Guide
Do you need advertisement consent for a shop sign?
In England, many unlit signs on business premises have deemed consent, so no application is needed, while most illuminated, larger or higher signs need express advertisement consent. The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 set the rules. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate regulations.
Last updated 3 November 2026. General guidance only: confirm anything legal with your council or adviser.
What is deemed consent?
Deemed consent means the regulations already allow a sign, provided it stays within set limits on size, position and lighting. For shops, the main classes cover illuminated and non-illuminated signs on business premises. You still need the owner's permission, and the sign must be kept safe and in good repair.
- Unlit signs (Class 5): letters up to 0.75 m
- Areas of special control: letters up to 0.3 m
- Top of sign: 4.6 m maximum, or 3.6 m in an area of special control
- Never above the bottom of a first-floor window
- Shops: signs only on a wall containing a shop window
When does an illuminated sign need express consent?
In England, Class 4B allows some internally lit or halo-lit signs, with limits on letter height, brightness and position. The lowest part must be at least 2.5 m above ground, and a lit projecting sign is capped at 0.75 square metres. Lighting must be static, so flashing or moving signs need express consent.
Class 4B does not apply in conservation areas, National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Broads. A lit sign in those places generally needs an application. Check whether your address is covered and confirm with the planning team, because limits can change and local policy still applies.
How do you apply for express consent?
You apply to the local planning authority, which can consider only amenity and public safety. Decisions in England should be made within 8 weeks of validation. Consent usually lasts five years unless it says otherwise, and the sign can normally stay up after that unless the council objects or refuses renewal.
Displaying a sign that needs consent without having it is a criminal offence in England. Councils often invite an application first, but they do not have to, so leave time for the process before you open. We prepare drawings for the application, and the council decides.
Does a listed building change the answer?
Yes. A sign fixed to a listed building usually needs listed building consent, even where the advert itself has deemed consent. That can cover fascias, projecting signs and lighting. Talk to the conservation officer early. Individual lettering or hand-painted timber fascias usually get a warmer response than a lit box sign.
How do Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ?
Each has its own regulations. Scotland works from regulations made in 1984, Wales from 1992 regulations as amended, and Northern Ireland from regulations made in 2015. Limits and procedures differ, though most illuminated signs are worth checking in every nation. Confirm the current position with your council before you place an order.