Gwinnett County, GA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- New billboards
- Prohibited outright
- Conversion ratio
- 3 signs removed per 1 converted
- Message minimum
- 10 seconds static
- Spacing
- 5,000 ft. from another sign
- Near residences
- Special use permit required
Summary
Unincorporated Gwinnett County bans new billboards outright but lets owners convert an existing non-conforming oversized sign to electronic display only by removing at least three comparable sign faces county-wide.
(f)Regulation. In addition to the provisions of this ordinance, each oversized electronic sign shall conform to the following:(1)Each individual static message must be displayed for not less than ten seconds.(2)Oversized electronic signs may not operate at brightness levels of more than 0.30 foot-candles (under measurement conditions) above ambient light levels as measured at the following distances: Electronic sign sq. ft. Distance < 100 sq. ft. 100 ft. 101 sq. ft.—300 sq. ft. 150 ft. ≥ 349 sq. ft. 250 ft.
(3)Upon request of the director, the owner of said oversized electronic signs shall arrange for a certification of the light intensity showing compliance by an independent contractor and provide said certification to the director.(4)No oversized electronic sign shall be located within 5,000 feet of another oversized electronic sign (measured along the edge of right of way).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9).
Full Breakdown
§ 78-114 prohibits new oversized signs outright. § 78-114A creates the only path to a digital billboard: an existing legal non-conforming oversized sign not within 500 feet of a residence may be converted to electronic if the owner removes at least three other non-conforming oversized sign faces of equal or greater size elsewhere in the county. Conversions within 500 feet of a residence additionally require a special use permit and board approval. Each electronic message must display for at least ten seconds, and no oversized electronic sign may sit within 5,000 feet of another.
Violations & Fines
Installing or operating an oversized electronic sign without completing the required exchange, SUP process, or minimum message-duration and spacing rules violates §§ 78-114/78-114A, enforceable under § 78-118 with fines up to $1,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone build a new digital billboard in unincorporated Gwinnett County?
What does the exchange program require?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gwinnett County
Compare Gwinnett County to another location·View the Georgia sign regulations overview
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