Building Control (Outdoor Advertising) Regulations

Building Control Act

(Chapter 29, Section 49)

Rg 6

G.N. No. S 451/2002

REVISED EDITION 2004

(29th February 2004)

[16th September 2002]

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Building Control (Outdoor Advertising) Regulations.

Definitions

2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“advertisement” means any logo, symbol, sign, notice, representation or other visual device that promotes any goods, brand of products, services or events and includes any logo, symbol, sign, notice or representation that is projected on to any external surface of a building or structure by light or any other means;

“advertising structure” means any frame, panel, hoarding, object or other structure that is designed or used primarily for the display of an advertisement, animated billboard, directional sign, signboard or skysign;

“animated billboard” means an advertisement that displays, at any one time, one or more advertisements consisting of visual moving pictures or that are otherwise able to move or change colour due to the use of electrical, mechanical or other sources of power;

“balloon sign” means an advertisement or signboard that is inflated, tethered to and suspended above any building or premises or open ground and is conspicuously visible against the sky from any street or building below;

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Building Control appointed under section 3(1) of the Act;

“directional sign” means an advertisement for the purpose of directing vehicular or pedestrian traffic to or advising the public of —

(a)	the place of business of any person, firm, corporation or organisation;
(b)	any facility for disabled persons, carpark, taxi stand or other public facility; or
(c)	the place or location where the promotion of any event, product, goods or services is taking place;

“free-standing advertising structure” means any advertising structure that is capable of standing on its own, whether or not it is affixed to the ground on one or more supports;

“illuminate” means to extend an internal or external artificial source of light, directly or by reflection, to any advertisement, animated billboard, directional sign, signboard or skysign;

“licence” means a licence granted under these Regulations and “licensee” shall be construed accordingly;

“licence fee” means the appropriate annual licence fee specified in regulation 7;

“signboard” means any sign, notice, representation or other visual device containing all or any of the following information relating to the place or premises to which it is affixed:

(a)	the identity or a description of the place or premises;
(b)	the identity or a description of any person residing or carrying on an occupation at the place or premises;
(c)	particulars of any business or occupation carried on at the place or premises, including any logo or symbol that identifies the business or occupation;
(d)	such written directions or cautions as are usual or necessary relating to the place or premises or any occupation carried on there;
(e)	particulars or notifications required or permitted to be displayed by any written law;
(f)	particulars relating to the services dealt with or provided at the place or premises, including the operating hours of the premises or the business conducted at the place or premises and the prices of the goods and services,

but does not include any logo, symbol, sign, notice, representation or other visual device containing any other brand name or trade mark that promotes any goods or services;

“skysign” means any advertising structure that is displayed —

(a)	on or above the roof, parapet or eaves of a building or extends above the roof line of a building, and is conspicuously visible against the sky from any street or building below; and
(b)	containing only particulars, including any logo or symbol, of the name or owner of the building to which it is affixed.

(2) Any reference in these Regulations to a person who exhibits an advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign shall be construed as a reference to the person who himself or by his employee or agent exhibits or causes to be exhibited the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign and shall include —

(a)	the owner and occupier of the land or building on which the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign is exhibited; and
(b)	any person whose goods, trade, business or other concern is given publicity by the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign.

(3) The person referred to in paragraph (2)(b) shall be taken to have exhibited or caused to be exhibited the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign, as the case may be, if and only if the person who himself or by his employee or agent exhibited or caused to be exhibited the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign, being another, is not known or cannot be found in Singapore.

Licensing requirements

3.—(1) No person shall, without a licence, display or cause or permit to be displayed outdoors, whether on the exterior surface of any building or on any part of any premises, or on any free-standing advertising structure —

(a)	any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign or skysign;
(b)	any single signboard that has an area exceeding 5 square metres or a series of related signboards that together have an aggregate area that exceeds 5 square metres;
(c)	any directional sign relating to any facility for disabled persons, carpark, taxi stand or other public facility with an area exceeding 2 square metres;
(d)	any one directional sign relating to a business or profession carried on in any premises with an area exceeding 2 square metres; and
(e)	any second or subsequent directional sign relating to a business or profession carried on in any premises.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a licence shall not be required —

(a)

for any signboard exhibited or caused or permitted to be exhibited by —

(i)	any religious body;
(ii)	any Government-aided school; or
(iii)	any hospital, clinic, dispensary, nursing or welfare home or hospice, run by any charity (whether registered under the Charities Act (Cap. 37) or otherwise);

(b)

for any advertisement or signboard exhibited —

(i)	on any stall within a hawker centre, food centre or market; or
(ii)	in any underpass, tunnel or mass rapid transit station; or

(c)

for the exhibition of any poster, banner or advertising in respect of any parliamentary election or presidential election in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act (Cap. 218) or the Presidential Elections Act (Cap. 240A).

(3) In this regulation —

“exterior surface” means the outside surface of the building and includes —

(a)	any surface that is intended to function as an external wall; and
(b)	any surface that is intended to function as an external door;

“outdoors” includes any roofed space that is not fully enclosed on all sides and which facilitates the flow of general pedestrian traffic or is accessible to the public.

Application for licence

4.—(1) An application for a licence or for a renewal of a licence in respect of any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign shall be made to the Commissioner and be in such form and manner as the Commissioner may determine.

(2) The Commissioner may allow any application for a licence or for a renewal of a licence to be made by electronic means.

(3) An application for a licence shall be accompanied by —

(a)	a sketch or photograph showing full details of the proposed subject-matter of the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign;
(b)	a site plan showing the location of the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign;
(c)	the appropriate licence fee specified in regulation 7;
(d)	structural and other plans and specifications in accordance with the building regulations if the advertising structure has an area that exceeds 10 square metres; and
(e)	such other documents, details or information as the Commissioner may require.

(4) In considering whether to grant or renew a licence, the Commissioner shall consider the following:

(a)	the amenities of any place;
(b)	the aesthetics of the streetscape; and
(c)	the amenities of any historic or public building or monument or of any place frequented by the public solely or mainly on account of its beauty or historic interest.

(5) A licence may be granted or renewed subject to such conditions and restrictions as the Commissioner may think fit.

(6) A licence shall not be transferable.

(7) Every advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign for which a licence is granted shall bear the licence number of the licence.

Categories of licence

5.—(1) There shall be 2 types of licences, namely Category A and Category B.

(2) A Category A licence may, on payment of the appropriate licence fee, be granted for such period as the Commissioner may determine but shall not exceed 3 years from the date of the grant of the licence or from such date as the Commissioner may determine.

(3) A Category A licence shall be automatically renewed for a further period not exceeding 3 years commencing from the date of expiry of the licence, upon payment of the appropriate licence fee within the period stipulated in the notice of payment issued by the Commissioner.

(4) A Category B licence may be granted for a period not exceeding 12 months on payment of —

(a)	in the case of a licence for 12 months, the appropriate licence fee; or
(b)	in the case of a licence for a lesser period, a portion of the appropriate licence fee which corresponds to the proportion the period of the licence bears to a period of 12 months subject to a minimum licence fee of $20. [S 548/2005 wef 01/09/2005]

(5) A Category B licence may be renewed for a period not exceeding 12 months upon —

(a)	an application made in writing; and
(b)	payment of the appropriate licence fee.

(6) In calculating the licence fee payable where a Category B licence is granted or renewed, any fraction of a month shall be regarded as one month.

(7) Unless the licensee, within 7 days of the date of expiry of the licence, removes the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign and informs the Commissioner that it has been removed, the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign shall be treated as still on display and the appropriate licence fee shall be payable upon the expiry of the licence.

Change in area, type or subject-matter of licence

6.—(1) No licensee shall, during the validity of any licence granted to him, change —

(a)	the area of any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign that is the subject of the licence; or
(b)	his licence to another type of licence,

except with the approval of the Commissioner.

(2) An application by a licensee for the approval of the Commissioner under paragraph (1) shall be accompanied by the appropriate licence fee for the increase in area or change in type, as the case may be.

(3) Where an application is made under paragraph (2) for a decrease in area or change in type, the Commissioner shall refund, on a pro-rata basis, an amount of the licence fee in respect of the unexpired period of the licence, except that no refund shall be paid if the unexpired period of the licence is less than 12 months.

(4) A licensee shall inform the Commissioner of any change in the subject-matter of any advertisement, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign in respect of which a licence is issued within 14 days of such change.

Fees

7.—(1) The licence fee in respect of any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign shall be payable to the Commissioner annually as follows:

(a)

advertisement or directional sign —

(i)	$20 per licence if the advertisement or directional sign has an area of not more than one square metre;
(ii)	$90 per licence if the advertisement or directional sign has an area of more than one square metre but not more than 5 square metres; [S 548/2005 wef 01/09/2005]
(iia)	$140 per licence if the advertisement or directional sign has an area of more than 5 square metres but not more than 10 square metres; or [S 548/2005 wef 01/09/2005]
(iii)	$20 per square metre or part thereof if the advertisement or directional sign has an area of more than 10 square metres;

(b)

animated billboard —

(i)	$225 per licence if the animated billboard has an area of not more than 10 square metres; or
(ii)	$30 per square metre or part thereof if the animated billboard has an area of more than 10 square metres;

(c)

signboard —

(i)	$50 per licence if the signboard has an aggregate area of more than 5 square metres but not more than 15 square metres; or
(ii)	$20 per square metre or part thereof in excess of 5 square metres if the signboard has an aggregate area of more than 15 square metres; or

(d)

skysign or balloon sign — $40 per square metre or part thereof.

(2) Where more than one face of any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign is displayed, an additional licence fee shall be payable at the appropriate rate specified in paragraph (1) for every face of the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign which is displayed.

(3) Where any sign, notice, representation or other visual device is displayed on any free-standing advertising structure, the licence fee shall be payable at the rate specified in paragraph (1)(a).

(4) Any licence that is granted for a period of less than one month shall be regarded as granted for one month and the licence fee shall be payable on a pro-rata basis.

(5) Where the fee payable under this regulation includes any fraction of a dollar, the fraction shall be regarded as a dollar.

(6) The fee for each additional copy of any licence shall be $5.

Location and other requirements

8.—(1) Every licensee shall ensure that any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign to which his licence relates complies with the following requirements:

(a)

the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign —

(i)	if displayed 5 metres or more above any street, shall not project more than 1.5 metres from the regular line of the street; and
(ii)	if displayed more than 3.75 metres but less than 5 metres above any street, shall not project more than 60 centimetres from the regular line of the street;

(b)

the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign or signboard, if fixed in a verandah-way or over a footpath, shall not be less than 2.5 metres above the level of the verandah-way or footpath; and

(c)

the advertisement, animated billboard, directional sign or signboard, if projecting over any street, shall not be erected less than 2.5 metres above the cover of any roadside drain, measured vertically from the top of the cover to the underside of the advertisement, animated billboard, directional sign or signboard.

(2) No licensee shall illuminate or decorate by means of flickering, flashing or running lights any advertisement, directional sign, signboard or skysign that is visible from the street except with the prior approval of the Commissioner.

(3) No licensee shall decorate by means of flickering, flashing or running lights any part of any frame or panel to which an animated billboard is affixed except with the prior approval of the Commissioner.

Maintenance of advertisements

9. Every licensee shall ensure that any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign to which his licence relates is at all times maintained to the satisfaction of the Commissioner.

Amendment, suspension or revocation of licences

10.—(1) The Commissioner may by notice in writing amend, suspend or revoke any licence.

(2) Where a licence is revoked under paragraph (1), the Commissioner shall refund, on a pro-rata basis, an amount of the licence fee in respect of the unexpired period of the licence, except that no refund shall be paid if —

(a)	the licence is revoked by reason of any contravention of these Regulations; or
(b)	the unexpired period of the licence is less than 12 months.

(3) Where a licence has been revoked under these Regulations, the licensee shall immediately obliterate and remove the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign to the satisfaction of the Commissioner.

Order of removal, replacement, forfeiture, etc.

11.—(1) The Commissioner may, in writing, order the removal, obliteration, replacement, alteration or maintenance of any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign (whether or not the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign is licensed or required to be licensed under these Regulations).

(2) Any advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard, or skysign which, in the opinion of the Commissioner, has been exhibited in contravention of any provision of these Regulations may be removed by the Commissioner without any notice and the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign removed may be forfeited and disposed of.

(3) Any order under paragraph (1) shall be served —

(a)	on the person who, in the opinion of the Commissioner, is responsible for displaying the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign; or
(b)	on the owner or occupier of the premises in or on which the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign is exhibited.

(4) The person, owner or occupier shall comply with the order under paragraph (1) within the period specified in the order.

(5) Where any order under paragraph (1) is not complied with, the Commissioner or any officer or agents authorised, either generally or specially in that behalf by the Commissioner, may enter the premises and remove or obliterate the advertisement, animated billboard, balloon sign, directional sign, signboard or skysign or take such other steps as may be reasonably necessary for preventing its display or exhibition.

(6) All costs and expenses incurred by the Commissioner or any officer or agents authorised by him in removing, obliterating or taking other necessary action under this regulation shall be recoverable from the person on whom the order was served as debt due to the Government.

Penalties

12. Any person who contravenes regulation 3(1), 6(1) and (4), 8, 9, 10(3) or 11(4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.

Transitional provisions

13.—(1) Any licence granted under the revoked Building Control (Advertisement) Regulations (Rg 6, 2000 Ed.) which is in force immediately before 16th September 2002 —

(a)	shall have effect as though granted under these Regulations; and
(b)	shall remain in force, subject to these Regulations, for so much of that period of its validity remaining after 16th September 2002.

(2) For any fee paid under the revoked Building Control (Advertisement) Regulations for a licence which is in force immediately before 16th September 2002 —

(a)	a refund shall not be paid if the unexpired period of the licence is less than 12 months; and
(b)	a refund shall be paid of the amount equivalent to the licence fee payable for 12 months or 24 months if the unexpired period of the licence is more than 12 months and 24 months, respectively.

[G.N. No. S 451/2002]

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