Are LED Signs Allowed in Colquitt County, Georgia? A Guide to Permits, Sizes, and Zoning
EMC Sign Allowed?
✅ Yes, Colquitt County permits electronic message signs (EMCs) in specific circumstances.
“Electronic signs shall be allowed only in C-1, C-2, M, and M-2 zoning districts, but only if the electronic sign complies with all of the following requirements …”
Below is a sampling of the key ordinance language:
“No message may be displayed for less than one (1) second; No message may be repeated at intervals less than two (2) seconds; No segmented message may last longer than ten (10) seconds; and No traveling message may travel at a rate slower than sixteen (16) light columns per second or faster than thirty-two (32) light columns per second.”
🔗 Full Ordinance – Colquitt County Sign Code
🔗 Zoning & Parcel View – Colquitt County Zoning & Parcel View
EMC Sign Summary Table
Below is a quick reference of major allowances and constraints:
| Feature | Answer / Notes |
|---|---|
| Zoning districts that allow EMCs | C-1, C-2, M, M-2 |
| EMC sign styles allowed | Ground / freestanding “electronic signs” in allowed zones; possibly also electronic changeable copy portions of freestanding/landscape wall signs |
| Off-premise EMCs allowed | Not explicitly stated in the EMC section — typically these are on-premise signs in allowed zones only |
| EMCs allowed in public right-of-way | Likely ❌ not — signs on public rights-of-way are disfavored or prohibited generally under the sign code |
| Minimum setback required | The general sign code has setbacks and location restrictions (e.g. “no illuminated sign within 75 feet of single-family lot property line”) |
| Use restrictions (special limits) | Must meet message timing, motion, and brightness limits; must include “default design that freezes” if malfunction occurs; in residential zones, more limited allowances for places of worship / schools subject to constraints |
Zoning District Overview
The ordinance’s sign section is integrated with the county’s broader zoning and sign framework. Some observations:
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EMCs are only allowed in nonresidential districts: C-1, C-2, M, and M-2.
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In residential zones, EMCs are more tightly restricted—only allowed for places of worship or elementary/middle/high schools under specified terms.
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The sign code cross-references the zoning ordinance and building codes, meaning that any signage must also satisfy zoning district limitations on uses, heights, setbacks, and other building or site constraints.
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The Municode page for Colquitt County is the authoritative source for the ordinance text and any amendments.
Zoning-Specific Standards for EMCs / Electronic Signs
Below is a table summarizing the key electronic sign requirements under the Colquitt County ordinance (§ 21-22 in the sign code)
| Requirement | Standard for Electronic Signs |
|---|---|
| Message display duration | Minimum display time: 1 second |
| Minimum interval between repeats | 2 seconds |
| Maximum duration for segmented message | 10 seconds |
| Traveling / moving messages speed | Must travel between 16 and 32 light columns per second |
| In residential zones (for worship / schools) | Max height 15 ft; max copy area 100 sq ft; must face major/minor thoroughfare; brightness and shielding limits; default freeze if malfunction |
| Brightness / illumination limits | Daytime max 6,300 nits; dusk-to-dawn max 500 nits |
| Illumination control / performance failure default | Sign must freeze with a static message and limited brightness (≤ 500 nits) if malfunction occurs |
| Separation from residential / buffer zones | ❌ No illuminated sign shall be constructed or maintained within 75 feet of any single-family lot property line |
| Other restrictions | ❌ No direct light cast onto roadways or adjacent properties; shielding required for external illumination sources |
These rules are in addition to the general sign code’s limits on height, area, number of signs per façade, setbacks, etc.
Permit Filing Requirements
Here’s what someone would generally need to do to get an EMC (or electronic sign) permitted in Colquitt County:
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Submit a sign permit application per the county’s sign code (often through the county’s compliance or planning/zoning department)
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Include engineering, electrical plans, or specifications showing compliance with message timing, illumination, shielding, and structural requirements
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Pay applicable permit review and inspection fees (the ordinance itself doesn’t list exact fees, so check with the county compliance office)
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Ensure that the sign meets all zoning, setback, height, and distance requirements from residential lots, rights-of-way, etc.
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Incorporate fail-safe or default design for freezing in case of malfunction
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For nonconforming signs, there are rules about repairs, changes, or discontinuation (nonconforming signs not used for one year lose eligibility)
You should verify with the Colquitt County Compliance Department or Planning & Zoning offices for the most up-to-date permit forms and fee schedules.
Local Project Examples
I did not locate any publicly documented EMC projects in Colquitt County in the ordinance or code materials reviewed. If your company or clients have done local installations (e.g. in the city of Moultrie or in commercial districts), including photos or case studies would help readers see what’s feasible and permitted in practice.
Full Ordinance Text (Verbatim)
Below is a relevant excerpt from the Colquitt County sign ordinance regarding electronic signs (Section 21-22).
Sec. 21-22. Electronic signs.
(a) Electronic signs shall be allowed only in C-1, C-2, M, and M-2 zoning districts, but only if the electronic sign complies with all of the following requirements:
(1) No message may be displayed for less than one (1) second;
(2) No message may be repeated at intervals less than two (2) seconds;
(3) No segmented message may last longer than ten (10) seconds; and
(4) No traveling message may travel at a rate slower than sixteen (16) light columns per second or faster than thirty-two (32) light columns per second.
(b) Electronic signs shall be allowed in places of worship or in public or private elementary, middle, or high schools, if such establishments are located on property zoned R-200, R-150, R-30,000, R-20,000, R-100, R-85, R-75, R-60, R-A5, R-50, R-A8, R-CH, R-CD, R-DT, RM-150, RM-100, RM-85, RM-75, RM-HD, R-NCD, PC-1, PC-2 or PC-3, O-I, so long as the electronic sign complies with all of the following requirements:
(1) Electronic ground signs shall be limited to a maximum height of fifteen (15) feet, and sign copy area shall be limited to one hundred (100) square feet;
(2) Electronic signs may only be located along a major or minor thoroughfare;
(3) Electronic signs shall not exceed a maximum illumination of six thousand three hundred (6,300) nits during the daylight hours and a maximum illumination of five hundred (500) nits between dusk to dawn, as measured from the sign’s face at maximum brightness;
(4) Any external illumination devices on an electronic sign shall be effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of a major or minor thoroughfare, or any residential use; and
(5) Electronic signs shall contain a default design that freezes the sign in one (1) position with no more than a maximum illumination of five hundred (500) nits if a sign malfunction occurs.
(c) Nonconforming signs must comply with the nonconforming provisions (Sec. 21-23).
(d) …
(Sec. 21-24 Illumination limits, general rules, etc.)Additional relevant text is integrated in Sec. 21-24, and the definitions and general sign rules in earlier parts of the sign chapter.
External References
🗺️ Colquitt County Zoning & Parcel View
📘 Colquitt County Zoning Sign Code
📝 Permit Application Portal