Medina, OH Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Sign type allowed
- Ground signs only, no pole signs
- Approval needed
- Conditional zoning certificate
- Banned districts
- M-U, Historic, TC-OV
- Copy change limit
- Not more than once per 30 seconds
- First-offense fine
- $150 to $500 (§1103.99)
Summary
Medina allows electronic message center signs only as ground signs, only with a conditional zoning certificate, and bans them outright in the M-U, Historic and TC-OV Districts. Copy cannot change more than once every 30 seconds, and the sign must auto-dim to ambient light so it never becomes a visual hazard.
(j) Electronic Message Center Signs. Electronic message center signs, permitted for ground signs only (excluding pole signs), shall be conditionally permitted in all districts, except the M-U, Historic, and TC-OV Districts, where such signs shall be prohibited. An electronic message center sign shall meet the following requirements: (1) Frequency. Copy change shall not be more frequently than once per thirty (30) seconds. (2) Color. Copy can be single or full color. (3) Illumination. The intensity of the lights used in the message center shall not constitute a visual hazard for vehicular or pedestrian traffic. The sign shall be equipped with and shall use photosensitive equipment which automatically adjusts the brightness and contrast of the sign in direct relation to the ambient outdoor illumination. The Planning Director shall utilize reasonable judgment in determining whether the lighting constitutes a visual hazard.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025-01: Local legislation current through June 24, 2025 | State legislation current through December 31, 2024).
Full Breakdown
07(j) governs electronic message center signs citywide. The signs are permitted for ground signs only, excluding pole signs, and are conditionally permitted in every district except the M-U, Historic and TC-OV Districts, where they are prohibited outright, meaning a property owner in one of those three districts cannot obtain approval for one at all. Where the sign is allowed, it still needs a conditional zoning certificate under Chapter 1153 rather than a routine Zoning Certificate, giving the Planning Commission discretion over each installation. Three technical limits then apply: copy cannot change more frequently than once every 30 seconds under subsection (1), the message can use single or full color under subsection (2), and under subsection (3) the sign's illumination cannot constitute a visual hazard for vehicular or pedestrian traffic and must be equipped with photosensitive equipment that automatically adjusts brightness and contrast to the ambient outdoor light level.
The Planning Director has final judgment on whether a given installation's lighting rises to the level of a visual hazard. 11 routes enforcement back through the general Zoning Ordinance inspection and correction process rather than a separate sign penalty schedule.
Violations & Fines
Section 1147.11 makes any nonconforming sign a Zoning Ordinance violation subject to Sections 1107.04 and 1107.05: the Planning Director orders written correction, and an uncorrected violation is prosecuted under Section 1103.99, with fines of $150 to $500 for a first offense, $250 to $750 for a second, and $500 to $1,000 for a third or later offense, each day a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install a digital sign anywhere in Medina?
How fast can the message change on an electronic sign in Medina?
Does a digital sign have to dim itself at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Medina
Compare Medina to another location·View the Ohio sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.