What Lamar Advertising is and who owns it

Lamar Advertising is the second-largest billboard company in the United States, operating roughly 350,000 billboards across the country. The company is publicly traded and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you have seen a billboard on a highway, in a city, or along a rural road, there is a reasonable chance Lamar owns or operates it.

Lamar owns billboards outright in some locations and leases space from property owners in others. The company maintains the physical structures, handles the permits, and manages the advertising inventory — meaning they sell the space to businesses that want to advertise. When you rent a billboard from Lamar, you are renting the right to display your message on one of their structures for a set period.

Key Takeaways

  • Lamar Advertising operates roughly 350,000 billboards nationwide and handles all maintenance, permitting, and inventory management for the spaces they own or lease.
  • Billboard rental costs through Lamar vary widely depending on location, traffic volume, and how long you rent — a rural billboard may cost $300 to $1,500 per month, while a major city location can exceed $15,000 per month.
  • You will need to provide your own design or artwork, and Lamar charges separately for printing and installation of the physical billboard.
  • Lamar requires a minimum rental period, typically one to three months, and you will need to sign a contract that specifies the exact location, dates, and terms.
  • You can contact Lamar directly through their website or local sales office to request a rate card for specific locations you are interested in.

How billboard rental costs break down

Lamar's pricing has three main parts: the monthly rental fee for the space itself, the cost to print your design on the billboard material, and the installation fee. The rental fee is what varies most dramatically based on location.

A billboard in a rural area with lower traffic might rent for $300 to $1,500 per month. A billboard on a busy interstate near a major city could cost $5,000 to $15,000 per month or higher. A prime location in downtown Manhattan or Los Angeles could exceed $30,000 per month. The price depends on how many cars pass the billboard daily, the demographic makeup of the area, and how desirable the location is to other advertisers.

Printing costs depend on the size of the billboard and the materials used. A standard 14-by-48-foot billboard (the most common size) typically costs $500 to $2,000 to print, depending on whether you use vinyl, paper, or other materials. Installation usually runs $300 to $1,000. These are one-time costs per design change.

Minimum rental periods and contract terms

Lamar typically requires a minimum rental period of one to three months, though some locations may have longer minimums during peak seasons. You sign a contract that locks in the specific billboard location, the rental dates, and the monthly rate. If you want to extend beyond the initial term, you can usually negotiate a renewal, though rates may change.

The contract will specify what happens if you want to end early. Some agreements allow early termination with a penalty; others do not. You should read the cancellation clause carefully before signing, because breaking a contract early can be expensive.

How to get a quote from Lamar

You can visit Lamar's website and use their location search tool to find billboards in your target area. The tool shows available locations, traffic counts, and estimated rates. You can also call your local Lamar sales office directly — the company has regional offices across the country, and a local salesperson can walk you through available inventory and pricing for your specific market.

When you contact Lamar, be ready to tell them your budget, the geographic area you want to cover, and how long you want to rent. They will send you a rate card showing specific locations and prices. You can then choose one or multiple billboards and request a formal quote.

What you need to provide and design requirements

You are responsible for creating the design or artwork for your billboard. Lamar does not design billboards for you, though they can connect you with approved designers or printing vendors if you need help. Your design must fit the dimensions of the billboard you choose — standard sizes are 14-by-48 feet, 10-by-36 feet, or 12-by-24 feet.

Your design must also comply with local zoning laws and Lamar's content policy. Lamar will not print designs that are illegal, defamatory, or violate their advertising standards. You should confirm your design is acceptable before paying for printing. Once approved, Lamar arranges the printing and installation on the agreed date.

Digital billboards versus traditional billboards

Lamar operates both traditional static billboards and digital billboards. Digital billboards display changing images and can show different messages at different times of day. Digital billboard rentals are more expensive than static ones — a digital location in a major city can cost $10,000 to $30,000 per month or more — but they allow you to rotate multiple messages and update content without printing new material.

Digital billboards also allow you to target specific times. You might run one message during morning commute hours and a different one during evening rush. The trade-off is higher cost and a shorter minimum rental period, often just two to four weeks instead of one to three months.

Measuring results and tracking performance

Billboard advertising is difficult to track directly because you cannot easily tell which customers saw your billboard and then bought your product. Lamar provides traffic counts — the number of vehicles passing the location daily — but that is not the same as measuring conversions or sales.

Many businesses use indirect methods to measure billboard effectiveness: adding a unique phone number or website URL to the billboard, running a billboard campaign alongside other media and comparing sales during that period, or surveying customers about where they heard about you. Some businesses use billboard advertising primarily for brand awareness rather than direct response, which means they measure success by how many people see the message rather than how many take when ready action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rent a Lamar billboard for just one month?

Most Lamar locations have a minimum rental period of one to three months. Some premium or digital locations may have shorter minimums, and some rural locations may require longer commitments. Contact your local Lamar office to ask about the specific minimum for the billboard you want.

What happens if I want to change my design mid-contract?

You can change your design, but you will pay for new printing and installation. The rental fee stays the same — you are just paying to print and install a different image on the same billboard. The cost depends on the size and materials, typically $500 to $2,000 for printing plus installation fees.

Does Lamar handle design and printing for me?

Lamar does not design billboards, but they can refer you to approved vendors who do. You are responsible for providing the final artwork or paying a designer to create it. Lamar then handles printing and installation once your design is approved.

How do I know if a billboard is actually owned by Lamar?

You can search Lamar's website by location or call their local sales office. Not every billboard you see is a Lamar billboard — other companies like Clear Channel Outdoor and Outfront Media also operate billboards. If you want to rent a specific billboard you have seen, contact Lamar to confirm they own or operate it.

What if I want to advertise in multiple cities?

You can rent multiple billboards across different Lamar locations. Each location has its own rental rate and contract. Lamar's sales team can help you build a multi-market campaign and may offer package pricing if you commit to several locations at once.