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Signs on public land

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The signs bylaw says that signs cannot be placed on public property for advertising purposes. Public property includes

• roads
• footpaths
• berms
• street furniture
• light or sign poles

Exceptions may be granted for temporary signs erected by not-for-profit organisations and for real estate signs where council decides that compliance with the bylaw would be unreasonable or impractical.

• General requirements
• Not-for-profit organisations
• Real estate signs
• Cost and timeframe
• Apply now

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General requirements

The signs bylaw contains general requirements that all signs in Auckland city must comply with, as well as rules that relate to specific zones, areas, or business types.

To find out about rules for erecting signage, check the bylaw.

The bylaw has a number of important safety requirements. For instance, signs must not:

• obstruct the line of sight of any traffic sign or signal, corner, intersection or vehicle crossing
• contain reflective materials that may interfere with a road user's vision
• resemble or cause confusion with any traffic sign or signal
• be placed on median strips, roundabouts, traffic signals or signs, or kerb projections
• incorporate moving images, lasers or flashing/revolving lights without council approval.

It is also important that signs and their supporting structures are constructed and fixed in place so that they don't present a risk to the public or property.

Auckland City Council may require the owner of any non-compliant or unsafe sign, or the owner of the property on which it is located, to alter or remove the sign. If the owner of the sign or property does not comply with this requirement, council may have the sign removed or altered at the owner's expense.

• Information about Billboards
• Information about Election hoardings and signs

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Not-for-profit organisations

Not-for-profit organisations holding events can apply for a dispensation to place temporary signs on sites that have been approved by community boards. These are the same sites approved for election hoardings. See the list of approved sites.

A licence will allow a sign to be placed on public property for up to 90 days.

The maximum permitted size for a temporary sign is:

• height above ground level of up to 3 metres
• 1 square metre in area

A copy of the licence must be attached to the back of the sign when it is erected.

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Real estate signs

You can apply for a dispensation to place a real estate sign on public land where otherwise the sign would not be visible to the public because

• the property is on a rear section or
• the property is down a right of way.

A dispensation will allow a sign to be placed on public property for up to 90 days.

The maximum permitted size for a real estate sign is:

• height above ground level of up to 3 metres
• 1 square metre in area

A copy of the dispensation certificate must be attached to the back of the sign when it is erected.

The sign should be placed parallel to the roadway and the address of the property for sale must be clearly displayed on the sign.

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Cost and timeframe

All temporary sign dispensation applications will be processed within 48 hours of receipt of the application form and confirmation of payment. Avoid processing delays by providing all the necessary details and supplying payment with your application.

There is a non-refundable application fee of $110 (including GST).

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Apply now

If your proposed sign meets the criteria above and you require a dispensation, apply online now or contact us to request an application form.

Pay by

• Cash or cheque (cheques made payable to Auckland City Council)
• Credit card (we will phone you for credit card details, please do not send them).

The $110 (GST inclusive) application fee is non-refundable.
 

Send by

Post	Signs team Private Bag 92516 Wellesley Street Auckland 1141
In person	Ground Floor UDC House 35 Graham Street Auckland Central
Fax	(09) 353 9668
Email	signs@aucklandcity.govt.nz

Online application form

Temporary sign application
A copy of this application will be sent to the email address you provide below * indicates mandatory fields
Applicant's details
*Name:
*Organisation/real estate company name:
*Mailing address:
*Phone (daytime):
Phone (after-hours):
Fax:
*Email:
Application details
*Is this for a real estate sign?:
Yes   No
Address of property for sale (*if a real estate sign):
*Where will the sign be placed? (eg on the grass verge to the left of the driveway of 1 Smith Street):
*Proposed date the sign will be erected:
*Proposed date of the removal (maximum 90 days):
*Message or notice to be displayed (eg property for Sale):
Exact location of proposed sign
Distance from road (metres):
Distance from footpath (metres):
Distance from property boundaries (metres):
Payment terms
*I agree to pay the $110 for this application on receipt of the invoice
I am paying by credit card and would like one of the cashiers to phone me so I can provide my credit card details

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Updated July 20088