St. Johns County, FL Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Extra allowance
- one additional pole sign per qualifying site
- Within 500 ft of interchange
- up to 120 ft tall, 300 sq ft
- 500 ft to 0.5 mile band
- up to 85 ft tall, 250 sq ft
- Eligible sites
- nonresidential Business Sites or PUDs only
- Permit
- Sign Permit required under LDC § 7.00.08
Summary
Nonresidential sites near an interstate interchange in St. Johns County can add one extra pole sign for freeway visibility under LDC § 7.02.05. Size and height scale with distance from the ramp: up to 120 feet tall and 300 square feet within 500 feet of the interchange, or 85 feet tall and 250 square feet out to a half mile.
Sec. 7.02.05 On-Premise Permanent Signs - Interstate The following standards, criteria and provisions shall apply to all On-premise Permanent Signs throughout the County on all Commercial and Industrial zoned sites located within the interstate system interchanges, as described below. Standard Allowance Each Business Site or Non-Residential PUD shall be allowed Signage in compliance with Section 7.02.04 above. Additional Allowance Each non-residential Business Site or Non-Residential PUD shall be allowed one (1) additional Pole Sign placed On-premises for primary visibility from the Interstate and designed in compliance with the following: 1. Business Sites or Non-Residential PUDs situated within five hundred (500) feet of the interstate system interchange right-of-way shall be allowed one (1) Pole Sign measuring one hundred twenty (120) feet in height with no more than three hundred (300) square feet of Advertising Display Area. 2. Business Sites Non-Residential PUDs situated between five hundred (500) feet and one-half (0.5) mile of the interstate system interchange right-of-way shall be allowed one (1) Pole Sign measuring eighty-five (85) feet in height with a maximum Advertising Display Area of two hundred fifty (250) square feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 05 On-Premise Permanent Signs - Interstate applies to Commercial and Industrial zoned sites located within interstate system interchanges. A qualifying Business Site or Non-Residential PUD keeps its normal signage allowance under Sec. 04's Standard Allowance, then may add one additional Pole Sign placed on-premises purely for visibility from the interstate. Sites within 500 feet of the interchange right-of-way get one pole sign up to 120 feet tall with no more than 300 square feet of Advertising Display Area; sites between 500 feet and half a mile get one pole sign up to 85 feet tall with a maximum of 250 square feet.
Both bands are one-sign allowances layered on top of the base Sec. 04 signage, not a replacement for it, and are limited to nonresidential uses. Sec. 04 itself lets an applicant request up to 10 additional feet of height on State Roads and Major Collectors, or 5 feet on Local and Minor Collectors, in writing to the County Administrator when an obstruction blocks visibility; the Administrator must inspect and decide within 14 days, and that decision can be appealed to the Board of County Commissioners under Sec. 08. A Sign Permit under Sec. 08 is required before any pole sign, standard or interstate, goes up.
Violations & Fines
An interstate pole sign built taller or larger than its distance band allows is a non-compliant sign under Article VII. LDC § 7.00.09 treats sign violations like a misdemeanor under Fla. Stat. § 125.69 but limits the penalty to civil fines, with each day of non-compliance a separate violation; the County can also pursue Florida's Chapter 162, Part II code enforcement process or an injunction to force removal or a size reduction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business near I-95 in St. Johns County get a taller sign for freeway visibility?
Does the extra interstate sign replace normal signage?
What if my property sits more than a half mile from the interchange?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Johns County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare St. Johns County to another location·View the Florida sign regulations overview
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