's catch-all penalty at § 70-235K: up to $1,000 for a first offense, $1,000 to $2,500 for a second offense within five years, and $2,500 to $10,000 or up to 15 days in jail for a third, with each week of noncompliance a separate violation. A billboard operator's license and $10,000 bond under § 70-199 can also be forfeited to cover Town removal costs and damages from an illegally lit or maintained sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard be built anywhere in North Hempstead?
How late can an illuminated sign stay lit near homes?
Are flashing or animated billboard lights allowed?
Does a billboard company need a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Hempstead
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