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Department of Transport and Main Roads

Roadside advertising manual

Policy for the Management of Roadside Advertising

The Department of Transport and Main Roads recognises that roadside advertising provides a customer service to the community and commercial opportunities. EP162 Policy for the Management of Roadside Advertising provides a policy framework within which roadside advertising may be approved where the location, placement, design and operation of the advertising device, does not distract drivers or adversely impact roads safety and efficiency.

Roadside Advertising Manual

The Roadside Advertising Manual assists the department and local governments to evaluate proposals for roadside advertising within and beyond the boundaries of state-controlled roads to ensure they meet road safety and traffic operation objectives. The Manual also provides technical criteria for current and potential roadside advertisers.

The Roadside Advertising Manual comprises of three volumes:

  • Administration Volume – information for administration officers to assist in the application process and support customers' needs.
  • Assessment Volume – information about assessment and approval processes for the management of roadside advertising.
  • Technical Volume – provides the safety and efficiency of technical standards for management of advertising device types.

An amendment register outlines the changes made to Roadside Advertising Manual.

Election signage

Read more information on election signage in state-controlled road corridors.

Signs and Promotional Objects

Information on when the department's approval is required for signs and promotional objects in state-controlled roads is available in the Signs and Promotional Objects factsheet.

Small electronic devices (<4m2) within school zones

Information on the operation of small electronic devices (<4m2) within school zones is available in the Small Electronic Devices within School Zones fact sheet.

The intent of this fact sheet is to ensure safety around schools is not compromised through driver distraction due to the operation of VMS by schools to communicate with their local communities.

For further information please contact your nearest transport and motoring customer service centre or call 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

Content displayed on roadside advertising devices located on state-controlled roads

The department generally relies on the self-regulatory controls within the advertising industry to enforce minimum advertising standards on content displayed on roadside advertising devices including billboards and other signs.

The department may intervene if the advertising content may cause an immediate danger to traffic. When the department enters into licence agreements for advertising devices on state-controlled roads, it reserves the right to apply certain controls on the advertising content in order to ensure that the content does not create a traffic hazard.

Complaints about content displayed on roadside advertising devices may be directed to the Advertising Standards Bureau.

Advertising standards, codes and initiatives including the Australian Advertising National Standard Code of Ethics, can be found on the Ad Standards website.

Superseded guides

Last updated 27 February 2023