A sign is approved on its location, size, structure and trade name, not on how good it looks.
Fascia boards, pylons, building-top signs and projecting signs each carry structural, electrical and visual requirements. We confirm the controlling authority and landlord, prepare the drawings and manage permission before fabrication starts.
A sign is a structure, an electrical installation and a public message. Each of those is controlled.
A sign is approved when its location, structure, power and wording each pass review.
Signs affect public safety, appearance and traffic, so authorities regulate their size, position, illumination and content. Landlords and community managers also set rules to protect the look and structure of their buildings.
The wording must match your trade licence, and any structure must be safe against wind and fixing loads.
Signage approvals commonly include
Obtain approval before fabrication. A rejected sign is a wasted sign.
The approver depends on location. Malls, streets, free zones and communities all differ.
Confirm who controls the façade before you design the sign.
A sign approval commonly involves:
What an unapproved sign costs you
Check the lease, building rules and local sign guidelines before design.
The exact service depends on your project. These are the approvals most relevant to this type of work.
The most common sign, governed by landlord rules and authority permission.
Check sign zones in the landlord manual.
Free-standing signs are structures and need foundation and wind design.
Roof signs are large and need structural and wind checks.
Often the hardest sign type to approve.
Signs that project over public space carry safety and clearance rules.
Window and façade graphics may need review for coverage and visibility.
Directional signs support navigation and are subject to location rules.
A sign that doesn’t match the licence is one of the quickest ways to be refused.
The sign is advertising the licence. If the names differ, the approval stops.
Check wording before design.
Reviewers compare sign text with the trade licence, check language and content rules, confirm size and position against the permitted zone, and look at fixing, wind and electrical details. Logos and brand marks may need supporting evidence.
There’s no universal process for every project, but most approvals follow this logic. Following the order prevents most avoidable problems.
Read the landlord’s sign criteria and any community guidelines.
Identify who issues signage permission for the location.
Match the sign text and logo to the trade licence.
Prepare size, position and illumination within the permitted zone.
Check façade, structure and cable routes.
Add fixing, structural and electrical information.
Close landlord comments on the design.
Lodge the application and respond fully.
Fabricate only after approval and install to the approved drawing.
Complete inspection and keep the approval on file.
There’s no universal list. Pick a group to see what a typical project may need.
Requirements depend on the service, so we confirm the exact list for your project before you gather anything.
Requirements depend on the service, so we confirm the exact list for your project before you gather anything.
Requirements depend on the service, so we confirm the exact list for your project before you gather anything.
Requirements depend on the service, so we confirm the exact list for your project before you gather anything.
Requirements depend on the service, so we confirm the exact list for your project before you gather anything.
Don’t reuse an old checklist. Always check the current service-specific requirements. A document list from a previous project shouldn’t be copied across to a new one.
Signage touches businesses, designers, fabricators and landlords. Here’s what each role must know.
Your licence name and landlord rules decide what the sign can say and where.
Design inside permitted zones and show fixing and power details.
Never fabricate before written approval, and install exactly as approved.
Clear sign criteria and prompt reviews prevent disputes.
Align brand ambitions with what approvals will actually allow.
For fabricators and installers
Approvals planning before fabrication avoids the most common and costly sign problem.
Skip this and a finished sign becomes scrap.
For fabricators, the key line is approved drawing versus client request. Take extra caution with:
Visibility drives retail value. Confirm what signage you may actually have.
The right order
Confirm sign zones, size limits and illumination rules before committing.
The costly order
Rejected signs can’t be rescued by re-submitting the same design.
The fastest strategy usually isn’t rushing the submission. It’s removing uncertainty before you submit.
Sign text differs from the licence.
Dimensions exceed permitted area.
Design isn’t aligned with criteria.
Fixing and wind design are absent.
Illumination supply is unclear.
Application goes to the wrong body.
Drawings don’t match the façade.
Comments are answered in fragments.
Most delays are small mismatches between wording, size and rules.
A clean first submission is usually worth more than submitting early with unresolved issues.
Three questions to settle before you plan the programme.
There’s no single answer. Landlord review and authority comments drive timing. Timing depends on:
Costs depend on sign size and type. Price each element separately. Typical components:
Can you install before approval?
A submitted application is not permission to install.
Pre-submission checklist
Tick each item as you confirm it. It’s a quick way to spot what is still open before you spend time on a submission.
Always verify the latest requirements. Checklists, workflows and regulatory requirements change over time. For a live application, confirm the current position with the authority and your landlord before you submit.
They’re a design input. Before committing to a design, lease, contractor or programme, answer these five questions.
Once these are answered, the signage approval process becomes far more predictable: fewer redesigns, less risk of an unsuitable premises and a protected approval status.
Straight answers on authorities, documents, timing and what to avoid.
Signs generally need landlord consent and authority permission, depending on location and type.
Yes. The trade name on the sign should match the licence, and logos may need supporting evidence.
Only within the permitted zone and approved dimensions. Larger signs need fresh approval.
Illumination adds electrical and visual considerations that are reviewed with the sign.
Free-standing signs are structures, so they need foundation and wind design as well.
They may, particularly where coverage or content is restricted. Check with the landlord and authority.
No. Installing without approval risks removal and penalties.
Landlords usually require signs to be removed and the façade restored.
Can’t find your answer? Ask a consultant and we’ll confirm the route for your project.
Send us the location, sign type and wording. We’ll confirm the authority and landlord route before fabrication starts.