{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-69-69-1275","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 69, § 69-1275","heading":"Standards for signs in business area","body":"After April 15, 1968, signs which are to be erected in a\n\nbusiness area shall comply with the following standards:\n\n1. General. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which:\n\na. imitate or resemble any official traffic sign, signal\n\nor device, or\n\nb. are erected or maintained upon trees or painted or\n\ndrawn upon rocks or other natural features;\n\n2. Size.\n\na. Signs shall not be erected which exceed one thousand\n\ntwo hundred (1,200) square feet in area, per facing,\n\nincluding border and trim, nor shall signs be erected\n\nwhich exceed twenty-five (25) feet in height nor sixty\n\n(60) feet in length, excluding apron, supports and\n\nother structural members.\n\nb. The maximum size limitations shall apply to each sign\n\nfacing. Two signs not exceeding six hundred (600)\n\nsquare feet each may be erected in a facing, side by\n\nside or \"doubledecked\". Back-to-back and/or V-type\n\nsigns will be permitted, and shall be treated as one\n\nstructure with one thousand two hundred (1,200) square\n\nfeet permitted for each, if the sign structures or\n\nfacings are physically contiguous, or connected by the\n\nsame structure or cross bracing, or located not more\n\nthan fifteen (15) feet apart at their nearest point\n\nnor more than thirty (30) feet apart at their widest\n\npoint in the case of back-to-back or V-type signs.\n\nHowever, nothing in this section shall be construed to\n\nallow tri-faced signs;\n\n3. Spacing.\n\na. Signs shall conform to all applicable building codes\n\nand ordinances of the municipality, county or state,\n\nwhichever has jurisdiction as set forth in Section\n\n1272 of this title, except as provided for in\n\nsubparagraph d of this paragraph.\n\nb. Signs shall not be erected or maintained in such a\n\nmanner as to obscure or otherwise physically interfere\n\nwith an official traffic sign, signal or device or to\n\nobstruct or physically interfere with the driver's\n\nview of approaching, merging or intersecting traffic.\n\nc. Signs visible from a nonfreeway primary highway shall\n\nnot be erected within the limits of an incorporated\n\nmunicipality less than one hundred (100) feet on the\n\nopposite side of the highway and three hundred (300)\n\nfeet on the same side of the highway, and outside the\n\nlimits of an incorporated municipality less than three\n\nhundred (300) feet, from another such sign, other than\n\nsigns described in subsections (a), (b) and (c) of\n\nSection 1274 of this title, unless separated by a\n\nbuilding or other obstruction in such a manner that\n\nonly one display located within the minimum spacing\n\ndistances set forth herein is visible from the highway\n\nat any one time; provided, however, that this shall\n\nnot prevent the erection of double-faced, back-to-\n\nback, or V-type signs with a maximum of two signs per\n\nfacing, as permitted by paragraph 2 of this section.\n\nSigns visible and intended to be read from interstate\n\nand freeway primary facilities shall not be erected\n\nless than one thousand (1,000) feet from another such\n\nsign on the same side of such facilities, other than\n\nsigns described in subsections (a), (b) and (c) of\n\nSection 1274 of this title. Outside incorporated\n\nmunicipalities, signs visible and intended to be read\n\nfrom interstate and freeway primary facilities shall\n\nnot be erected adjacent to or within five hundred\nrom another such\n\nsign on the same side of such facilities, other than\n\nsigns described in subsections (a), (b) and (c) of\n\nSection 1274 of this title. Outside incorporated\n\nmunicipalities, signs visible and intended to be read\n\nfrom interstate and freeway primary facilities shall\n\nnot be erected adjacent to or within five hundred\n\n(500) feet of an interchange, intersection at grade,\n\nor rest area, on the same side of such facilities such\n\ndistance to be measured along the interstate highway\n\nor freeway from the sign to the nearest point of the\n\nbeginning or ending of pavement widening at the exit\n\nfrom or entrance to the main-traveled way. Signs may\n\nnot be located within five hundred (500) feet of any\n\nof the following which are adjacent to any interstate\n\nor federal-aid primary highway: public parks; public\n\nforests; playgrounds; or cemeteries. Provided,\n\nhowever, the Transportation Commission shall\n\npromulgate rules pursuant to the Administrative\n\nProcedures Act governing the measurement methodology\n\nto be prospectively utilized by the Department when\n\ndetermining spacing between outdoor advertising signs,\n\ndisplays and devices and public parks, public forests,\n\nplaygrounds and cemeteries. Provided further, any\n\nmeasurement methodology heretofore utilized by the\n\nDepartment, including but not limited to the straight-\n\nline method, shall be accepted by the Department\n\nwithout prejudice. Provided further, the Department\n\nshall be prohibited from altering a permit\n\nclassification or revoking any outdoor advertising\n\nlicense, which was properly obtained at the time of\n\nissuance, based upon a change of internal agency\n\npolicy, agency interpretation of law or promulgation\n\nof rules. Provided further, a sign location that was\n\npermitted in compliance with the spacing requirements\n\nof this section in effect prior to the effective date\n\nof this act, but which does not comply with the\n\nspacing requirements of this section as amended after\n\nthe effective date of this act, shall maintain its\n\ncurrent legal status; provided it complies with all\n\nother permitting requirements as set forth by the\n\nTransportation Commission.\n\nd. For the purpose of providing a method and opportunity\n\nto minimize the cost of acquiring legally erected\n\noutdoor advertising signs, the Director of the\n\nDepartment of Transportation shall have the option to\n\napprove the issuance of permits for outdoor\n\nadvertising signs visible from a roadway subject to\n\nthe regulatory control of the Department of\n\nTransportation which may be erected less than current\n\nstate spacing distances from another such sign.\n\nPermits issued pursuant to this option shall be only\n\nfor the purpose of providing a relocation site for a\n\nsign being taken by the state and shall not violate\n\nspacing regulations as stipulated in the Federal State\n\nAgreement. The Department shall also issue a\n\nrelocation permit if a roadway for which a legally\n\nerected permitted sign adjacent thereto is realigned;\n\nprovided, however, the applicant for such relocation\n\npermit shall surrender four legally issued permits on\n\na road realigned and the applicant shall waive any\n\nclaim for compensation against the Department upon\n\nissuance of a relocation permit based on highway\n\nrealignment. Provided, when the Department issues a\n\npermit pursuant to this subsection to accommodate the\n\nrelocation of a structure:\n\n(1) if the structure to be removed is visible from a\n\nroadway subject to the regulatory control of the\n\nDepartment inside an incorporated area, the\n\nrelocation site shall be inside the same\n\nincorporated area and shall be visible from a\n\nroadway subject to the regulatory control of the\n\nDepartment,\nartment issues a\n\npermit pursuant to this subsection to accommodate the\n\nrelocation of a structure:\n\n(1) if the structure to be removed is visible from a\n\nroadway subject to the regulatory control of the\n\nDepartment inside an incorporated area, the\n\nrelocation site shall be inside the same\n\nincorporated area and shall be visible from a\n\nroadway subject to the regulatory control of the\n\nDepartment,\n\n(2) if there are not suitable relocation sites\n\nmeeting the provisions of division 1 of this\n\nsubparagraph and the structure to be removed is\n\nvisible from a roadway subject to the regulatory\n\ncontrol of the Department, notwithstanding the\n\nprovisions of division 1 of this subparagraph,\n\nthe Department may issue a permit for a\n\nrelocation site outside of the incorporated area,\n\nprovided the relocation site is in the same\n\ncounty, a contiguous county thereto or other\n\nmunicipality in which the improved roadway\n\ntravels through granting mutual benefit from\n\nimprovements, which shall be visible from a\n\nroadway subject to the regulatory control of the\n\nDepartment, and\n\n(3) all potential relocation sites must be in\n\ncompliance with provisions set forth in the\n\napplicable Right-of-Way, Public Utility and\n\nEncroachment Agreement or Agreements.\n\nProvided further, the square footage of display face\n\non the relocated sign shall not exceed the square\n\nfootage of display face of the acquired sign. The\n\nrelocated sign shall maintain the same legal status\n\nand ability to upgrade as existed prior to relocation;\n\nprovided it complies with all other permitting\n\nrequirements set forth by the Transportation\n\nCommission and no other permits shall be required and\n\nany county or municipal authority in which a\n\nrelocation permit has been issued shall promptly\n\nprovide the required 9-1-1 address or other\n\ninformation necessary for the delivery of utility\n\nservice to a relocated sign. The Transportation\n\nCommission shall have the authority to promulgate\n\nrules necessary to implement the use of the permit\n\noption provided for in this subsection.\n\ne. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the\n\nDepartment of Transportation shall, after determining\n\nthe need to acquire property upon which outdoor\n\nadvertising structures are located, have the authority\n\nto negotiate directly with the owner of the outdoor\n\nadvertising structure the terms for maintaining such\n\nstructures in their current position or for the\n\nrelocation of such structures. Such negotiations may\n\nbegin prior to the Department's initiation of formal\n\ncondemnation proceedings and shall be completed prior\n\nto a jury award in a condemnation proceeding. The\n\nDepartment of Transportation retains its right to\n\nrequire the removal of the sign structure improvement\n\neffective as of the payment by the Department in the\n\namount awarded by the court-appointed commissioners\n\npursuant to applicable law. Nothing in this section\n\nshall be construed to prevent the owner of the land\n\nfrom pursuing a claim of interest in any lease\n\nexisting between the landowner and the outdoor\n\nadvertising structure owner, or to prevent the outdoor\n\nadvertising structure owner from pursuing a claim for\n\nfair market value of the owner's interest if\n\nnegotiations with the Department for a lease or\n\nstructure relocation arrangement are not successful;\n\n4. Lighting.\n\na. Signs shall not be erected which contain, include, or\n\nare illuminated by any flashing, intermittent,\n\nrevolving or moving light, except on-premise signs and\n\nthose giving public service information such as, but\n\nnot limited to, time, date, temperature, weather or\n\nnews. Steadily burning lights in configuration of\n\nletters or pictures are not prohibited.\n\nb. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which are not\n\neffectively shielded to prevent beams or rays of light\n\nfrom being directed at any portion of the traveled way\n\nof any interstate or primary highway and are of such\nrvice information such as, but\n\nnot limited to, time, date, temperature, weather or\n\nnews. Steadily burning lights in configuration of\n\nletters or pictures are not prohibited.\n\nb. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which are not\n\neffectively shielded to prevent beams or rays of light\n\nfrom being directed at any portion of the traveled way\n\nof any interstate or primary highway and are of such\n\nintensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair\n\nthe vision of the driver of any motor vehicle.\n\nc. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which shall\n\nbe so illuminated that they obscure any official\n\ntraffic sign, device, or signal, or imitate or may be\n\nconfused with any such official traffic sign, device\n\nor signal.\n\nd. Provided, however, nothing in this section shall be\n\nconstrued to prohibit the erection or maintenance of\n\nsigns which include the steady illumination of sign\n\nfaces, panels or slats that rotate to different\n\nmessages in a fixed position, commonly known as tri-\n\nvision faces or multiple message signs; provided, the\n\nrotation of one sign face to another is no more\n\nfrequent than every eight (8) seconds and the actual\n\nrotation process is accomplished in four (4) seconds\n\nor less; and\n\n5. Vegetation Management.\n\na. For the purpose of minimizing costs to the Department\n\nfor the removal, cutting, or trimming of trees or\n\nvegetation on a public right-of-way to make visible or\n\nensure future visibility of the facing of a permitted\n\noutdoor advertising sign, the Department is authorized\n\nto establish a process for an outdoor advertising\n\npermit holder to conduct vegetation management\n\nactivities within a specific area surrounding the\n\npermit holders' outdoor advertising device.\n\nb. The Department shall promulgate rules prescribing the\n\nscope of such vegetation management activities and any\n\nrequirements it deems necessary to monitor such\n\nactivities.","path":["OK Code","Title 69"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os69.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"e539f7b491a9652a782a38e3b23805f38efff15407752541c03a66b48ff3d763","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-69-69-1274","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-69-69-1276"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}