OOHGuide

What Can't You Put on a Billboard? Rules, Banned Ads and Restrictions (2026)

Updated 2026-11-05

Short answer: you can't put obscene, false or misleading content on a billboard, or anything promoting illegal activity. Cigarette brands are shut out under a 1998 settlement, and cannabis is banned or restricted in many states. Alcohol, vape, adult businesses and political ads are generally allowed, but with limits.

There is no single national list. What you can run depends on three things: the law, the operator's copy policy and where the board sits. In practice, the operator is usually the strictest of the three, because a billboard company can turn down your ad even when it's legal.

What's banned or restricted on billboards

Content Can it run? Who sets the limit
Obscene words or images No Operators and the industry code
False or misleading claims No FTC and operators
Illegal goods or activity No Law and operators
Anything that imitates a traffic sign No Highway sign rules
Cigarette brands Not for companies in the settlement 1998 Master Settlement Agreement
Vape and e-cigarettes Often, with limits Operators and local law
Cannabis Depends on the state State law and operators
Alcohol Yes, with placement limits State and local law, operators
Sexually oriented businesses Sometimes, with strict limits Operators and local law
Political and issue ads Yes, usually with a "paid for by" line Election law and operators
Criminal accusations against someone Usually no Operators
QR codes on roadside boards Often no Operators

This is a general guide, not legal advice. State and local rules change, so confirm with the operator and, for regulated products, a lawyer.

Who decides what goes on a billboard

The operator has the final say

Billboards are private property, and the company selling the space can refuse an ad. Lamar's policy says it reserves the right to reject copy "for any reason", and Blip says an ad "may be approved or rejected for any reason."

That doesn't mean operators reject everything they dislike. Lamar's policy says it won't accept or reject copy based on agreement with the views presented. It lists these specific reasons for rejecting an ad:

  • The copy is factually inaccurate, misleading, fraudulent or deceptive
  • The copy is obscene, offensive or inconsistent with local community standards
  • The copy promotes an illegal activity
  • The advertiser has a pattern of provocative, critical copy aimed at creating negative impressions of others

The trade group's voluntary OAAA Code of Industry Principles takes a similar line. It supports the right of media companies to reject advertising that is misleading, offensive or incompatible with community standards.

The law sets the outer limits

Truth in advertising. The FTC says ads must be truthful and not misleading, and it applies the same standards wherever an ad appears, including on billboards and buses. Trademark, copyright and defamation law also apply, so you need the rights to any logos, photos or likenesses you use.

Free speech. Government can't freely censor billboard messages. In Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), the Supreme Court held that sign rules based on content are presumptively unconstitutional, while leaving room for neutral limits on things like size and lighting. In City of Austin v. Reagan National Advertising (2022), it held that treating on-premises and off-premises signs differently isn't automatically content-based. That's why cities can still restrict billboards as a category.

Road safety. Federal standards for signs along Interstates under the bonus program bar any sign that "imitates or resembles any official traffic sign, signal or device" or appears to direct traffic. Don't build your ad around a fake stop sign.

Location can rule out an ad

The OAAA code commits members to keeping stationary ads for products illegal for sale to minors out of zones within at least 500 feet of schools, public playgrounds and established places of worship. Lamar says its local managers follow this guidance. Some places turn it into law, as the next section shows.

And four states ban billboards outright. See which states ban billboards.

Rules for restricted products

Tobacco

The 1998 Master Settlement Agreement bans outdoor advertising of cigarettes, including billboards, by the companies that joined it. It also limits advertising outside retail stores to 14 square feet. This is often described as a nationwide law, but it's a settlement between states and tobacco companies, not a federal statute.

Vape and e-cigarettes

Vaping companies aren't bound by the same settlement terms, so the limits come from operators and local law. Lamar accepts these ads, but they can't appeal to minors, use sexualization, show smoking devices or claim health benefits. They must also stay out of exclusionary zones and carry a nicotine disclaimer, and prepayment is usually required.

Cannabis

Cannabis rules are set state by state, and they vary widely:

  • New York: the Cannabis Law lists advertising "in the form of a billboard" as prohibited for adult-use cannabis. It also restricts ads near schools, playgrounds, day care providers, parks and libraries.
  • California: state law bars cannabis billboards on interstates and on state highways that cross the border, and bars advertising signs within 1,000 feet of a day care, K-12 school, playground or youth center.

Where it's legal, operators add their own limits. Lamar bans slang like "weed" or "pot," images of the plant or products, health claims, and copy that appeals to minors or encourages carrying cannabis across state lines. Blip lists images of marijuana leaves as a rejection trigger.

Alcohol

Alcohol ads are common on billboards, but placement can be limited:

  • Virginia: state law bars outdoor alcohol ads within 500 linear feet of churches, schools, playgrounds and homes, measured along the same side of the road, with some exceptions.
  • Garden Grove, California: the city bars outdoor alcohol ads within 500 feet of schools, playgrounds, child care facilities and libraries.
  • Spirits brands: the Distilled Spirits Council's code has a 500-foot placement provision for schools and places of worship.

Lamar's company-wide rule is that alcohol copy can't appeal to minors.

Sexually oriented businesses

Lamar accepts these ads under location-based guidelines, with no photos or silhouettes except tasteful head shots and no offensive copy. Local managers decide which areas are appropriate, and rules may be looser in Las Vegas and Times Square.

Guns and weapons

Rules vary by operator. Blip lists images of guns or weapons as a rejection trigger. If your ad involves firearms, ask before you design it.

Political and issue ads

Political ads are allowed, and both the OAAA code and Lamar's policy support political and noncommercial messages. The details matter, though:

  • Federal campaigns: FEC rules require a disclaimer in a printed box, and on a billboard it has to appear on the face of the ad.
  • State and local races: rules vary, so check with your state election office.
  • Operator rules: Blip requires a "Paid for by" line covering at least 10% of the ad and won't take negative or potentially controversial political ads. Lamar requires sensitive copy to name the advertiser in letters at least 6% of the ad's shortest dimension.

Rules that catch advertisers by surprise

  • QR codes. Lamar doesn't allow them on billboards, though it does on transit, airport and street-level media. Blip bans QR and text codes because they encourage distracted driving.
  • Text-to addresses. Lamar accepts them on billboards with a line such as "Please do not text while driving."
  • Your website counts. Lamar reviews the site you promote as part of its decision, and Blip may reject an ad over questionable website content.
  • Attack ads. Blip won't take negative ads aimed at a person, event or business. Lamar can bar advertisers with a pattern of critical copy.
  • Criminal accusations. Lamar won't accept them unless a court has determined guilt.
  • Sensitive topics. Lamar sends copy with negative references to religion, human rights, nationality or abortion to a senior executive for review.

How two operators' rules compare

Written policies differ, so don't assume one company's answer applies to another.

Topic Lamar Blip
QR codes Not on billboards Not allowed
Cannabis Accepted with limits; no plant images Marijuana leaf images rejected
Political ads Accepted Accepted with a 10% "Paid for by" line; no negative ads
Adult businesses Accepted under location guidelines Sexually charged content may be rejected
Negative ads about others Can be barred if it's a pattern Not allowed

Sources: Lamar copy acceptance policy, revised October 2024; Blip design guidelines, checked November 2026. Blip also warns that some media owners on its platform have stricter requirements.

How to get your billboard ad approved

  1. Ask for the copy policy before you design anything, especially for a regulated product or a political ad.
  2. Send a draft early. Ask for approval before you pay for printing.
  3. Check your claims. If you say "best" or quote a price or a statistic, be ready to back it up.
  4. Check your website and landing page, since they can be reviewed too.
  5. Ask about location. Confirm whether the board falls within a school or place-of-worship zone.
  6. Add any required disclaimers, and ask for the size rule.
  7. If you're rejected, ask why. Lamar pledges to explain any rejection and work with advertisers on acceptable copy.

Once the content is clear, follow our billboard design tips to make it readable at speed.

Frequently asked questions

What can you not put on a billboard?

Obscene content, false or misleading claims, anything promoting illegal activity, and designs that imitate traffic signs. Tobacco companies in the 1998 settlement can't advertise on billboards, and cannabis is banned or limited in many states. Operators can also reject legal ads under their own policies.

Can I put whatever I want on a billboard?

No. Even legal content has to pass the operator's copy policy and any state or local rules. Operators such as Lamar and Blip reserve the right to reject ads for any reason.

Can a billboard company refuse my ad?

Yes. Billboards are privately run, and operators generally reserve the right to reject copy. Ask for the policy and the specific reason, because a small change may be enough.

Can you swear on a billboard?

Generally no. Operators reject obscene and offensive copy, Blip bans profanity, and the OAAA code rejects obscene words and images.

Can you advertise cannabis on a billboard?

It depends on the state. New York's Cannabis Law lists billboards as prohibited for adult-use cannabis, while California allows them with limits on highways and near schools. Where it's legal, operators such as Lamar still ban plant images, slang and health claims.

Can you advertise alcohol on a billboard?

Yes, in most places, but some states and cities bar alcohol ads near schools, playgrounds and places of worship, often within 500 feet. Ads can't appeal to minors.

Can you advertise tobacco on a billboard?

Not if you're one of the tobacco companies bound by the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. Vape ads are treated differently, and operators such as Lamar accept them with limits.

Do political billboards need a disclaimer?

Usually. Federal campaign rules require one on the face of the billboard, state rules vary, and operators can set their own size requirements.

Can you put a QR code on a billboard?

Often not on roadside boards. Lamar and Blip both prohibit them there. Lamar allows them on transit, airport and street-level media, where people have time to scan.

Next steps

Find operators in our city guides or the outdoor advertising companies directory, read how to rent a billboard, and request quotes from up to 3 local operators. If your ad is sensitive, tell them up front.

Sources

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