“Can I build a billboard on my personal property?” is a question that we hear a lot. As OOH advocates, we here at DOmedia wish the answer to that question was as simple as “yes you can.” Unfortunately, the actual answer is slightly more complicated. There are legal restrictions, zoning requirements, and financial obstacles that must be considered before any billboard construction can begin. This post will attempt to explain some of these restrictions and the circumstances under which billboards can be constructed on private property.
It is not easy to meet all the legal requirements when planning to build a billboard near a major highway. The Highway Beautification Act of 1965 regulates billboards within 660 ft. of major highways and seriously limits qualified potential locations. Billboards built within this 660 ft. distance must be at least 1500 ft. from the next nearest highway billboard and 500 ft. from the nearest street billboard. Unfortunately, most of these ideal locations are already taken so finding new ones can be a difficult task.
The Highway Beautification Act of 1965 also bans billboards from being placed along scenic highways, such as U.S. Route 40 Scenic which runs through a small portion of northern Maryland. It’s possible to find a quality location for a new billboard, but it’s certainly not easy. The odds of that location landing on your property are relatively slim.
If the billboard will not be within 660 ft. of the highway it will not be regulated by the Highway Beautification Act of 1965. Instead, it will be governed by city and state zoning laws, which are considerably less strict than the rules that apply to highway billboards. Additionally, if a property is zoned as a commercial or light industrial location, the odds of being allowed to build get even better. Finally, billboards that serve commercial locations as signage are regulated completely differently, and much more loosely than typical billboards.
Although placing a billboard on personal property isn’t easy, it certainly is possible under the right circumstances. If your property happens to be a quality location for a new billboard then you are in luck. Joining the world of OOH, and constructing ad space can be a lucrative decision that can provide you with steady business for years to come.
Not everyone can build a billboard on their own personal property, but everyone should have access to OOH. Check out DOmedia, host to the largest database of OOH vendors in the US, and start planning your next OOH campaign today!
