Allentown, PA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

Off-premise outdoor advertising signs, billboards, are already restricted under § 660-104 to IG- and IM-zoned lots or grandfathered former B-3 lots. A(5) governs converting one of those existing billboards into a digital display: an existing off-premise outdoor advertising sign may be converted to a dynamic display only if the dynamic display complies with the regulations of § 660-105, and the sign would be able to meet all current requirements that apply to off-premise outdoor advertising signs as if it were being newly placed on the property.

That second condition means an older, nonconforming billboard can't simply bolt on a digital face; it must first meet every current billboard standard, including the 30-foot height cap, 300-foot setback from N-zoned lots and other billboards, and 300-square-foot area limit (672 near I-78/US-22), as if it were being newly built. A governs daily operation: displays may not display full-motion video or otherwise use multiple pictures or graphics in a series of frames to give the illusion of motion, each message must hold for at least 10 seconds (or six seconds for displays within 200 feet of I-78 or US-22), and the change between messages must occur within one second and involve no animation or special effects. Owners must also sign a written acknowledgment before permitting that future dwell-time and brightness rules can change the display's operating conditions. D.