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Stamford, CT Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Off-site advertising signs
Prohibited citywide
Flashing or strobe lighting
Banned on all signs
Glare toward homes
Prohibited
Governing instrument
Zoning Regulations, not the Code

Summary

Stamford's Zoning Regulations flatly prohibit all off-site advertising signs, billboards, anywhere in the city, and any sign that is lawfully installed still can't use glare-causing spot lighting or exposed bulbs.

No Sign shall be illuminated by exposed tubes, bulbs or similar exposed light surfaces, or by exterior spot lighting or other illumination that would cause glare observable to a Residence District or hazards to vehicular traffic.

3. No Sign shall include any visible moving parts.

4. No Sign shall simulate emergency lights on emergency vehicles or traffic control signals or

devices, or hide from view any traffic control device, signal or Sign.

5. No Sign shall obstruct Road or highway visibility, interfere with the safe and orderly movement

of traffic, or otherwise pose a hazard to traffic.

6. All Off-Site Advertising Signs are prohibited.

7. All Roof Signs are prohibited except as expressly permitted under subsections G, H and L of

this Section. (214-30)

8. No Pole Sign or Ground Sign, including its base, may exceed twenty-one (21) feet in height.

(226-03)

9. No Sign or sign Structure above a height of three (3) feet shall be erected or maintained within fifteen (15) feet of the intersection of the right-of-way lines of two (2) Streets, or of a street intersection with a railroad right-of-way (the "Corner Visibility Area"). However, a Sign support Structure not more than ten (10) inches in diameter may be located within the Corner Visibility Area if all other requirements of this Section are met and the lowest elevation of the sign surface is at least twelve (12) feet above the ground level.

Full Breakdown

Section 11 of the Zoning Regulations, Stamford's sign code (currently in effect through amendments to May 31, 2026), bans off-site advertising signs outright under § 11.D.6, meaning traditional billboards cannot be erected anywhere in the city, regardless of district. For any sign that is otherwise permitted, § 11.D.1–2 separately bars flashing, beacon or strobe illumination and any exposed tube, bulb, or exterior spot lighting that causes glare toward a residential district or hazards to traffic. These are zoning provisions, enforced by the Zoning Enforcement Officer, not the City Code of Ordinances.

Violations & Fines

Erecting or maintaining an off-site advertising sign, or illuminating any sign with glare-causing or flashing lighting, is a zoning violation subject to civil citation and removal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a business put up a billboard advertising another company in Stamford?
No. Stamford's Zoning Regulations prohibit all off-site advertising signs, the technical term for a billboard, in every zoning district.
Are illuminated on-site signs allowed at all?
Yes, if not flashing and not causing glare onto a residential district; signs must also meet Chapter 155's separate exterior lighting design standards.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Stamford

All Stamford rules

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Billboard Lighting in Nearby Cities

How other cities in this county handle billboard lighting.

Bridgeport, CT
Some Restrictions