Philadelphia, PA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

Philadelphia Code § 14-905(8) sets strict technical limits on digital non-accessory signs (billboards). Daytime luminance may not exceed 6,500 nits and nighttime luminance may not exceed 450 nits, with automatic dimming required at all times. Displays cannot exceed 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light, measured at set distances tied to sign size. All motion, including holographic or 3D projections, is prohibited -- only static text and graphics are allowed, and each display must hold for at least 8 seconds. New or converted digital signs must stay 500 feet from any residentially zoned district and cannot face one within 1,000 feet. Non-accessory signs can only convert to digital if within 660 feet of I-95 or I-76 and viewed principally from those roadways.