Title 252, HIGHWAYS

Sec. 5. A person shall not engage or continue to engage in outdoor advertising through the erection, use or maintenance of any signs in an adjacent area where the facing of the sign is visible from an interstate highway, freeway, or primary highway, except as provided in this act…

Sec. 6. (1) A sign owner shall apply for an annual permit on a form prescribed by the department for each sign or sign structure to be maintained or erected in an adjacent area where the facing of the sign or sign structure is visible from a regulated route. The form shall requir…

Sec. 7. (1) A permit fee is payable annually in advance, to be credited to the state trunk line fund. For a digital billboard permit, the fee is $200.00 for the first year. For an annual permit for a billboard that does not require a digital billboard permit, the fee is $100.00 f…

Sec. 7a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, section 6(2)(a), and section 7b, the department shall not issue an annual permit for a new sign on or after January 1, 2007. (2) A permit issued by the department before January 1, 2007 remains in force and valid. (3) On …

Sec. 7b. (1) Notwithstanding anything in this act to the contrary, the department may issue a permit for a directional sign for a publicly or privately owned activity or attraction that is nationally known or regionally known, that is of outstanding interest to the traveling publ…

Sec. 9. Except for signs existing on March 31, 1972, a permit shall be issued or denied within 30 days after proper receipt of the permit form and the permit fee from the applicant. A permit shall not be issued for a sign which is prohibited by section 18(a), (b), (c), or (d). A …

Sec. 10. The owner of a sign allowed under section 13(1)(b) or (c) is not required to obtain a permit for that sign.

Sec. 11. (1) A person who trims or removes trees or shrubs within a highway right-of-way for the purpose of making a proposed or existing sign more visible without a permit issued under section 11a is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or…

Sec. 11a. (1) Subject to the requirements of this section, the department is authorized to and shall issue permits for the management of vegetation to the owner of a sign, agent of the owner of a sign, or a property owner or agent of a property owner with whom the sign owner has …

Sec. 12. (1) All persons holding permits under this act, at their own expense, shall place the permit number on each sign facing erected or maintained by them within 4 months after receiving a permit for signs existing on March 31, 1972 and within 3 business days for all other si…

Sec. 13. (1) A sign shall not be erected or maintained in an adjacent area where the facing of the sign is visible from an interstate highway, freeway, or primary highway except the following: (a) Directional and other official signs, including, but not limited to, signs pertaini…

Sec. 14. (1) The state highway commission may lease land owned by the department along an interstate highway, freeway or primary highway in business areas or unzoned, commercial or industrial areas, to the owner or operator of any gasoline station, repair garage, restaurant, lodg…

Sec. 15. (1) All signs erected or maintained in business areas or unzoned commercial and industrial areas shall comply with the following size requirements and limitations: (a) In counties of less than 425,000 population, signs shall not exceed 1,200 square feet in area, includin…

Sec. 16. (1) A sign that is subject to this act may be illuminated so as to allow the sign to be seen and read but the illumination shall be employed in a manner that prevents beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the main-traveled way of the highway in a m…

Sec. 17. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (10) and (11), along interstate highways and freeways, a sign structure located in a business area or unzoned commercial or industrial area shall not be erected or maintained closer than 1,000 feet to another sign structure…

Sec. 17a. (1) A nonconforming sign may continue to exist as long as it is not a destroyed, abandoned, discontinued, or prohibited sign. A nonconforming sign that has not displayed an advertising message for more than 1 year shall be considered an abandoned sign. (2) A sign owner …

Sec. 17b. (1) The owner of a sign, agent of the owner of a sign, or a property owner or the agent of a property owner with whom the sign owner has a contractual relationship to maintain the sign on his or her property shall not cross a limited access right-of-way to erect or main…

Sec. 18. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the following signs or sign structures are prohibited: (a) Those that purport to regulate, warn, or direct the movement of traffic or that interfere with, imitate, or resemble any official traffic sign, signal, or device. (b)…

Sec. 18a. (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, beginning January 1, 2000, all billboards within this state are subject to this act and shall not advertise the purchase or consumption of tobacco products. (2) Beginning January 1, 2011, any billboard within this sta…

Sec. 18b. (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act to the contrary, the department may enter into a voluntary agreement as proposed by the Michigan billboard advisory council created under section 18c, or the department, if the Michigan billboard advisory council no lo…

Sec. 18c. (1) The Michigan billboard advisory council is created within the department for the purpose of advising the department and the state transportation commission regarding voluntary agreements entered into under section 18b(1), lighting, and any other general policy for t…

Sec. 19. (1) Signs and their supporting structures erected or maintained in violation of this act may be removed by the department in the manner prescribed in this section. (2) There shall be mailed to the owner of the sign by certified mail a notice that the sign or its supporti…

Sec. 20. If any part of this act is found by a court to be invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts of this act shall not be affected but shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 21. Except as otherwise provided in section 7, a person who erects or maintains any sign or sign structure or other object for outdoor advertising subject to the provisions of this act without complying with this act is liable for a penalty of not less than $100.00 nor more …

Sec. 22. (1) Just compensation shall be paid from the state trunk line fund upon the removal by or in behalf of the department of any sign or sign structure lawfully in existence on March 31, 1972 but which does not comply with the requirements of sections 13(1)(d), 15, 16, and 1…

Sec. 22a. All of the following rules are rescinded: (a) R 247.705 to R 247.707 of the Michigan administrative code. (b) R 247.710 of the Michigan administrative code. (c) R 247.721(6) of the Michigan administrative code. (d) R 247.723 of the Michigan administrative code. (e) R 24…

Sec. 23. (1) The department may promulgate and enforce rules to implement this act in accordance with and subject to Act No. 306 of the Public Acts of 1969, as amended, being sections 24.201 to 24.315 of the Compiled Laws of 1948. (2) If a person is aggrieved by any action or ina…

Sec. 24. Act No. 333 of the Public Acts of 1966, being sections 252.251 to 252.262 of the Compiled Laws of 1948, is repealed.