Islip, NY Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Off-premise billboards
- prohibited town-wide, § 68-396G
- Animated/flashing signs
- banned except time/temperature displays
- Marquee exception
- digital only for entertainment/civic facilities (IMUPDD)
- Governing article
- Zoning Ch. 68, Art. XXIX, Signs
- Unpermitted signs
- independently prohibited, § 68-396L
Summary
Islip's sign ordinance bans commercial billboards outright, any sign rented to advertise a product or business other than the one on the property where it stands, and separately prohibits flashing, revolving or animated signs of any kind, digital or otherwise, except signs that display only time and temperature.
Any sign not specifically permitted is prohibited and shall be removed. Prohibited signs include but are not limited to the following: ... E. Flashing, revolving, moving, sound-producing or animated signs, including signs which have the capability of motion in whole or in part, except signs which display time and/or temperature exclusively. ... G. Commercial billboard which is rented or used to advertise a product, service or establishment which is not the principle product, service or establishment found on the property containing the billboard.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4826765; v112 updated 2026-02-24; through 02-24-2026).
Full Breakdown
Article XXIX of the Zoning chapter, Signs, is the Town's general sign ordinance and applies outside the specialized IMUPDD overlay. Section 68-396, Prohibited signs, states that 'any sign not specifically permitted is prohibited and shall be removed,' then enumerates the banned categories. Subsection G bars a 'commercial billboard which is rented or used to advertise a product, service or establishment which is not the principle product, service or establishment found on the property containing the billboard', meaning off-premise advertising billboards, digital or static, are prohibited town-wide, while on-premise business signage identifying the establishment itself is not classified as a billboard.
Subsection E separately bars 'flashing, revolving, moving, sound-producing or animated signs, including signs which have the capability of motion in whole or in part, except signs which display time and/or temperature exclusively', a category that reaches electronic message boards and LED changeable-copy displays wherever they are not limited to a time/temperature readout. Roof signs are prohibited under Subsection F. '
Violations & Fines
The Building Inspector, and within the IMUPDD the Commissioner of Planning and Development, enforce the sign article; any sign requiring a permit but lacking one is independently prohibited under § 68-396L. A prohibited billboard or unauthorized animated/digital display must be removed, and maintaining a prohibited sign is treated as a continuing violation subject to the Town's standard zoning penalty and removal process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business put up a digital billboard in Islip?
Are electronic message signs with scrolling text allowed?
Is there any digital sign allowed anywhere in Islip?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Islip
New York rules heatmap·Compare Islip to another location·View the New York sign regulations overview
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