Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Kitsap County, WA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

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

Key Facts

Billboards
Prohibited outright, § 17.510.040(K)
Digital billboards
Included in the ban, no exception
Billboard definition
Off-premises structure, § 17.510.020
On-premises electronic signs
Separately allowed, § 17.510.080
Jurisdiction reach
Unincorporated Kitsap County only
Violation penalty
Class I civil infraction, per day

Summary

Unincorporated Kitsap County bans billboards outright under Section 17.510.040(K), stationary or mobile. Because a billboard is defined as an off-premises advertising structure, no digital or electronic billboard can be permitted anywhere in the county regardless of zone or technology.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Kitsap County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Unless otherwise exempt or conditionally exempt under this chapter, the following signs shall be prohibited:

A. Off-premises signs unless specifically allowed pursuant to Section 17.510.050, Exempt signs, or 17.510.060, Conditionally exempt signs.

...

K. Stationary or mobile billboards.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4864424; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).

Full Breakdown

040, the county's prohibited signs list, states plainly that "stationary or mobile billboards" are banned, item K on a list that also bars flashing, rotating, and animated signs. That ban is categorical: it doesn't distinguish static billboards from digital or electronic ones, and nothing in the code carves out an exception for LED or changeable-message billboard technology. 080, Regulations for electronic signs, allows certain on-premises electronic message signs in commercial and industrial zones within an urban growth area, and for schools, churches, and government uses, with hold times of at least eight seconds per message, fade transitions of at least one second, and brightness capped at three-tenths of a foot-candle above ambient light.

040(K) billboard ban. An off-premises digital billboard remains a billboard under the county's own definition and stays prohibited countywide in the unincorporated area, whatever illumination method is used. This ban does not reach Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, or Bainbridge Island, each of which regulates signs under its own municipal code.

Violations & Fines

Erecting or maintaining a billboard, digital or otherwise, in unincorporated Kitsap County is a Class I civil infraction under Section 17.610.020, with each day the billboard remains counted as a separate violation, processed under the county's civil enforcement ordinance, Chapter 2.116. The county may also pursue removal as a public nuisance under Section 17.610.030.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a company put up a digital billboard along a highway in unincorporated Kitsap County?
No. Section 17.510.040(K) bans "stationary or mobile billboards" outright, with no exception for digital displays. The code defines a billboard as a "large, outdoor, permanent, commercial, off-premises structure advertising products or services," a category that's banned regardless of illumination technology.
Doesn't the county's electronic sign section allow digital displays?
Section 17.510.080 permits certain on-premises electronic signs, like changeable message boards for businesses, schools, or churches in specific zones, but it doesn't touch the separate, categorical ban on billboards in Section 17.510.040(K). An off-premises digital billboard is still a prohibited billboard, not a regulated electronic sign.
What happens if someone erects a billboard anyway?
County code enforcement treats it as a prohibited sign subject to Class I civil infraction penalties under Section 17.610.020, with a new violation accruing for each day the billboard remains, and the county can also pursue it as a public nuisance under Section 17.610.030.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kitsap County

All Kitsap County rules

Compare Kitsap County to another location·View the Washington sign regulations overview

Get notified when Digital Billboards in Kitsap County, WA changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.