Cherokee County, GA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed zones
- Non-residential only, freestanding signs
- Max digital area
- 32 sq ft, 2 areas per sign
- Min message duration
- 60 seconds per display
- Lot frontage required
- 200 ft, 200 ft sign separation
- Brightness cap
- 0.20 fc ambient (0.10 fc near homes)
- Malfunction rule
- Shut off if over 50% of lights fail
Summary
Digital signs are tightly boxed in unincorporated Cherokee County: Zoning Ordinance § 11.5-5(i) bans them from residential zones outright, allows them only as freestanding signs on qualifying commercial or industrial lots, caps the digital face at 32 square feet, and forces each static message to hold for at least 60 seconds with no scrolling, flashing, or animation.
1.The following shall apply to all electronic signs:a.Electronic signs shall only be used as freestanding signs and shall not be allowed as canopy, wall or awning signs as defined in this ordinance.b.Electronic signs shall contain static messages only, and shall not have movement nor flashing on any part of the sign structure, design, or pictorial segment of the sign, nor shall such sign have varying light intensity during the display of any single message. Transitions between messages shall not use frame effects or other methods which result in movement of a displayed image during such transition. ... i.Electronic signs shall not be allowed in residential zones.2.Electronic signs located on non-residentially zoned property: ...a.Must be located on a property/lot with at least 200 feet of public road frontage on one road ... and cannot be within 200 feet of another electronic sign that may be permitted on the same property/lot.b.Electronic messaging portion of sign shall not exceed 32 square feet per allowable sign area and may not have more than two electronic sign areas per sign.c.Each individual static message must be displayed for not less than 60 seconds.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 39 | Zoning: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
5-5(i) of the Zoning Ordinance governs every electronic sign in the unincorporated county. Electronic signs can only be used as freestanding signs, never as canopy, wall or awning signs, and they cannot be installed in residential zones at all. Every message must be static: no movement, flashing, varying light intensity, or frame-effect transitions are allowed between messages, and each sign needs a light-sensing device that automatically dims or brightens the display as ambient light changes. On qualifying non-residential lots, the sign must sit on a parcel with at least 200 feet of public road frontage and stay at least 200 feet from any other electronic sign on the same lot; the digital portion itself is capped at 32 square feet with no more than two electronic sign areas per sign, and each individual message must display for a minimum of 60 seconds.
10 foot-candles if the sign is in the line of sight of an occupied home. The owner must give the Development Services Director a 24-hour contact who can shut the sign off if it malfunctions, and if more than half the digital display lights fail, the owner must turn the sign off until it's repaired. County staff can demand an independent brightness certification during a complaint investigation, and the frequency limit on message changes cannot be varied except by amending the ordinance itself.
Violations & Fines
An electronic sign that exceeds the brightness limits must be shut off within 24 hours of a county request until it's corrected, at the owner's expense, and any sign with more than half its display lights malfunctioning must stay dark until repaired (§ 11.5-5(i)). Beyond those sign-specific consequences, Zoning Ordinance § 19.1 punishes any zoning violation with a fine of up to $1,000.00 or 60 days in jail, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are digital billboards allowed in Cherokee County's residential areas?
How bright can an electronic sign be?
Can a digital sign scroll or flash its message?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cherokee County
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