Vacaville, CA Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Brightness cap
- 0.3 foot-candles above ambient
- Photometric measure point
- 250 ft from sign face
- Min display time
- 8 seconds static
- Malfunction pixel threshold
- 5% of screen area
- Approval required
- Conditional use permit + design review
- Static removal ratio
- 3 billboards or 4 faces removed
Summary
Digital freeway billboards in Vacaville cannot shine brighter than 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light, measured with a foot-candle meter, under Municipal Code Section 14.09.260.100(B)(4)(c). Every application needs a photometric plan showing light spill 250 feet from the sign face, and automatic dimming circuitry must adjust brightness as daylight changes.
Lighting. i. Photometric Plan. All development applications for a digital freeway billboard shall include a photometric plan identifying the anticipated light pollution from the billboard, which shall be measured 250 feet away from the face of the billboard. ii. Intensity. The intensity of each lighting element or lamp in the message center portion of the off-site advertising structure shall not impair the vision of travelers on any adjacent freeway... iv. Automatic Dimming Device. Dimming circuitry shall be incorporated in the electronic portion of the off-site advertising display automatically dimming the off-site advertising display to reduce halo effects and glare as ambient light conditions change... vi. Digital freeway billboards shall not operate at a brightness level of more than 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light, as measured using a foot-candle meter at a preset distance consistent with acceptable practices.
Full Breakdown
290, on top of the lighting standards themselves. The photometric plan required with each application must identify anticipated light pollution measured 250 feet from the billboard's face. The lighting element intensity in the message center cannot impair the vision of freeway travelers, the actual lamps must be recessed into the cabinet so no light source protrudes past the display face, and automatic dimming circuitry has to adjust brightness as ambient light changes to cut halo effects and glare. 3 foot-candles above ambient light, measured with a foot-candle meter at a preset distance.
Messaging must stay static for at least eight seconds per image, with no flashing, scintillating, or apparent movement, and operators must be able to display regional emergency alerts. If the display malfunctions, defined to include defective pixels covering more than five percent of the screen, error messages, or unintended images, the system must switch to off or full black rather than keep running. New digital billboards also require removing at least three existing static billboard structures, or four sign faces, and the whole package needs a development agreement and Caltrans preliminary determination before it reaches the City.
Violations & Fines
A digital billboard that exceeds the 0.3 foot-candle brightness cap, skips its automatic dimming, or keeps a malfunctioning display running instead of switching to a black screen is enforced the same as any other Chapter 14.09.260 violation, through the Director of Community Development and the abatement and enforcement procedures in Chapters 8.10 and 14.25. Because every digital billboard operates under a conditional use permit, continued noncompliance can also put that permit at risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can a digital billboard be along I-80 in Vacaville?
What happens if a digital billboard malfunctions in Vacaville?
Does a digital freeway billboard need City approval before going up?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Vacaville
California rules heatmap·Compare Vacaville to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Billboard Lighting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle billboard lighting.