Newport News, VA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Max signs per site
- One (1)
- Max height
- 10 feet
- Max area
- 32 sq ft per face
- Static hold time
- 5 seconds minimum
- Historic districts
- Not permitted
Summary
Newport News allows one freestanding electronic display sign per commercial or industrial site, capped at 32 square feet and 10 feet tall, with each image held static at least 5 seconds and no flashing or scrolling.
Electronic display signs shall be permitted as free standing signs... By right in conjunction with commercial and/or industrial uses... No more than one (1) such sign shall be permitted on any developed site; The entire sign structure... shall not exceed ten (10) feet in height; The area encompassing an electronic display sign shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet per sign face. All electronic displays shall remain static for a period of at least five (5) seconds... Flashing, scrolling, blinking or any other type of intermittent illumination of elements of the display shall be prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Section 33.01-6.1 permits electronic display signs as freestanding signs by right for commercial and industrial uses (multi-family and residential-district community facilities need a conditional use permit instead). Only one such sign is allowed per developed site, capped at 10 feet in structure height and 32 square feet per sign face. Displays must hold each image static for at least 5 seconds with instantaneous re-pixelization; flashing, scrolling, blinking, and attached audio speakers are all prohibited, and power lines to the sign must run underground.
Violations & Fines
Erecting more than one electronic sign per site, exceeding the height or area caps, or running flashing, scrolling, or audio-equipped displays violates § 33.01-6.1 and is enforceable by the zoning administrator under the chapter's maintenance and removal authority in § 33.01-12.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a gas station install a digital price sign in Newport News?
Are digital billboards allowed in Newport News's historic districts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport News
Compare Newport News to another location·View the Virginia sign regulations overview
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