Rules about signs and posters

The Council strictly prohibits real estate signage of any kind (including open home picket signs) to be placed on public land or assets, such as fences, poles, roadside berms. Real estate signage must always be placed on private property.

If your property has no street visibility, we will consider granting approval for a sign to be placed on the street close to your property.

To apply for approval, send us:

• the address of the property being listed
• a brief description of why signage can't be seen from the property
• a diagram or photo (a Google street view screenshot) showing where you want the sign placed.

Email us streetactivities@wcc.govt.nz

Real estate signage guidelines (71KB PDF) 

To use a sandwich board on a public footpath you must first get a licence – find out how to apply for a sandwich board licence.

Council does not allow commercial-advertising signage on public land or assets. If you want to put up signage to advertise your business, it must be placed on private property.

Alternatively, you could contact Phantom Billstickers , Shout Media, or Jolly Billboards to pay for billboard advertising, or apply for a sandwich board license to place a single sign on the public footpath outside your business. 

Before putting posters up in public places, you need to get the property owner's or the Council's permission if it's on Council-owned land or fixtures.

Where you can't put posters

Council property where you can't put up posters include:

• public street furniture
• poles
• poster bollards and holders (contact Phantom Billstickers - see below)
• seats
• signal cabinets
• bus shelters (contact Adshel).

What you can get permission for

Posters for community and charity events 

Posters on poles for community and charity events may be permitted - contact the Council to discuss.

Central business district and suburban centres

If you want to put posters up on the Council's poster bollards and pole poster holders in the central business district and suburban centres, contact the Council's contractor, Phantom Billstickers.

Phantom Billstickers can sort out whether you can put your posters up there, and if they can be put up for free or if a management fee applies.

Phantom Billstickers
Phone: 0800 PHANTOM (0800 742 686)
Email: posters@0800phantom.co.nz
Postal address: 8 Tennyson Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011

We recognise the value large-scale events have in activating our community and adding livelihood to our city.

For help with advertising your upcoming large-scale/commercial event, contact the Events team:

Email events@wcc.govt.nz

They'll work with you to find the right advertising option, e.g., use of the Jervois Quay overbridge for banners etc.

If you want to advertise your non-profit or community event (such as fundraiser, book fair, pop-up market), you can put up temporary signage:

• only after receiving a Council-issued permit, and
• only at Council’s approved signage sites (you may select up to seven).

See Council's approved signage sites (5.7 MB PDF)

If we approve your application, we will provide you with clear instructions on where your signs can be put up.

Apply online - Temporary signage permit

For more information on our signage rules, see our Guidelines for temporary signs in public places (309KB PDF)

As a general rule, we do not permit the use of flag signs on the public road corridor (such as footpath, berm, etc.). This is mainly because they add clutter to public space and pose accessibility issues for pedestrians, especially those with visual impairments.

Flags are also a safety hazard in that they can blow around in Wellington’s heavy winds and potentially hit unsuspecting pedestrians.

You may place flag signage on your own private property. If you do, and the flag overhangs above public footpath/land, the entire flag must be at least 2.5 metres above the ground. 

If you want to advertise a party, candidate, or referendum during an electioneering period, you are required to obtain Council permission before erecting any signage on public land in the Wellington District.

Permission to place signage on public land will be issued to the applicant in writing upon approval and will show the distinct Council-approved sites where signs may be placed.

The Encroachment Team receives the application

You receive a letter of acknowledgement

The letter will either ask for more information or advise the application will be processed within 4 weeks.

We discuss your application

The Roading and Traffic and Parks and Gardens teams consider how the application affects the amenity of the area, public and private views, vegetation and the neighbours.

You’ll receive a decision letter

We’ll let you know if your application has been approved or declined, and reasons why.

If your application for consent is approved, we’ll send you the Terms and Conditions and License Agreements. These need to be signed, witnessed and returned within 30 days. A bond may be requested. 

The licensee has 18 months to obtain any Regulatory Consents and complete construction of structure on legal road. 

Bond refund

Licensee needs to advise the Encroachment team that all works are complete and request inspection for bond return. The bond is refunded if the structure is build in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of Landowner Consent.