1. The Board shall prescribe:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), regulations governing the issuance of permits for advertising signs, displays or devices and for the inspection and surveillance of advertising signs, displays or devices;

(b) Regulations specifying the operational requirements for commercial electronic variable message signs which conform to any national standards promulgated by the Secretary of Transportation pursuant to 23 U.S.C. § 131; and

(c) Such other regulations as it deems necessary to implement the provisions of NRS 410.220 to 410.410, inclusive.

2. The Department shall assess a reasonable annual fee for each permit issued to recover administrative costs incurred by the Department in the issuance of the permits, and the inspection and surveillance of advertising signs, displays or devices.

3. No fee may be collected for any authorized directional sign, display or device, or for authorized signs, displays or devices erected by chambers of commerce, civic organizations or local governments, advertising exclusively any city, town or geographic area.

4. No fee may be collected for any temporary sign, display or device advertising for or against a candidate, political party or ballot question in an election if the sign, display or device is:

(a) Erected not more than 60 days before a primary election and concerns a candidate, party or question for that primary or the ensuing general election; and

(b) Removed within 30 days after:

(1) The primary election if the candidate, party or question is not to be voted on at the ensuing general election.

(2) The general election in any other case.

The Department may summarily remove any temporary political sign for which no fee has been paid if the sign is erected before or remains after the times prescribed.

5. All fees collected pursuant to this section must be deposited with the State Treasurer for credit to the State Highway Fund.

6. As used in this section, “commercial electronic variable message sign” means a self-luminous or externally illuminated advertising sign which contains only static messages or copy which may be changed electronically.

(Added to NRS by 1971, 1329; A 1979, 436; 1981, 708; 1989, 1312; 2013, 567)