Cleveland, OH Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

Under § 350.10, billboards are already confined to General Industry and Unrestricted Industry Districts (plus Semi-Industry sites angled toward a freeway), capped at 820 square feet and 50 feet in height. Division (j), Illumination, goes further and takes the digital option off the table entirely: "Billboards shall be illuminated only by means of continuous reflected light. Internally-illuminated or back-lit billboards shall not be permitted. Billboards shall not include automatic changeable copy signs (i.e., electronic message centers) as defined in division (f)(2) of Section 350.03." That referenced definition, at § 350.03(f)(2), covers "a sign or portion thereof on which the copy changes automatically or animation is displayed through electrical or electronic means (e.g., time and temperature units and message centers)", precisely the digital-billboard format.

The ban applies only to the billboard sign type; electronic message centers are still allowed on other sign types elsewhere in the city under a separate track, § 350.07(d) permits electronically-changing or animated messages "as specified in the 'schedules' referenced in division (b) of Section 350.14 and division (b) of Section 350.15," the retail- and industrial-district sign schedules, and a narrow carve-out in § 350.20(e)(2) lets major public-assembly facilities (5,000+ capacity, Central Business District) run electronic changeable copy for identification, event listings and public-service messages.

Any new billboard requires a Building Permit application referred to the City Planning Department under § 350.10(k) for a compliance check on location, spacing and setback.