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Kirkwood, MO Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

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

Key Facts

Downtown Historic District
Electronic message centers prohibited
Brightness cap
0.3 footcandle above ambient
Sign structure limit
Monument signs only, 35% of face
Residential curfew
Dark 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Penalty
Misdemeanor fine under § 1-8, § 5-20

Summary

Kirkwood bans electronic message centers in the Downtown Historic District and, everywhere else, caps their brightness at 0.3 footcandle above ambient light, limits them to monument signs at 35% of the sign face, and blacks them out overnight in residential districts.

Electronic message centers. All electronic message centers shall be subject to the following requirements: (i) Electronic message centers are prohibited within the Downtown Kirkwood Historic District. ... b. Electronic message centers shall not exceed a brightness level of 0.3 footcandle above ambient light as measured using a footcandle meter at a preset distance depending on the sign area. ... (viii) Electronic message centers shall only be allowed on monument signs, and the electronic message area may occupy no more than 35% of the entire sign structure. ... The electronic message in all residential zoning districts shall not be displayed between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Full Breakdown

Kirkwood Code of Ordinances § 5-14(s)(2), part of the general sign standards article, subjects 'electronic message centers' to a detailed technical list. 3 footcandle above ambient light as measured by a footcandle meter, with the sign manufacturer required to certify compliance before any permit issues. The display itself is restricted to static images with instantaneous changes only, no scrolling, flashing, strobing, fading or simulated motion, each line of copy at least six inches tall, and each message shown for at least 10 seconds, extended to 30 seconds near an interchange, uncontrolled intersection, signed curve or pedestrian walkway within 250 feet.

m. Corner-lot installations in residential districts must sit outside 25 feet of the intersection point and be built perpendicular to the road. Section 5-20 assigns enforcement to the Building Commissioner, who may inspect any regulated sign structure and remove unlawful signs from the right-of-way under § 5-20(e).

Violations & Fines

Erecting an electronic message center in the Downtown Historic District, exceeding the 0.3 footcandle brightness cap, running scrolling or animated content, or leaving a residential-district display lit after 10:00 p.m., is a violation under § 5-20(c)-(d): a misdemeanor punishable by the fine prescribed in § 1-8, with each day of the violation a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put a digital sign in downtown Kirkwood?
No. Section 5-14(s)(2)(i) prohibits electronic message centers within the Downtown Kirkwood Historic District entirely, regardless of brightness or size, so businesses there must use manual changeable-copy or static signage instead.
How bright can a Kirkwood electronic message center be?
It cannot exceed 0.3 footcandle above ambient light as measured by a footcandle meter, and the sign owner must give the city a manufacturer's certification of that compliance before a permit is issued.
Do residential-district digital signs have to turn off at night?
Yes. Section 5-14(s)(2)(x) requires that in every residential zoning district the electronic message must not be displayed between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., on top of the citywide ban on scrolling or animated content.

Sources & Official References

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