Jefferson County, AL Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Qualifying interstates
- I-22, I-20, I-59, I-65, I-459
- Qualifying state/US highways
- AL 75, AL 79, US 78
- Other roads
- Special Use approval required
- Max height
- 70 feet from road grade
- Large-face interstate setback
- 100 ft ROW if 400+ sq ft
- Governing section
- Zoning § 1404.02-.03
Summary
Jefferson County restricts billboards to a short list of designated highway corridors rather than allowing them anywhere: Interstates 22, 20, 59, 65 and 459, Alabama Highways 75 and 79, and U.S. Highway 78, under Zoning Section 1404.02. Any other road requires discretionary Special Use approval.
b. ... All billboards shall be located only along the roads or highways specified below: Interstates 22, 20, 59, 65, 459 or any federally-designated Interstate Alabama Highways 75, and 79 US Highway 78. Billboards may also be permitted, subject to these regulations, on other roadways only as a Special Use approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission except in Overlay Districts.
Full Breakdown
02 of the Jefferson County Zoning Regulations confines billboards to a defined set of freeway and highway corridors instead of permitting them county-wide. S. Highway 78. A billboard proposed for any other roadway does not have an as-of-right path, it can be considered only as a Special Use approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and that discretionary route is unavailable in designated Overlay Districts, where the overlay's own sign standards control instead. 03. Billboards proposed on segments of interstate frontage that fall under state or federal jurisdiction must also separately satisfy Alabama Department of Transportation and federal placement rules layered on top of the county's own corridor list. 02, for example, a county collector road, cannot host a billboard without first obtaining Planning and Zoning Commission approval as a Special Use.
Violations & Fines
A billboard erected along a roadway outside the Section 1404.02 corridor list without first securing Planning and Zoning Commission Special Use approval, or one that exceeds the 70-foot height cap or the 400-square-foot/100-foot right-of-way rule on Interstate frontage, is subject to permit denial or revocation and required removal of the structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a billboard along any highway in Jefferson County?
How tall can a billboard be along one of the qualifying interstates?
Does a state or federal agency also have a say in interstate billboards?
What if my property fronts a highway that isn't on the list?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jefferson County
Compare Jefferson County to another location·View the Alabama sign regulations overview
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