Advertisement Consent

An advertisement is defined in the The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984 as any word, letter, sign, placard or device used to advertise or make an announcement or direction. It can be illuminated or non-illuminated. For further details on these controls please check schedule 4 of the  Control of Advertisement Regulations (opens new window).

The Regulations confer permitted development rights, called deemed consent, under which permission is not required for some advertisements. As a guide, the types of advertising that normally require advertisement consent include:

• the majority of illuminated signs;
• advertisements using specialised structures for their display, such as poster hoardings; 
• most roadside signage, including advance warning and remote signage;
• large signs or those positioned high up on buildings.

For Sale/To Let signs should only be displayed on the building which is for sale or to let or in its grounds; signs placed remotely, such as at the entrance to a housing estate, will not be supported and can be removed by the council without warning. 

Please note, if you are in a conservation area the limits on deemed consent are tighter - see paragraph 9 of schedule 4 of the Regulations (opens new window)

You can submit an application for Advertisement Consent through the Scottish Government ePlanning website, or if you prefer you can apply by post by downloading the Advertisement Consent Pack (PDF, 197 KB)(opens new window).

Fee for Advertisement Consent