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Apply to display real estate signs

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A permit is required to display a real estate advertising sign or board on Council land in Knox. 

Real estate signage on Council land

Real estate agencies displaying boards or signs on Council land are required to obtain a permit.

You must have a permit before placing an advertising board on Council land or nature strips. 

Permits are issued under Council's Amenity Local Law 2020.

When permits are not required

Permits are not required if:

  • real estate signs or boards are placed within the property boundary on private land
  • other real estate signs, such as banners or flags, are placed on private property.

Placement

Any signs found to be obstructing the footpath or causing a danger to the public will be impounded by Council and fines apply.

correct and incorrect ways to place real estate signage

Types of permits

There are 2 types of permits with different conditions:

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Advertising boards (property for lease or sale)

Real estate advertising boards are large boards placed outside a property advertising it for sale, auction or lease.

Placing a real estate advertising board on Council land requires a permit.

A permit will only be considered if the board can't be placed on the property boundary. For example, if there is extensive vegetation on the nature-strip that obstructs the advertising board.

Conditions

Real estate advertising boards must follow these conditions:

  • Only one real estate advertising board is permitted per property.
  • The board must sit as close as possible out the front of the advertised property.
  • The board must follow planning provisions. 
  • The board must predominately advertise the property and not the real estate agent or agency.
  • The permitted size is 1800mm by 1200mm. Variations to this will only be considered in industrial and business zoned areas.
  • Advertising boards cannot be lit up, animated or contain any moving parts.
  • The board must be removed within 7 days of the property being sold or leased.

Public Liability Insurance

To obtain a permit, current Public Liability Insurance is required with:

  • a minimum value of $20 million
  • Knox City Council noted as 'Principal'
  • coverage for the items subject to the permit
  • a Certificate of Currency document to be shared with Council.

The applicant must indemnify the Council to any actions, claims, suits or demands brought by any person relating to any loss, damage or injury resulting from the placement of the temporary sign outside the property advertised.

Portable signs (open for inspection or auction)

Portable real estate signs, such as open for inspection or auction signs, require a permit.

Conditions

Portable real estate signs must:

  • be portable and free standing (such as A-frame signs)
  • be no bigger than 900 mm in height and 600mm in width
  • only be displayed on the day that the property is open for inspection or for auction
  • be removed within 1 hour of the end of the inspection or auction
  • have the period of time of the open for inspection or auction displayed on the sign
  • not have any moving, rotating, illuminated or reflective components
  • be constructed and maintained in a professional manner to ensure safety and to prevent injury (for example, no sharp edges).

Placement

Only 3 portable signs are permitted per property. They can only be placed in the following positions:

  • one sign on a nature strip at each end of the roadway in which the property open for inspection is located; and
  • one sign between the front boundary of the property open for inspection and the adjacent kerb.

Portable real estate signs cannot:

  • be placed in positions that do hinder or endanger the safety of the public
  • be placed on roadways, roundabouts, traffic islands, footpaths, trees, Council assets, utility poles, street, traffic, other public signage or reserves (including nature, road or sports reserves)
  • be staked into the ground
  • protrude from the property boundary, obstruct the footpath (e.g. flag) or hinder or endanger the safety of the public.

Public Liability Insurance

To obtain a permit, current Public Liability Insurance is required with:

  • a minimum value of $20 million
  • Knox City Council noted as 'Principal'
  • coverage for the items subject to the permit
  • a Certificate of Currency document to be shared with Council.

The applicant must indemnify the Council to any actions, claims, suits or demands brought by any person relating to any loss, damage or injury resulting from the placement of the temporary sign outside the property advertised.


Apply for a permit

To apply for a permit to place real estate signage on Council land, follow these steps:

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Step 1: Before you apply

Please read the permit conditions above to understand which permit you need and what it allows.

Required documents

You will need to provide the following documents as part of your permit application:

  • Public Liability Insurance certificate of currency
  • a diagram.

Public Liability Insurance

To apply for any type of real estate signage permit, a Public Liability Insurance certificate of currency is required.

The certificate must:

  • be from your insurance company
  • for $20 million
  • list Knox City Council as an interested party.

Diagram

If applying to place a real estate advertising board on Council land, you must also provide:

  • details of the board (type, measurements and description of working on the board), and
  • a diagram drawn to scale that shows the location of the proposed board, including:
    • the property boundaries
    • the width of nature strip or road reserve
    • any street signs
    • any poles
    • any other relevant information.

Before applying, please read the Knox City Council Privacy Statement.

Step 2: Apply for a permit

You can apply for a real estate signage permit online.

Apply for a real estate signage permit

What happens next

Once your application is submitted:

  • we will review your application to ensure all the required information has been submitted 
  • we will contact you via email if your application is incomplete or if we require more information
  • we will contact you via email within 10 days if your application has been approved.

If your permit application is not approved, the permit fee will be refunded (note the application fee is non-refundable).

Applications for the placement of a real estate advertising board on Council land may require a site inspection by a Council officer, in the assessment of your application.

Fees

The following fees are payable when applying for each type of permit:

Type of permitAnnual permitSingle placement permit
Portable real estate signs

$917
 

Includes $180 non-refundable application fee and a $737 annual permit fee

$282
 

Includes $180 non-refundable application fee and a $102 permit fee

Real estate advertising boardsn/a

$282
(for up to 3 months)
 

Includes $180 non-refundable application fee and a $102 permit fee

Renewing your permit

If you have an existing permit, we will send you a renewal notice in September each year. 

Payment is due by the end of October, and payment can be made online.

When renewing your permit, you are required to submit a current Public Liability insurance certificate of currency for $20 million from your insurance company, listing Knox City Council as an interested party, and pay the required fee.

Need help?

Contact us and we will get back to you.

Or call our Community Laws Department on 9298 8000.

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