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Do you need a permit for an LED screen in Belgium?

Yes, almost always — and the reason surprises many shop owners: the exemption for boards under 4 m² does not apply to illuminated signs.

7 min read

It is the first question almost every shop owner asks before ordering: am I allowed to put this screen on my facade? The short answer is yes, but with a permit in nearly every case. And the reason is not the size of the screen.

The word that changes everything: illuminated

In Flanders a NON-illuminated advertising board of up to 4 m² fixed to the facade of your own business needs no permit, unless your commune decides otherwise. Many shop owners know this rule and assume it covers a screen too. It does not: as soon as the device is illuminated, free-standing, or larger than 4 m², the permit is required again.

Brussels

  • Placing a sign is in principle subject to planning permission.
  • The RRU sets the criteria: size, projection, mounting height, lighting and colour. They differ by zone.
  • Illuminated advertising must be switched off between 01:00 and 06:00, except for safety reasons.
  • The device must carry sensors that regulate brightness automatically.
  • The permit runs nine years for a sign, three years for other advertising devices.

Flanders

  • In principle every fixed, permanent advertisement along the public road needs an omgevingsvergunning.
  • If the screen is visible from the public road, the Vlaamse Publiciteitsverordening applies — in force since 1 January 2024.
  • A free-standing panel, larger than 4 m², or illuminated always needs a permit.

Wallonia

Wallonia applies its own spatial planning code, separate from the Brussels RRU and the Flemish regulation. We do not reproduce rules here that we have not verified: contact your commune’s planning department before ordering.

What to do, in order

  • Call your commune’s planning department. The commune decides, not the region alone.
  • Have three things ready: the exact dimensions, the mounting height and a photo of the facade.
  • Ask whether your street sits in a protected zone or along a regional road — the rules are stricter there.
  • Check whether a communal rule imposes night switch-off or a brightness limit.
Work out your dimensionsThe commune will ask for exact dimensions. Enter your rough size: the tool rounds to the real module and gives you the final size.