Express assessment - advertising devices

Express assessment is Council's streamlined sign approval process that provides you with a quick response and reduced fees. 

Sign types and express assessment requirements

The following advertising device types are available for express assessment, where complying with the relevant requirements.

Electrical and illumination

Requirements

1. The advertisement, if illuminated, will not be located beside or behind a set of traffic signals or in the sight line of a traffic signal
2. All electrical services will comply with the current Standards Association of Australia Wiring Rules and the requirements of the supply authority
3. All conduits, wiring, switches or other electrical apparatus installed on the advertisement will be concealed from view
4. Electrical equipment will not be mounted on an exposed surface
5. The advertisement will not contain scrolling, moving images or moving text
6. The advertisement will comply with the light levels (measured in candelas per square metre: cd/m2) relevant for the Environment:

  • 500 cd/m2 City centre environment, Business centre environment
  • 500 cd/m2 Local Shops Industry environment
  • 300 cd/m2 Residential environment, Green space environment.

7. Advertisement within 100 metres of a Residential environment will:

  • not exceed luminance of 300 cd/m2
  • switch off the illumination between 10pm and 6am the following day.

8. The illumination will be static (not flashing). 

Created awning fascia sign

A created awning fascia sign is an advertising device attached to and extending beyond a fascia of an awning or similar.

Requirements

1. The advertisement content will contain first part advertising only.
2. The advertisement will not be designed to resemble a traffic sign or traffic control device.
3. The advertisement will only be exhibited in a:

  • City centre environment
  • Business centres environment
  • Industry environment
  • Green space environment.

4. The supporting structure will comply with structural standards and codes under applicable laws such as the Queensland Building Act 1975.
5. The support structure or fixing will be

  • concealed from view or
  • designed and constructed
    • In a simple, neat and tidy manner or
    • As an integral feature of the advertisement.

6. The total of all the advertisements on the property will be less than 6% of the area of the site, i.e. if the block of land is 1000 square metres, there can be no more than a total of 60 square metres of signage.
7. The advertisement will not extend more than 50% of the height of the fascia.
8. The area of the advertisement that extends beyond the fascia will be less than 25% of the area of the fascia.
9. There will be a minimum clearance of 2.4 metres between the lowest part of the advertisement and the footway surface.

Ground sign

A ground sign is a monolithic advertising device that, in effect, sits on or rises out of the ground

Requirements

1. The advertisement content will contain first part advertising only.
2. The advertisement will not be designed to resemble a traffic sign or traffic control device.
3. The advertisement will only be exhibited in a:

  • City centre environment
  • Business centres environment
  • Industry environment
  • Green space environment.

4. The advertisement will not obstruct the passage of pedestrians or vehicles.
5. The advertisement will not obstruct pedestrians.
6. The supporting structure will comply with structural standards and codes under applicable laws such as the Queensland Building Act 1975.
7. The supporting structure or fixings will be:

  • concealed from view or
  • designed and constructed
    • in a simple, neat and tidy manner or
    • as an integral feature of the advertisement.

8. The total area of all the advertisement on the property will be less than 6% of the area of the site, i.e. if the block of land is 1000 square metres, there can be no more than a total of 60 square metres of signage.
9. The advertisement will be exhibited in a landscaped environment, i.e. surrounded by low level planting.
10. The advertisement will not have a height exceeding 1.8 metres.
11. The advertisement will not have an area exceeding 6 square metres.
12. The advertisement will not face an adjoining property unless it is 3 metres or more from the boundary of that site.
13. The advertisement will be displayed in a manner that results in only the front of the sign being visible from a road or public place.
14. Not more than one ground sign will be exhibited on the site unless the street frontage exceeds 100 metres and in that instance the ground signs will be at least 60 metres apart.

Projecting sign

A projecting sign is a double-faced advertising device projecting at right angles to a wall. 

Requirements

1. For vertically mounted, the advertisement will not project more than 75 millimetres from the building.
2. For vertically mounted, the maximum vertical height of the advertisement will not exceed 7.5 metres.
3. For horizontally mounted, the advertisement will not project more than 1.5 metres from the building.
4. For horizontally mounted, the maximum vertical height of the advertisement will not exceed 0.5 metres.
5. The maximum width (thickness) of the advertisement will not exceed 0.3 metres.
6. The advertisement content will contain first part advertising only.
7. The advertisement will not be designed to resemble a traffic sign or traffic control device.
8. The advertisement will only be exhibited in a:

  • City centre environment
  • Business centre environment
  • Industry environment.

9. The supporting structure will comply with structural standards and codes under applicable laws such as the Queensland Building Act 1975.
10. The supporting structure or fixings will be:

  • concealed from view or
  • designed and constructed
    • in a simple, neat and tidy manner or
    • as an integral feature of the advertisement.

11. The total area of all the advertisement on the property will be less than 6% of the area of the site, i.e. if the block of land is 1000 square metres, there can be no more than a total of 60 square metres of signage.
12. There will be a minimum clearance of 2.4 metres between the lowest part of the advertisement and the footway surface.
13. The advertisement will not extend more than 10 metres above the ground, or extend above the wall to which it is attended.

Roof sign

A roof sign is an advertising device positioned on the roof of the building and includes sky signs. 

Requirements

1. The advertisement will only be exhibited in a:

  • City centre environment
  • Business centre environment
  • Industry environment.

2. The building to which the advertisement is attached is not a Commercial Character Building.
3. The advertisement content will contain first part advertising only.
4. The advertisement will not be designed to resemble a traffic sign or traffic control device.
5. The supporting structure will comply with structural standards and codes under applicable laws such as the Queensland Building Act 1975.
6. The supporting structure or fixing will be:

  • concealed from view or
  • designed and constructed
    • in a simple, neat and tidy manner or
    • as an integral feature of the advertisement.

7. The total area of all the advertisements on the property will be less than 6% of the area of the site, i.e. if the block of land is 1000 square metres there can be no more than a total of 60 square metres of signage.
8. The total area of the advertisement will not exceed 5 square metres.
9. The advertisement will be contained within the outline of the existing roof.
10. The advertisement will not extend horizontally beyond the edge of the roof.
11. The frame and structural support will be concealed from view with materials that complement the roof.
12. The advertisement will respect the character of the building on which it is exhibited.
13. The advertisement will be visually compatible with other existing roof signs contained within the building.

Sign-written roof sign

A sign-written roof sign is an advertising device painted on a roof.

Requirements

1. The advertisement will only be exhibited in an Industry Environment.
2. The advertisement content will contain first part advertising only.
3. The advertisement will not be designed to resemble a traffic sign or traffic control device.
4. The supporting structure will comply with structural standards and codes under applicable laws such as the Queensland Building Act 1975.
5. The supporting structure or fixings will be:

  • concealed from view or
  • designed and constructed
    • in a simple, neat and tidy manner or
    • as an integral feature of the advertisement.

6. The total area of all the advertisement on the property will be less than 6% of the area of the site, i.e. if the block of land is 1000 square metres, there can be no more than a total of 60 square metres of signage.
7. The total area of the advertisement will not exceed 5 square metres.
8. The advertisement will be contained within the outline of the existing roof.
9. The advertisement will not extend horizontally beyond the edge of the roof.
10. The frame and structural support will be concealed from view with materials that complement the roof
11. The advertisement will respect the character of the building on which it is exhibited.
12. The advertisement will be visually compatible with any other existing roof signs contained within the building.

Vertical banner freestanding sign

A vertical banner freestanding sign is an advertising device of non-rigid material normally fixed at the top and bottom to brackets extending from a freestanding pole or pole attached to a relocatable base.

Requirements

1. The advertisement will only be exhibited in a:

  • City centre environment
  • Business centres environment
  • Industry environment

2. The advertisement content will contain first part advertising only.
3. The advertisement will not be designed to resemble a traffic sign or traffic control device.
4. The supporting structure will comply with structural standards and codes under applicable laws such as the Queensland Building Act 1975.
5.    The supporting structure or fixings will be:

  • concealed from view or
  • designed and constructed
    • in a simple, neat and tidy manner or
    • as an integral feature of the advertisement.

6. The total area of all the advertisement on the property will be less than 6% of the area of the site, i.e. if the block of land is 1000 square metres, there can be no more than a total of 60 square metres of signage.
7. The maximum area of each face of the advertisement will not exceed 2.5 square metres.
8. The maximum width of the advertisement will not exceed 750 millimetres.
9. The top of advertisement (including supporting brackets) will not exceed 5 metres above the ground.
10. The advertisement will be erected not closer than 3 metres to the side or rear boundary of the property
11. Multiple vertical freestanding signs displayed on the same property will be erected at least 6 metres apart.

Wall sign

A wall sign is an advertising device painted on or otherwise affixed flat to a wall of a building or to another structure such as a fuel storage tank.

Requirements

1. The advertisement will only be exhibited in a:

  • City centre environment
  • Business centre environment
  • Industry environment.

2. The advertisement content will contain first part advertising only.
3. The advertisement will not be designed to resemble a traffic sign or traffic control device.
4. The supporting structure or fixings will be:

  • concealed from view or
  • designed and constructed
    • in a simple, neat and tidy manner or
    • as an integral feature of the advertisement.

5. The total area of all the advertisement on the property will be less than 6% of the area of the site, i.e. if the block of land is 1000 square metres, there can be no more than a total of 60 square metres of signage.
6.    The total area of the advertisement will not exceed 5 square metres.
7.    The advertisement will be affixed flat against the wall.
8.    The advertisement will not extend beyond a height of 12 metres from the ground.
9.    The advertisement will not extend beyond the edge of wall or structure.

How to apply 

Before you apply

If you haven’t already, follow the steps for does the advertising device need approval to check the zone and constraints for your property.

You will need to submit a full assessment application if any of the following apply:

  • the property has a constraint such as Heritage or Commercial character building overlay
  • the premises is in the Queen Street or Valley malls
  • the sign includes a high impact electronic display component greater than 4m2.
Definition of Heritage and Commercial character overlays

Commercial character building overlay means the Commercial character building overlay map in the City Plan.

heritage place means a local heritage place or a Queensland heritage place as defined in the Queensland Heritage Act 1992, which are identified as an overlay in City Plan.

Note: Local heritage places and Queensland heritage places are also identified in the Heritage overlay map in the City Plan.

Fees

Payment of an application fee and annual permit fee per each advertising device is required upon lodgement of your application with Council.

​Supporting documents

Prepare the attachments required for your online application as Word, PDF or JPG files. Required attachments include:

  • site plans with location of all existing structures and proposed signage
  • device/s design and construction details (either photos or drawings showing size, shape etc).

Application form

Complete the application for advertising device approvals online form including:

  • uploading your supporting documents
  • paying the application fee using a Visa or Mastercard.

Apply for express assessment now

Right to review

If you are given an approval that is subject to conditions, or your application is refused you may apply to Council for a review of the decision. The application for a review must be made within 20 working days from the day on which the decision notice is given to you.

More information

For further advice, contact Council's Business Hotline on 133 BNE (133 263).

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