Published . Updated .
Often, yes. In WA, most new LED signs and other illuminated signs need development approval from the local council, and a sign that can be seen from a state road may also need approval from Main Roads WA. Every council sets its own sign policy, so the answer depends on where your sign will stand. Here is what usually applies, and how we help.
Why councils have sign rules
Good signs help people find their way around and help local businesses grow, which is good for the whole community. Councils also have to make sure signs are safe for drivers and pedestrians and suit the area around them. That is why there are rules, and why it pays to check before anything goes up.
When is council approval usually needed?
- A new fixed sign, such as a pylon sign, a wall sign or a roof sign
- A sign with changing or digital content
- A sign in a residential area or on a heritage listed place
- A sign on a verge or road reserve, which also needs permission from whoever manages that land
Replacing the face of an existing approved sign can be simpler, but check first: switching a static sign to a digital one usually counts as a change.
Some smaller signs are exempt, and the rules differ for signs on private land, public land and road reserves. A sign above the roof line, for example, is likely to need development approval. Rules also vary from shire to shire, so check with your council before you order.
When does Main Roads WA get involved?
If a digital sign can be seen from a state road, Main Roads WA’s Policy and Assessment Guidelines for Digital Advertising Signs apply as well as council approval. Their focus is driver distraction: where the sign sits near intersections and traffic lights, how bright it is, how long each message stays on screen and if the content moves.
Do temporary and hire signs need approval?
Short-term signs for events, openings and roadworks are treated differently from council to council. Some allow them without approval if they meet set conditions, such as size and time limits. Others need a permit, and signs on a verge or road need permission from the road manager. Roadworks signs follow the traffic management plan for the site.
Tell us where the sign will go when you book, and we will check what applies. See LED sign hire in Perth.
What does an application usually include?
- A site plan showing where the sign will stand
- Drawings with the sign’s size and height
- Details of the display, such as brightness and how often the content changes
- Photos of the site
- Sometimes a sign management plan describing how the sign will be run
How we help
Our town planning service helps with your application at no extra cost. We prepare the drawings and sign details, and work through the council’s questions with you. We do the same for signs and scoreboards we install in other states. Our state by state guide to LED sign approval explains the rules outside WA.
Before you order
Send us the address, a photo of the spot and how far away people will be when they read the sign. We will tell you what approval it is likely to need and size the sign to suit. Our guide to where to put a digital sign can help you choose the spot.
See our outdoor LED signs and pylon signs, send us the details, or call Aaron on 0416 053 335 or the office on (08) 9335 7944.
