Sarasota, FL Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime brightness cap
- 5,000 nits
- Nighttime brightness cap
- 500 nits
- Message change limit
- 1 per 24 hours
- Banned in
- CT downtown zone district
Summary
Electronic message boards in City of Sarasota office and commercial zones must auto-dim, capping brightness at 5,000 nits by day and 500 nits at night, and are banned entirely from the CT downtown zone.
All electronic message boards shall come equipped with functioning automatic diming technology that allows the nit level to be controlled by sensor or timer that will change the intensity automatically (nits are a unit measurement of luminance and are the standard measure of brightness for electronic signs and devices).c.Electronic message boards shall not exceed a maximum illumination of 5,000 nits during daylight hours and a maximum illumination of 500 nits between 15 minutes after sunset and 15 before sunrise and to account for adverse weather conditions that reduce the amount of sunlight.d.All electronic message boards shall be constructed and operated so that the message board defaults to a black screen when not displaying a message or when out of service. (Ord. No. 02-4357, 4-29-02; Ord. No. 07-4720 § 2, 5-21-07; Ord. No. 07-4770, § 2, 12-17-07; Ord. No. 10-4927, § 2(att. 1), 2-22-11; Ord. No. 13-5041, § 2(att. 1), 3-4-12; Ord. No. 21-5364, § 2(Exh. A), 5-18-21)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33 | Zoning: Supplement 44).
Full Breakdown
The City of Sarasota Zoning Code allows electronic message boards only in office, commercial, and production intensive commercial zone districts, with displays limited to one message change per 24 hours. Every board must carry automatic dimming technology tied to a sensor or timer, capped at 5,000 nits during daylight and 500 nits from 15 minutes after sunset to 15 minutes before sunrise. Boards must default to a black screen when idle or out of service, and the CT (Downtown Core) zone district bans them outright.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the nit caps, skipping automatic dimming, changing messages more than once a day, or installing a board in the CT zone violates VII-110(18) and can trigger sign-permit revocation and code enforcement citations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install a digital billboard anywhere in Sarasota?
How bright can a Sarasota electronic sign be at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota to another location·View the Florida sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Digital Billboards in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sarasota County handle digital billboards.