The Five-Step Authorisation Process
The prior authorisation procedure follows a sequential process that the applicant must navigate before a single element of the device may lawfully be installed.
Identify whether authorisation is required
Authorisation (not declaration) is needed for: illuminated advertising (except projection/transparency-lit advertising); illuminated enseignes; any bâche at initial installation; exceptional-size devices; enseignes in protected locations; laser enseignes. Check the device type and location before choosing the route.
Identify the competent authority
For most advertising and enseignes: the mayor of the commune where the device will be installed. For certain devices at large sports venues inside agglomérations: the municipal council or intercommunal assembly. Since 1 January 2024, the EPCI president may also be competent. Heritage bâches on listed monuments: the prefect of the region (or minister of culture in some cases).
Assemble the dossier using Cerfa n° 14798-01
Complete the official form (three copies) and attach all required documents. The common information elements are the same as for a declaration (declarant identity, graphic representation, distances). Additional device-specific documents vary — see the detailed device sections below.
Submit by registered post or personal deposit (or electronically)
Send three copies by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, deposit them personally against a signed receipt, or submit electronically (Art. R 581-9, al. 3 and 5 as amended by Decree 2023-1409 of 29 December 2023). Do not install anything until the authorisation procedure is complete.
Wait for the response or the tacit authorisation window
Within one month of receipt, the authority issues either a receipt (complete dossier) or a request for missing documents. The decision must be notified within 2 months of a complete dossier. Silence beyond that period means tacit authorisation in the terms applied for. For listed monuments / classified sites: the window is 4 months.
The Common Content of Every Authorisation Application
Every authorisation application must include the same core information as a prior declaration, regardless of the device type (Art. R 581-10, al. 1, cross-referencing Art. R 581-7). These common elements are:
- Identity and address of the applicant — the person or advertising enterprise that intends to exploit the device
- Nature of the device and a scaled three-dimensional graphic representation — showing length, width, height, and depth. A graphic extracted from technical documentation is acceptable provided actual dimensions are stated
- For private land: the location and surface area of the land; the distance from separating boundaries and from the windows of buildings on adjacent plots; the number and nature of devices already installed on the land; a site location plan and scaled site plan
- For public domain: a sufficiently precise location description; the distance from adjacent-plot windows. No site plan required, but the location must be identifiable
On top of these common elements, each device type requires specific additional documents. These are detailed below by device category.
Illuminated Advertising (Including on Street Furniture)
Specific Documents Required
- Analysis of the life cycle of the device
- Visibility of the device from the nearest public road
- Indication of the average and maximum luminance values as defined by the applicable ministerial order on luminance thresholds
Surrounding living environment; need to limit visual nuisances (Art. L 583-1 of the Code de l'environnement); compliance with Arts. R 581-34 to R 581-41 (illuminated and digital advertising technical rules); compliance with Art. R 418-4 of the Code de la route (road safety); where applicable, compliance with RLP provisions (Art. R 581-76).
Advertising on Airport Grounds (Outside Agglomerations)
Specific Documents Required
- Agreement of the airport manager
- Documents establishing that the advertising complies with the safety rules applicable on the airport site
Criteria applicable to the relevant device type (according to whether the advertising is illuminated or not, whether it is on a bâche, etc.).
Advertising at Large Sports Venues Inside Agglomerations
Specific Documents Required
- Common information (identity, graphic representation, distances)
- Additional documents required for the specific device type (luminous advertising documents if applicable; bâche documents if applicable)
Duration of installation, surface area, process used, architectural and landscape integration, impact on the surrounding living environment, and potential road safety implications.
The authorisation for derogatory advertising at large sports venues (15,000+ seats) inside agglomérations is not granted by the mayor acting alone — it requires a formal decision of the municipal council or the intercommunal deliberative assembly (or the Métropole de Lyon council). This means the standard two-month authorisation window applies to a process that requires a council meeting. For major installations at venues such as football stadiums or concert arenas inside towns, the application needs to be submitted well in advance to allow time for the council's agenda.
Construction Site Covers (Bâches de Chantier)
Specific Documents Required
- Location, nature, and duration of the works
- Location of the scaffolding, surface area and duration of the bâche installation
- Name (or corporate name) and address of the persons or enterprises wishing to display advertising on the bâche
- Sketches or photographs of the bâche and of the planned location
- Where applicable: documents establishing that the works will qualify the building for the haute performance énergétique rénovation label (BBC rénovation) — required if seeking authorisation for an advertising surface exceeding 50% of the bâche's total surface
Compliance with Arts. R 581-53 and R 581-54 of the Code de l'environnement (bâche de chantier rules); duration, surface area, process used, architectural integration, impact on the surrounding living environment, road safety implications.
Construction Site Covers on Listed or Classified Monuments
The regime for advertising bâches on the scaffolding of a listed or classified historic monument is governed by the Code du patrimoine rather than the Code de l'environnement, and follows a separate heritage-law procedure. The application is presented by the works project owner (maître d'ouvrage), where applicable with the building owner's agreement.
Specific Documents Required
- Location of the scaffolding, surface area and duration of installation of the bâche
- Location of the bâches on the scaffolding
- Name and address of the persons or enterprises wishing to display advertising
- Expected receipts from the advertising (which must be allocated by the project owner to financing the works)
- Sketches or photographs of the planned messages and their location on the bâches
Compatibility of the advertising content, its volume, and its graphic design with the historic and artistic character of the monument and its surroundings; its intended use and accessibility to the public; security constraints. The authorisation determines the advertising surface (capped at 50% of total bâche surface), the location on the bâche, and the duration.
The application for a construction bâche on a listed or classified monument should be submitted at the same time as the works authorisation dossier: to the departmental service of architecture and heritage (service départemental de l'architecture et du patrimoine) for classified monuments, or to the mayor alongside the works agreement dossier for listed monuments. Where the advertising application cannot be submitted simultaneously with the works dossier, or where a modification to already-authorised advertising is envisaged, the application goes to the departmental architecture and heritage service. If the works take longer than anticipated and continued advertising beyond the initially authorised period is desired, a fresh application must be filed.
Pure Advertising Wraps (Bâches Publicitaires)
Specific Documents Required
- Type of support for the bâche, its surface area, and the duration of installation
- Name and address of the persons or enterprises wishing to display advertising on the bâche
- Sketches or photographs of the bâche and of the planned location
Compliance with Arts. R 581-53 and R 581-55 of the Code de l'environnement (advertising wrap rules); duration, surface area, process used, architectural integration, impact on the surrounding living environment, road safety implications.
Exceptional-Size Devices Linked to Temporary Events
Specific Documents Required
- Type of event announced
- Location, surface area, and duration of installation of the device
- Name and address of the persons or enterprises wishing to install the device
- Sketches or photographs of the device, the advertising, and the planned location
Compliance with Art. R 581-56 of the Code de l'environnement; duration of installation, surface area, process used, architectural integration, impact on the surrounding living environment, road safety implications. The authorisation must display the date and number of the authorising order and the authorised advertising surfaces visibly from the public road throughout the period of use (Art. R 581-21, IV).
Enseignes (Shop Signs) Requiring Prior Authorisation
Specific Documents Required
- Setting (mise en situation) of the enseigne — showing the sign in its context
- View of the building or location concerned with and without the enseigne
- Assessment of its integration into the surroundings
Compliance with national prescriptions and the applicable RLP; the surrounding living environment. For signs on or near historic monuments: the agreement of the architecte des bâtiments de France (ABF) is required. For signs on natural monuments, national park cores, or nature reserves: the agreement of the prefect of the region is required.
Authorisation Duration
The duration of an advertising authorisation varies by device type and is an important consideration for operators planning long-term installations:
| Device type | Standard duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Illuminated advertising (including digital, street furniture) | 8 years maximum | Set in the authorisation; 8 years is the ceiling, not the default |
| Advertising at large sports venues (inside agglomerations) | 8 years maximum | Decision by municipal/intercommunal council |
| Pure advertising wrap (bâche publicitaire) | 8 years maximum | Set in the authorisation |
| Construction site cover (bâche de chantier) | Effective scaffold use only | Cannot exceed duration of active construction; new application needed if works extend beyond authorised period |
| Exceptional-size device (temporary event) | 1 month before to 15 days after the event | Hard outer boundary; cannot be extended by authorisation |
| Advertising on airport grounds (outside agglomération) | Per authorisation | Duration set by the authority in each individual case |
| Permanent enseigne in protected location | Per authorisation | Duration set by the authority; no standard maximum specified |
| Temporary enseigne in protected location | 3 weeks before to end of event/operation | Standard temporary enseigne timing rules apply |
| Heritage bâche (listed/classified monument) | Effective scaffolding use only | New application required if works extend; Code du patrimoine regime |
For advertising bâches on historic monuments governed by the Code du patrimoine, the criminal sanction for display that does not conform to the terms of the authorisation — exceeding the permitted surface, displaying in a non-authorised location, or continuing beyond the authorised duration — is a fine of €1,500 (Art. R 624-2 of the Code du patrimoine). This sanction is distinct from the advertising law sanctions in Art. L 581-34 of the Code de l'environnement and applies specifically to monument bâches.
Consultation of State Services
For most authorisation applications, the mayor does not decide in isolation. Article R 581-12 of the Code de l'environnement requires that the authority transmit the application dossier to any State service or authority whose opinion or agreement is required, within specific time limits:
- Within eight days of receiving a complete dossier for most consulted services
- Within four days for the departmental commission on nature, landscapes, and sites (commission départementale de la nature, des paysages et des sites)
These consulted bodies must communicate their opinions before specific deadlines relative to the standard two-month response window. Opinions are deemed favourable if not communicated to the competent authority:
- Seven days before the expiry of the two-month window: for the departmental commission on nature, landscapes, and sites
- Fifteen days before the expiry of the two-month window: for all other consulted services or authorities
The authorisation procedure for outdoor advertising devices in France requires careful dossier preparation, correct identification of the competent authority, and advance planning for cases where council decisions or heritage body consultation are involved. Our team provides clear, actionable advice on every step of the French outdoor advertising framework.
Book a ConsultationThis article is for general information and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. The specific documents required for each device type and the assessment criteria applied by the authority are governed by Arts. R 581-9 to R 581-21-1 of the Code de l'environnement and — for monument bâches — by Arts. R 621-86 to R 621-90 of the Code du patrimoine. Always consult the Cerfa form's exhaustive checklist and seek qualified legal advice for your situation. Legal references reflect amendments by Decree 2023-1409 of 29 December 2023.
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Key Legal References
Authorisation — submission procedure
Content of authorisation application (common elements)
Assessment criteria — general
Consultation of State services and deemed-favourable rule
Decision and tacit authorisation after 2-month silence
Airport grounds advertising — airport manager agreement required
Illuminated advertising assessment criteria
Bâche authorisation criteria and mandatory mentions
Exceptional-size devices — mandatory visible mentions
Sports venue derogation (15,000+ seats inside agglomérations)
Enseigne prior authorisation requirement in protected locations
Heritage bâches on listed monuments — Code du patrimoine authority
Heritage bâches — detailed procedural rules
Non-conforming monument bâche sanction — €1,500 fine
Official authorisation application form
Key reform decree — including electronic submission
