Harnett County, NC Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 153.159(I)
- Interstate display cap
- 500 sq. ft.
- Other county roads cap
- 300 sq. ft.
- Height limit
- 35 ft. at grade, 45 ft. overall
- Setback / spacing
- 50 ft. from ROW; 1,500 ft. between signs
Summary
Harnett County caps outdoor advertising signs along interstate highways at 500 square feet of display area, 35 feet in height at street grade (up to 45 feet overall), and requires a 50-foot setback and 1,500 feet of spacing between billboards under § 153.159(I).
(1) Maximum display area. The maximum size of the display area of outdoor advertising signs along interstate highways shall be 500 square feet. The maximum size of the display area of outdoor advertising signs for all other sections of the county shall be 300 square feet. Double faced signs shall be permitted provided that each individual sign shall meet the display area requirements for that area of the county.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-7: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through 11-18-2024; and State Legislation current through 2024 Legislative Service #2).
Full Breakdown
159(I), Outdoor advertising signs, permits billboards only in the Commercial/Business District, except where that district overlaps a designated Highway Corridor Overlay District, and sets a size distinction specifically for freeway frontage: "The maximum size of the display area of outdoor advertising signs along interstate highways shall be 500 square feet. " Double-faced signs are allowed if each face independently meets the applicable display-area limit. Height is capped under (I)(2): no sign may exceed 35 feet at street grade or 45 feet measured to the top of the structure, and the display surface's lowest edge must be at least eight feet above ground, with the Planning Department requiring certified drawings once the sign is built.
0203 and the NCDOT Regulations for the Control of Outdoor Advertising. 193, and every sign requiring an NCDOT permit must maintain compliance with NCDOT's own regulations.
Violations & Fines
The Planning Department and NCDOT jointly enforce § 153.159(I); a billboard exceeding the 500-square-foot interstate cap, built without the required setback or spacing, or sited in a prohibited airport zone is subject to permit denial, removal orders, and referral to NCDOT where state outdoor-advertising permitting also applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Harnett County
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