Jackson, TN Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)

Jackson's standard freestanding sign limits by zoning district top out at 50 feet in most business and industrial districts, but § 14-406(1) grants a targeted exception for property near the interstate. A parcel zoned B-4, B-5 or SC-1 that sits within a 1,500-foot radius of the center point of an Interstate 40 interchange may apply the bonus to one of its allowable freestanding on-premise signs, letting that single sign rise to 50 feet as measured from the nearest grade of I-40 itself, rather than from the parcel's own grade.

Four conditions apply: the bonus sign cannot exceed 300 square feet in area; it must be located and oriented toward Interstate 40 and otherwise comply with the sign code; it must sit at least 1,000 feet from any residential developed or developing property; and any other freestanding on-premise signs on the same lot are capped at 25 feet even while the bonus sign stands taller. The bonus applies to only one sign per qualifying lot, so an owner cannot stack the height and area increase across multiple freestanding structures.

As with any freestanding sign, the bonus sign still needs a sign permit from the administrator under § 14-403 before construction, including drawings of its dimensions, structural supports and electrical components, and it remains subject to the two-year safety inspection and tagging cycle under § 14-404(2).