Montgomery County, MD Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum dwell time
- 30 seconds per change
- Change type
- Full frame, no fade/pixelate
- Exemption
- Parking-space-count signs
- Permit required
- Yes, from DPS
- Not covered here
- Rockville, Gaithersburg, Takoma Park have own codes
Summary
Montgomery County limits how often an electronic or manually changeable sign display can update: no more than once every 30 seconds, with a full-frame change and no fade or pixelation, under Zoning Ordinance section 6.7.9.F.
A sign that has characters that are changed manually or electronically must not be changed more than once every 30 seconds. This change must be an entire sign change and not fade or pixelate in and out. This includes a sign that gives the appearance or illusion of movement for a written or printed message. A sign that displays the number of available parking spaces is exempt from this requirement.
G. Historic Preservation Area
1. The applicant for a sign erected on a historic resource or in a historic district must receive a historic area work permit under the provisions of
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-90: Montgomery County Code contains legislation effective through May 7, 2026 | Zoning Updated Effective: April 13, 2026 | COMCOR Regulations effective as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The Zoning Ordinance regulates digital and manually changeable sign displays at Section 6.7.9.F: content cannot change more than once every 30 seconds, the change must be a complete frame swap with no fading or pixelating in and out, and this covers any sign that gives the illusion of movement in its message. Signs showing available parking-space counts are exempt. Every permanent sign needs a DPS permit under Section 6.7.2. Chapter 59 does not apply in Brookeville, Poolesville, Laytonsville, Rockville, Barnesville, Gaithersburg, or Washington Grove, which run their own zoning.
Violations & Fines
DPS enforces the permit requirement; any Chapter 59 violation, including a noncompliant electronic sign, draws a civil fine, and each day the sign keeps changing too fast is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can a digital sign in Montgomery County change its message?
Is any electronic sign exempt from the 30-second rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery County
Compare Montgomery County to another location·View the Maryland sign regulations overview
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