Outdoor Advertising Sign Permits

The state regulations are applied based on the type of four categories of signs

On-Premise Signs

An on premise sign is located on the premises of the activity that the sign advertises. The premises are defined as land that is actually used and integral to the activity. If the sign advertises only the activity on the premises, it is exempt from the state's requirements for size, location, and spacing, and does not require an Arizona Outdoor Advertising Permit.

For Sale/Lease Signs

A ‘For Sale/Lease’ sign advertises property where the sign is located and does not have general advertising as its purpose. If the sign advertises only the sale or lease of the property where the sign is located, it is exempt from the state's requirements for size, location, and spacing and does not require an Arizona Outdoor Advertising Permit.

Directional and Official Signs

Directional signs direct motorist to publicly owned activities or attractions as well as private activities or attractions that qualify as being of significant interest to the public. Directional signs require a Directional Sign Permit. Please contact Statewide Permits Services.

Official signs are a category of signs that are erected and maintained by public officers or public agencies within their territorial or zoning jurisdiction and pursuant to direction or authorization contained in law for the purposes of carrying out an official duty or responsibility. In most cases, official signs require a State permit but a fee is not applied. Please contact the Maintenance Permits Services office for specific criteria.

Off-premise Signs (billboards)

Billboards are located on premises other than where the activity, service or product that the sign advertises is located. The state's regulations control the size, location, spacing, and lighting of billboards that are along the regulated highways. An Arizona Outdoor Advertising Permit is required before erecting or maintaining a billboard along a regulated highway. This is in addition to any permit required by the local governing jurisdiction.

The state's regulations provide certain prohibitions of regulated Outdoor Advertising Signs. The following are some of the prohibitions.

Signs are not allowed:

• Unless they are legally erected and maintained after obtaining the required permits.
• In the highway right-of-way.
• To simulate or imitate a directional, warning, danger or information sign, such as by the use of the words "STOP" or "SLOW DOWN".
• Within any stream or drainage channel or below the flood water level of any stream or drainage channel where the outdoor advertising might be deluged by floodwaters and swept under any highway structure crossing the stream or drainage channel or against the supports of the highway structure.
• To display a red, flashing, blinking, intermittent or moving light or lights likely to be mistaken for a warning or danger signal.
• To have any illumination of such brilliance and in such a position as to blind or dazzle the vision of travelers on the highway.
• If they are not maintained in a safe condition.
• If they are obviously abandoned.
• To be placed in a manner that obstructs or otherwise physically interferes with an official traffic sign, signal or device.
• To be placed in a manner that obstructs or physically interferes with the vision of drivers in approaching, merging or intersecting traffic.
• To be placed on trees or painted or drawn on rocks or other natural features.

Controlled highways are all highways on the National Highway System including all the interstate highways as well as most national and state highways. In addition, certain routes that were controlled highways in 1991 are still controlled highways even if they are not part of the National Highway System. For a list of routes regulated by ADOT for outdoor advertising, click here: https://azdot.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/NHS-Rtes-Regulated-for-ODA-1-2024.pdf

Prior to erecting a sign that shows to a regulated highway, the sign owner must obtain an Arizona Outdoor Advertising Permit along with any permit required by the local jurisdiction. To obtain a state permit, the proposed sign and site must conform to the state's outdoor advertising regulations.

For a complete listing the sign requirements, refer to Arizona Revised Statutes (§§A.R.S. 28-7901 through §§A.R.S. 28-7915) and state regulations (R17-3-701 and R17-3-701.01). The following is a brief summary of the regulations regarding sign placement:

Inside City Limits: signs can be erected on property that is zoned commercial or industrial and, at locations that are 500 feet (100 feet if the sign is on a highway other than a freeway) away from any other sign on the same side of the highway.

Outside City Limits: signs can be erected on property that is zoned commercial or industrial and, at locations that are 500 feet (300 if the sign is on a highway other than a freeway) away from any other sign on the same side of the highway.

In addition, the sign must be within 1,000 feet of an ongoing commercial or industrial activity on the same side of the highway, or within 3,000 feet of a freeway interchange that has a business within 1,000 feet of the interchange on the same side of the freeway.

A sign can be single faced, back-to-back, or v-shaped. The maximum size for a sign is 1,200 square feet per sign face. The maximum vertical dimension of the sign face is 25 feet. The maximum horizontal dimension of the sign face is 60 feet.

A sign can have two faces facing in the same direction, in which case neither sign face can exceed 350 square feet in area and the total vertical and horizontal dimensions cannot exceed 25 feet and 60 feet respectively.

The owner of an off-premise advertising sign (billboard), a directional signs, and some official signs are require to obtain an Arizona Outdoor Advertising Permit prior to the construction of the sign. Applicant for directional or official signs should contact Statewide Permits Services.

The Permit fee is $20.00 payable to the State of Arizona, due at the time of the application.

Permits must be renewed each year. You will be notified of the renewal, however it is the ultimate responsibility of the sign owner to ensure the permit is renewed each year. The renewal fee is $5.00.

If a sign is sold, the permit can be transferred to the new sign owner by submitting a written request to transfer the permit. The request must indicate the new sign owner, the new sign owner's mailing address and phone number, and date of the transfer of ownership. The request must be signed by the current sign owner of record and the new sign owner and approved by the Department.

Potentially yes, depending on the type of sign you are considering. If you wish to erect a sign on your property that advertises only a product or service that is located on the same premises as the sign, it is considered an on premise sign and does not require a permit from ADOT.

If a conforming billboard is removed, the permit shall expire within 30 calendar days from the date of the removal, except the sign owner may notify Statewide Permits Services in writing of their intent to re-install the sign. The sign owner shall have 120 calendar days within which to re-erect the billboard at the same location. No extension in the time to rebuild the sign is allowed.

Once a permit is issued, the sign owner has 120 calendar days within which to install the proposed sign. The sign owner may request a 60 calendar day extension in writing from Statewide Permits Services prior to expiration of the original 120 days. If the sign is not installed within the original 120 days or under an approved extension, the permit will be canceled and the sign owner must re-submit a new application package prior to installing the sign.

Signs located along a freeway or any other controlled access highway cannot be constructed, maintained, or accessed from the right of way of the highway.

Signs located along a highway that is not a controlled access highway can be accessed from the right-of-way if there is no other access with an Encroachment Permit obtained from the District office prior to any encroachment upon a state highway or route.

Copies of the outdoor advertising regulations may be requested from Statewide Permits Services. The regulations are also available online at the following sites:

Arizona Statutes ARS §§ 28-7901 through 28-7915
Arizona Regulations R17-3-701

Yes, the Arizona outdoor advertising regulations apply to signs that show to regulated highways regardless of whether the signs are inside or outside city limits. It's important to note that the state's regulations are in addition to any regulations of the governing municipal or county jurisdiction.

Legislative changes explicitly allow EVMS billboards along certain portions along the state's highway system.

HB 2543(2012) and SB 1114(2017) amended A.R.S. § 7902; outdoor advertising authorized, and provides the following provisions:

• All new EVMS are restricted to the authorized Northern, Southern, and Statewide areas described in the statute.
• Billboards outside the authorized area are prohibited from being converted to EVMS after May 9, 2012.
• Existing EVMS outside the authorized area are non-conforming.
• EVMS must be turned off at 11:00 pm.
• EVMS must have automatic controls to ensure the light intensity is restricted to a set amount dependent upon the size of the sign.
• EVMS must not display any form of animation and remain static for at least 8 seconds with a transition time no greater than 2 seconds.
• Owners of signs that are converted to EVMS after the effective date of the act must notify the ADOT and must certify that the EVMS will conform to the statute.
• Cities, towns, or counties shall not issue permits for conversion of billboards to an EVMS outside the authorized area after the date of the act.
• Cities, towns, or counties can enact/enforce an ordinance regulating EVMS that is not less restrictive than the statute.

Per ARS 28-7902, electronic outdoor advertising is allowed, with permit, within the area with the following coordinates: Beginning at State Route 95 at mile maker two hundred fifty in Bullhead City, to all points within this state that are within a radius of forty miles from that location, except excluding State Route 95 south of interstate 40 and any area east of State Route 93 from mile marker forty-two to the hoover dam, and also including latitude 33.9 north, longitude 114.5 west, hence due east to latitude 33.9 north, longitude 112.25 west, hence following the circumference of a circle with a radius of seventy-five miles from the coordinates of the discovery channel telescope to latitude 33.66 north, longitude 111.23 west, hence due south to latitude 33.46 north, longitude 111.23 west, hence following the circumference of a circle with a radius of seventy-five miles from the coordinates of the Mount Lemmon observatory to latitude 33.02 north, longitude 111.91 west, hence following the circumference of a circle with a radius of seventy-five miles from the coordinates of Kitt Peak observatory to latitude 32.6 north, longitude 112.65 west, hence due west to latitude 32.6 north, longitude 114.802 west, and hence north along the Colorado river to the point of beginning.

Non-conforming signs are those that existed prior to the effective date of the state's regulations and do not conform to the current regulations. Also signs that do not conform to the state's regulations because of changed conditions are classified as non-conforming.

Generally, non-conforming signs are allowed to remain as long as the sign is not altered. The advertising copy can change but the size, location, composition and lighting cannot.

You may make a public records request at Record Center.