Westminster, CA Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Brightness cap
- 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light
- Measured at
- 250 ft (14x48 face) / 350 ft (20x60 face)
- Flashing/moving light
- Prohibited except time/temp/smog displays
- Minimum display time
- 4 seconds per message
- Maximum display time
- 2 minutes per message
- Malfunction requirement
- Freeze, black screen, or shut off
Summary
Westminster caps electronic billboard illumination at 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light, measured at 250 feet for standard-size faces and 350 feet for larger faces, and bans flashing, shimmering, or moving light entirely except for time, temperature, and smog-index displays that change no more than once every four seconds under Section 17.330.090.
H. Operational Restrictions
1. No electronic billboard shall display flashing, shimmering, glittering, intermittent or moving light or lights. Exceptions to this restriction include time, temperature, and smog index units, provided the frequency of change does not exceed four-second intervals.
10. Electronic billboards shall not operate at brightness levels of more than 0.3 foot candles above ambient light, as measured using a foot candle meter at a distance of 250 feet for a sign with a nominal face size of 14 feet by 48 feet and a distance of 350 feet for a sign with a nominal face size of 20 feet by 60 feet, and shall otherwise comply with Section 5403(g) of the Outdoor Advertising Act and Section 21466.5 of the California Vehicle Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4982734; v10 updated 2026-06-10).
Full Breakdown
H, Operational Restrictions, governs how bright and how animated an electronic billboard along Interstate 405 or State Route 22 can be. Flashing, shimmering, glittering, or otherwise moving light is prohibited outright, with a narrow exception for time, temperature, and smog-index displays, which may change no more than once every four seconds. 3 foot-candles above ambient light, tested with a foot-candle meter at 250 feet from a standard 14-by-48-foot face or 350 feet from a larger 20-by-60-foot face. 5, and operators must otherwise comply with Section 5403(g) of the state Outdoor Advertising Act.
" Each message must display for a minimum of four seconds, or the shorter minimum set by Caltrans, and no message may run longer than two minutes, and any malfunctioning sign must freeze on a static image, go to a full black screen, or shut off rather than continue an uncontrolled display.
Violations & Fines
An electronic billboard that exceeds the 0.3 foot-candle brightness cap, flashes, or fails to include the required ambient light sensor is out of compliance with Section 17.330.090 and Chapter 17.330's sign rules generally. Under Section 17.330.075, the City can issue a stop-work order, seek a court injunction requiring correction or removal, and treat each day of continued non-compliance as a separate infraction under Section 17.330.065.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can a Westminster electronic billboard be at night?
Can a freeway billboard flash or scroll?
What happens if a billboard malfunctions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
California rules heatmap·Compare Westminster to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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Billboard Lighting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle billboard lighting.