Plymouth, MN Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime nit limit
- 7,500 nits (civil sunrise-sunset)
- Nighttime nit limit
- 500 nits (civil sunset-sunrise)
- Ambient light limit
- 0.3 foot-candelas above ambient
- LED sign limit
- 350-4,500 nits, separate scale
- Malfunction rule
- Must freeze or shut off immediately
Summary
Plymouth caps how bright an off-premises dynamic display sign can be: 7,500 nits during daylight and 500 nits between civil sunset and sunrise. Section 21155.05, Subd. 2(c) also limits the light level to no more than 0.3 foot-candelas above ambient light, measured from a distance keyed to the sign's size.
(c)Dynamic display off-premises signs shall not exceed 7,500 nits (candelas per square meter) between the hours of civil sunrise and civil sunset and shall not exceed 500 nits (candelas per square meter) between the hours of civil sunset and civil sunrise as measured from the face of the sign. The light level shall not exceed 0.3 foot candelas above ambient light as measured from a pre-set distance depending on sign size.
Full Breakdown
Plymouth's sign code treats billboard illumination as a public-safety issue as much as an aesthetic one. 05, Subd. 2(c) sets a hard nit ceiling for dynamic display off-premises signs: no more than 7,500 nits, or candelas per square meter, between civil sunrise and civil sunset, dropping to no more than 500 nits between civil sunset and civil sunrise. 3 foot-candelas above ambient light, measured from a preset distance the ordinance ties to sign size using the formula: the square root of the message-center area multiplied by 100.
6 feet. Subd. to dawn if the sign sits next to residential property. Every illuminated sign must also carry an automatic dimmer that adjusts brightness to ambient light under Subd. 06, Subd. 5 degrees off the roadway is cut by at least 90 percent.
Violations & Fines
The Zoning Administrator enforces the nit and foot-candela limits, and Section 21155.05, Subd. 2(g) requires a sign owner to immediately stop the display if the City notifies them the sign does not comply; a malfunctioning dynamic display must also freeze or shut down automatically rather than keep operating out of compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can a billboard be at night in Plymouth?
Are LED signs held to the same brightness limit as billboards?
What happens if a digital billboard is too bright or malfunctions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Plymouth
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Billboard Lighting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Hennepin County handle billboard lighting.