Westminster, CA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Zones
- Commercial/industrial along I-405 and SR-22 only
- Permit
- Conditional Use Permit + operating agreement
- Max height
- 90 feet
- Max face size
- 20 ft x 60 ft (1,200 sq ft)
- Display time
- 4 seconds min, 2 minutes max per message
- Density limit
- One billboard per property; 1,000 ft apart
- Citation
- Westminster Code § 17.330.090
Summary
Digital billboards are allowed only as a conditional use along the I-405 and SR-22 freeway corridors in commercial and industrial zones, capped at 90 feet tall, one per property, and require an operating agreement with the City, per Westminster Code § 17.330.090. Static, printed, or painted billboards are barred outright: only true digital displays qualify.
§ 17.330.090. Electronic Billboard Freeway Signs.
F. Development Standards
1. Maximum height. The maximum height of an electronic billboard shall be 90 feet...
3. Maximum number per property. No more than one electronic billboard shall be permitted per individual property or site.
G. Standards of Design
1. Digital requirement. Only digital billboards are permitted. Static images, including, but not limited to, printed or painted billboards, are not allowed.
4. Each face of the sign shall be no larger than 20 feet by 60 feet in dimension (total 1,200 square feet)...
H. Operational Restrictions
2. Minimum display time. Each message on the sign must be displayed for a minimum of four seconds or the minimum time allowed under the State of California Outdoor Advertising Act and Caltrans implementing regulations, whichever is the shorter period of time.
3. Maximum display time. Electronic billboard messages shall be displayed for no longer than two minutes at a time.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4982734; v10 updated 2026-06-10).
Full Breakdown
090, and only as a conditional use in commercial and industrial zones adjacent to Interstate 405 or State Route 22; a site that does not front one of those two freeways cannot qualify regardless of zoning. Every billboard needs a sign permit and a Conditional Use Permit, plus an operating agreement or development agreement with the City covering revenue sharing, City access to a portion of display time for community messages and public safety notices, access for Amber Alert and emergency-disaster communications, and maintenance standards.
Location is tightly restricted: no billboard within a classified landscaped freeway absent Caltrans relocation approval, none on a roof or building wall, none within 200 feet of a residential use (reducible only with an independent lighting-glare engineering study), and a minimum separation of 1,000 feet between billboards on the same side of the right-of-way, matching Caltrans' own standard. Development standards cap height at 90 feet (justified with renderings from 500 and 750 feet away), require a 10-foot setback from any property line, and limit each site to one billboard.
Design standards mandate true digital displays, no static or painted faces, a maximum of two aligned, identically sized faces at 20 feet by 60 feet (1,200 square feet) each, underground utilities, and a City logo on every structure. 5 glare limits.
Violations & Fines
Erecting, altering, or relocating an electronic billboard without the required sign permit, Conditional Use Permit, and City operating agreement violates § 17.330.090 and is punishable under the general penalty at § 1.12.010: a misdemeanor with up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, or an infraction with escalating $100/$200/$500 fines for repeat violations. Placing a billboard within a landscaped freeway segment, within 200 feet of a residence, or closer than Caltrans' 1,000-foot separation is a violation regardless of permit status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are digital billboards allowed in Westminster?
How tall can an electronic billboard be in Westminster, and how many per lot?
Can a billboard in Westminster show a static, non-digital image?
How fast can the message change on a Westminster electronic billboard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
California rules heatmap·Compare Westminster to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Digital Billboards in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle digital billboards.