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Sullivan County, TN Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Zoning Resolution § 9-109
Eligible districts
B-3, B-4, PBD, PBD-3
Day brightness cap
4,000 nits, 7am-10pm
Night brightness cap
1,000 nits, 10pm-7am
Board size limit
50% of sign face
Minimum display time
5 seconds
Banned zones
Historic, conservation overlays

Summary

Sullivan County allows one electronic message board on a freestanding sign in B-3, B-4, PBD, and PBD-3 districts, or at a church, school, or emergency-services facility. Section 9-109 caps brightness at 4,000 nits by day and 1,000 nits after 10 p.m., and bans video, animation, and scrolling text.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Sullivan County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

9-109. Electronic Message Board Signs on Freestanding Sign Structures - Freestanding Signs with Electronic Message Board Sign Faces are permitted in any B-3, B-4, PBD or PBD-3 Zoning District with an operating business or on any parcel where a place of community assembly is operating such as a church, community center, church fellowship hall, school, fire department...or facility operated by emergency responders serving the county...9-109.4 Electronic message boards shall include an automatic dimmer. The maximum allowable brightness of an electronic message board shall not exceed 4,000 Nits during the hours between 7:00AM to 10:00PM and 1,000 Nits after 10:00PM to 7:00AM.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Section 9-109 of the Zoning Resolution lets a business or a place of community assembly, meaning a church, community center, church fellowship hall, school, or fire department or other emergency-responder facility, add one electronic message board to its single permitted freestanding sign, but only in the B-3, B-4, PBD, or PBD-3 zoning districts. 1. 2. 4. 9. 12. The Building Official checks that a board does not interfere with nearby traffic signals.

Violations & Fines

A sign installed or operated outside these limits, oversized, over-bright, animated, or placed in a historic overlay, is a Zoning Resolution violation. Under Section 12-107.2 that is a misdemeanor punishable as provided by law, with a civil penalty up to $500 per offense and each day of noncompliance charged as a new offense against the sign's owner or the business operating it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How bright can a digital billboard be in Sullivan County?
Section 9-109.4 caps an electronic message board at 4,000 nits between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., and requires it to dim to no more than 1,000 nits between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with an automatic dimmer built in to make the switch.
Can a digital sign show video or scroll text?
No. Sections 9-109.7 and 9-109.8 limit displays to still text and images only, with no video, animation, scrolling, or flashing, and each message must hold for at least five seconds and change instantly rather than fade in or out.
Which properties can install an electronic message board?
Only parcels in the B-3, B-4, PBD, or PBD-3 districts, or a church, school, community center, or emergency-services site, and only with at least 100 feet of frontage on an arterial or major collector road under Section 9-109.2.
Are digital signs allowed in historic districts?
No. Section 9-109.10 bars electronic message board signs from any historic district or conservation overlay zone, listed as H-1, H-2, or CV1-6, regardless of how the underlying parcel is otherwise zoned.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Sullivan County

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsHoliday DisplaysFew RestrictionsWindow SignsFew RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage TreesLight Restrictions

All Sullivan County rules

Compare Sullivan County to another location·View the Tennessee sign regulations overview

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