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Clark County, IN Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Flashing/animated lighting
prohibited, § 156.46(D)(4)
Billboard setback from right-of-way
50 feet
Max billboard area, B2
300 sq. ft.
Max billboard area, B3
700 sq. ft.
Max billboard area, M districts
1,000 sq. ft.
I-265 Overlay District
billboards and message boards banned outright

Summary

Countywide, Clark County bans flashing, moving or intermittent lights (other than steady white) on any outdoor advertising display, which rules out digital billboards that flash, scroll or animate. Inside the I-265 Corridor Overlay District, electronic message boards and billboards are banned outright.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Clark County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(D) Prohibitions. The following are prohibited in connection with any outdoor advertising display: ... (4) Flashing, moving or intermittent lights except white;

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2019 S-0: Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 31-2014, passed 12-18-2014).

Full Breakdown

" The same subsection also bars lights resembling danger or emergency signals, rotating or revolving beams, placement within 50 feet of a right-of-way line, and any display whose illumination would interfere with traffic or the quiet enjoyment of adjacent property. 46(E), with a total area cap of 300 square feet in B2, 700 in B3 and 1,000 in the M districts, and they are barred entirely from the C1, A1, PUD and residential districts. 32(A)(1).

Violations & Fines

Erecting or operating a billboard with flashing, moving or animated lighting violates § 156.46(D)(4) and can be cited by the Building Commissioner, who has right of entry to inspect outdoor advertising displays and can order removal or repair at the owner's expense if the display is not brought into compliance. Any billboard placed inside the I-265 Corridor Overlay District violates the outright ban in § 156.32(D)(3) and (12) regardless of the underlying district's rules, and the Plan Commission can deny or revoke the required zoning use permit; chapter 10's general penalty provisions apply absent a more specific fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a billboard in Clark County have a digital, scrolling display?
No. Section 156.46(D)(4) prohibits "flashing, moving or intermittent lights except white" on any outdoor advertising display countywide, which rules out animated or scrolling digital billboard content.
Where in the county are billboards allowed at all?
Section 156.46(E) permits outdoor advertising displays only in the B2, B3, M1, M2 and M3 districts, subject to area caps of 300 to 1,000 square feet, and bars them entirely from C1, A1, PUD and residential districts.
Are billboards ever banned outright?
Yes, inside the I-265 Corridor Overlay District. Section 156.32(D)(3) and (12) ban both billboards and electronic message boards there regardless of the underlying zoning, because the overlay's rules override the base district.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Clark County

All Clark County rules

Compare Clark County to another location·View the Indiana sign regulations overview

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