Craven County, NC Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

The Developmental Regulations' sign article draws a sharp line between animated displays and changeable-copy displays. Section 202 defines 'animation' as the movement, or optical illusion of movement, of any part of a sign's structure, design, or pictorial segment, including movement of illumination or the flashing, scintillating, or varying of light intensity, and specifically includes chasing-action lights that create the appearance of motion. It separately defines an 'automatic changeable facing sign' as a sign, display, or device that changes the message or copy on the sign facing electronically by movement or rotation of panels or slats, distinguishing that technology from true animation.

Section 207's list of prohibited signs makes the consequence explicit: animated signs are not permitted anywhere in the County, but changeable copy signs are allowed, so long as they conform to the off-premises sign requirements in Article VII. In practice, that means a digital billboard that simply rotates or swaps static messages on a schedule can be permitted as an off-premises sign under the size, height, spacing, and setback standards, while any billboard whose display flashes, scintillates, or otherwise creates the illusion of motion is barred outright.

Section 206 backs this up by separately prohibiting any sign from being animated as part of the county's traffic-hazard and design standards for all signs.