Revenue Impact The City of Baltimore imposes an excise tax on billboards, defined as outdoor advertising displays greater than 10 square feet that are not on the premises of the business, commodity, service, event or activity being advertised. This annual tax is imposed on the owner of the billboard at a rate of $15 per square foot for electronic billboards and $5 per square foot for all other billboards. If the City imposed a similar billboard excise tax on all billboards (in addition to the permit and inspection fees and personal property lease tax where applicable), it could generate an estimated $1.5 million annually.