All You Need to Know About Outdoor Advertising Signage Regulations

The management and penalties for violations related to advertising signs are becoming increasingly stringent. This requires businesses to clearly understand the regulations on outdoor advertising signs regarding content, size, installation methods, and licensing procedures to ensure that advertising campaigns run smoothly and in compliance with the law.

The most important and noteworthy issues in outdoor advertising signage regulations are summarized by Sixth Sense Media below. All regulations on outdoor advertising signs are excerpted from the Outdoor Advertising Law, relevant decrees, and legal documents updated and amended most recently.

Table of Contents

1. Types of Outdoor Advertising Signs

Before exploring the regulations on outdoor advertising signs, businesses need to clearly understand the types of advertising signs currently in use. Each type of advertising sign has specific conditions and requirements that must be followed.

Outdoor advertising regulations apply to the following types of signs and boards:

Large-size billboards and panels.
Specialized outdoor advertising screens.
Advertising signboards.
Banners and flags.
Lightbox signs and advertising signs in artistic text and shapes…

2. Size Regulations for Outdoor Advertising Signs

For each type of sign and specific installation location (within and outside urban areas), regulations on hanging outdoor advertising signs and size requirements will differ. In addition, regulations for hanging advertising panels and installing advertising signs in each locality may be adjusted to suit actual deployment conditions.

3. Regulations on Advertising Panels, Billboards, Signboards, and Banners

Outdoor advertising standards apply to all large-size advertising signs, lightboxes, LED signs, banners, and promotional flags.

Article 27: Advertising on Billboards and Banners

The placement of advertising billboards and banners must comply with regulations on protected areas of historical and cultural sites; traffic safety corridors, dykes, national power grids; must not obscure traffic signal lights or public guide signs; must not stretch across traffic roads; and must comply with local advertising planning and technical standards issued by the competent authority.
Advertising products displayed on billboards and banners must clearly state the name and address of the advertiser.
Advertising on billboards and banners with content on political propaganda or social policies must comply with the following regulations:

a) Logos, symbols, or trademarks of the advertiser must be placed at the bottom for vertical banners and on the right-hand side for horizontal banners;
b) The area displaying logos, symbols, or trademarks must not exceed 20% of the billboard or banner area.

The duration for hanging a banner must not exceed 15 days.

4. Regulations on Large Specialized Advertising Screens

Specialized advertising screens are large LED screens assembled from many smaller LED panels. These screens can display vivid images and TVC advertisements.

Article 28: Advertising on Specialized Screens

The placement of specialized advertising screens must comply with this Law, other relevant regulations, and the local outdoor advertising planning.
When advertising on specialized outdoor screens, sound is not allowed.
Advertising on screens not covered by Clause 2 of this Article may use sound in accordance with environmental law.

5. Regulations on Advertising Signboards

Article 34: Signboards of Organizations and Individuals Engaged in Production and Business

A signboard must include the following information:
a) Name of the direct managing agency (if any);
b) Name of the production or business establishment as stated in the business registration certificate;
c) Address and phone number.
The lettering on signboards must comply with Article 18 of this Law.
Signboard size regulations:
a) For horizontal signboards: maximum height is 2 meters, and length must not exceed the width of the building façade;
b) For vertical signboards: maximum width is 1 meter, maximum height is 4 meters, but not exceeding the height of the building floor where the signboard is installed.
Signboards must not obstruct emergency exits or fire escapes; must not encroach on sidewalks, roads, or affect public traffic.
The placement of signboards must comply with this Law and technical standards issued by competent authorities.

quy định biển quảng cáo ngoài trời — Outdoor advertising sign regulations, especially for large-format signs, are increasingly being tightened.

6. Advertising Product Notification Dossier

According to the latest outdoor advertising regulations, outdoor advertising media no longer require a license for implementation. Instead, investors only need to prepare an advertising notification dossier and submit it to the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the province 15 days before the advertisement is carried out.

A complete advertising product notification dossier includes the following documents:

Article 29: Advertising Product Notification Dossier for Billboards and Banners

A written notification of the advertising product specifying the content, time, location, and quantity of billboards and banners.
A copy of the business registration certificate of the advertising service provider or advertiser (in case of self-advertising).
A copy of documents proving the conformity of the product, goods, or services in accordance with the law or documents proving eligibility for advertising under Article 20 of this Law.
A copy of the event organization document in case of advertising for an event or social policy.
A color-printed mock-up of the advertising product with the signature of the advertising service provider or advertiser (for organizations, a company seal is required).
Documents proving ownership or usage rights of the advertising board or banner location.
A perspective drawing showing the billboard placement location.
A copy of the construction permit for advertising structures for types of billboards that require a construction permit under Clause 2, Article 31 of this Law.

7. When is a Construction Permit for an Advertising Structure Required?

Article 31: Issuing Construction Permits for Advertising Structures specifies the cases that require a construction permit as follows:

Construction of specialized outdoor advertising screens, signboards, independent billboards, or billboards attached to existing buildings must obtain a construction permit from the local construction authority in the following cases:

a) Building a specialized outdoor advertising screen with a single-face area of 20 square meters (m²) or more;
b) Building signboards or billboards with a single-face area of more than 20 m², with a metal frame or similar building materials attached to an existing building;
c) Building a standalone billboard with a single-face area of 40 m² or more.

8. Dossier for a Construction Permit for an Advertising Structure

Application form for a construction permit for an advertising structure.
A copy of the business registration certificate.
A certified copy of one of the following documents: land use rights certificate; land lease agreement or contract; site lease agreement or notification of successful bidding.
An agreement or contract between the advertising project investor and the owner or authorized manager of the pre-existing structure.
Design drawings showing the site layout, cross-sections, elevations, and foundation plans of the structure, signed and sealed by the advertising project investor. For structures attached to an existing building, the design drawings must show the connection details between the advertising structure and the existing building.

9. Penalties for Violations of Outdoor Advertising Sign Regulations

Violations of outdoor advertising sign regulations may result not only in administrative fines but also in dismantling or restoration to the original state. Specific regulations are provided in Decree 158/2013/NĐ-CP as follows:

Article 60: Violations in Advertising on Billboards, Banners, and Specialized Screens

A fine of VND 1,000,000 to VND 2,000,000 for any of the following acts:
a) Hanging, erecting, placing, or attaching each billboard or banner in a position not in accordance with the approved plan or approved by the competent authority;
b) Failing to clearly state the name and address of the advertising service provider on each billboard or banner, except as specified in Point b, Clause 2, Article 68 of this Decree;
c) Failing to notify or incorrectly notifying the advertising content on billboards or banners to the competent authority where the advertisement is implemented.
A fine of VND 2,000,000 to VND 5,000,000 for any of the following acts:
a) Advertising exceeding the area specified for the billboard or banner at the approved location;
b) Failing to dismantle expired billboards or banners.
A fine of VND 5,000,000 to VND 10,000,000 for any of the following acts:
a) Placing logos, symbols, or trademarks of the advertiser in an incorrect position on billboards or banners with political or socio-political content;
b) Displaying logos, symbols, or trademarks exceeding the permitted area on billboards or banners with political or socio-political content;
c) Advertising on billboards or banners that do not comply with regulations on protected historical and cultural areas; traffic safety corridors, dykes, national power grids; obstructing traffic signals; stretching across traffic roads or public guide signs;
d) Altering and falsifying the advertised content already notified to the competent authority;
đ) Using falsified documents in the advertising product notification dossier.
A fine of VND 10,000,000 to VND 15,000,000 for using sound in advertising on outdoor specialized screens.
A fine of VND 15,000,000 to VND 20,000,000 for constructing a specialized outdoor advertising screen with a single-face area of 20 m² or more without a construction permit.
A fine of VND 20,000,000 to VND 30,000,000 for constructing a signboard or billboard with a single-face area of more than 20 m² using a metal frame or similar materials attached to an existing structure without a construction permit.
A fine of VND 30,000,000 to VND 40,000,000 for constructing a standalone billboard with a single-face area of 40 m² or more without a construction permit.