Business signage: approval requirements

Commercial advertising signs and devices on private land are required to comply with the provisions of the City’s Advertisements Local Planning Policy.

Advertising signs on local government property and thoroughfares is regulated by the Local Government and Public Property Local Law 2014, which prohibits any commercial advertising within road verges and thoroughfares.

Planning requirements

The City’s Advertisements Local Planning Policy provides information on the planning requirements for commercial advertising, and sets out which advertising signs and devices on private land are exempt from approval, require the approval of the City, or are not permitted in various zones of the City. For more information on the policy, review the Frequently Asked Questions.

Unless exempted under the policy, an application for development (planning) approval is required for external signage, or signage that can be viewed externally from a premise.

For temporary signs that are exempted under the policy, an application for Written Planning Advice is required.

Please refer to the Development (Planning) Approval Requirements for application requirements.

Fees are in accordance with the Planning Services Fees and Charges.

Building requirements

All permanent signs (signs erected for longer than one month) require a building permit prior to construction. The following information is to be submitted as part of the building requirements:

There are two types of building permit applications:

• Certified – an application that has been assessed by a private building surveyor and then lodged with the City for a building permit to be issued. Details of private building surveyors can be found on the Department of Mines, Industry, Regulation and Safety website.
• Uncertified – an application where the assessment is carried out by the City for a building permit to be issued

Application requirements

Refer to the building permit application checklists for information that is required to be submitted with certified or uncertified building permits. Fees are in accordance with the Building Services: Fees and Charges.

Lodgement

You can lodge your application:

Online
Please refer to the City’s eApplication service.

In person
Visit the City of Joondalup Administration Centre, 90 Boas Avenue, Joondalup.

By post
Post your application to the City at PO Box 21, Joondalup WA 6919.