Sussex County, DE Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max height, 4+ lane roads
- 35 feet
- Max structure area, 4+ lane roads
- 1,200 sq ft
- Minimum spacing between signs
- 600 feet
- Permit type required
- Special use exception, § 115-80C
- State sign-off required
- DelDOT non-objection letter
- Governing section
- Zoning Code § 115-159.5B(4)
Summary
Off-premises signs facing Sussex County's busiest roads, those with four or more travel lanes, get the county's largest allowance and its steepest separation rule: up to 1,200 square feet per structure, but only one every 600 feet and only by special use exception.
For all off-premises signs which are located on properties adjacent to roads which have four or more travel lanes (excluding turn lanes), the following regulations shall apply: (a) An off-premises sign shall not be erected within 600 feet of another off-premises sign... (b) No off-premises sign shall exceed 35 feet in height from ground level. (c) An off-premises sign shall not exceed 600 feet of sign area per side and shall not exceed more than 1,200 square feet of sign area per off-premises sign structure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4401089; v17 updated 2025-06-17; through 06-17-2025).
Full Breakdown
5B(4) sets a distinct, stricter regulatory track for off-premises signs (billboards) sited along roads with four or more travel lanes, excluding turn lanes, which covers the county's highway corridors such as Route 1 and Route 113. Under that subsection, no off-premises sign may exceed 35 feet in height from ground level, sign area per side may not exceed 600 square feet, and the total sign area on a single structure may not exceed 1,200 square feet. Signs must sit at least 600 feet from another off-premises sign measured edge to edge on the same side of the road.
5B(3) allows only 25 feet in height and 600 square feet per structure on lower-capacity roads with fewer than four travel lanes. 5B(5). Off-premises signs are barred outright from the B-2 Business Community District and every residential district. 2.
Violations & Fines
Erecting an off-premises sign facing a four-or-more-lane road without a § 115-80C special use exception, exceeding the 35-foot height or 1,200-square-foot structure cap, or placing it within 600 feet of another off-premises sign violates § 115-159.5B. The Director enforces under § 115-160M with a mandatory minimum $100 fine (up to $1,000) or up to 10 days' imprisonment per day of violation, and may order the sign removed at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are billboards allowed along Sussex County's major highways?
Does Sussex County treat highway-facing billboards differently from other roads?
Do I need state approval for a highway-facing sign in Sussex County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sussex County
Compare Sussex County to another location·View the Delaware sign regulations overview
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