Rockville, MD Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Zones allowed
- I-L and Mixed-Use except MXT/MXC
- Brightness cap
- 0.3 foot-candles above ambient
- Minimum change interval
- 30 seconds, full swap only
- Malfunction rule
- Must go dark or freeze
Summary
Rockville allows electronic message center signs only as freestanding signs in the I-L zone and Mixed-Use zones other than MXT and MXC, capped at 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light and one message change per 30 seconds.
A freestanding sign may be an electronic message center in the I-L zone and all Mixed-Use zones except for the MXT and MXC zones... The display may change a maximum of once every 30 seconds. This change must be an entire sign change and not fade or pixelate in and out between messages. In the event of malfunction, the display on an electronic message center must go dark or freeze. Electronic message centers must operate at a brightness level of no greater than 0.3 foot candles above ambient light when measured using a foot candle meter at a distance of 150 feet.
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 25.10.3.4(b)(1)(D), a freestanding sign may be an electronic message center only in the I-L (light industrial) zone and Mixed-Use zones except MXT and MXC, and it must be permanently secured to the ground. The display can change at most once every 30 seconds, and each change must be a full sign swap: no fading or pixelating between messages. Brightness cannot exceed 0.3 foot candles above ambient light, measured from 150 feet with a foot candle meter, and the unit must carry a light-sensing device that adjusts brightness as ambient light changes. If the display malfunctions, it must go dark or freeze rather than continue cycling.
Violations & Fines
A digital sign installed outside the I-L or eligible Mixed-Use zones, changing faster than every 30 seconds, exceeding the 0.3 foot-candle cap, or failing to freeze/go dark on malfunction is a Zoning Ordinance violation subject to City enforcement and permit action under Article 13.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can digital billboards go in Rockville?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
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