Objectives

This circular provides details on the guidelines for the display of outdoor signboards and advertisement signs located outside the Central Area. The Guidelines are intended to strike a balance between safeguarding our streetscape from visual clutter and meeting the commercial needs of businesses for advertising space at appropriate locations outside the Central Area.

Details of Guidelines

Background

1. In response to the feedback from the industry, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has developed a set of more comprehensive guidelines for outdoor signboards and advertisement signs located outside the Central Area. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will adopt this set of guidelines when granting licenses for outdoor signage. The aim of the guidelines is to provide clearer requirements on the locations, size and height, as well as the form of signs that can be allowed outside the Central Area. Apart from providing greater clarity and transparency, the Guidelines are intended to strike a balance between safeguarding our streetscape from visual clutter and meeting the commercial needs of businesses for advertising space at appropriate locations outside the Central Area.

GUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR SIGNS OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL AREA

Advertisement Signs

2. An advertisement sign refers to any sign used to promote any brand, product, service or event and includes any temporary sign promoting events or activities in the displayed premises for a period of less than 2 months. The display of advertisement signs on the following type of buildings is subject to the guidelines as summarized below. Details are found in Appendix 1 below.

Buildings Approved for Commercial and Industrial Uses

1. Advertisement signs will continue to be allowed on the building walls of all commercial and industrial buildings located outside the Central Area, subject to the following conditions:
   
   
   1. the aggregate area of all advertisement signs does not exceed 100 sqm per frontage, or 50% of the surface area of the wall as measured up to 30m above the ground level, whichever is smaller; and
      
      
   2. the top edge of all advertisement signs does not exceed the height of commercial and/or industrial floors, or 30m above the ground level, whichever is lower.

Buildings Approved for Institutional, Sports & Recreation, Health & Medical Care, Bus Terminal/Interchange, MRT/LRT Station Uses

2. Buildings approved for civic and community, sports and recreation, health & medical care and education purposes, bus terminals/interchanges and MRT/LRT stations are allowed to display temporary signs promoting events and activities taking place at these premises. However, advertisement signs promoting any goods and services are not allowed at these premises, except on the building walls of approved commercial space within bus terminals/interchanges and MRT/LRT stations.

Petrol Stations

3. No advertisement signs are permitted within the premises of a petrol station, except for temporary signs promoting events and activities taking place at the premises, and goods and services that are available at the petrol station. Such temporary signs can be displayed on the building walls and/or structures (e.g. pumps, pillars) within the pumping area under the canopy. However, no sign shall be hung from the roof/ceiling of the canopy or protrude beyond the building wall.

Buildings Approved for Utility, Agriculture-related, MRT/Bus Depot, Residential Uses

4. No advertisement signs are permitted at these premises.

Free-standing Advertisement Signs

3. No free-standing advertisement signs are permitted at any premises, except for temporary free-standing signs promoting community events and activities taking place at buildings approved for civic and community, sports and recreation, health & medical care and education purposes.
   
   
4. The guidelines also specify the controls / requirements for the display of other forms of outdoor advertisement signs which include:
   
   1. Advertisement signs on lamp posts
   2. Marketing signs at construction sites
   3. Real estate signs (for the sale or lease of a property / building or land)
   4. Advertisement signs on balloons
   5. Signs on awnings, canopies and blinds
   6. Advertisements on digital screens (e.g. LED, LCD screen)

Signboards

5. A signboard refers to any sign for the identification and naming of places, buildings and tenant business names. Signboards will continue to be allowed on all buildings, subject to compliance with specific requirements on size, height and form.
   
   
6. More details of the guidelines are given in Appendix 1 below.

Prohibited Signs

7. The current list of prohibited signs has been retained with updates to make the list clearer and more comprehensive (see Appendix 2 below). The aim of having the prohibition list is to ensure that these undesirable signs do not mar our streetscape and negatively affect the image of Singapore as an attractive city. The prohibited signs are applicable to locations both outside and within the Central Area.
   
   

TRANSITION PERIOD FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF GUIDELINES

8. The new guidelines shall apply with immediate effect to all license applications received by BCA on or after 14 September 2009 for display of new signboards and advertisement signs located outside the Central Area. However, to give owners of existing signs sufficient time to make changes to their signs to comply with the new guidelines, the licenses for existing signboards and advertisement signs will be allowed one renewal for a maximum period of 12 months even if these existing signs do not comply with the new guidelines, provided that they meet the following requirements:
   
   
   1. The existing sign has a valid license expiring on or before 13 March 2010; and
      
      
   2. The application for license renewal for the existing sign must be received by BCA on or before 20 March 2010.

Submission Requirements

9. Planning permission from URA is not required for putting up outdoor signboards and advertisement signs. Applications to display these signs are to be made to Advertisement Licensing Department, Building and Construction Authority (BCA), prior to the installation of the signs. For any signs located on gazetted conservation buildings or National Monuments, clearance from Conservation Department, URA is also required before applications are made to BCA.
   
   
10. Submissions must be made in full compliance with the provisions of the Building Control (Advertisement) Regulations, the Building Control (Temporary Buildings) Regulations and the Guidelines for Outdoor Signs outside the Central Area. Please refer to BCA's Website for the details of submission requirements.
    
    
11. BCA, URA and the relevant Government agencies reserve the right, in their absolute discretion, to reject or refuse any application for the display of an outdoor sign where it considers the overall objectives of the Guidelines are not met or where the proposal is contrary to the broader objectives of the planning intention for the area.
    
    
12. Please convey the contents of this circular to the relevant members of your organization. The same set of guidelines is also available at BCA's Website. If you or your members have any enquiry concerning this circular, please do not hesitate to call URA’s DCG Enquiry Line at Tel: 6223 4811 (email: ura_dcd@ura.gov.sg) or BCA’s Enquiry Line at Tel: 1800 DIAL-BCA (342-5222) (email: bca_adv_lic@bca.gov.sg). We would be pleased to answer them.

Appendix 1

GUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR SIGNS OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL AREA

INTRODUCTION

The Guidelines comprise a set of comprehensive and consolidated requirements for outdoor signboards and advertisement signs located outside the Central Area. They stipulate the requirements of type, size, height, location and form of signs that are allowed, based on the approved use of the building/premises where a sign is displayed. For example, while business signboards or signs for identification purposes are generally allowed on all buildings, advertisement signs are permitted only at business premises (i.e. commercial, industrial buildings). In addition, temporary signs for events or activities taking place at the premises where the sign is displayed are generally allowed at most premises.

The Guidelines also set out the list of signs that are prohibited. The list aims to act as a safeguard against the proliferation of signs which will have a negative visual impact on the living environment and mar the streetscape. The prohibited signs are applicable to locations both outside and within the Central Area.

Developed following industry feedback for greater clarity and transparency, these Guidelines aim to balance the commercial needs of businesses for advertising space at appropriate locations outside the Central Area while meeting the need to protect the image and quality of the living environment and minimise visual clutter.

Important Notes
Below are some important points for the users of the guidelines to note:

Type of Sign
1. Signs stated in the guidelines refer to both illuminated and non-illuminated static signs, unless otherwise stated.

Location of Sign
2. All signboards and advertisement signs are to be wholly located within the boundary of property / development. No part of a signboard or an advertisement sign shall be located over or on a public street, except those specifically permitted by the authorities.

Signs Not Meeting Requirements
3. Where a particular sign does not meet the requirements on size, mounting height, quantity or location, and is not prohibited, an application for a waiver may be submitted to Advertisement Licensing Department, Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for consideration. In assessing the waiver application, factors that will be taken into consideration include the sign’s intended location and the visual impact on the surrounding uses. A license will not be issued to any sign which does not meet the requirements as stated in the guidelines, unless a waiver has been obtained.

Signs on Conserved Buildings or National Monuments
4. Planning permission from URA is not required for putting up outdoor signboards and advertisement signs. However, clearance from Conservation Department, URA, is required for signs that are located on gazetted conservation buildings or National Monuments, before applications for license are made to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

Others
5. BCA, URA and the relevant Government agencies reserve the right, in its absolute discretion, to reject or refuse any application for the display of an outdoor sign where it considers the overall objectives of the Guidelines are not met or where the proposal is contrary to the broader objectives of the planning intention for the area.

A) ADVERTISMENT SIGNS

An advertisement sign refers to any sign used to promote any brand, product, service or event and includes any temporary sign promoting events or activities in the displayed premises. The maximum display period for each temporary sign is 2 calendar months.

Please refer to Building Control (Outdoor Advertising) Regulations for a full definition of Advertisement in the context of the guidelines.

i) Advertisement Sign On Building Wall and Boundary Wall / Fence

Approved Use of Development
Depending on the approved use of the development where an advertisement sign is displayed, the requirements as shown in Table 1 below are to be adhered to for the display of advertisement signs that are mounted on building walls and boundary walls / fence.

The approved use of the development is categorised based on the primary use approved for the development where the advertisement sign is displayed. For example, a development approved for a recreation club as a primary use, with supporting commercial uses, is considered as a Sports & Recreation development.

Mixed-Use Development
In the case of mixed-use development, a sign is governed by the requirements based on the particular approved use of the floors/buildings where the sign is displayed. For example, signs on the building walls of commercial floors of a mixed-use development are governed by the requirements for commercial developments, and signs on the building walls of residential floors are governed by the requirements for residential developments.

TABLE 1

ii) Other Types of Advertisement Signs

The guidelines below are applicable to advertisement signs (including temporary signs) located within any developments, regardless of the uses (e.g. commercial, industrial, institutional, sport & recreational), unless otherwise stated.

TABLE 2

B) SIGNBOARDS

A signboard refers to any sign for the identification and naming of places, buildings and tenant business names. Please refer to Building Control (Outdoor Advertising) Regulations for a full definition of Signboard in the context of the guidelines.

The guidelines below are applicable to all signboards, regardless of the uses (e.g. commercial, industrial, institutional, sport & recreational, residential) of the places / buildings where the signboards are displayed.

TABLE 3

Appendix 2

PROHIBITED SIGNS

The following signs are prohibited for locations both within and outside the Central Area:

1. Signboards and advertisement signs which are illuminated by means of flickering, flashing and running lights except along Orchard Road, Bras Basah/Bugis and Chinatown (New Bridge Road / Eu Tong Sen Street) – Please refer to URA website at https://www.ura.gov.sg under circular No. URA/PB/2009/20-CUDG for the boundary of these areas.
   
   
2. Advertisement signs on free standing structures promoting any brands, products, goods or services.
   
   
3. Advertisement signs on buildings above the roof or roof parapet level.
   
   
4. Advertisement signs on public infrastructure and their ancillary structures e.g, entrance & exit structures to Rapid Transit System stations and underpasses, MRT viaduct columns and kiosks.
   
   
5. Advertisement signs on residential buildings and residential component of mixed-use buildings.
   
   
6. Advertisement signs located within or in the vicinity of the boundary of airports and airbases.
   
   
7. Advertisement signs located over or within any public streets, which include expressways, flyovers, bridges, railings, central median dividers, traffic islands; and on trees or bushes.
   
   
8. Advertisements within water catchment areas, public open spaces, nature reserves, waterbodies, along coastlines; and on vacant land.

TABLE 4 - Examples of Development by Use

 Diagram A