24VAC30-551-40. General criteria for the Supplemental Guide Signs Program.
A. The following requirements shall apply to signs in the Supplemental Guide Signs Program:
1. Supplemental guide signs shall be limited to two structures per interchange or intersection per direction with no more than two destinations per sign structure, except as noted in subdivision 2 of this subsection. When there is excessive demand over available space for new supplemental guide signing, VDOT, in consultation with the affected jurisdiction, shall determine which facilities will be listed on the signs.
2. All supplemental guide signs in place as of September 15, 2004, will be legacy signs in the program and may be repaired or replaced as necessary, except that if the facility closes or fails to comply with the criteria under which it originally qualified, the signs will be removed. A legacy sign in the supplemental guide sign program may only relocate to a limited access highway if the existing sign is located on a limited access highway.
3. Additional structures over the two-structure limit may only be installed when the Commissioner of Highways or the commissioner's designee determines that such installation is in the public interest.
B. To qualify for supplemental guide signing, a facility shall:
1. Be open to the general public on a continuous basis either year-round or during the normal operating season for the type of facility. Closings for the observance of official state holidays are allowed;
2. Comply with all applicable laws concerning the provision of public accommodations without regard to age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, or accessibility by the physically handicapped; and
3. Sign and comply with the terms of an IDSP participation agreement.
C. All facilities shall be located within 15 miles of the interchange or intersection where the initial supplemental guide sign is placed on the approach.
D. The following table lists acceptable sites for supplemental guide signs:
SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDE SIGNS PROGRAM | ||
Cultural | Historic site(1), (3) Historic district(1), (3) | |
Governmental | Correction facility Courthouse Department of Wildlife Resources facility Department of Motor Vehicles facility(5) Landfill or transfer station(6) Government office | Regional jail Prison(7) Local police or sheriff's office(1) State Police facility(1) Recycling facility |
Military(1) | Military facility | |
Recreational | Boat landing (public) Natural attraction Park - national(1) | Park - municipal(1) Park - regional(1) Park - state(1) |
Schools | Colleges and universities College or university - main campus(2) College or university - satellite campus(2) High school Junior high school | For-profit Virginia educational institution (2) Middle school Elementary school |
Miscellaneous(1) | Cemetery Special events | Tourist information center Welcome center |
(1) Permitted on Interstate and limited access highways. (2) Signs for college or university - main campuses or for-profit Virginia educational institutions are permitted on interstate and limited access highways. Signs for college or university - satellite campuses and individual campus facilities on main campuses are only permitted on nonlimited access highways. (3) If supplemental guide signs are installed for a historic district, separate signs for individual historic sites within the historic district shall not be allowed. (4) VDOT shall waive requirements and conditions of participation in the supplemental signage program as may be necessary to provide adequate signage for facilities maintained by the agencies within Virginia's Natural Resources Secretariat. (5) Signs shall be allowed on non-limited access highways up to one mile from the facility. No signs shall be allowed on limited access highways. (6) Signs for local landfills or transfer stations operated by a governmental body shall be allowed on nonlimited access highways up to three miles from the facility. Signs for regional landfills shall be allowed on non-limited access highways up to ten miles from the facility. No signs shall be allowed on limited access highways. (7) Only state and federal correctional facilities, prisons, and regional jails shall qualify for signs on nonlimited access highways. | ||
E. The following sites are excluded from being displayed on official supplemental guide signs. The exclusion only relates to qualification under these categories. These facilities may participate if qualifying under another acceptable category. This list of excluded sites is not all-inclusive. Omission from this list does not imply qualification for signing under this category.
SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDE SIGNS PROGRAM | ||
Business and Commercial | Adult entertainment facility Funeral home Industrial park or plant Landfill - private Media facility Movie theater Office park | Radio station Shopping center Television station Transfer station - private Nursery or greenhouse Truck terminal |
Governmental | State fairgrounds Local jail Post office | |
Medical | Drug rehabilitation facility Extended care facility Fraternal home Hospital Humane facility Infirmary | Mental health care facility Nursing home Retirement home Sanitarium Treatment center Veterans facility |
Recreational | Arcade Boat landing - private Camp - church, civic, 4-H, Scout, YMCA/YWCA, other | |
Religious | Cathedral Chapel Church Mosque | Shrine |
Miscellaneous | Animal shelter Cemetery (except those noted as acceptable) Mobile home park | Subdivision Veterinary facility Museum |
Statutory Authority
§ 33.2-210 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 22, Issue 24, eff. September 6, 2006; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 4, eff. November 23, 2011; Volume 42, Issue 26, eff. September 9, 2026; Errata, 43:2 VA.R. xx September 7, 2026.