Palm Beach County, FL Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Max digital display area
- 50% of sign area
- Eligible uses
- Regional and civic/assembly facilities only
- Message motion
- No flashing, scrolling, or fading
- Minimum message duration
- 8-12 seconds by road speed
- New billboards
- Banned since 2016 ordinance
Summary
Unincorporated Palm Beach County caps electronic message signs at 50 percent of sign area, restricts them to regional and civic/assembly facilities, and bans flashing, scrolling, or fading text under the Unified Land Development Code.
E. Message Display 1. No sign may contain text which flashes, pulsates, moves, or scrolls. 2. Each complete message must fit on one screen. 3. The content of the sign must transition by changing instantly (e.g., no fade-out or fade-in).
Full Breakdown
ULDC Art. 8.F.7 allows a Message Center or Digital Display only on regional facilities in the CG, CRE, PO, or IL zoning districts, or civic and assembly facilities in any district. It cannot exceed 50 percent of the sign's area without a Class A Conditional Use approval. Text may not flash, pulsate, move, or scroll, and each message must change instantly, not fade. Minimum display time is 12 seconds on roads under 45 mph, eight seconds faster. Separately, no new off-premise billboards may be built countywide: only the 1998 registered inventory may be relocated or replaced.
Violations & Fines
PBC Code Enforcement Special Masters can order removal of an illegal sign and impose administrative fines under Art. 10.B.3, plus civil or administrative action against signs that exceed the area or format limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business install an electronic message sign in unincorporated Palm Beach County?
Can a digital sign show video or scrolling text?
Are new billboards allowed in unincorporated Palm Beach County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Beach County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Palm Beach County 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 If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.