§ 17-402. Alcoholic beverage and cigarette advertising signs.

(a) General prohibition.

No person may place any sign, poster, placard, device, graphic display, or other item that advertises alcoholic beverages or cigarettes in any publicly visible location, including any outdoor billboard, side of a building, or freestanding sign.

(b) Exceptions.

(1) "Licensed premises" defined.

In this subsection, "licensed premises" means:

(i) as to alcoholic beverage signs, a premises that operates under an alcoholic beverages license or permit issued under the State Alcoholic Beverages Article; and

(ii) as to the cigarette signs, a premises that operates under a cigarette business license issued under Title 16 of the State Business Regulation Article.

(2) Permitted placements – General.

This section does not apply to the placement of signs:

(i) inside a licensed premises;

(ii) in conjunction with a temporary or 1-day alcoholic beverages license granted by the Board of License Commissioners;

(iii) in an Area of Special Signage Control advertising for a business located within the Area of Special Signage Control that holds a manufacturer's license issued under Title 2, Subtitle 2 of the Alcoholic Beverages Article of the Maryland Code; or

(iv) on property owned, leased, or operated by the Maryland Stadium Authority.

(3) Permitted placements – Identification of licensed premises.

(i) In general.

This section does not apply to any window or exterior wall sign of a licensed premises that meets all of the following criteria:

(A) the sign is intended to identify the licensed premises, by containing its name, slogan, or logo;

(B) the sign covers no more than 15% of the window or exterior wall area on which it is displayed; and

(C) the licensed premises has no other window or exterior wall sign along the same street frontage.

(ii) Measurement methodology.

For purposes of this paragraph (3):

(A) a "window" comprises all the glass panes within the main frame of the window area; and

(B) the maximum 15% coverage is calculated based on the total area within the external window frame.

(4) Permitted placements – Billboards.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any billboard that advertises alcoholic beverages shall be located at least 500 linear feet from established and conspicuously identified elementary or secondary schools, places of worship, or public playgrounds.