Abilene, TX Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

11. On-premises signs larger than 75 square feet and any off-premises electronic sign must display static messages only: no scrolling, flashing, or the appearance of motion in the sign itself or its illumination. Each message must stay on screen a minimum of eight seconds, and the changeover to the next message can take no more than two seconds, using only a fade, dissolve, or scroll during that brief transition window. Every sign structure is capped at two faces, one per side, and a single face cannot be split into separate zones each running its own message to dodge the display-time rule.

Brightness is controlled by a light-sensing dimmer or a scheduled timer: daytime output cannot exceed 7,000 nits and nighttime output cannot exceed 1,000 nits, measured directly off the sign face. Any sign within 100 feet of residentially zoned land must either be angled so no part of the electronic face is visible from that property or reduced to no more than 250 nits after dark. Before the city issues a permit, the applicant must submit the manufacturer's written certification that the sign's brightness was factory preset to these limits.

The city manager or a designee can order a sign dimmed, its display time lengthened, or other settings altered if it creates a traffic safety hazard, though the city cannot order a change that would make the sign useless for its purpose. Any sign that malfunctions must go dark or display a blank screen until repaired. Violations of the sign subpart are misdemeanors punishable under the Code's general penalty section, with each day of violation a separate offense, and the city can also issue stop-work orders or revoke a sign permit for noncompliance.