Grand Rapids, MI Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Citywide digital cap
- 10 faces maximum
- I-96/I-196 corridor allowance
- up to 4 faces
- US-131 corridor allowance
- up to 6 faces
- Conversion cost
- 2 removal credits per face
Summary
Grand Rapids caps digital billboard conversions in its freeway Upgrade Eligibility Zone at 10 faces citywide, split between the I-96/I-196 and US-131 corridors.
No more than ten (10) sign faces can be converted to a digital billboard face within the Upgrade Eligibility Zone. Up to four (4) digital billboard faces, with two (2) facing each direction (E/W) may be installed along the I-96/I-196 corridor. Up to six (6) digital billboard faces, with three (3) facing each direction (N/S) may be installed along the US-131 corridor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).
Full Breakdown
Under the Billboard Exchange Program, an existing off-premises sign in the Upgrade Eligibility Zone may swap a static face for an Electronic Changeable Copy Sign face, but citywide conversions are capped at 10 sign faces. Up to 4 digital faces, 2 facing each direction, are allowed along the I-96/I-196 corridor, and up to 6, 3 facing each direction, along US-131. Replacing a static face costs 2 sign-removal credits (only 1 with an approved public-private community-messaging partnership), and adding a new support structure to accommodate the conversion costs 3 credits. Digital billboards in the City Center district, or wherever light intensity exceeds 0.3 footcandles at a residential lot line, require Special Land Use review rather than administrative sign-off.
Violations & Fines
Converting a billboard face to digital beyond the 10-face citywide cap, or outside the I-96/I-196 and US-131 corridors, violates Section 5.15.03.I.3.d and is enforced as an unpermitted sign upgrade.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many digital billboards can Grand Rapids have along the freeways?
Does converting a billboard to digital require special approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Rapids
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Digital Billboards in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kent County handle digital billboards.