St. Petersburg, FL Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)

8(D) of the Sign Code sets the illumination standards that apply specifically to digital or electronic off-premise signs, the billboards the City allows only within 100 feet of the interstate right-of-way. 3 foot candles at a distance of 150 feet perpendicular from the face for signs up to 300 square feet, 200 feet for signs between 300 and 378 square feet, and 250 feet for anything larger. Beyond the numeric ceiling, the sign face can never display light 'of such intensity or brilliance to cause glare or otherwise impair the vision of a driver,' and it cannot interfere with the effectiveness of any official traffic sign, signal or device; a violation on either count requires the sign owner to power the display off or show a full black image until it's fixed.

Every sign also needs a default mechanism that automatically shows a full black image or shuts the display off the moment a malfunction or failure occurs, and the sign can never be configured to resemble a warning or danger signal or to simulate official traffic-control lighting. These standards sit alongside, and are separate from, the message-content rules for the same signs, such as the ten-second minimum dwell time and the ban on scrolling or animated images.