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Advertisements, signs and professional buildings: what night lighting?

Verified 19 October 2022 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of the Environment

In order to reduce nuisance, night lighting of light advertisements, pre-signs lights, illuminated signs and non-residential buildings (offices, shops, agricultural or industrial buildings, facades, showcases, ...) is regulated.

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Light Advertising

An advertisement matches any inscription, form or image intended to inform the public or to attract its attention. On the other hand, a sign or pre-sign does not constitute advertising.

Advertising is said luminous when it supports a poster illuminated by projection or transparency, that is, enlightened from the outside by means of lights, bulbs or ramps, or from the inside by means of neon tubes (light box, window panels, etc.).

Light advertising includes the digital advertising diffused on screens which can present still images, moving images

and videos.

The light advertising shall be off between 1:00 and 6:00 in the morning.

FYI  

As of October 7, 2022, this extinguishment rule applies all over France (the size of the agglomeration is no longer taken into account).

In case of serious and imminent threat to security of supply in electricity, all digital advertisements and advertisements with remotely controllable operation or lighting shall be off or on standby. The information shall be communicated by the operator of the public electricity transmission system no later than the day before the day in question.

Luminous pre-sign

A pre-sign corresponds to any inscription, shape or image indicating the proximity to an establishment where an activity takes place determined.

The pre-sign is called luminous when illuminated by projection or transparency, that is, enlightened from the outside by means of lights, bulbs or ramps, or from the inside by means of neon tubes (light box, window panels, etc.).

Illuminated pre-signs shall be extinguished between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.

FYI  

As of October 7, 2022, this extinguishment rule applies all over France (the size of the agglomeration is no longer taken into account).

Bright sign

A sign corresponds to any inscription, shape or image affixed to a building and relating to an activity which is practiced there.

The sign is said luminous when illuminated by projection or transparency, that is, enlightened from the outside by means of lights, bulbs or ramps, or from the inside by means of neon tubes (light box, window panels, etc.).

Illuminated signs shall be extinct between1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. when the reported activity has ceased.

If the activity ceases or starts between midnight and 7 a.m., the light sign may be switched off 1 hour after the end of the activity and be switched on 1 hour before the start of the activity.

The mayor and prefect may, for exceptional events, allow illuminated signs to remain lit.

Flashing signs are prohibited. However, a pharmacy sign or any other emergency department is authorized.

Store or exhibition showcase

Store or exhibition windows must be switched off no later than 1:00 a.m. or 1:00 a.m. after cessation of activity.

They may be reignited from 7 a.m. or 1 hour before the start of the activity if earlier.

Indoor lighting in business premises

The lighting of the business premises must be switched off no later than 1 hour after the end of their occupation.

It can be reactivated from 7 a.m. or 1 hour before the start of the activity if it starts earlier.

Facade of business premises

The lighting of the facades of professional premises must be switched off at the latest at 1 a.m.

It must be reactivated at the earliest at 7 a.m. or 1 hour before the start of the activity if it begins earlier.

FYI  

The Prefect may decide to adapt these rules more restrictively to protect the fauna and flora sensitive to this light. The mayor can decide to suspend these rules on the eve of public holidays and during the period of Christmas lights.

The obligation to extinguish at night does not apply in the following cases:

  • Posters illuminated by projection or transparency on street furniture (bus shelters, newsstand, poster column...)
  • Airports
  • Digital advertisements on street furniture, provided the images are still
  • Exceptional surface area digital ads (50 m² maximum)
  • Public street lighting, including street lights on the façade
  • Lighting installations with motion or intrusion detection, for the protection of buildings

The mayor of the municipality is responsible for monitoring compliance of those provisions and of give formal notice the person or company in breach within a period to be determined by the Council.

The formal notice may be for a period of Maximum 5 days.

If, on expiry of that period, the has not followed the requests, the mayor will deliver a fine of a maximum amount of €1,500.

The amount of the fine is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. During the check, 3 things are studied:

  • Reasons for non-compliance
  • Magnitude or extent of non-compliance (single desk kept lit or entire floor)
  • Whether or not this is a first breach

A criminal fine of €7,500 may also be pronounced.

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