Building and permits · Permits by state
Billboard Permits in Alabama: Rules, Spacing and Fees
By Gabie Research · Updated Oct 12, 2026 · 7 min read
Short answer
In Alabama, ALDOT issues billboard permits through its district offices. A new permit costs $25 per location, and renewal is $10 a year. New signs must sit 500 feet apart on controlled roads. A face on a new sign can be up to 672 square feet. Digital messages must hold for 8 seconds.
- ALDOT issues one permit per location through the district office that covers your site.
- A new permit is $25. Renewal is $10 a year, due January 1 and late after February 15.
- New signs need 500 feet between them, and a face can be up to 672 square feet.
- Digital messages hold 8 seconds and change in 2 seconds or less.
- Tree cutting needs ALDOT approval on Form OA-2, with limits of 500 feet (300 for older signs).
ALDOT issues billboard permits in Alabama. A new permit costs $25 per location, and renewal is $10 a year. The fee section of the law was last changed in 1978. New signs must sit 500 feet apart on controlled roads. A face on a new sign can be up to 672 square feet.
Who issues billboard permits in Alabama?
The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) runs the outdoor advertising permit program. Its Permits and Operations Section handles the permits. Every application starts at an ALDOT district office. The main number is (334) 353-6554.
The page links paper forms. It does not list an online filing system.
The law is the Highway Beautification Act, Code of Alabama sections 23-1-270 to 23-1-288. The rules are in Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 450-10-1. ALDOT's posted copy of the rules is dated June 2008.
Which roads need a state permit?
ALDOT controls signs along Interstates and primary highways. Primary means the federal-aid primary system as of June 1, 1991. It also covers roads added later to the National Highway System. That follows federal law, 23 U.S.C. 131. ALDOT posts a map layer of the regulated routes.
The control zone is 660 feet from the edge of the right-of-way. Outside urban areas, signs farther out are barred if drivers can read them. Alabama counts a place of 5,000 people or more as urban.
Federal law also bars new billboards on some scenic byways. The state law adds that unzoned land across from a scenic non-freeway primary road does not count. ALDOT does not post a list of scenic routes. Ask the district office.
Where can a billboard go?
A sign must sit in a zoned or unzoned commercial or industrial area.
- Zoned land needs a full zoning plan. The plan must cover at least 20% of the land in the town or county. Spot zoning and zoning made to allow signs do not count.
- Unzoned land needs a working business. The area runs 600 feet out from its buildings, lots and storage areas. That counts on each side of the road. On Interstates it stays on the business side.
- A business must have run for 12 months before ALDOT will permit a sign.
A qualifying business has a permanent building, power, a phone, plumbing and a restroom. It needs a worker on site at least 36 hours a week. Farms, homes, signs, mines, cemeteries and funeral homes do not count.
Alabama billboard rules at a glance
| Rule | Alabama limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Control zone | 660 ft from the right-of-way; farther outside urban areas | Ala. Code 23-1-271(1), 23-1-273 |
| Unzoned area | 600 ft from the business, each side of the road | Ala. Code 23-1-271(16); Rule 450-10-1-.12 |
| Face, signs built after July 15, 1995 | 672 sq ft, 14 ft high, 48 ft long | Ala. Code 23-1-274(1) |
| Face, older signs | 1,200 sq ft, 30 ft high, 60 ft long | Ala. Code 23-1-274(1) |
| Two faces in one direction | 672 sq ft together (1,200 for older signs) | Ala. Code 23-1-274(1) |
| Spacing, Interstates and freeways | 500 ft, same side | Ala. Code 23-1-274(3) |
| Interchanges, outside city zoning | No sign within 500 ft | Ala. Code 23-1-274(3) |
| Spacing, other primary roads, new signs | 500 ft inside or outside cities | Ala. Code 23-1-274(3) |
| Spacing, older signs | 300 ft outside cities, 100 ft inside | Ala. Code 23-1-274(3) |
| Setback | Not on the right-of-way; no set distance published | Form OA-1, item 19 |
| Digital hold time | At least 8 seconds | Rule 450-10-1-.13 |
| Digital change time | 2 seconds or less | Rule 450-10-1-.13 |
| Digital spacing | Same as other signs, or more if ALDOT finds it safer | Rule 450-10-1-.13 |
| Digital brightness | No number published; no glare | Rule 450-10-1-.13 |
| Decision time | 90 days, then deemed denied | Rule 450-10-1-.04 |
| Build deadline | 12 months after the permit is issued | Rule 450-10-1-.04 |
A standard 14 x 48 foot bulletin is 672 square feet. It fits the new-sign cap.
What are the digital billboard rules?
Alabama allows digital, tri-vision and rotating signs on conforming sign structures. Rule .13 sets these terms:
- Each message holds at least 8 seconds.
- The change takes 2 seconds or less.
- No flashing, scrolling, animation or full-motion video.
- A sign has no more than two faces in each direction.
- The sign must freeze in one picture if it fails.
- ALDOT can order changes to the display or light level.
The rule sets no brightness number. It bars glare and light that hurts a driver's sight. Form OA-1 asks you to mark the sign type: digital/LED, tri-vision or static. Alabama's 8 seconds matches the figure FHWA recommended in 2007.
What does a permit cost?
Fees as of October 12, 2026:
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New permit | $25 per location | Ala. Code 23-1-275(a); Form OA-1 |
| Annual renewal | $10 | Ala. Code 23-1-275(b) |
| Late renewal | 25% penalty after February 15 | Ala. Code 23-1-275(c) |
| Digital addendum | The agency does not post this; ask | |
| Ownership transfer (Form OA-3) | The agency does not post this; ask |
Permits run for a calendar year. Fees are due January 1. One permit covers a double-faced, back-to-back or V-type sign. Changing the ad costs nothing. A permit not built within 12 months is revoked, and ALDOT keeps the fee. Breaking the law is a Class C misdemeanor.
Do you need a license or bond?
No operator license or bond appears in the Alabama statute, the rules or Form OA-1. ALDOT's page does not list one either. If you want certainty, ask the district office. You do need an ID tag or decal from ALDOT on the sign. The sign must also show your name, address and the date you built it.
Can you cut trees in front of a sign?
Yes, with approval on Form OA-2. The form is notarized and covers one sign for one job.
- The trees must have grown after the sign went up.
- You may cut up to 500 feet ahead of a conforming sign. For an older sign the limit is 300 feet.
- Finish within 60 days of approval.
- Call the district 48 hours before and after the work.
- No cutting in a median, and no herbicides.
- You must hold ALDOT harmless for any harm.
ALDOT does not post a fee or bond for OA-2. Ask. Cutting without approval can cost you the permit and the sign.
What about nonconforming signs?
A nonconforming sign was legal when built but fails today's rules. You may do routine upkeep and change the ad. You may not replace major supports or add lights, LEDs or solar lights.
A sign is destroyed when repairs reach 50% of its value, as ALDOT's appraiser sets it. A destroyed nonconforming sign cannot be rebuilt. A sign with no ad for 12 months is abandoned. ALDOT gives you 90 days to fix it.
State law says ALDOT must pay just compensation to remove a lawful sign. Amortization does not count as payment.
Do you need a local permit too?
Yes. State law bars signs that break county or city codes, including zoning, building and sign codes. ALDOT may also accept a local zoning board's own size, light and spacing rules in zoned areas. Form OA-1 asks for the name of the zoning authority. Check with your city and county.
How do you apply for a billboard permit in Alabama?
- Check the road on ALDOT's map layer.
- Confirm the zoning, or find a qualifying business and measure the distance.
- Measure to the nearest sign.
- Get the landowner's written consent or lease.
- Fill out Form OA-1. Add a location sketch, the milepost and the latitude and longitude.
- File it with the district office, with a $25 check or money order to ALDOT.
- ALDOT decides within 90 days. You have 14 days to ask for a hearing after a denial.
- Build within 12 months, and put the ID tag on the sign.
- Renew each January.
Read how to start a billboard business for the steps before a permit.
Other state billboard permit guides
- Billboard permits: the national overview
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Florida
- Georgia
- California
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Illinois
- New York
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- Missouri
This is a summary, not legal advice. Check with the agency before you build or sign.
Questions people ask
Who issues billboard permits in Alabama?
The Alabama Department of Transportation does. Every application starts at an ALDOT district office. ALDOT's Permits and Operations Section runs the program.
How much does an Alabama billboard permit cost?
$25 per location for a new permit. Renewal is $10 a year. Pay by January 1, because a renewal paid after February 15 carries a 25% penalty.
How far apart must billboards be in Alabama?
500 feet on the same side of the road for signs built after July 15, 1995. Older signs can stay at 300 feet outside cities and 100 feet inside.
How big can a billboard be in Alabama?
A sign built after July 15, 1995 can have a face of 672 square feet, 14 feet high and 48 feet long. Older signs can be up to 1,200 square feet.
What are Alabama's digital billboard rules?
Each message must hold at least 8 seconds and change in 2 seconds or less. No flashing, scrolling or video. The sign must freeze if it fails. Only signs that meet today's rules can go digital.
Can I cut trees in front of my billboard in Alabama?
Only with ALDOT approval on Form OA-2. The limit is 500 feet ahead of a conforming sign and 300 feet for an older one. You must cut within 60 days and may not use herbicides.
Sources
- 01Outdoor Advertising Permits (Highway Beautification Act) · Alabama Department of Transportation · accessed Oct 12, 2026
- 02Code of Alabama, Title 23, Chapter 1, Article 9, Division 3, Outdoor Advertising (23-1-270 to 23-1-288, reflects Act 2016-301) · Alabama Department of Transportation · accessed Oct 12, 2026
- 03Alabama Administrative Code, Chapter 450-10-1, Procedure and Requirements for Outdoor Advertising (Supp. 6/30/08) · Alabama Department of Transportation · accessed Oct 12, 2026
- 04Form OA-1, Application for Permit to Erect Outdoor Advertising Sign (rev. Oct. 2025) · Alabama Department of Transportation · accessed Oct 12, 2026
- 05Form OA-2, Application for Permit to Trim Trees and Underbrush (rev. Feb. 2021) · Alabama Department of Transportation · accessed Oct 12, 2026
- 0623 U.S.C. 131, Control of outdoor advertising · Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School · accessed Oct 12, 2026
- 07Guidance on Off-Premise Changeable Message Signs (Sept. 25, 2007) · FHWA · accessed Oct 12, 2026
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Published Oct 12, 2026 · Updated Oct 12, 2026 · How we check facts