In this guide · 8 sections
- 01Which signs need a BCA licence
- 02The 5 m² exemption, fees and Permit To Use
- 03Application steps and documents customers must provide
- 04URA rules for conservation areas and the Central Area
- 05What to say on your website
- 06A quote form that saves site visits
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Outdoor advertising signs and signboards in Singapore generally need a BCA licence, applied for through BCA's online system. Signboards totalling up to 5 m² per premises can be exempt, larger structures may need a Permit To Use from a Professional Engineer, and URA has extra rules in conservation areas.
Which signs need a BCA licence
BCA's outdoor advertising sign and signboard licence page, last updated 14 October 2026, says you need a licence if you display an outdoor advertising sign or signboard. "Outdoor" includes roofed spaces that are not fully enclosed and are open to the public.
| Sign type | What BCA means | Licence? |
|---|---|---|
| Signboard | Names the place or business it is fixed to, with no other brand promoted | Yes, unless within the 5 m² exemption |
| Advertising sign | Promotes goods, products, brands, services or events | Yes |
| Free-standing sign | Sign on a structure that stands on its own | Yes |
| Directional sign | Directs traffic or people to a place | Yes |
| Animated billboard | Moving pictures or changing colours | Yes, with restrictions |
| Signs at hawker stalls, underpasses, MRT stations | Listed exemptions | No |
BCA also lists prohibited outdoor signs, including flashing or running lights outside specific parts of Orchard Road, Bras Basah/Bugis and Chinatown, advertising signs on residential buildings, signs above roof level, and signs on public streets, infrastructure or vacant land. Mentioning this on your site saves time with customers who ask for something that cannot be approved.
The 5 m² exemption, fees and Permit To Use
BCA's supporting information page explains the exemption, fees and when an engineer is needed.
- Signboards totalling up to 5 m² per premisesOne-time aggregate exemption; declaration form requiredExempt
- Signboard licence, up to 15 m²S$50 per year
- Advertisement or directional sign, up to 1 m²S$20 per sign per year
- Advertisement, above 1 m² to 5 m²S$90 per sign per year
- Advertisement, above 5 m² to 10 m²S$140 per sign per year
- Animated billboard, up to 10 m²S$225 per sign per year
BCA licence fees as listed in October 2026. Minimum chargeable period one month, minimum fee S$20. GIRO is required for annual auto-renewal.
A Permit To Use is required before the licence is granted if the sign exceeds 10 m² and is supported by an advertising structure, or if the structure exceeds 10 m² or its highest point is 4 metres or more above the surface it stands on. A Professional Engineer applies for it through CORENET e-Submission, and it must cover the whole display period.
Application steps and documents customers must provide
Many of the documents BCA needs come from the customer or their landlord. Explaining this early avoids delays after the sign is made.
Log in to the Advertisement Licensing System (ALS)
With Singpass, and submit the proposal for BCA evaluation.
Prepare drawings
Visual of the sign with the licence number position, elevation with dimensions, fixing section and materials, layout plan and site plan.
Get owner and management consents
Written consent and endorsement from the building owner, landlord, MCST or Town Council, depending on the property.
Apply for Permit To Use if needed
Through a Professional Engineer on CORENET for larger signs or tall structures.
Pay the licence fee
The licence is emailed after payment. BCA typically takes 7 working days if all documents are in; URA evaluation can add about two weeks.
BCA notes that no changes are allowed during the formal application stage, so finalise the design with the customer before submitting.
URA rules for conservation areas and the Central Area
URA's guidelines for signs in conservation areas control where and how big business signs can be on conserved shophouses. Signs must not cover key architectural features, traditional signs that have acquired significance must be kept, and the original building date on the facade cannot be removed.
- Shopfront signs are mounted within the transom panel; on residential fronts, above the door and no wider than it.
- Five-foot way signs hang between the column and party wall with at least 2,500 mm headroom.
- Tenant business signs can include small advertisements, up to one-third of each sign's content.
- Separate URA guidelines govern outdoor signs in the Central Area.
If your customers are often in Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India or other conserved districts, a short page on your site explaining these limits helps them choose a design that will be approved.
What to say on your website
Customers want to know you understand the approvals and will not leave them with a sign they cannot display. Say what you do, and be careful about what you promise.
Good wording
- "We prepare drawings and submit your BCA sign licence through ALS"
- "Signs over 10 m² on a structure need a Professional Engineer's Permit To Use; we arrange this"
- "Conservation area? We design to URA's signage guidelines"
- Typical timelines quoted as BCA's "typically 7 working days", with the URA caveat
Avoid
- "Approval guaranteed"
- "No licence needed" without checking size and location
- Fixed approval dates you cannot control
- Claims of special relationships with agencies
Also show your company details, the kinds of signs you make, photos of completed work you are allowed to show, and your workmanship warranty. Our guides for construction company websites and renovation contractor websites cover how other building trades present licences and gradings.
A quote form that saves site visits
A good quote form collects what you need to price the sign and judge whether it needs a licence or engineer, before anyone travels to site.
Signage quote form fields
Use conditional questions so customers only see what applies, and send each enquiry to your estimator with the photos attached. Ask for consent to use photos only for quoting, and say so in your privacy notice.
Do it yourself or get help?
A simple site with your services, past work and a contact form can be built with any website builder. A quote form with photo uploads, conditional questions and automatic routing to estimators is where a properly built site pays for itself.
Our Business Website (S$1,490) builds a company site with service pages, an approvals explainer and a quote form that collects photos and dimensions. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. You pay upfront, send your brief through the site chat or contact form, and track progress on your order page.
Frequently asked questions
Usually, if it is outdoors or in a publicly accessible covered space. BCA requires a licence for outdoor advertising signs and signboards, but each business premises can claim a one-time aggregate exemption for signboards totalling up to 5 square metres. Signs at hawker stalls, in underpasses and MRT stations are among the listed exemptions.
BCA says it typically takes 7 working days to assess an application if all required documents are provided. If the proposal needs evaluation by URA, it may take about two more weeks. Larger signs that need a Permit To Use from a Professional Engineer take longer, because the permit must be obtained before the licence is granted.
As of October 2026, BCA lists a signboard licence up to 15 square metres at S$50 a year, small advertisements up to 1 square metre at S$20 per sign a year, and advertisements above 1 to 5 square metres at S$90 per sign a year. The first 5 square metres of signboards per premises can be exempt.
BCA requires a Permit To Use before licensing if the sign exceeds 10 square metres and is supported by an advertising structure, or if the structure itself exceeds 10 square metres or stands 4 metres or more above the surface. A Professional Engineer applies through CORENET e-Submission, and the permit must cover the whole display period.
Yes. URA's conservation signage guidelines control the position and size of business signs, require significant traditional signs to be kept, and forbid removing the original building date. Signs must not block key architectural features, and five-foot way signs need at least 2,500 mm headroom. Tenant signs can include small advertisements up to one-third of the content.