Toms River, NJ Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Max billboard size
- 15 ft by 20 ft
- Max height
- 30 feet
- Min front setback
- 50 ft (107 ft from Rt. 9)
- Digital standard
- N.J.A.C. 16:41C-8.8 required
- Permit type
- Conditional use approval
Summary
Off-premises digital billboards in Toms River Township must meet New Jersey's multiple-message sign standard, N.J.A.C. 16:41C-8.8, and win conditional-use approval; no existing billboard, conforming or nonconforming, can convert to a digital display without meeting every billboard standard in § 348-9.23.
An off-premises multiple message sign, as regulated under N.J.A.C. 16:41C-8.8, shall meet all the standards required by that chapter, and such standards are treated herein as conditional use standards. No existing billboard, whether it be a conforming or nonconforming structure, shall be permitted to convert to an off-premises multiple message sign unless it meets all the conditional use standards for billboards as set forth herein.
G. In addition to the spacing requirements and other standards imposed under Subsection F above, billboards shall not be placed within 300 feet of any ground sign over 10 feet in height that is located along the same side of the street. [1] Editor's Note: See also § 348-8.26, Signs; and Ch. 427, Signs.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4954830; v33 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Toms River regulates billboards as a conditional use, capping size at 15 by 20 feet, height at 30 feet, and requiring a 50-foot front setback (107 feet from the Route 9 centerline) plus 50-foot side and rear setbacks. Any billboard operating as an off-premises multiple-message sign, the code's term for an electronic or digital billboard, must satisfy every standard in New Jersey's own regulation, N.J.A.C. 16:41C-8.8, on top of the local dimensional limits. Converting a standing billboard to that digital format is barred unless the structure independently meets all of § 348-9.23's conditional-use criteria.
Violations & Fines
Erecting or converting a billboard without Planning Board or Zoning Board conditional-use approval is a zoning code violation; the Zoning Officer can deny the permit, order the sign removed, and refer the case to Municipal Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an existing Toms River billboard switch to a digital display?
What state rule governs digital billboard displays here?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Toms River
Compare Toms River to another location·View the New Jersey sign regulations overview
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Digital Billboards in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle digital billboards.