Corpus Christi, TX Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed districts
- CI, IL, IH only
- Message hold
- 8 seconds minimum
- Max brightness
- 5,000 nits day / 500 night
- Separation
- 1,500 feet
- Malfunction repair
- Within 48 hours
Summary
New and electronic (digital) billboards in Corpus Christi are allowed only in the CI, IL, and IH zoning districts, must hold 1,500 feet of separation, and an existing billboard cannot be converted to electronic unless it meets the Unified Development Code standards.
New and replacement billboards may be allowed in accordance with this Section only in the "CI" Intensive Commercial, "IL" Light Industrial and "IH" Heavy Industrial zoning districts. ... An existing Billboard may not be converted to an electronic billboard unless it meets the standards in this Code. ... Installation on gateway and commercial corridors may require removal of existing billboards in order to meet the 1,500 feet separation requirement in Subsection 7.5.21.C.
Full Breakdown
Under UDC § 7.5.23, new, replacement, and electronic billboards are confined to the "CI" Intensive Commercial, "IL" Light Industrial, and "IH" Heavy Industrial districts, with a 1,500-foot separation carried over from § 7.5.21.C. Digital faces run under § 7.5.12: the image may change no more often than every eight seconds, each change completed within two seconds, with no movement, flashing, or scintillation. Brightness may not exceed 5,000 nits by day and 500 nits at night, ambient-light monitors are mandatory, and any malfunctioning sign must be repaired or disconnected within 48 hours. The Development Services Department issues billboard licenses and permits under § 7.5.24.
Violations & Fines
A digital billboard that flashes, exceeds 5,000 nits by day or 500 nits at night, changes copy faster than every eight seconds, or malfunctions must be repaired or disconnected within 48 hours by its owner or operator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a digital billboard anywhere in Corpus Christi?
How fast can a digital billboard change its message?
Can an existing billboard be converted to digital?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Corpus Christi
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