San Diego County, CA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Zoning Ordinance §§ 6200-6249
- Permit
- Administrative Permit + Outdoor Advertising Act
- Lighting ban
- No flashing, intermittent, variable-intensity lights
- Movement ban
- No moving, rotating, or animated signs
- Max size
- 300 sq ft/face, 25 ft tall
Summary
Unincorporated San Diego County bans flashing, intermittent, or variable-intensity billboard lighting under Zoning Ordinance § 6205, effectively prohibiting digital and electronic message billboards outside a time, temperature, or weather exception.
i. Lighting. Signs may be illuminated unless otherwise specified, provided such signs are so constructed that no light bulb, tube, filament or similar source of illumination is visible beyond the property lines. Signs making use of lights to convey the effect of movement, or flashing, intermittent or variable intensity lighting shall not be permitted. This restriction shall not apply to signs which convey information such as time, temperature, or weather.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-141: Administrative: Current through Ord. No. 11007 (N.S.), effective 7-10-26 | Regulatory: Current through Ord. No. 11008 (N.S.), effective 7-24-26).
Full Breakdown
The County's Off-Premise Sign Regulations, Zoning Ordinance §§ 6200-6249, govern billboards and require an Administrative Permit plus proof of approval under the state Outdoor Advertising Act. Section 6205(i) allows illumination but bars lights that convey movement or flashing, intermittent, or variable-intensity effects -- the mechanism behind digital and LED billboard displays -- except for signs showing time, temperature, or weather. Section 6205(j) separately bars any sign from moving, rotating, or displaying moving parts. Off-premise signs are further confined to C37, C38, M54, and M58 zones and barred from the Coastal Zone, scenic areas, and Community Design Review Areas.
Violations & Fines
If a sign is illegal, abandoned, or unpermitted, the Director can order it abated within 30 days of notice; noncompliance lets County crews remove and impound the sign under Section 6217.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are digital or LED billboards allowed in unincorporated San Diego County?
Where can off-premise billboards be placed at all?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Diego County to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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