Pitt County, NC Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)

Section 30, titled 'Same, Illumination,' governs how outdoor advertising signs, defined in Section 1 as billboards or off-premises signs, may be lit in unincorporated Pitt County. The section imposes three conditions. First, lighting must be directed onto the face of the sign and shielded so the light source is not visible, and it cannot create a hazard or nuisance for motorists or nearby residents; a floodlight aimed outward, rather than at the sign face, or one that glares into a neighboring yard or oncoming traffic, would violate this standard.

Second, the ordinance bans flashing, rotating, or intermittent illumination on any outdoor advertising sign, ruling out strobing, chasing, or animated lighting effects regardless of brightness. Third, any illuminated sign must also comply with Volume 4, 'Electrical,' of the North Carolina State Building Code, layering the state electrical code's wiring and fixture requirements on top of the ordinance's own shielding and no-flashing rules. C specifically bars the Board of Commissioners from granting waivers or modifications to any of those sections, so a billboard's lighting cannot be varianced around.

The County Building Inspections Department, through the chief building inspector, administers and enforces the illumination rule as part of the sign permit process under Section 8 and the inspection duties assigned in Section 6.