Do you need planning permission for a shop sign?

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Your local council’s planning team has the final say for your building, and a quick call or email to them before you order costs nothing.

The rules that apply

Shop signs in England count as advertisements, and they are controlled by the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Under those rules, signs fall into three groups:

• Signs that are excluded from control altogether, such as some small signs inside a building.
• Signs with deemed consent, which you can put up without applying, as long as they stay within set limits. Many ordinary, unlit fascia signs on a shop fall into this group.
• Signs that need express consent, which means applying to the council for advertisement consent before the sign goes up.

When a shop sign usually needs consent

Check with the council before ordering if any of these apply:

• The sign is illuminated, either lit from inside (a light box or built-up letters with LEDs) or lit from outside by spotlights. Lit signs have tighter limits and often need consent.
• The building is listed. Any sign fixed to a listed building may also need listed building consent, which is separate from advertisement consent.
• The shop is in a conservation area. Councils are stricter about size, materials, colours and lighting.
• The sign is above the ground floor, or sits higher than the bottom of the first floor windows.
• It is a projecting or hanging sign that sticks out over the pavement.
• It is unusually large for the shop front, or the lettering is taller than the limits for its type.

Signs that are usually fine without an application

An unlit fascia sign on the ground floor of the shop, within the existing fascia area and showing the business name and what it does, is the most common case that does not need an application. Window graphics on the inside of the glass and temporary signs, such as a “now open” banner for a short time, often fall outside the need for consent too, within limits. If you are replacing an old sign with one of the same size in the same place, ask the council whether the earlier consent covers it.

Before you order: a short checklist

1. Find out if the building is listed or in a conservation area. Your council’s website usually has a map.
2. Decide whether the sign will be lit.
3. Measure the fascia and photograph the shop front from across the road.
4. If any of the points above apply, email the council’s planning team with the photo and a sketch of the sign.
5. Check your lease. Many landlords need to approve signs, whatever the planning rules say.

How we help

We survey, make and fit shop front signs across Oldham, Manchester and Greater Manchester: fascia panels, tray signs, built-up letters, illuminated and projecting signs, and the window graphics that go with them. If your sign needs consent, our advertisement consent service prepares and submits the application for you. See our shop signs in Oldham and shop signs in Manchester pages, or send a photo of your shop front for a quote.

Questions answered

Do I need planning permission for a shop sign?

Often not. Many unlit fascia signs on the ground floor of a shop have deemed consent under the Control of Advertisements Regulations 2007, so no application is needed. Lit signs, signs on listed buildings or in conservation areas, projecting signs and signs above the ground floor usually need advertisement consent from the council.

Does an illuminated shop sign need consent?

Usually yes, or at least it has much tighter limits than an unlit sign. Check with your council before ordering a light box, built-up LED letters or a sign lit by spotlights, especially in a conservation area.

What if my shop is a listed building?

You may need listed building consent as well as advertisement consent, even for a small sign. Talk to the council’s conservation officer before ordering, and expect them to have views on the materials, colours and fixings.

Can I replace my old shop sign with a new one?

A like-for-like replacement of the same size, in the same place and unlit, is usually straightforward. If the new sign is bigger, lit, or a different type, check with the council first.

How long does advertisement consent take?

Councils aim to decide advertisement consent applications within 8 weeks. Allow for that in your opening date if your sign needs consent.