North Carolina SB 1064: Outdoor Advertising Revisions.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 1064

Short Title: Outdoor Advertising Revisions. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Jarvis and Moffitt (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 4, 2026
*S1064-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REVISE LAWS GOVERNING OUTDOOR ADVERTISING. 2
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3
SECTION 1. G.S. 136-133 reads as rewritten: 4
"§ 136-133. Permits required. 5
... 6
(d) The Department shall approve or deny a permit for a new outdoor advertising sign 7
within 30 days of receipt of the completed application and all required fees and documentation. 8
An application shall be deemed complete if it contains all information and supporting documents 9
required by the Department's rules. If the Department fails to provide written notice of its decision 10
within the 30-day period, the application shall be deemed approved, and the Department shall 11
issue the permit. 12
(e) Except as provided in G.S. 136-133.1(i), the Department shall not revoke an outdoor 13
advertising permit for a first-time violation of this Article or rules adopted by the Department in 14
accordance with this Article. For any subsequent violation associated with the same permit, the 15
Department shall not revoke the permit until first providing to the permit holder written notice 16
of the violation and at least 60 days to cure the violation. During the cure period, the Department 17
may pursue any other remedies authorized by this Article or applicable law, including the 18
assessment of civil penalties or required corrective actions. This subsection does not limit the 19
Department's authority to address immediate threats to public safety or fraud in the application 20
process." 21
SECTION 2. G.S. 136-138 reads as rewritten: 22
"§ 136-138. Agreements with United States authorized.authorized; limitations on 23
delegation. 24
The Department of Transportation is authorized to enter into agreements with other 25
governmental authorities relating to the control of outdoor advertising in areas adjacent to the 26
interstate and primary highway systems, including the establishment of information centers and 27
safety rest areas, and to take action in the name of the State to comply with the terms of the 28
agreements. Any amendment to or modification of the agreement dated January 7, 1972, between 29
the State and the United States Department of Transportation implementing the federal Highway 30
Beautification Act of 1965 shall require prior approval of the General Assembly by joint 31
resolution to be effective. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Department 32
shall not delegate or transfer permitting, enforcement, or other core regulatory authority under 33
this Article to any county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the State. This 34
subsection shall not prohibit the Department from cooperating with local governments or 35
enforcing local ordinances that are consistent with this Article." 36

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 1064-First Edition
SECTION 3. G.S. 136-133.1 reads as rewritten: 1
"§ 136-133.1. Outdoor advertising vegetation cutting or removal. 2
(a) The owner of an outdoor advertising sign permitted under G.S. 136-129(4) or 3
G.S. 136-129(5) who obtains a selective vegetation removal permit, and the owner's designees, 4
may cut, thin, prune, or remove vegetation in accordance with this section, G.S. 136-93(b), 5
136-133.2, and 136-133.4. The maximum cut or removal zone for vegetation for each sign face 6
shall be determined as follows: 7
(1) The point located on the edge of the right-of-way that is the closest point to 8
the centerline of the sign face shall be point A. The point on the edge of the 9
pavement of the travel way, including acceleration and deceleration ramps, 10
that is the closest to the centerline of the sign face shall be point B. The point 11
located on the edge of the pavement of the main traveled way, corresponding 12
to the applicable distance under sub-subdivision a. or b. of this subdivision 13
moving in the direction of the sign viewing zone from point B, shall be point 14
C. The point perpendicular to point C on the edge of the right-of-way shall be 15
point D. Lines drawn from point A, to point B, to point C, and to point D shall 16
define the maximum cut or removal zone [Point C is distanced as follows:]. 17
a. For a distance of 500 feet for a view zone that has a posted speed limit 18
of over 35 miles per hour. 19
b. For a distance of 350 feet for a view zone that has a posted speed limit 20
of 35 miles per hour or less. 21
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this subsection, the sign owner or designee 22
may also cut vegetation within any area on the State right-of-way located 23
between viewing zones of two sign faces on the same structure, or otherwise 24
within any area measured perpendicular from any point on the sign structure 25
to