Citrus County, FL Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed districts
- GNC, LIND, IND only
- Max size, major roads
- 382 sq. ft.
- Max size, secondary roads
- 300 sq. ft.
- Max height, major roads
- 35 feet
- Separation distance
- 1,000-3,000 feet, same highway
- Interstate/Federal-Aid corridors
- FDOT permit required
Summary
Billboards facing Citrus County's highways are confined to the GNC, LIND, and IND land use districts, capped at 382 square feet (300 on secondary county roads) and 35 feet tall (25 feet on secondary roads), spaced up to 3,000 feet apart, and any billboard within a controlled interstate or Federal-Aid corridor needs a separate FDOT permit.
A. Billboards shall only be located within the GNC, LIND, or IND Districts and designated in like areas within a Development of Regional Impact per approved Master Site Plan (or vested non DRI project)... C. The billboard may be single-faced, double-faced (back to back), or v-shaped and shall not have more than the following square footage of advertising visible: US-41, US-19, US-98, SR-44, SR-200, CR-491, and CR-486 382 sq. ft. CR-488, CR-490, CR-39, and CR-48 300 sq. ft. ... H. No billboard shall be permitted to exceed the following height limitation as measured from the natural ground elevation or the crest of the road, whichever is greater: US-41, US-19, US-98, SR-44, SR-200, CR-491, and CR-486 35 feet CR-488, CR-490, CR-39, and CR-48 25 feet. ... J. Billboards erected, operated, or maintained within any controlled area of the State Highway System outside of incorporated areas, or on any part of the Interstate or Federal-Aid Primary System shall have a permit from the Florida Department of Transportation and comply with Chapter 479, F.S. and 14-10, F.A.C.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 9290 of the Citrus County Land Development Code, "Billboards," applies countywide in unincorporated Citrus County (Crystal River and Inverness run their own sign codes). Billboards may sit only within the GNC (General Commercial), LIND (Light Industrial), or IND (Industrial) districts, or in a like-designated area of an approved Development of Regional Impact master site plan; every other district is off-limits. Sec. 9290(C) caps the advertising face at 382 square feet along US-41, US-19, US-98, SR-44, SR-200, CR-491, and CR-486, and 300 square feet along CR-488, CR-490, CR-39, and CR-48, with a further 10 percent allowed for embellishments.
Sec. 9290(H) limits height to 35 feet on the major-highway list and 25 feet on the secondary-road list, measured from natural grade or the road crest, whichever is higher. Sec. 9290(I) sets minimum separation between billboards on the same highway at 1,000 to 3,000 feet depending on the road, plus a 660-foot minimum to any billboard on a second listed highway. Sec. ; where county and state rules conflict, the stricter one governs. Sec. 9290(K) adds a minimum 15-foot right-of-way setback for billboards over 30 feet tall. A digital or automatic changeable billboard face must additionally meet the Sec. 9240 changeable-copy-sign standards.
Violations & Fines
An oversized, mis-sited, or under-permitted billboard is enforceable by Growth Management's Code Compliance Division under the LDC's general penalties chapter (Sec. 1800), which allows stop-work orders and civil injunctive suits in circuit court to force removal or compliance. A billboard erected in a controlled FDOT corridor without the required state permit violates both Sec. 9290(J) and Chapter 479, F.S., independently of any county action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a billboard along a Citrus County highway?
How big can a billboard be near the highway?
Do I need a state permit for a billboard near an interstate?
How far apart must billboards be along the same road?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Citrus County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Citrus County to another location·View the Florida sign regulations overview
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