---
title: Duluth UDC § 602.03 — Duluth
jurisdiction: duluth
governing_jurisdiction: Duluth
source_url: "https://www.duluthga.net/UDC_ADOPTED_9.8.2025_Amended_7-13-26.pdf"
effective_date: "2026-07-13"
as_of: "2026-08-13"
canonical: "https://www.gwindex.net/code/duluth/602.03"
licence: "CC0-1.0"
---

# Duluth UDC § 602.03

Signs that are Prohibited

**Governing jurisdiction: Duluth.** A "Duluth, GA" mailing address is usually NOT in the City of Duluth. Unincorporated Gwinnett is 67.3% of the county's land area and is governed by a different code, a different board and a different permit portal. Resolve the governing jurisdiction before answering any zoning question.


- **Article:** 6 — Sign Regulations
- **Pages in source:** 163–164
- **Adopted:** 2025-09-08
- **Amended through:** 2026-07-13
- **Source:** https://www.duluthga.net/UDC_ADOPTED_9.8.2025_Amended_7-13-26.pdf

## Text

The following signs are prohibited to the extent noted.

a. Privately owned signs erected on or above public property.

1. No person shall erect a sign on or projecting over public property other than the governmental
entity responsible for such property, or a public utility company or contractor occupying or
working on public property pursuant to government contract or franchise.
2. For the purpose of this Article the public right-of-way shall be measured and determined by the
utility poles, unless otherwise indicated or more detailed information is available.
b. Any sign placed or erected on a property without the permission of the property owner.
c.
Roof signs, as defined in this Development Code.
d. Vehicular signs, as defined in this Development Code, are not allowed to be placed or parked in such a

manner as to be viewed or intended to be viewed from a public right-of-way, except that this prohibition
shall not apply in the following circumstances:

1. When such conveyances are actively being used to transport persons, goods or services in the
normal course of business;
2. When such conveyances are parked in an inconspicuous area; or
3. When such conveyances are actively being used for storage of construction materials for, and on
the same lot with, a bona fide construction project for which building and other applicable
permits have been issued and where construction is underway.
e. Animated signs, except electronic changeable copy signs, banners and flags as may be regulated by this

Article, are not allowed.
f.
Signs that pose a threat to public safety are not allowed, such as:

1. Signs containing or imitating an official traffic sign or signal or contain the words “stop”, “go”,
“danger”, “caution”, “warning”, or similar words, except for construction signs and barricades
and except when the words are incorporated in the permanent name of a business.
2. Signs that display intermittent or blinking lights resembling the flashing lights customarily used in
traffic signals or on police, fire, ambulance or rescue vehicles.
3. Signs located so as to obscure or otherwise interfere with the effectiveness of any official traffic
sign, signal or device.
4. Signs located so as to obscure or otherwise interfere with a motor vehicle operator’s view of
approaching, merging, or intersecting traffic.
5. Signs that obstruct any fire escape; any means of ingress, egress, or ventilation; or prevent free
passage from one part of a roof to any other part thereto; and signs attached in any manner to a
fire escape.
g.
Hand written, hand painted, handmade or other unprofessionally fabricated signs. A “professionally”
hand-painted sign is one that has been prepared or created by a person engaged in the paid occupation of

The following are illustrative examples of “professionally” hand-painted signs that would not be prohibited:

sign-painting and generally reproduces font sets created by such foundries as Adobe, Microsoft,
BitStream, etc.
h. Signs located on courtesy benches, waste containers, trashcans and similar devices.

162 | P a g e

Article Six. Sign Regulations

i.
Pole signs and column signs, except historic pole signs allowed under Section 604.04(a)(1).
j.
Signs displaying words, characters, and/or illustrations of an obscene, indecent or immoral nature as
defined by the Code of Ordinances of the City of Duluth or as defined by the State of Georgia at O.C.G.A.
Section 16-12-80 (b) or displaying nudity as defined by the State of Georgia at O.C.G.A. Section 16-12-81
(b)(1).
k.
Signs that advertise or encourage illegal activity as defined by local, state or federal laws.
l.
Unshielded illuminated devices that produce glare or create a hazard or nuisance to motorists or
occupants of adjacent properties.
m. A sign that emits or utilizes in any manner any sound capable of being detected on any traveled road or

highway by a person with normal hearing, or a sign that emits smoke, vapor, particles or odor.
n. Signs with lighting or control mechanisms that cause radio, television or other communications

interference.
o. Motion picture mechanisms or video displays used in such a manner as to permit or allow moving or

animated images to be visible from a public right-of-way or sidewalk.
p. Certain illuminated signs, as follows:

1. Signs containing, including, or illuminated by any flashing, intermittent, or moving lights, scrolling
lights, and/or utilizing changes in the intensity of lighting are prohibited.
2. Any illumination of a sign that interferes with the effectiveness of, or obscures, an official traffic
sign, device, or signal is prohibited.
3. Any illumination of a sign that is not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light
from being directed at any portion of the traveled way of a street and which are of such intensity
or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle, or which
otherwise interfere with the operation of any motor vehicle, is prohibited.
4. No red, green or yellow illuminated sign shall be placed within 300 feet of any traffic light.
5. Search lights or spotlights, except for special business promotions or a new business “grand
opening”. For each event, such devices shall receive prior written approval through issuance of a
Temporary Sign Permit by the City, along with written consent from the Gwinnett County Airport
Authority. Such lights shall not create a nuisance or interfere with vehicular traffic and shall
adhere to all applicable regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
q. Banners except as allowed by this Article for specific types of signs, including temporary signage under

Section 608.06.
r.
Portable signs, except A-frame signs as may be allowed under this Article for a non-residential use, or as
provided for temporary signage under Section 608.06 of this Article.
s.
Festoons, as defined in this Development Code, except as provided for temporary signage under Section
608.06 of this Article.
t.
Inflatable signs, including air or gas filled balloons or other inflatable devices, are prohibited except as
exempted as seasonal and holiday decorations under Section 602.02(e) of this Article or as provided for
temporary signage under Section 608.06 of this Article.