Rutherford County, TN Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum static hold
- 8 sec (time/date/temp), 30 sec (other)
- Interstate ground sign copy
- Up to 100% of sign face
- Commercial/industrial ground sign copy
- Up to 50% of sign face
- Off-premise billboards
- No changeable copy allowance listed
- Penalty
- Up to $50/day, § 1208 B
Summary
In unincorporated Rutherford County, electronic message signs are regulated as automatic changeable copy under Zoning Ordinance Section 1205 G, not banned outright. The county requires a fail-safe freeze on malfunction, automatic dimming for ambient light, and a fixed display of at least 8 seconds for time or temperature and 30 seconds for any other message, with instant transitions only.
G. Changeable Copy
1. Signs containing automatic changeable copy must be designed and equipped to freeze the device in one position if a malfunction occurs. The displays must also be equipped with a means to immediately discontinue the display if it malfunctions and the sign owner must immediately stop the display when notified by the County that it is not complying with the standards of this ordinance.
2. Only one contiguous automatic changeable copy area is allowed on a sign face.
3. All signs containing automatic changeable copy must be equipped with a mechanism that automatically adjusts the brightness in response to ambient conditions. ... 7. Signs containing automatic changeable copy messages must remain fixed, static, motionless, and non-flashing for a period of at least 8 seconds for time, date or temperature displays and 30 seconds for all other messages.
Full Breakdown
Rutherford County's Zoning Ordinance treats electronic message centers as automatic changeable copy signs, defined in Article II and regulated in Section 1205 G. g lets an Interstate On-Site Ground Sign near I-24 run changeable copy on 100 percent of its face. i, are not listed with a changeable-copy allowance, so a true off-premise digital billboard display is not an authorized use in unincorporated Rutherford County. Wherever changeable copy is allowed, Section 1205 G requires the sign to freeze in place if it malfunctions and shut off immediately if Building Codes finds it noncompliant, limits the sign to a single contiguous changeable-copy area, requires automatic brightness adjustment for ambient light, and requires each message to hold static for at least 8 seconds (time, date, or temperature displays) or 30 seconds (any other message) with instantaneous transitions and no scrolling or fading.
Section 1204 O and P separately prohibit signs with blinking, flashing, scrolling, or animated displays outright, reinforcing that only compliant static-hold changeable copy is permitted.
Violations & Fines
A sign operating outside these standards, continuing to display after a malfunction, skipping the brightness sensor, or holding messages for less than the required 8 or 30 seconds, is enforced under Section 1208 by the Director of Building Codes. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $50.00 under Section 1208 B, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business in unincorporated Rutherford County put up a digital or electronic sign?
Are digital billboards allowed along I-24?
How fast can a legal digital sign change its message?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rutherford County
Compare Rutherford County to another location·View the Tennessee sign regulations overview
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