Barrow County, GA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- Barrow County Code § 89-787
- Where allowed
- Commercial and industrial property only
- Static image duration
- At least 8 seconds per image
- Brightness cap
- 0.30 foot candles above ambient at 100 ft
- Pixel spacing (freestanding)
- 16 mm center-to-center for billboards
- Non-compliance remedy
- County may disconnect sign's power supply
Summary
Barrow County allows electronic changeable copy signs only on commercial and industrial property under Code Sec. 89-787. Signs visible from a public street or sidewalk must show static images for at least eight seconds each, cannot flash or scroll, and cannot exceed 0.30 foot candles above ambient light measured 100 feet away.
(a)Electronic changeable copy signs are permitted only on commercial and industrial properties.(b)All electronic changeable copy signs viewable from a public street or sidewalk shall present only static displays (still pictures and printing). Such signs not viewable from a public street or sidewalk may display movies, animation or video containing motion.(c)Each static image shall be maintained for a duration of at least eight seconds. ... (d)For signs viewable from a public street or sidewalk, no flashing, scrolling, or other variation in the static image that gives an illusion of movement or variation in light intensity during the display of a single image is allowed. ... (4)Maximum brightness:a.The sign must employ a light sensing device that adjusts the brightness as ambient light conditions change.b.The sign shall not operate at a brightness level of more than 0.30 foot candles above ambient light levels measured at 100 feet from the sign (150 feet for sign faces greater than 100 square feet in area), as certified under paragraph (f) below.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 89-787 governs every electronic changeable copy sign in unincorporated Barrow County, the category that covers digital billboards and LED reader boards regardless of the display technology used. The section starts with a location limit: these signs are permitted only on commercial and industrial properties, not residential or agricultural land. For a sign that a driver or pedestrian can see from a public street or sidewalk, the display has to be static, meaning still pictures or printing, with each image held for at least eight seconds and the change between images perceived as close to instantaneous as the technology allows; flashing, scrolling or any variation that creates an illusion of movement or changing light intensity during a single image is banned.
A sign not visible from a public street or sidewalk gets more freedom and may show movies, animation or video with motion. 30 foot candles above ambient light measured 100 feet from the sign (150 feet for faces over 100 square feet). A fail-safe device has to drop the brightness to its lowest night-time level if the light sensor fails. Before installation, the sign owner must give the county a written statement from the installer certifying compliance, and certify again within 30 days after the sign goes up.
Violations & Fines
Operating an electronic changeable copy sign that violates Sec. 89-787, including overriding its light-sensing or fail-safe device, lets the county disconnect the sign's electrical power supply at the owner's expense under the Development Code's enforcement procedures. The violation is also a misdemeanor under Sec. 89-1447(a), with a civil penalty of up to $2,500.00 for each day the noncompliant display continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a digital billboard show video in Barrow County?
How bright can an LED billboard be at night in Barrow County?
What happens if a digital sign owner overrides the brightness controls?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Barrow County
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