Blue Springs, MO Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Approval path
- Chapter 400 UDC review plus MHTC permit
- Digital-to-digital spacing
- 2,640 ft along I-70
- Spacing to other digital signs
- 250 ft minimum
- Replacement rule
- 1 digital sign for 2 removed billboards
- Max sign area
- 800 sq ft, 30 ft tall, 72 ft wide
- Minimum letter height
- 12 in (45-54 mph) or 15 in (55+ mph)
Summary
In the City of Blue Springs, Missouri, a digital billboard needs the same Chapter 400 and state highway approval as a standard billboard, plus far stricter spacing under City Code Section 501.090(C): 2,640 feet between digital billboards on I-70 and 250 feet from any other digital sign visible from the same stretch of highway.
C. Digital Billboards. ... 3. Location. ... Shall only be permitted when: ... a. The following requirements are met: (1) All location requirements for a billboard are met; (2) A minimum spacing of two thousand six hundred forty (2,640) feet is maintained between digital billboards on the either side of I-70, when measured along the nearest edge of the pavement of I-70 between the two (2) points that are created when a line perpendicular to said pavement edge intersects the leading edge of said digital billboards; and (3) A minimum spacing of two hundred fifty (250) feet shall be maintained between a digital billboard and any other type of digital sign when both signs are visible from the same location on I-70; or ... 5. Design Standards. Shall meet all the same design standards as a billboard, except digital billboards: ... b. Shall require every line of lettering and graphics displayed on the sign to be at minimum: (1) Twelve (12) inches in height when oriented towards a road with a speed limit between forty-five (45) and fifty-four (54) miles per hour (MPH); and (2) Fifteen (15) inches in height when oriented towards a road with a speed limit fifty-five (55) MPH or greater.
Full Breakdown
Off-premise digital billboards are governed by Section 501.090(C), which layers on top of the standard billboard rules in Section 501.090(B). Approval still requires Unified Development Code review under Chapter 400 and, if applicable, a permit from the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. Beyond meeting every billboard location standard, digital billboards on I-70 must maintain 2,640 feet of spacing from other digital billboards on either side of the highway and 250 feet from any other digital sign visible from the same location. A digital billboard can also go up by replacing an existing billboard on the same site, but only if two other off-I-70 billboards are removed at the same time, and the new digital sign is no larger, in area or any dimension, than the combined size of the two billboards it replaces.
Digital billboards share the standard billboard's 800-square-foot maximum sign area, 30-foot height limit, and 72-foot width limit. Design standards require each sign face to carry no more than one digital sign, and every line of lettering and graphics must be at least 12 inches tall facing roads posted 45 to 54 mph, or 15 inches tall facing roads posted 55 mph or faster.
Violations & Fines
A digital billboard erected without Chapter 400 approval, without the required state permit, or in violation of the spacing, replacement-ratio, or letter-height standards is a prohibited off-premise sign under Section 501.110(B)(1). Community Development can order removal, and violators face the Section 100.080 general penalty of up to $500 and 90 days in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert an existing billboard on I-70 to a digital display?
How far apart do digital billboards have to be along I-70 in Blue Springs?
Is there a minimum text size for a digital billboard message?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Blue Springs
Compare Blue Springs to another location·View the Missouri sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Digital Billboards in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jackson County handle digital billboards.