De Pere, WI Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum display time
- 8 seconds per message
- Transition time limit
- 3 seconds between frames
- Daytime brightness cap
- 5,000 nits maximum
- Dusk-to-dawn brightness cap
- 500 nits maximum
- EMS/host sign separation
- 1 foot maximum gap
- Uncorrected violation window
- 5 days from written notice
Summary
De Pere will not let an electronic message sign (EMS) stand alone: it must be built into an already-allowed wall or freestanding sign with no more than a one-foot gap between the two displays. Each message must hold for at least 8 seconds, transitions are capped at 3 seconds, and photosensitive dimmers must hold brightness at or under 5,000 nits by day and 500 nits from dusk to dawn.
(4) Electronic Message Signs (EMS) Electronic Message signs are subject to the following supplemental regulations. (a) EMS must not be utilized as a stand-alone sign and must be incorporated into or attached to an otherwise allowed wall or freestanding sign so that separation between the 2 signs is limited to one foot. ... (e) EMS must have a minimum display time of 8 seconds. (f) The transition time between messages and/ or message frames is limited to 3 seconds and these transitions may employ fade, dissolve, and/or other transition effects. ( ... g) The EMS must be equipped with photosensitive equipment which automatically adjusts the brightness and contrast of the sign in direct relation to the ambient outdoor illumination. The sign must not exceed a maximum illumination of 5,000 nits (candelas per square meter) during daylight hours and a maximum illumination of 500 nits (candelas per square meter) between dusk to dawn as measured from the sign’s face at maximum brightness. ... (j) EMS signs in mixed-Use districts must be extinguished (turned off) between 30 minutes after the close of all businesses on the lot and 30 minutes before the opening of any business on the same lot.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Zoning Ordinance § 14-113(4) treats electronic message signs as a supplemental category layered onto a permitted wall or pole sign, not a freestanding use of their own: subsection (a) bars a stand-alone EMS and limits the gap between the EMS and its host sign to one foot. Subsection (e) sets an 8-second minimum hold time per message, and subsection (f) caps the transition between frames at 3 seconds, allowing fade or dissolve effects. Subsection (g) is the brightness control: every EMS must carry photosensitive equipment that automatically adjusts brightness against ambient outdoor light, capped at 5,000 nits (candelas per square meter) in daylight and 500 nits between dusk and dawn, measured at the sign face at maximum brightness.
A sign the city finds too bright must be dimmed on the city's order. Subsection (h) forbids pairing an EMS with any portable sign on the same site, and subsection (i) bars off-premise commercial advertising on an EMS. under subsection (k). Every EMS still needs the same sign permit required under § 14-114(2)(d), reviewed by the city's designated sign inspector, before it can be erected, altered, enlarged, or relocated.
Violations & Fines
Erecting or altering an EMS without a permit, or running one that no longer meets § 14-113(4), is unlawful under § 14-114(3). The sign inspector gives written notice, and the owner has 5 days to bring the sign into compliance or remove it at their own expense. A sign put up without a permit draws a permit fee of twice the normal amount. If the owner does not act, the sign inspector can order removal and assess the cost to the property's tax roll.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a stand-alone digital billboard in De Pere?
How bright can a De Pere digital sign be at night?
Can a digital sign show scrolling video or flashing text?
What happens if my EMS violates the display or brightness rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in De Pere
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How other cities in Brown County handle digital billboards.