Brunswick County, NC Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max size, primary routes
- 378 sq ft on US 17/74/76/NC 211
- Max size, secondary routes
- 300 sq ft on NC 87/133/130/179/904
- Max size, other roads
- 100 square feet
- Allowed zoning districts
- C-LD, C-I and I-G only
- Max height
- 35 feet above roadway surface
- Property-line setback
- Minimum 15 feet
Summary
Outdoor advertising structures facing Brunswick County's busiest highways get the largest sign allowance in the county's code, but only along three specific corridors. Under UDO Section 8.8.1, an off-premises billboard can reach 378 square feet along US 17, US 74/76 and NC 211, 300 square feet on NC 87, 133, 130, 179 and 904, and 100 square feet on every other public road. New billboards are permitted only in the C-LD, C-I and I-G zoning districts.
C.Location Restricted Permits for new outdoor advertising structures may only be issued in the C-LD, C-I, and I-G zoning districts. ... E.Maximum Sign Area The maximum sign area of an off premises ground sign is limited, depending on location as follows: 1.On US 17, US 74/76, and NC 211, the maximum sign area is 378 square feet.2.On NC 87, NC 133, NC 130, NC 179, and NC 904, the maximum sign area is 300 square feet.3.On all other public roads in the County, the maximum sign size is 100 square feet. ... F.Height Signs may not extend more than 35 feet above the roadway surface from which the sign is to be viewed. ... I.Distance from Property Lines Signs must be set back a minimum of fifteen feet from any property line.
Full Breakdown
Section 8.8.1 of the Brunswick County Unified Development Ordinance, Outdoor Advertising Structures and Off-Premises Signs, sets a road-tiered scale for billboard-style signage aimed at highway traffic. New permits for these structures are restricted to the C-LD (Commercial Low Density), C-I (Commercial Intensive) and I-G (Industrial General) zoning districts; no unincorporated residential or rural district may host a new billboard. Maximum sign area depends on which corridor the sign faces: 378 square feet along US 17, US 74/76 and NC 211, the county's primary through-routes; 300 square feet along NC 87, NC 133, NC 130, NC 179 and NC 904; and 100 square feet on all other public roads. A sign may carry no more than two faces, one per side, and structures cannot exceed 35 feet above the roadway surface they're meant to be viewed from.
Placement is tightly constrained: freestanding signs must sit within 660 feet of the road centerline but at least 15 feet back from any property line, and are barred from any sight-distance triangle at an intersection. Spacing between off-premises signs scales with the road too: 3,000 linear feet apart on US 17/74/76/211, 2,000 feet on the secondary state routes, and 1,000 feet on other public roads, plus a 500-foot buffer from any intersection centerline, 500 feet from bridges over public waterways, and 250 feet from cemeteries, churches and public parks. Billboards existing before May 1, 2007 that exceed today's limits are grandfathered as legal nonconforming structures but may not be altered.
The section governs only the unincorporated county; billboards inside Leland, Southport, Shallotte or the other towns fall under municipal code instead.
Violations & Fines
An outdoor advertising structure built outside the C-LD, C-I or I-G districts, oversized for its corridor, or placed inside the required setback or sign-spacing buffer is a UDO violation enforced by the Zoning Administrator under Article 9. Uncorrected violations draw a $100 civil penalty per Section 9.11.9.C, with each day of noncompliance a separate violation, and willful violations are a misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4 punishable by up to $500. The Zoning Administrator can also revoke the sign permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a new billboard anywhere along a Brunswick County highway?
How big can a billboard be on US 17 in Brunswick County?
What happens to an old billboard that's bigger than the current limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brunswick County
Compare Brunswick County to another location·View the North Carolina sign regulations overview
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