Riverside County, CA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Max height
- 25 feet from roadbed or grade
- Max face size
- 300 square feet per face
- Allowed zones
- C-1/C-P, M-SC, M-M, M-H only
- Flashing/moving message boards
- prohibited except time/temp displays
- Penalty
- up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Riverside County bans flashing, intermittent, or moving-light electronic message boards on outdoor advertising displays in the unincorporated area, except time-and-temperature displays held for at least 30 seconds.
No outdoor advertising display shall move or rotate, to display any moving and/or rotating parts. No propellers, flags, or other noise creating devices, and no architectural embellishments which utilize mechanical or natural forces for motion, shall be permitted. Use of daylight reflective materials or electronic message boards using flashing, intermittent or moving light or lights is prohibited, provided, however, that electronic message boards displaying only time and/or temperature for periods of not less than thirty (30) seconds is permitted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 84 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Riverside County's outdoor advertising display permit program (County Code § 17.252.030) bans any billboard display from moving, rotating, or using flashing, intermittent, or moving electronic message-board lighting. The only exception: electronic boards showing time and/or temperature, held static for at least 30 seconds per message. Billboards are further restricted to C-1/C-P, M-SC, M-M, and M-H zones, capped at 25 feet in height and 300 square feet per face, and require a planning director permit plus a building permit before installation. Violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail.
Violations & Fines
Operating a flashing or moving electronic billboard message, or building one outside the C-1/C-P, M-SC, M-M, or M-H zones, is a misdemeanor: up to $1,000 per day and six months in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard in unincorporated Riverside County use a digital scrolling display?
Where can a digital billboard be located in unincorporated Riverside County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside County
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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